Vietnam Essay, Research Paper
After World War II the United States took on a function of universe rebuilding, taking the tattered fragments of states and authoritiess and turning them into working democratic states. The U.S. , fearful of distributing communism in Eastern Europe, adopted George Kennan? s policy of containment to maintain communism confined to its current parts and guaranting states remain democratic. In Vietnam, Communists were taking more and more control of the authorities and France non being able to keep them off, requested that action be taken. Enter Ngo Dinh Diem.
The Diem Regime was the opinion cabal in Southern Vietnam during the late 1950? s through the early 1970? s. Its name comes from its premier curate and taking adult male, Ngo Dinh Diem. Diem was an eager immature patriot from Vietnam looking to oppress the Communist motion that had ignited during its battle for freedom against its former opinion state of France. Diem, a Catholic adult male, was minority of kinds non merely in faith ( Buddhism being the bulk ) but his sense of patriotism as good. After being educated in Catholic schools he had a few little political responsibilities, ne’er holding any important functions due to his frequently extremist and anti-French colonialistic thoughts. He ever tried to rally support for himself but merely couldn? t compete with the Vietminh. Not being able to digest the Communist hero and leader, Ho Chi Minh, he spent a figure of old ages in expatriate in the United States, doing contacts with of import Senators such as Mike Mansfield and John F. Kennedy. He gained strong support from Cardinal Spellman of New York that finally led to the U.S. back uping his attempts to battle the Communists of Vietnam, as portion of the U.S. ? s containment policy, and convey the state into the free universe. Bao Dai, caput of Vietnam, appointed Diem to the place of Prime Minister where he instantly began to run the state precisely how he wanted to, non taking the advice of U.S. functionaries, nor crumpling under their force per unit area. The U.S. was so drug into a period of some of the most violent combat of all time seen, ne’er coming out winning.
From really early on the executive subdivision of the authorities conceded that Diem was the lone adult male they had for the occupation. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles told foreign letter writer Stanley Karnow, that they chose Diem because they had no other alternatives- he was the best that they could happen. The U.S. did non cognize how they would incorporate communism in South East Asia since Diem was considered? weak? and? hopeless? . Dulles figured that denying Diem aid would hold a far worse consequence and that if anything it would purchase them some clip. Eisenhower promised Diem assistance in a missive to him on October 23, 1954 to assist the state? set about needful reforms? . The first time-buying assistance bundle was deserving $ 325 million. Foreign assistance over the following 10 old ages totaled to about $ 2.4 billion. In add-on to money the U.S. sent Advisers to Vietnam to maintain an oculus on the occurrences of Vietnam and besides train the Vietnamese ground forces to utilize new equipment received and besides to better their combat tactics and capablenesss.
Many U.S. functionaries became easy frustrated with Diem? s changeless ignorance of their suggestions. General J. Lawton Collins, Eisenhower? s personal envoy, complained that Diem would pay more attending to his brothers Archbishop Thuc and Nhu. Diem wouldn? t even listen to his fellow authorities officers and merely worked with his household entirely instead than make what the people of South Vietnam wanted. It was an autocratic regulation with deeply rooted chauvinistic pride that was impossible to alter. This appeared to be a marionette that backfired, holding a marionette exterior but a obstinate, chauvinistic will inside.
President John F. Kennedy wrote a missive to Diem on December 14, 1961 guaranting him that the U.S. still held its position on keeping support for the South Vietnam authorities as it was being assaulted by North Vietnam. Kennedy pledged to offer Diem more assistance in order to? protect its [ Vietnam ] people and to preserver its independency? .
In 1961, Lyndon Johnson, so vice-president, said, ? President Diem is the Churchill of the decennary & # 8230 ; in the vanguard of those leaders who stand for freedom. ? Karnow subsequently asked Johnson if he meant what he had said earlier Johnson replied? Shit, Diem? s the lone male child we got out
at that place? , a statement that absolutely sums up Johnson and many other White House functionary? s position of Diem.
There were many effects that came out of these functionaries? determinations to endorse the Diem government in its battle to keep freedom and squelch the Communists. Equally far as short-run effects, the sum of assistance to Vietnam increased twelvemonth by twelvemonth. Kennedy felt Vietnam was an of import state to maintain in the Free World and continually added more and more military personnels to Vietnam throughout his presidential term. This resulted in a brutal and long war killing 1000s of U.S. soldiers and carry throughing nil in the terminal. Some long-run effects that came out of U.S. involvement in Vietnam were the rapidly paced weaponries race and the quickly intensifying Cold War. It became a war between the Free World represented by the United States and the Communists represented by Russia. A puppet war that let the two states fight each other without officially contending and besides remaining off their fatherlands. Another consequence was the psychological effects on U.S. soldiers that fought in Vietnam. Many work forces ne’er returned the same, holding violent flashbacks and disposition alterations. The war besides left us with a big figure of disabled and handicapped veterans happening it difficult to return to what they left.
Public sentiment of Diem varied in the early yearss of the Diem government. Peoples in the U.S. seemed really satisfied that they were halting the spread of communism in South East Asia. Most Americans could non happen Vietnam on a universe map but since it was being threatened by the spread of communism they were all for directing U.S. assistance, whether it be money, machinery, or manpower. It was an operation evidently to the full supported by the populace with about consentaneous ballots in the House.
In these early yearss Congress gave the president full support in funding foreign assistance to Diem. They classified it as support? to antagonize the radical motion underway in Vietnam? . Votes in the House would go through with merely 15-20 representatives voting against the assistance bundles. It was seen as a great manner to demo the Soviets we were ready to contend and that we wouldn? t allow their? infective disease? spread into South East Asia.
In retrospect, the United States support for Vietnam was needed. The Presidents had to be strong against the Communists in order to demo them that the U.S. was willing to stand up to them, every bit good as for maintaining up the morale of the U.S. citizens. American citizens didn? t privation to endorse down and look inferior to the Russians.
But, I am non stating that by back uping Diem all good came out of it. Thousands of American work forces died on the foreign dirt of a distant jungle state frequently non cognizing what they were contending for, and holding no pick whether or non to contend with authorities muster enacted. The thought of battling these awful Communists was realistic and idealistic at the same clip. It was an idealistic cause to salvage the laden state of Vietnam from being bullied by the stronger and more unsafe communist motion. We had to continue democracy in the Free World and halt the spread of Communism. The impression of pragmatism was that the Communists would rapidly suppress the weak Vietnam and so perchance distribute into Laos, Cambodia, and perchance farther. We couldn? t let the Communists have the chance to command South East Asia and the possibility of taking control of Hong Kong, the Philippines, and other U.S. involvements. The Communists had to be stopped, no affair how you viewed the job. The lone plausible and? safe? manner to cover with it was to back up Diem in his battle against the Communists and trust the socialist thoughts would distribute no further.
Bibliography:
Department of State Bulletin, November 15, 1954
Department of State Bulletin, January 1, 1962
The USA Since 1945? by Ganley/Lyons/Seawall & # 211 ; 1993 Longman Publishing Group
Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream? by Doris Kerns & # 211 ; 1976 Harper & A ; Row
Diplomacy? by Henry Kissinger & # 211 ; 1994 Simon & A ; Schuster
Vietnam: A History? by Stanley Karnow & # 211 ; 1983 WGBH Educational Foundation
Vietnam: A Television History & # 8211 ; & # 211 ; 1983 WGBH Educational Foundation
National Geographic Magazine October, 1961 & # 8211 ; & # 211 ; 1961 National Geographic Society
