Kennedy and The Vietnam War
- Created by: Caprice254
- Created on: 12-05-14 12:48
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- Kennedy and The Vietnam War
- Ho Chi Minh trail reactivated to supply goods to fighters in South Vietnam
- Anti-Diem coalition formed in South Vietnam known as the National Liberation Front (NLF)
- Diem was distrustful of all but his family
- Often did not take on board the advice given by US advisors
- Nov 1960, 2 colonels of the ARVN attack the presidential palace - Diem was lucky to survive
- Now even more unlikely to take US advice
- Nov 1960, 2 colonels of the ARVN attack the presidential palace - Diem was lucky to survive
- Dedicated the Republic of Vietnam to the Virgin Mary despite the majority of the population being Buddhist
- Diem was the only thing standing in the way of a full communist take over
- 1963 Diem and his government prohibit the use of Buddhist religious flags
- Protestors went against this at the anuual Buddhist festival and government forces fired on the crowd killing 9 people
- In response to this a senior Buddhist monk set himself on fire and burned to death, attracting the media
- Protestors went against this at the anuual Buddhist festival and government forces fired on the crowd killing 9 people
- Some in the ARVN began to plan a coup, which took place in November
- The US had no part in this but were increasingly beginning to think that Diems departure would be a good thing and therefore chose not to warn Diem
- Diem was murdered along with his younger brother
- The US had no part in this but were increasingly beginning to think that Diems departure would be a good thing and therefore chose not to warn Diem
- Often did not take on board the advice given by US advisors
- Defence spending increased from $40 billion a year to $56 billion.
- McNamara (Secretary of Defence) chosen to supervise spending
- Increased US involvement in Vietnam
- Due to Cold War context
- To not make the same mistake made in World War 2 with Hitler
- Only way to deal with a dictator was to stand up to them
- 1961 - US planes ordered to destroy and hostile aircraft above South Vietnam
- Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) told to describe any damage to US planes as 'accidental'
- Geneva Accords 1961/62
- Largely between the USSR and the US
- Laos was now considered a neutral area and US military advisors were to be withdrawn
- Temporary settlement
- Dean Rusk - Secretary of State, however Kennedy favoured McNamara's advice
- 1963 Battle of Ap Bac
- Viet Cong battalion outfought an ARVN force despite them having superior fire power and hardware
- ARVN officers accused of being cowards
- Viet Cong battalion outfought an ARVN force despite them having superior fire power and hardware
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