Conflict In Asia 1955-63 Flashcards
(17 cards)
What was SEATO?
- created by Dulles under einsenhower administration in 1954
- in response to the strengthening Sino-Soviet alliance
- defensive alliance designed to protect newly independent Southeast Asian states from falling under communist control
- many of the SEATO members were not south east Asian countries, which it was designed to protect (eg DIDNT include South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia)
- reflected approach of USA to contain communism in Asia and policy focusing on defensive perimeter strategy
What was domino theory?
- Set out by President Eisenhower in April 1954 speech about Indochina
- Reflected the belief that if one state in Asia fell to communism, more would fall one after another
-Why was Eisenhower worried about Indochina falling to communism and what did he do ?
- Indochina was a French colony, USA supported independence from France at first
-  DRV launched increasingly successful war of independence winning control over much of North Indochina
- USA alarmed as communists gained power in mainland China, so was worried Indochina would fall to communists
- so contributed more than france to the cost of the war, but was unwilling to commit troops
What was a key turning point in war against fr and After the DRV won France what happened?
- French forces suffered a humiliating defeat in the battle of Dien bien phu April 1954
- Led to peace negotiations and an international conference at Geneva
What was the terms agreed at Geneva conference and when was it?
-July 1954 1) France must withdraw from Vietnam 2) Laos and Cambodia will become neutral protectorate of America and will be neutral 3) Vietnam to be split at 17th parallel 4) free elections to be held by 1956 5) no reinforcements allowed
-We know from Germany et cetera to separate sides are temporary due to ideological differences, Geneva conference essentially created tensions for war
What is the importance of Vietnam geographically
- Southeast Asia
- shares border with China
- shares border with Laos and Cambodia
- full of jungle and hot terrain which USA troops are not used to -a very agrarian country
Explain the Japanese occupation of Vietnam
- fr control of Vietnam fell in 1940 when fr was defeated by GR at end of ww2
- Japan took over
- Ho Chi Minh formed Vietminh who fought for indépendance
- Japanese surrendered in 1945 that France wanted to take control again
- (so Vietnamese citizens essentially fought for independence to be taken over again which is why many were angry and upset about it)
How long did fr and Vietminh war last ?
- 1954
-  9 year war with france 1946-1954 fr south Vietminh north
What was smart about Ho Chi Minh tactic for support against fr ?
Ho kept quiet about wanting to form a communist country so many countries are sympathetic towards him
- But 1949 Chinese communist began to open your help ho USA feared communist takeover
- USA poured $500 mill a year
Why did USA help French?
- But 1949 Chinese communist began to open your help ho USA feared communist takeover
- USA poured $500 mill a year
What were the four important consequences at dien bien phu ?
- French lost 3000 dead and 8000 died in captivity
- Vietminh forces had defeated the French in open battle with the help of modern weapons from the USSR and China
- Small Asian state has defeated a rich European state
- at the 1954 peace conference, the country was effectively divide into north and south Vietnam until elections could be held
How did Ho Chi Minh consolidate his power in north Vietnam?
-Priority was to construct a solid Communist state in the north in order to fight for reunification
-key component for Vietnam workers party (VWP) was land reform, so the regime seized privately owned land and distributed among the rural population
- done through violence, executed , labour camps
- 1956 revolt which about 6000 people were killed
-August 1956 Ho Chi Minh was forced to apologise publicly next
– about 1 million people fled from the north to the south
- but the achievements of these agricultural reforms were significant as full-scale collectivisation was underway and agricultural production increased
How did Ho Chi Minh aim to reunify Vietnam?
- to use military force to overthrow DIem’s regime and remove the presence of “the ruling power of the imperialist and feudalist forces“
- but there was political struggle on creating national unity in the south in order to overthrow DIem’s regime backed with USA
- so North undertook a policy of supporting anti-Diem groups in south —-> resulted in creation of The National liberation front in south Vietnam (NLF)
How was DIems ruling in South? 
- Dulles admitted that USA only supported him ‘ because we knew of no one better’
- regime was based on appearance of democracy,
- but his primary interest was a preservation of his own power achieved by a loyal and corrupt ruling group and support of the USa
What was a key point in the difference in view of south Vietnam in north Vietnam ?
- 15th plenum of the VWP
- January 1959: North formally adopted a strategy to re-unified Vietnam by force, declaration of war
When was the NLF set up and what did it emerge from?
- December 1960
- Emerged from a number of different groups each with its own motivation
What was a powerful motivation to join the NLF
-A powerful motivation was a rejection of Diem‘s quasi imperialist policies , As he was a Francophone and sought Catholic elite (French speaking, Catholic people were getting all the best places in government)
-Aim of freeing south Vietnam from American imperialism
-to create a unified, sovereign and independent Vietnamese state

