In April and July 1954, the French and the Viet Minh representatives
signed the Geneva Accords. It called for the separation of Vietnam at the
latitude 17oN (also known as the 17th parallel). North
Vietnam was occupied by communists, headed by Ho Chi Minh, while South Vietnam
was occupied by the nationalists, headed by Ngo Dinh Diem. An international
coalition was brought together to execute the agreement. Neither Bao Dai, the
Vietnamese emperor at the time, nor the United States recognized the agreement.
[C]
Vietnamese were given one year to move from one side to the
other. Ho Chi Minh had promised a Final Declaration (general election) to help
re-unify the country. The elections were never held, however, due to the fear
of the victory of communists. Presidents in the U.S. were afraid that if
communists won the election, a “domino effect” or a contagious disease would
occur and all surrounding areas would also turn communist. [E]
This is very similar to what happened in both Guatemala and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
ReplyDeleteEven though Arbenz was democratically elected as the leader of Guatemala, Arbenz instituted land reforms (in order to lessen the social class gap in his country) which came off as communist to the US. Since the US wanted to prevent the "domino effect" all over the world, they supported anti-Arbenz groups. This is similar to the US aiding the French in Vietnam.
In the case of Africa, the US covertly funneled cash to enemies of Lumumba (after he turned to the USSR for help in leading his new country).
Hey Alicia,
ReplyDeleteI was just reading through your blog, and saw some connections, and maybe wanted to point them out.
With the idea with North Vietnam occupied by the communists and South Vietnam occupied by the nationalists, reminded me of China during the Civil war between CCP and the KMT.
Also with the idea of the US government being scared, it reminded me of the packets we read for Homework.
For example on "An Assassination's Long Shadow", the US government saw that Lumumba received aid from the Soviet Union. US got all scared that Congo would become Communist just like they did for Vietnam. I don't really know what the US did to stop Vietnam later on.
But the US, paid people to kill Lumumba, leading to his death, where Congo ended up in chaos and all.
I wonder what exactly would have happened if Vietnam actually become communist, what would the US have done??
Have a great day,
Jane :)
During the Vietnam War and throughout the Cold War, the US fervently tried to contain the spread of communism. Although it was an admirable policy from a democratic perspective, intention and results are two different things; it is the latter that ultimately matters because that is what shapes the nations of the world. For example, in Vietnam, although the US tried to contain the spread of communism, it suppressed its own values in other nations by discouraging and even fearing a democratic-style election in Vietnam, which would determine the course that the nation would take. In other proxy wars, such as the one in Guatemala, the US once again damaged its own cause after succeeding in single-handedly "squashing a 10-year effort to build a democratic state" in Guatemala. The US reacted dramatically, secretively, and violently toward the land redistribution program enacted under Arbenz. In retrospect, US intervention in Guatemala was flawed for two reasons: One - Arbenz enacted to program, not to sneak some communist ideals into his rule, but "to create a middle class in a country riven by extremes," and two - the US overlooked the apparently insignificant fact that Arbenz was DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED. Lastly, the US also damaged efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo toward the formation of a democratic state. Ironically, the US turned down democratically elected, 35-year-old leader Lumuba's request for aid. As the leader of a bankrupt nation, he turned to the Soviet Union for help - a decision which cost him his life. In retaliation for this decision, the CIA (with White House approval) ordered his assasination. Therefore, although the US policy of containment is a plausible, necessary measure, the desire to destroy communism shouldn't take precedence over promoting the growth of democracy in developing nations.
ReplyDelete