Cold War 7- Indo-China and the start of the Vietnam War
Indo-China
- Cambodia
- Loas
- North Vietnam (split at the 17th parallel)
- South Vietnam
- Occupied by Japan during WWII and was colonised by France in the 19 th century
- Truman felt compelled to support the French in Indo-China due to European loyalty, and
ease of sending money to the French to help them win along with equipment. By 1954,
USA was funding 78% of France’s war expenses
Vietminh
- The Communist Nationalist movement (led by Ho Chi Minh) that fought for independence
from French Rule
- Later joined the Vietcong to fight South Vietnam and the United States
Geneva Conference July 1954
- France surrendered Indo-China
- Indo-China was split into 4 areas (mentioned above)
Recap: South East Asia, 1945-54
The area of South East Asia, which now covers Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos was taken
over by the French Empire in the 19th century
In 1930 Ho Chi Minh formed Indo-Chinese Communist Party (Vietminh) to fight for
independence from France. During WWII the Vietminh fought against Japan, helped by the
Allies and trained by the OSS (which later became the CIA)
After WWII the French tried to regain their colony and in 1946 the Vietminh resumed their
fight for independence from France
As they had helped America against the Japanese and America was anti-colonial, Ho Chi
Minh had hoped the Americans would help them to get independence for Vietnam, but
that did not happen
American Involvement in Vietnam
Even though the US was anti-imperialist, Truman supported France financially, spending
$2 billion to support their fight, which at its peak was 78% of France’s costs. Truman also
gave $50 billion in economic aid to the region. In 1949 the Americans supported the
French in establishing Boa Dai as leader of an ‘independent’ Vietnamese government and
gave an additional $23.5 million in aid under the Foreign Assistance Act, 1950.
Truman saw the conflict in South East Asia in Cold War terms believing the Vietminh were
taking orders from Stalin and after the ‘loss’ of China and the Korean War the Americans
did not want another communist country in the East. Stalin was giving some support to
the Vietminh but some State Department officials pointed out that even though Ho Chi
, Minh had lived and trained in the USSR he was a nationalist more than a communist, a
distinction many Americans including Acheson rarely understood.
It was important to support France as a Nato ally. The US believed they needed French
support in Europe both to help contain the Soviets and to help implement the Marshall
Plan, which was vital to European re-construction
Indochina was also important economically supplying petroleum, rice, tin, copra, pepper
and rubber to the West, and strategically given its proximity to India and the Philippines
But even though Truman gave so much financial aid to the French he did not want military
involvement. He was still more concerned with European affairs in the 1940s and Korea in
the 1950s.
Why did Truman get involved in Vietnam?
He wanted to see more US-style governments in world (Communist governments
unacceptable)
US wanted trade with Southeast Asia (no free trade with Communism)
US fought against Communist expansionism in Korean War
Senator McCarthy whipped up anti-Communist hysteria in US
Truman lost China -China became Communist – Ho therefore seen as Beijing’s puppet
France opposed Communism in Europe. Fought it in Vietnam – needed support
Ho Chi Minh was Communist – therefore seen as Moscow's puppet
To what extent had Truman committed the USA in Vietnam?
One State Department Far East specialist admitted that ‘the trouble is that none of us
knows enough about Indochina’. A Defence Department official warned in November 1950
that America was becoming dangerously and deeply involved: we are gradually increasing
our stake in the outcome of the struggle …
‘We are dangerously close to the point of being so deeply committed that we may find
ourselves completely committed even to direct intervention. These situations,
unfortunately, have a way of snowballing.’ That official was right
Eisenhower inherited Truman’s policy of giving the French financial aid but no military
support
The Vietminh by this time had ¼ million regular soldiers and a militia of nearly 2 million
and their promises of education, healthcare and land reform did much to win over the
ordinary people
By 1952 they were also getting supplies from the Chinese- Vietminh were numerous,
popular and well-supplied.
In May 1954 France lost the crucial battle at Dien Bien Phu. Secretary of State Dulles,
Radford (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) and Vice-President Nixon wanted to bomb
the Vietminh to stave off a French defeat but Ike refused because neither he nor America’s
allies want another war in Asia, especially one to prop up the French empire
But although there were many pressures on Eisenhower to stay out of war, he felt he
could not let Vietnam go communist
Increasingly officials talked of the ‘Domino Theory’ or ‘Domino Effect’, i.e. if one country
fell to communism others would follow
Therefore, the financial support continued and the US sent bombers for the French to use,
along with 200 technicians. Eisenhower had put the first American personnel into Vietnam
In May 1954 France surrendered with the loss of 7,200 dead and 11,000 prisoners
A settlement was made between the concerned powers at Geneva. Under the Geneva
Accords 1954 Indo-China was split into four: Laos, Cambodia, North and South Vietnam,
Indo-China
- Cambodia
- Loas
- North Vietnam (split at the 17th parallel)
- South Vietnam
- Occupied by Japan during WWII and was colonised by France in the 19 th century
- Truman felt compelled to support the French in Indo-China due to European loyalty, and
ease of sending money to the French to help them win along with equipment. By 1954,
USA was funding 78% of France’s war expenses
Vietminh
- The Communist Nationalist movement (led by Ho Chi Minh) that fought for independence
from French Rule
- Later joined the Vietcong to fight South Vietnam and the United States
Geneva Conference July 1954
- France surrendered Indo-China
- Indo-China was split into 4 areas (mentioned above)
Recap: South East Asia, 1945-54
The area of South East Asia, which now covers Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos was taken
over by the French Empire in the 19th century
In 1930 Ho Chi Minh formed Indo-Chinese Communist Party (Vietminh) to fight for
independence from France. During WWII the Vietminh fought against Japan, helped by the
Allies and trained by the OSS (which later became the CIA)
After WWII the French tried to regain their colony and in 1946 the Vietminh resumed their
fight for independence from France
As they had helped America against the Japanese and America was anti-colonial, Ho Chi
Minh had hoped the Americans would help them to get independence for Vietnam, but
that did not happen
American Involvement in Vietnam
Even though the US was anti-imperialist, Truman supported France financially, spending
$2 billion to support their fight, which at its peak was 78% of France’s costs. Truman also
gave $50 billion in economic aid to the region. In 1949 the Americans supported the
French in establishing Boa Dai as leader of an ‘independent’ Vietnamese government and
gave an additional $23.5 million in aid under the Foreign Assistance Act, 1950.
Truman saw the conflict in South East Asia in Cold War terms believing the Vietminh were
taking orders from Stalin and after the ‘loss’ of China and the Korean War the Americans
did not want another communist country in the East. Stalin was giving some support to
the Vietminh but some State Department officials pointed out that even though Ho Chi
, Minh had lived and trained in the USSR he was a nationalist more than a communist, a
distinction many Americans including Acheson rarely understood.
It was important to support France as a Nato ally. The US believed they needed French
support in Europe both to help contain the Soviets and to help implement the Marshall
Plan, which was vital to European re-construction
Indochina was also important economically supplying petroleum, rice, tin, copra, pepper
and rubber to the West, and strategically given its proximity to India and the Philippines
But even though Truman gave so much financial aid to the French he did not want military
involvement. He was still more concerned with European affairs in the 1940s and Korea in
the 1950s.
Why did Truman get involved in Vietnam?
He wanted to see more US-style governments in world (Communist governments
unacceptable)
US wanted trade with Southeast Asia (no free trade with Communism)
US fought against Communist expansionism in Korean War
Senator McCarthy whipped up anti-Communist hysteria in US
Truman lost China -China became Communist – Ho therefore seen as Beijing’s puppet
France opposed Communism in Europe. Fought it in Vietnam – needed support
Ho Chi Minh was Communist – therefore seen as Moscow's puppet
To what extent had Truman committed the USA in Vietnam?
One State Department Far East specialist admitted that ‘the trouble is that none of us
knows enough about Indochina’. A Defence Department official warned in November 1950
that America was becoming dangerously and deeply involved: we are gradually increasing
our stake in the outcome of the struggle …
‘We are dangerously close to the point of being so deeply committed that we may find
ourselves completely committed even to direct intervention. These situations,
unfortunately, have a way of snowballing.’ That official was right
Eisenhower inherited Truman’s policy of giving the French financial aid but no military
support
The Vietminh by this time had ¼ million regular soldiers and a militia of nearly 2 million
and their promises of education, healthcare and land reform did much to win over the
ordinary people
By 1952 they were also getting supplies from the Chinese- Vietminh were numerous,
popular and well-supplied.
In May 1954 France lost the crucial battle at Dien Bien Phu. Secretary of State Dulles,
Radford (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) and Vice-President Nixon wanted to bomb
the Vietminh to stave off a French defeat but Ike refused because neither he nor America’s
allies want another war in Asia, especially one to prop up the French empire
But although there were many pressures on Eisenhower to stay out of war, he felt he
could not let Vietnam go communist
Increasingly officials talked of the ‘Domino Theory’ or ‘Domino Effect’, i.e. if one country
fell to communism others would follow
Therefore, the financial support continued and the US sent bombers for the French to use,
along with 200 technicians. Eisenhower had put the first American personnel into Vietnam
In May 1954 France surrendered with the loss of 7,200 dead and 11,000 prisoners
A settlement was made between the concerned powers at Geneva. Under the Geneva
Accords 1954 Indo-China was split into four: Laos, Cambodia, North and South Vietnam,
