The Global War

Question 1

Consolidation of Socialism: North Vietnam

Answer 1

-Ho Chi Minh’s priority was to construct a solid communist state in the North, in order to fight for reunification.
-A key component of this process for his Vietnam Workers’ Process (VWP) was land reform. the regime seized privately owned land and redistributed it among the rural farming population.
-in 1956, the military had to put down a revolt. About 6000 were killed in this action.
-In August, Ho Chi Minh had to publicly apologise for the aggressive and clumsy implementation of the land reform program. About 1 million refugees fled to the South.
-Full scale collectivization was well underway and production increased.

Question 2

Revolutionary violence strategy: North Vietnam

Answer 2

-At the end of 1958, the decision was taken at a meeting of the VWP central committee to commit a strategy that would reunify Vietnam.
-The aim was to use military force to overthrow Diem’s regime and remove the presence of ‘the ruling power of the imperialist and feudalist forces’.
-The North undertook a policy of supporting anti-Diem groups in the South. This culminated the following year in the creation of the national liberation front in SV.

Question 3

Diem and South Vietnam

Answer 3

-Diem was a corrupt and nepotistic leader, these characteristics ultimately led to his downfall.
-Large amounts of US aid, such as those designed for agricultural improvements were fraudulently taken by Diem’s officials and his family.
-Diem’s strategy for government focused on repression.
-In 1957, Eisenhower referred to him as the ‘miracle man’ of Asia.
-Diem’s regime was based on the appearance of democracy but it was, in reality, rule by a few, with Diem’s primary interest being the preservation of his own power.

Question 4

Formation of the National Liberation Front

Answer 4

December 1960, the North Vietnamese leadership established a new nationalist organisation in South Vietnam the NLF.
-Its purpose was to free SV from what is saw as American Imperialism, and also aimed to created a unified, sovereign and independent Vietnamese state.
-Diem’s work was unpopular, he had embarked to destroy communists in SV, largely ignoring the interests of of majority of the population, especially rural peasants.
-It was the nationalisitic and democratic imperatitives that drove many South Vietnamese to commit to the NLF.
-Ho Chi Minh was described as the ‘spiritual father’ of the movement.
-The Program also appealed to intellectuals, students and middle and rural working class, because of the nationalistic themes of the campaign.