This assistance then increased, as by the end of the year, the US had given France $100 million, along with aircraft, patrol boats, napalm bombs and ground combat machinery. This then led to the fight for independence against the French, as in August 1945, Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the independence of Vietnam, only to see the French return to re-establish their authority. Furthermore, 1952 saw the beginning of Eisenhower's presidency. His importance within the Vietnam war revolves around the fact that he continued and increased American involvement there. Initially, he continued Truman's policy of helping the French to fight communism in Vietnam.
Charles de Gaulle said in 1961 "The more you become involved out there against Communism, the more the Communists will appear as champions of national independence… you will sink step by step into a bottomless military and political quagmire, however much you spend in men and money" Eisenhower had already begun the sinking process, and Kennedy would act as a catalyst for a further descent. I believe that Kennedy was the person mainly responsible for American involvement in Vietnam, for example he was responsible for increasing the number of ‘military
Americas politics, America used Diem as a way to stop to spread of communism in Vietnam, they supported him in becoming Vietnams first president and to set up an Anti-Communist government at the same time, this was another way for the us government to stop the spread of communism the American government also stopped a Vietnam vote for either capitalism of communism America when to extreme measures to stop this from happening. In 1964 the us navy reports of an incident involving two American destroyers and several Vietnamese gunships, this is what lead to the us declaring full out war on Vietnam and the Viet mihn, it stated that Viet gunships fired
While the United States was nervous of Communism consuming the entire globe. President Eisenhower believed in the “domino effect”, meaning that if you fight and succeed in stopping communism in one country others are sure to rise, stand and follow suit. China became a communist country in 1949, therefore, the United States forked out 2 billion dollars to support anti-communism. The Truman Doctrine was written and put in to effect stating that the United States would do any and everything in its power to put an end to communism spreading to any further country. Following a victory over a battle with the French, North Vietnam in 1954, set ways into communism and in turn proceeded to try and reign over the now divided Southern Vietnam.
Zinn’s attitude throughout the entire chapter leads me to believe that he disapproves on extreme levels of the actions taken by the US during this time. On the Tonkin “attack”, he says, “It later turned out that the Gulf of Tonkin episode was a fake, that the highest American officials had lied to the public—just as they had in the invasion of Cuba under Kennedy,” (Zinn 476). The Americans, according to Zinn, worked exhaustingly to control half of Vietnam and oppose the National Liberation Front which worked to make the people free. Terrible accounts of murder, torture, and neglect are told, and it seems from Zinn’s perspective, this was an event that could have been avoided had the American government not been created with an instinctual itch for action. I was initially shocked in reading this chapter.
John Marshall wrote long articles about the event and when the news reached Paris and the United States, Talleyrand and the French government began to harass the U.S. envoys. Once again, Talleyrand sent another one of his friends, Lucien Hauteval (Z) who demanded the terms must be met or there would war. Talleyrand unofficially and secretly met with Gerry who said that they could give then the $12 million loan, and that was the best he could offer. Talleyrand intended to end attacks on U.S. merchant shipping, but first wanted the bribe and the loan, strengthen his political position in the French government and make sure that he would only meet with Gerry, who seemed like the most friendly and able to negotiate
Ultimately, Diem was a failure as his rule determined that either Vietnam would become communist or face another war. Diem was successful in establishing and consolidating his authoritarian rule. Diem took several measures to ensure the removal of individuals and groups who opposed his rule. This included the expulsion of coup plotters like General Hinh, the destruction of the Binh Xuyen crime syndicate and the attack on the religious sects like the Cao Dai. In 1955 Diem inaugurated a widespread Denunciation Campaign which limited communist influence in the south.
“‘We have 30 Vietnams’, Robert Kennedy told a journalist. On the face of it he had reason to be confident,” (Harman 571). The United States had always succeeded in war thus far, with guerilla movements being defeated in Latin America and any reoccurrence of the Cuban Revolution being shut down. In the mid-1960s, the CIA pushed generals to destroy the most powerful Communist Party in the Third World in the Congo. America, as Harman describes, was seemingly invincible, until its involvement in the Vietnam War.
The communists always tried to suppress religions anyway possible and because of Ngo Dinh Diem being Catholic and in charge of South Vietnam at the start of the resistance to the North. They felt it was a smart move to wipe as many of them out as they could. The Vietcong and North Vietnamese also had the goal of causing “…an uproar in the world and in the US….” Due to its Vietnamese cultural, historical, and political heritage, Hue was a center of international attention. The communists’ occupation and massacres there served their intents of gaining superiority at the negotiations, and especially of threatening the American people, causing them to worry about their military relatives in Vietnam up to the point of urging the US government to promptly bring
This particular phase in history of the United States is referred to as either ‘The Red Scare’ or ‘McCarthyism’ because of the government-initiated propaganda against Communism. This era’s anti-communist hearings destroyed lives and friendships as paranoia swept America, according to Arthur Miller (Miller “Are You”). “The Crucible” evokes a lethal brew of illicit sexuality, and a fear of the supernatural and political manipulation, a combination that was similar to McCarthyism. When Miller wrote it, Senator Joseph McCarthy and the House Committee on Un-American Activities wanted him to sign an anti-communist declaration because the object was to destroy the least credibility of any and all ideas associated with socialism and communism (Miller “Why I”). Whether McCarthy was right or wrong, people can learn some important lessons from the past, present, and future.