Explain why America became increasingly involved in the affairs of Vietnam between 1954 and 1965.
GCSE History Coursework: Assignment 2
Question 1:
Explain why America became increasingly involved in the affairs of Vietnam between 1954 and 1965.
Introduction
America supported the French in their war against Vietnam because they were anti-communist, and the Vietminh were communist under the rule of Ho Chi Minh. However, in 1954, the French had to leave Vietnam after an embarrassing defeat at Dien Bien Phu. They then signed the Geneva Agreement in which the US promised to grant independence to Vietnam. However, in order to stop the threat of communism, they started a war against North Vietnam, and supported the anti-communist South Vietnam.
After World War II had ended, there were fears of communism developing in Vietnam because both the French and the Japanese who had ruled over them had mistreated them. They were part of France's colony since the 1880's, when French troops completed their conquest of the Indo-Chinese area. The Vietnamese workers had poor conditions in factories, had to pay high taxes and rents, and were forced to work on public labour projects. Hatred for the French began to grow. During World war I, the Vietnamese had to fight on the French side in Europe, saw how other countries were run, and took back ideas of democracy and communism to Vietnam. In 1930 the Indochinese Communist Party was formed. 10 years later, in World War II, France was captured by the Germans. The Japanese saw this as a perfect opportunity, and invaded Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. They allowed the French to remain in power, using Vietnam as a resource of rubber, coal and rice for the Japanese war effort. This created a famine, which killed about 2 million people, and a situation perfect for a communist movement to develop out of hatred for the French and Japanese. Once Japan had been defeated by America in 1945, Ho Chi Minh entered Hanoi, and declared Vietnam independent, and established it as the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
Question 1:
Explain why America became increasingly involved in the affairs of Vietnam between 1954 and 1965.
Introduction
America supported the French in their war against Vietnam because they were anti-communist, and the Vietminh were communist under the rule of Ho Chi Minh. However, in 1954, the French had to leave Vietnam after an embarrassing defeat at Dien Bien Phu. They then signed the Geneva Agreement in which the US promised to grant independence to Vietnam. However, in order to stop the threat of communism, they started a war against North Vietnam, and supported the anti-communist South Vietnam.
After World War II had ended, there were fears of communism developing in Vietnam because both the French and the Japanese who had ruled over them had mistreated them. They were part of France's colony since the 1880's, when French troops completed their conquest of the Indo-Chinese area. The Vietnamese workers had poor conditions in factories, had to pay high taxes and rents, and were forced to work on public labour projects. Hatred for the French began to grow. During World war I, the Vietnamese had to fight on the French side in Europe, saw how other countries were run, and took back ideas of democracy and communism to Vietnam. In 1930 the Indochinese Communist Party was formed. 10 years later, in World War II, France was captured by the Germans. The Japanese saw this as a perfect opportunity, and invaded Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. They allowed the French to remain in power, using Vietnam as a resource of rubber, coal and rice for the Japanese war effort. This created a famine, which killed about 2 million people, and a situation perfect for a communist movement to develop out of hatred for the French and Japanese. Once Japan had been defeated by America in 1945, Ho Chi Minh entered Hanoi, and declared Vietnam independent, and established it as the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
