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The Americans Move In. The United States and South Vietnam, 1955-1960. Geneva Conference of 1954. 1.) Division of Vietnam at 17 th Parallel 2.) Elections in two years 3.) Movement of peoples North and South 4.) US takes “note” of the agreements, but is not a party to them. SEATO.
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The Americans Move In The United States and South Vietnam, 1955-1960
Geneva Conference of 1954 • 1.) Division of Vietnam at 17th Parallel • 2.) Elections in two years • 3.) Movement of peoples North and South • 4.) US takes “note” of the agreements, but is not a party to them
SEATO – Southeast Asian Treaty Organization • 1.) Created at Manilla Conference in September 1954 • 2.) Signatory countries – US, UK, France, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand • 3.) Only consultation in the event • 4.) Vietnam, Cambodia , Laos – protected in protocol, not treaty • 5.) Treaty aimed at China
Diem and the Sects Crisis of April 1955 • 1.) Cao Dai – Religious Movement – Army of 30,000 • 2.) Hoa Hao – Religious Movement – army of 10,000 • 3.) Binh Xuyen – Vietnamese Mafia - strong force in Saigon • 4.) Diem’s Victory – final withdrawal of French
Emergence of South Vietnam • 1.) Diem Defeats Rivals – power base among Catholics from the North • 2.) Refuses to allow elections – deposes Bao Dai • 3.) Cold War and Divided Countries – Germany, Korea, Vietnam, China
Why Does the US Move in? • 1.) Strategic reasons • 2.) Domestic politics - McCarthyism • 3.) Economic reasons – concern about Japan • 4.) Cold War opportunity • 5.) Ideological reasons
Eisenhower in 1956 • http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/
US Assistance to South Vietnam • 1.) 1.2 billion between 1954-1959; 1500 Americans, 5th of recipients of aid • 2.) Creation of a military force – ARVN – Army of the Republic of Vietnam • 3.) Commodity Import Program
Diem’s State • 1.) Family Dictatorship, favoritism to Catholics • 2.) Anti-Communist Campaigns • 3.) Failure of Land Reform • 4.) Political unrest in the South, coup attempts
North Vietnam, 1954-1960 • 1.) Focus on building socialism • 2.) Violent land reform program – thousands killed • 3.) Key Role of Le Duan – southerner urging assistance • 4.) Growing Sino-Soviet split – opportunity for Hanoi • 5.) Spring 1959 – Party authorizes resumption of “struggle in the South” • 6.) December 1960 – Creation of the NLF
Le Duan (1907-1986) • Real leader of North Vietnam after 1958