Following the ravages of the Japanese occupation and the French war, North Vietnam was in a disastrous state in 1954. The most pressing problem for the North was food, with food shortages remaining an issue for several years. This was not helped either with the introduction of the disastrous land reforms implemented in 1954. The Japanese deprivation and exploitation ruined much of the North’s agricultural infrastructure, and along with the eight years of warfare the Northern economy had become further desolated. Despite the support of the Soviet Union and China, the North still needed capital for investment. The economy suffered more due to the Geneva Accords where up to a million Catholics moved to the South as they feared persecution in the North. This meant the North lost a lot of skilled labour, however, they also benefited from the removal of any major source of opposition. Subsequently, the predominantly negative impacts of Vietnamese victory can be seen on the North.
The Agricultural Tribunals were set up by the “left” of the party, led by Party Secretary Truong Chinh. The purpose of the Tribunals was supposedly to supervise the redistribution of land, but it quickly descended into a witch hunt purging wealthy peasants, landlords, French collaborationists and anyone who was not enthusiastic about the new regime. This is why the Tribunals became the byword for terror, denunciation and death, with more than 100 000 people proclaimed to have died during this campaign of purging. This meant that panic and fear was taking over, with thousands of innocent people swept up in this process. However, a positive for the North was the significant strides made in industry. Everything was virtually nationalised and a Three Year Economic plan was also put into place, along with large amounts of aid being received from the Soviet Union and China. Despite the early negative impacts, the North had recovered positively and it was now in a position to deal with reunification.
The Bao Dai regime which took control of the South was looking towards the United States for direction, with American influence increasing across South Vietnam. Millions of refugees had entered the South due to the Accords. This meant the South was in total chaos, and it was facing total economic, social and political collapse. However, in 1955 the national referendum was rigged with Ngo Dinh Diem the new President of the Republic of Vietnam (RVN). This meant all existence of the French under Bao Dai had been removed, which led to the arrival of the United States. Diem had consolidated his power and was backed unassailably by the US. In early 1955, Diem received an aid package worth $322 million leaving the Southern economy in a very strong economic shape. Therefore, the prevailing negative impacts of Vietnamese victory can be seen on the South.
Diem now had the full power of the US in his hands. His regime contained many elements of not only authoritarianism but also totalitarianism. He only trusted his close family, so his government provided a classic case of nepotism. Diem continued is tight hold on power after the consolidation of his position in 1956. He introduced the Gestapo-style secret police force which would arrest, imprison, torture or execute anyone who opposed the regime. A law called Ordinance 47 also made it a capital offence to be communist or associated with communists. To counter land reform measures and remove support for Ho Chi Minh in rural communities, he relocated peasants to government protected sites known as “Agrovilles”. The overall impact of the Agroville policy was to make likely increased recruitment into the ranks of the Vietcong. Apart from this the South’s economy was booming due to constant aid from the US. However, this also increased both poverty and corruption. As a result of economic inequality, the Agroville program and the regimes stern repression, Vietnamese victory had an overall negative impact on the South which is also the view of Brawley.
On the 20th of December 1960, the National Liberation Front (NLF) of South Vietnam was established. It was a broad coalition comprising a range of ethnic, political, and religious groups. The one common aim they shared was the removal of Diem from power. Just like the Vietminh, the NLF was not communist, however, also like the Vietminh, the NLF would gradually come to be dominated by communists. The members of the NLF were referred to as the “Vietcong”. The NLF had little difficulty in recruiting members to its ranks, with the Vietcong also being supported by the North Vietnamese Army (NVA). As time would wear on, the North gained control over the NLF. The Vietcong were welcomed as liberators by most Southerners, because they educated the populations about their goals of the NLF to create a unified Vietnam. This meant that Diem’s position was steadily weakened which eventually culminated in his murder in 1963, with the NLF having a vital role in the downfall of the South with this also the view of Kolko, who comments on the NLF’s resourcefulness and devotion to a cause leading to the downfall of the South.
In conclusion, the Vietnamese victory humiliated the French which then led to the imperfect peace settlement at Geneva. This saw the creation of two dictatorial Vietnamese regimes which had both suffered respectively. This then ultimately led America to attempt to determine Vietnam’s destiny.
by
vijinder66 (student)
