Friday, March 2, 2012
Independence of Vietnam- The Recolonization
Just as they thought they had gained their independence, the French reappeared and renewed control over Vietnam, placing the anti-communist Vietnamese upper class in power (6). They fought in the south first, and in early 1946, Ho Chi Minh was forced to sign Cochin China back to France (6). At this point, France said they would leave Vietnam, but they made no moves to leave (6). That’s when the real war started. China and Russia both sent soldiers and weapons to the Viet Minh forces. America saw this as a threat and sent aid and arms, as well as millions of dollars to the French (6).
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I guess history does repeat itself! Vietnam is yet another prime example of US intervention in international proxy wars in fear of the rise of a communist government, in addition to Guatemala, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Afghanistan. Should the US have intervened? Would communism, in its' true and intended form have been that bad? Is it our right to intervene? You know America: the perpetual "Yes Man."
ReplyDeleteTo elaborate on Meredith's comment; the U.S. didn't just intervene. They intervened in the exact same way. After kicking Arbenz out of power in Guatemala, the U.S. placed a leader that they chose in power, just like the U.S. backed France put their /own/ "anti-communist Vietnamese" in control. Both also funded the side that they wanted to win, allowing that side to fight for them (the definition of a proxy war).
ReplyDelete~Storm Sprague
The U.S. supported S. Vietnam in an effort to maintain a democratic country and trading partner. This was in response to USSR and China sending support to N. Vietnam. As seen in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the C.I.A. intervention led to Lumumba's murder. Four years later Mobutu staged a coup, and acted like "one of our most valued friends." This was a terrible combination of political power and misuse of resources to support a dysfunctional government.
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