Causes of the Vietnam War
- The Vietnam War emerged from the division of Vietnam after the Geneva Accords, conflicting visions for national unification, and Cold War strategic competition.
- The Geneva Accords of 1954 divided Vietnam at the 17th Parallel, creating communist North Vietnam under Ho Chi Minh and anti-communist South Vietnam under Ngo Dinh Diem.
- Elections meant to unify Vietnam were never held when Diem refused, fearing a communist victory.
- The South Vietnamese government became increasingly authoritarian, prompting rebellion among peasants.
- North Vietnam supported the National Liberation Front (NLF) in the South, hoping to reunify the country.
- The United States viewed Vietnam through the lens of containment and the domino theory, escalating involvement.
The Formation of the National Liberation Front (NLF), 1960
Origins and Aims
- The NLF was formed to overthrow Diem and reunify Vietnam under a nationalist-communist government.
- It presented itself as a broad nationalist coalition, appealing to rural peasants suffering from Diem’s land policies.
- The NLF emphasized land reform, political autonomy and anti-imperialism.
- It operated through political cells embedded in rural communities.
- The organization became the central force challenging South Vietnamese authority.
Support from the North
- The NLF received weapons, training and guidance from Hanoi, strengthening its military capabilities.
- The Ho Chi Minh Trail provided secure supply lines through Laos and Cambodia.
- Northern support helped coordinate guerrilla and conventional operations.
- The NLF used propaganda to build legitimacy and portray itself as the voice of Vietnamese nationalism.
- The group’s strength contributed directly to American escalation after 1964.
Definition
National Liberation Front (NLF)
Coalition of anti-Diem forces commonly called the Viet Cong.
Definition
Domino Theory
US belief that the fall of one country to communism would trigger others to follow.
Nature of the Conflict and International Escalation
- The Vietnam War blended guerrilla warfare, conventional military operations, political struggle and extensive foreign intervention from major Cold War powers.
- The North and the NLF relied on guerrilla tactics, political indoctrination and surprise attacks.
- The United States introduced large-scale ground forces after the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (1964).
