Background to the Vietnam War

This section provides an overview to the background of the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War occurred during a period of intense global tension, with Asia becoming a key battleground in the Cold War. Both the Korean War and the Vietnam War were driven by the expansion of communism, particularly in Southeast Asia, and the USA’s determination to prevent its spread. This was part of a broader context of containment, a policy to stop communism from expanding beyond the Soviet Union and China.

Colonial History and the Rise of Nationalism

Vietnam was a French colony for much of the 19th and early 20th centuries. During World War Two, however, it was occupied by Japan. After Japan’s defeat in 1945, the French attempted to reassert control over the region. This led to growing resistance from the Vietnamese people, who were seeking independence from colonial rule. One of the primary forces leading this struggle was the Viet Minh, a communist-led nationalist movement under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh, who sought to expel foreign powers from Vietnam.

In the early 1950s, the French were embroiled in a bloody conflict with the Viet Minh, who were determined to secure Vietnam’s independence. As the war dragged on, the United States became increasingly concerned about the spread of communism in Southeast Asia. Fearing the consequences of a communist Vietnam, which could lead to a broader regional shift, the USA began to provide substantial financial and military aid to the French in their fight against the Viet Minh. This was aligned with President Truman’s Truman Doctrine (1947), which committed the USA to helping countries resist communism.

The Battle of Dien Bien Phu and the Geneva Agreement

In 1954, the French suffered a crushing defeat at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. This battle marked the end of French colonial rule in Indochina and resulted in the Geneva Agreements, which temporarily divided Vietnam at the 17th Parallel. The north was controlled by the Viet Minh, with Ho Chi Minh as its leader, while the south was governed by an anti-communist regime under Ngo Dinh Diem. This division was meant to be temporary, with national elections scheduled for 1956 to decide on reunification, but these elections were never held, largely due to Diem's refusal to allow them.

The Division of Vietnam and the Threat of Communism

The division of Vietnam into North and South at the 17th Parallel symbolised the growing Cold War tensions in Southeast Asia. The North, led by Ho Chi Minh, quickly became a socialist state. Under the terms of the Geneva Accords, the country was to be reunified by free elections in 1956, but this never happened. Ho Chi Minh’s government initially tried to remain neutral, but as it aligned itself more closely with communist China, it became clear to the USA that the North was firmly communist.

The United States, guided by the domino theory, feared that if Vietnam fell to communism, neighbouring countries like Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma, and even India might follow suit. This theory, popularised by President Eisenhower, suggested that the spread of communism in one country would lead to its spread across the region in a chain reaction. Consequently, the USA began to support the South Vietnamese government under Diem, despite its undemocratic nature.

The Role of Ngo Dinh Diem

Ngo Dinh Diem, the leader of South Vietnam, was a deeply unpopular figure among many of his people. Diem, a wealthy Catholic in a predominantly Buddhist country, was accused of discrimination against the Buddhist majority. His regime was marked by political repression, the suppression of dissent, and widespread corruption. Diem had initially come to power in a rigged election in which he claimed to have won 600,000 votes in a country where only 450,000 people were eligible to vote.

Diem’s rule became increasingly authoritarian, and his refusal to allow reunification elections led to growing unrest. Many South Vietnamese, particularly those who favoured reunification with the communist North, joined the Viet Cong (the communist insurgency) in an armed uprising against his regime. Diem’s harsh treatment of Buddhists, including the notorious incident in 1963 where a Buddhist monk, Thich Quang Duc, self-immolated in protest of Diem’s government, further alienated him from the public.

Despite his unpopularity, the USA continued to support Diem’s government. This was largely due to his staunch anti-communist stance, which aligned with American objectives in the region. The USA believed that backing Diem was essential to preventing the spread of communism in Southeast Asia, even if it meant supporting a dictator who violated democratic principles.

The USA’s Military Involvement

The United States’ involvement in Vietnam deepened after Diem’s assassination in 1963 and eventually led to direct military intervention. U.S. military advisors had been sent to Vietnam from the late 1950s onwards to support Diem’s government, and by the early 1960s, the USA had become heavily involved in the conflict. The Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964, in which North Vietnamese forces allegedly attacked U.S. naval vessels, provided the pretext for the U.S. to escalate its military presence in Vietnam.

Ultimately, the Vietnam War became a highly controversial and divisive conflict, symbolising the intense rivalry between the USA and the Soviet Union, and the complex dynamics of Cold War geopolitics. The war would continue until 1975, with devastating consequences for the Vietnamese people, the United States, and the broader region.