China and Vietnam

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  • Created by: TessAni
  • Created on: 17-01-13 13:15

China and Vietnam

Similarities

  • Both countries had a strong and determined national movement - Viet Minh and People's Liberation Army - which the US mistakenly saw as Soviet inspired
  • The USA failed to win over the local population by associating themselves with tyranny - Bao Dai, Diem and Jiang Zemin) rather than democracy
  • Both national movements had charismatic and heroic leaders, Mao Zedong and Ho Chi Minh
  • Neither movement was dependent on Soviet supported, although both received it - 1950 Soviet-Chinese Treaty - when requested
  • In both cases the corrupt local regime was weak and lacked popular support - 1963 Battle of Ap Bac

Differences

  • The USA failed to give adaquate military aid to the Chinese Nationalists. This was similar to Truman's policy in Korea, where he felt substantial support for Rhee may have caused him to attack North Korea - causing a civil war and a potential communist victory
  • In Vietnam Johnson poured in half a million US troops and millions of dollars in aid, but still alienated the local population and encouraged the communists - in part through the continued support of the despised Diem until his assassination in November 1963
  • The Truman administration recognised how large scale - population - China was and how popular Mao was. In contrast, In Vietnam, Johnson's forces failed to distinguish between neutral local peasants and Viet Cong enemies so alienating the people (1968 - My Lai)
  • The USA was caught up in jungle warfare against the guerrilla tactics of the Viet Cong and Minh, who could disappear along the border of Laos and Cambodia.In China Jiang's tactics were hugely flawed and the US did little to aid him.

Overall comparison

There are elements shared between China and Vietnam but also many other countries such as South Korea and Japan. The USA continually place puppet governments with corrupt leaders at the head as opposed to embracing complete democracy due to their fear of communism. The biggest difference lies in to what extent they become involved - with China it was monetary but in Vietnam it was full scale. Yet both had the same result. 

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