Origin of the Vietnam War
By Gabrielle B.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Vietnam was still a French colony. During the Second World War, however, the French left the colony, providing the Japanese with an opportunity to take over. As a result, the Vietnamese began a resistance movement led by Ho Chi Minh against the Japanese.
Although Minh had been condemned to death by the French for rebellious activity, he continued to work for Vietnamese independence from exile in the Soviet Union and from China. Ho Chi Minh, a member of both the Vietnamese and French Communist Parties, eventually helped bring about the defeat of the Japanese in 1945. At the end of the World War II, South Vietnam was placed under the control of the French and North Vietnam was maintained by the non-communist Chinese. Support for Ho Chi Minh grew due to the Chinese’s poor treatment of the North Vietnamese. In 1946, the Ho Chi Minh party, the Vietminh, took control of the North.
Although Minh had been condemned to death by the French for rebellious activity, he continued to work for Vietnamese independence from exile in the Soviet Union and from China. Ho Chi Minh, a member of both the Vietnamese and French Communist Parties, eventually helped bring about the defeat of the Japanese in 1945. At the end of the World War II, South Vietnam was placed under the control of the French and North Vietnam was maintained by the non-communist Chinese. Support for Ho Chi Minh grew due to the Chinese’s poor treatment of the North Vietnamese. In 1946, the Ho Chi Minh party, the Vietminh, took control of the North.
In November 1946, the French bombed Haiphong port and killed 6,000 people, effectively beginning the Vietnam War. The French attempted to gain support from the North Vietnamese by promising independence, but to no avail. Next, Bao Dai was appointed as the nation’s leader, but the Soviet Union and its satellite nations refused to recognize his rule, claiming Ho Chi Minh was the real ruler.
In 1950, the United States became involved in the Vietnam conflict and sent almost $15 million in economic aid to France. The U.S. continued to help finance France's war, providing approximately $1 billion per year over four years.
In 1954, the Vietminh laid siege to French fort at Dien Bien Phu for 56 days, trapping several thousand French troops. Despite enormous American aid, the French were unable to cope with the Vietnamese guerrilla tactics and could not reconquer Vietnam. Eventually the French surrendered and peace talks began in Geneva, Switzerland in 1954. The Geneva Accords required all French troops to withdraw from Vietnam and the country would be temporarily separated at the 17th parallel; communists would hold North Vietnam while on-communists maintained South Vietnam. Furthermore, national elections were scheduled to take place in 1956 in an attempt to unify the country.
U.S. President Eisenhower feared that Ho Chi Minh would be victorious over the U.S.-supported Ngo Dinh Diem, president of South Vietnam. The rigged elections held only in South Vietnam caused Diem to win by an overwhelming majority. South Vietnam declared independence from the North and Saigon was made the capital. The United States became concerned that without their support, South Vietnam would collapse and fall under control of the communists. On the other hand, the U.S. was reluctant to become militarily involved in another Asian conflict so soon after the Korean War.
Diem’s actions in office continued to increase the concern of U.S. officials. His anti-communist policies became harsher and served to alienate the peasants and villagers. In addition, his devotion to the Catholic faith led to discrimination against Buddhists. Opposition to Diem grew, and in 1963, he was assassinated by the Army. After his death, ten South Vietnamese governments followed in a span of only 18 months.
In 1950, the United States became involved in the Vietnam conflict and sent almost $15 million in economic aid to France. The U.S. continued to help finance France's war, providing approximately $1 billion per year over four years.
In 1954, the Vietminh laid siege to French fort at Dien Bien Phu for 56 days, trapping several thousand French troops. Despite enormous American aid, the French were unable to cope with the Vietnamese guerrilla tactics and could not reconquer Vietnam. Eventually the French surrendered and peace talks began in Geneva, Switzerland in 1954. The Geneva Accords required all French troops to withdraw from Vietnam and the country would be temporarily separated at the 17th parallel; communists would hold North Vietnam while on-communists maintained South Vietnam. Furthermore, national elections were scheduled to take place in 1956 in an attempt to unify the country.
U.S. President Eisenhower feared that Ho Chi Minh would be victorious over the U.S.-supported Ngo Dinh Diem, president of South Vietnam. The rigged elections held only in South Vietnam caused Diem to win by an overwhelming majority. South Vietnam declared independence from the North and Saigon was made the capital. The United States became concerned that without their support, South Vietnam would collapse and fall under control of the communists. On the other hand, the U.S. was reluctant to become militarily involved in another Asian conflict so soon after the Korean War.
Diem’s actions in office continued to increase the concern of U.S. officials. His anti-communist policies became harsher and served to alienate the peasants and villagers. In addition, his devotion to the Catholic faith led to discrimination against Buddhists. Opposition to Diem grew, and in 1963, he was assassinated by the Army. After his death, ten South Vietnamese governments followed in a span of only 18 months.
Under the political leader ship of the National Liberation Front, nationalist guerilla forces in South Vietnam emerged, called the People’s Liberation Armed Forces or the Vietcong. The Vietcong was under the control of the Vietnamese Communist Party and the goal was to reunite North and South Vietnam. Correspondingly, the U.S. responded by increasing the number of military, economic, and political advisers in Vietnam from 800 in 1961 to 16,700 in 1963.
In 1964, President Johnson was accused of not doing enough to win the war against communism in Vietnam. According to the domino theory, it was believed that if all of Vietnam fell to the Communists, neighboring countries would also become subject to communism. That August, American ships off the coast of North Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin reported incoming torpedoes according to sonar; President Johnson ordered an air attack on North Vietnamese ship bases and oil facilities. Soon after, the Senate passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, granting the president the power to repel any further armed aggression against U.S. forces in the area by any means necessary. Johnson then sent the first U.S. troops to Vietnam on March 8, 1965 to fight alongside the South Vietnamese army. By June, more than 50,000 American soldiers were battling the Vietcong.
The Americanized Vietnam War had begun.
In 1964, President Johnson was accused of not doing enough to win the war against communism in Vietnam. According to the domino theory, it was believed that if all of Vietnam fell to the Communists, neighboring countries would also become subject to communism. That August, American ships off the coast of North Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin reported incoming torpedoes according to sonar; President Johnson ordered an air attack on North Vietnamese ship bases and oil facilities. Soon after, the Senate passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, granting the president the power to repel any further armed aggression against U.S. forces in the area by any means necessary. Johnson then sent the first U.S. troops to Vietnam on March 8, 1965 to fight alongside the South Vietnamese army. By June, more than 50,000 American soldiers were battling the Vietcong.
The Americanized Vietnam War had begun.