Causes of Vietnam Civil War

appopriate time range: 1954-1959

from geneva accords to the outbreak of the war

Introduction

briefly about French colonization and Japanese domination

divided by 16th line, french recolonization of South Vietnam

the First Indochina War

state that the war stated in 1959, because Vietcong became strong in 1959

ambigouous starting point, so need to define

Civil War isn't North vs South

Civil War was Vietcong vs South

Political

Geneva Accords

America & South Vietnam did not sign

America weakened the Geneva Accords

ex: SEATO

Ignores the neutrality of Laos and Cambodia

Protects South Vietnam

Refused election

Unpopularity of Diem

religious difference

stopping buddist birthday

monk burning, madam "bbq"

(eventually leads to assasination) (it's after the outbreak, so it's not causes though)

Escalation by the US presidents

do not want to be the president who "lost Vietnam"

aim to "prove" democracy in Vietnam

Economic

Support of the US to North Vietnam

"nation building"

(how this connects to the outbreak?)

aids increasing

Taxes on farmers

Ho's Marxist ideology rises

Territorial

"strategic hamlets"

making more South vietnamese against Diem

Vietnam next to China

Domino theory

Easy to send weapons from China

Geopolitically (?) important location of Vietnam

Geneva Accords

17th line

theories:

QUagmire, Stalemate, Commitment trap