HST 480: Vietnam Vietnam, since it has been a national and independent country, has had a number of invading forces that has tried to influence, conquer, or even threaten its wellbeing. As a result, Vietnam has always been plagued with outside forces or influences that attempt to plant its flag in it as early as 111 B.C and as late as the 20th century. The issues and military conflicts have been present and have shaped Vietnam into the country that it is now. Consequently, it would use that in order to combat American forces in Vietnam during the height of the Cold War. This paper will analyze and explain how the United States could not have won during the Vietnam War. In order to understand how the United States could not have won, one
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The fact was that Diem was Vietnamese and was onboard with the United States in creating the RVN (Republic of Vietnam). However, with Diem’s actions toward the people of South Vietnam was the issue. For example, Diem’s “Denounce the Communists” campaign was meant to “root out subversive elements throughout the country.” However, rather than proactively root out the spread of Communism and contain the situation, Diem used this as a means to end for those who opposed. As a result, Diem’s persecution of Communists and those who opposed of him created a new enemy. The endgame for the Denounce the Communists campaign would be strategic in the United States’ unifying Vietnam under a democracy. However, because it also incorporated those who were former resistance members and patriots, it would ultimately create new enemies. For instance, those affected by the armed violence and persecution by the Diem regime would ultimately sympathize and join the North’s cause to fight. This was also exacerbated by Diem’s Law 10/59 in which “provided the security services with increased authority to apprehend and punish opposition forces in South Vietnam.” Insurgent forces and resistance had reached their breaking point because of the Diem regime and its unjust persecutions. A series of “spontaneous uprisings” had occurred by the Vietminh throughout. These uprisings had been motivated by the actions of the Diem regime; as a result, organized sympathizers of the resistance rallied and broke out causing the U.S to keep a much more careful eye on the situation in
The fact was that Diem was Vietnamese and was onboard with the United States in creating the RVN (Republic of Vietnam). However, with Diem’s actions toward the people of South Vietnam was the issue. For example, Diem’s “Denounce the Communists” campaign was meant to “root out subversive elements throughout the country.” However, rather than proactively root out the spread of Communism and contain the situation, Diem used this as a means to end for those who opposed. As a result, Diem’s persecution of Communists and those who opposed of him created a new enemy. The endgame for the Denounce the Communists campaign would be strategic in the United States’ unifying Vietnam under a democracy. However, because it also incorporated those who were former resistance members and patriots, it would ultimately create new enemies. For instance, those affected by the armed violence and persecution by the Diem regime would ultimately sympathize and join the North’s cause to fight. This was also exacerbated by Diem’s Law 10/59 in which “provided the security services with increased authority to apprehend and punish opposition forces in South Vietnam.” Insurgent forces and resistance had reached their breaking point because of the Diem regime and its unjust persecutions. A series of “spontaneous uprisings” had occurred by the Vietminh throughout. These uprisings had been motivated by the actions of the Diem regime; as a result, organized sympathizers of the resistance rallied and broke out causing the U.S to keep a much more careful eye on the situation in