Explain why America became increasingly involved in the conflict in Vietnam.

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Christopher Tarbet

Mr Walton

GCSE History Coursework: Assignment 2

The War in Vietnam

Question 1

Explain why America became increasingly involved in the conflict in Vietnam.

        Despite the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in the North of Vietnam the French forced the communists out of the south of Vietnam and took over the northern city of Haiphong. This led to the Indochinese War, from 1946-1954. During this war, the French controlled the major cities and the Vietminh controlled the countryside. The French needed some new tactics, and their new military leader, General Navarre was the man for with the ideas.

 General Navarre tried to coax the Vietminh and their General out of their covered positions in order to crush them with the superior firepower. In late 1953 French paratroopers took control of Dien Bien Phu and built a fortified garrison with an inner ring of strongpoints. Navarra assumed that the Vietminh would not be able to move heavy artillery into positions on the hills surrounding the plateau, but they did, using 50,000 peasants to move 200 pieces of artillery and 25,000 shells. On 13th March 1954 the siege of Dien Bien Phu began. The Vietminh guerrillas quickly overran the outposts and for over a month concentrated all their firepower on the French base. On 7th May the Vietminh defeated the French. This was the first time a South East Asian country had defeated a major country. The Vietminh were growing stronger, and with the help of extreme training and the supply of weapons, their strength continued to grow.

In 1949 Mao Zedongs’ communists seized power in China and began training Vietnamese guerrillas and supplying them with modern weapons. This placed extra pressure on the USA to help the French in the fight against the spread of communism, even though they were already paying for much of the war. Things were getting out of hand and some sort of agreement had to be put in place.

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At the Geneva Conference Vietnam was divided into two countries-North Vietnam and South Vietnam. Cambodia and Laos became independent states. A cease-fire was also declared and the French troops were withdrawn. During the conference, the Americans were very unhappy with the willingness of the French to accept ‘Peace at any price’. The agreement left North Vietnam in the hands of Ho Chi Minh, and the Predominantly Buddhist South under control of the Emperor Bao Dai, who was associated with the French.

        

        The USA and the Saigon government did not agree with the Geneva consent. As soon as the ...

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