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Reasons for US intervention in South East
Asia in the 1950s
- The Domino Theory
- The belief that there was a 'communist
threat' worldwide orchestrated from
Moscow and that if one country fell to it
then the rest of the world would follow.
- Republican vice president, Richard Nixon
claimed when visiting Vietnam in December 1953
'if Indo-China goes under communist domination,
the whole of South East Asia will'
- President Eisenhower used an
image of dominoes going over in
a press conference in April 1954
- Only an ideology, there was no legal record
stating that the US should intervene if a
country comes under threat from communism.
- The belief that there was a 'communist
threat' worldwide orchestrated from
Moscow and that if one country fell to it
then the rest of the world would follow.
- The Geneva Accords,
May-July 1954
- The Geneva Conference was in Switzerland
and aimed to moderate the tensions of the cold
war as well as settling the aftermath of the
French defeat at Dien Bien Phu.
- The Geneva Accords was to end the first
Vietnam war and divided the country at the 17th
parallel. The North controlled by the Viet Minh
and the US set about creating a viable South
Vietnamese State. An election were to be held in
1956 to secure the reunification of Vietnam.
- Forced US to extend massive aid to the
government of South Vietnam at the end
of September 1954.
- The Accords forced the US to take
over the South as no other country
was committed to containing
communism as much as the USA.
- The US did lack troops and will for direct intervention.
However, it did encourage US to build up South
Vietnam, creating a barrier from communism.
- Ho appreciated his strong
position in Vietnam and it took
serious pressure from the
Chinese and Russians to
persuade him to compromise.
- The Geneva Conference was in Switzerland
and aimed to moderate the tensions of the cold
war as well as settling the aftermath of the
French defeat at Dien Bien Phu.
- French Defeat in Dien Bien Phu
- Showed without US intervention
South East Asia was susceptible
to falling to communism.
- Was the battle between 12,000 French soldiers
(who entirely relied on air supplied) and the
guerrilla strategic Viet Minh whom had to drag all
their artillery through the jungle (under command
of General Giap).
- France was defeated early May 1954,
Eisenhower refused to send any
assistance, insisting if were to be involved,
Britain must join them.
- This meant the power of the Viet Minh was growing
and become an increasing threat of overthrowing
Vietnam, creating a communist domination.
- The US feared this but at the same time
Eisenhower did not want to become involved
in a war so soon after Korea.
- Showed without US intervention
South East Asia was susceptible
to falling to communism.
- The Establishment of SEATO
(South East Asia Treaty
Organisation)
- Established in September 1954 by Dulles,
secretary of state in US
- Pact was signed in Manila
and Australia, Britain,
France, USA and many
other countries joined.
- Aim of pact was mutual
defence, in assisting
containment of communism
in South East Asia.
- Meant US had no choice
but to intervene as it
became their duty to do so
- Only on the surface the pact looked to
have established an anti-communist
alliance like NATO (North Atlantic
Treaty Organisation) in Europe, in
reality SEATO was less binding.
- Due to it being less binding the US did in
fact have a choice and due to supporting
the domino theory they chose to intervene.
- Established in September 1954 by Dulles,
secretary of state in US
- Level of intervention
- Ending of the Korean War in 1953, Eisenhower cut
spending on militant defence and was determined not to
get into another Asian war if could possibly be avoided.
- Secretary of state, John Foster Dulles
understood foreign policy and didn't want to
provoke conflict with USSR and China
- Ngo Dinh Diem appointed prime minister by Bao
Dai in June 1954 and US agreed to extend massive
aid to South at end of September 1954.
- As French withdraw, US moved in
to become the essential support to
the southern state.
- In US, the American Friends of
Vietnam assocatiation was
established to press for support
for Diem
- Ending of the Korean War in 1953, Eisenhower cut
spending on militant defence and was determined not to
get into another Asian war if could possibly be avoided.
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