Worksheet to accompany the unit from RJ Tarr at
The Vietnam War: Why did President Kennedy get involved in Vietnam?
Key Events in Vietnam, 1945-55
During WW2
• Vietnam is a country in South-East Asia with an agricultural economy.
• Before WW2, it was part of a French Colony called ‘Indo-China’
• During WW2 the Japanese captured it from the French.
• TheVietminhparty (leader: Ho Chi Minh) spearheaded the national resistance movement against the Japanese.
After WW2
• After WW2, the Vietminh were nevertheless denied any power. The Allies instead declared Vietnam would be divided, with France taking the South, and non-communist nationalists controlling the North.
• However, in 1946 the North Vietnamese swept Ho Chi Minh back into power.In response, the French attacked North Vietnam.
• The Vietminh’s army – the Vietcong – did not have the men or weapons of the French, but they avoided defeat by using ‘guerilla’ tactics: ‘hit and run’ raids which wore down the French armies and sapped their morale.
1954: The Defeat at Dien Bien Phu[1]
• 1954: Following a French defeat at Dien Bien Phu, a peace agreement was reached in Geneva:
a. Vietnam was divided temporarily along the 17th Parallel:
Northern zone (communist – Ho Chi Minh, capital city = Hanoi) and
Southern zone (capitalist – Ngo Dinh Diem, capital city = Saigon)
b. National elections were scheduled for 1956 to decide which side should take control of all Vietnam.
1956: The Failure to Hold National Elections
• The capitalist, Catholic regime of Diem (and his wife, nicknamed ‘dragon lady’) in the South was deeply unpopular with the largely Buddhist population. Some Buddhists even burnt themselves alive in protest (Diem dismissed these ‘barbecues’ as pathetic publicity stunts).
President Diem / /
Diem’s wife, the feared ‘Dragon Lady’
• Against this background, and fearing that the communists would win free elections in Vietnam, the USA decided to do three things.
Discussion point: Can you guess what these three measures were? After discussion, your teacher will give you the answer from ActiveHistory. Write it here:
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Task 1
Go back to your original speech. Add a second paragraph outlining the SPECIFIC reasons why the USA is getting involved in Vietnam IN PARTICULAR.
[1] An excellent feature film covering this period of Vietnam’s history is the Oscar-nominated “The Quiet American” starring Michael Caine (2002)