Recap: Vietnam up to 1963
- After the division of Vietnam, Ho established a communist regime in the north. He carried out land reform and a purge of opponents.
- The NLF was created in 1960 to fight for control of the south and to support the Vietcong guerrillas.
Diem
- In 1955, Ngo Dinh Diem seized power in South Vietnam and made himself president and then ruled as a dictator.
- The elections were not held in 1956 and Diem became increasingly corrupt and violent. Trade unionists, religious leaders and journalists were thrown into jail.
- Eisenhower decided to prop up the Diem regime and ignore the Geneva Settlement. He set up MAAG, the Military Assistance Advisory Group, to provide military advisers to South Vietnam.
- Diem ignored the US advisers and used the money to strengthen his own regime.
Kennedy
- President Kennedy was determined to maintain the survival South Vietnam especially after Khrushchev, in a speech in 1961, made clear Soviet intentions to support liberation movements throughout the world. This, at a time, when Diem was more unpopular than ever.
- Kennedy, therefore, greatly increased US aid and involvement. The Green Berets were sent to train the Army of South Vietnam in guerrilla warfare and the CIA organised Civilian Irregular Defence Groups to act as local militia.
- Kennedy also introduced the policy of ‘strategic hamlets’ in an attempt to separate the population from the Vietcong.
- He even considered sending troops to Vietnam in 1961 but was advised against it. As Diem’s regime lost more and more support, Kennedy sent more and equipment and advisers and, eventually, 200000 troops.
- By 1963 Diem’s rule in South Vietnam was so corrupt that he was facing continuous opposition. Several Buddhist monks burned themselves to death in protest.
- Kennedy threatened to with draw military aid and then backed a plot by South Vietnamese generals to arrest Diem. He was murdered just three weeks before Kennedy’s own assassination.