South East Asia 1950-1963 Essay
How far did the role of the USA in South East Asia change in the years 1950 – 1963?
The USA were involved in South East Asia between the years 1950 to 1963 mainly because of the growing threat of communism spreading through Indo-China (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Burma, Malaya, Thailand). This thirteen-year period saw two changes in Presidency and increased military involvement in Southern Vietnam.
The ‘Domino Theory’ was a speculation many presumed would occur in Eastern Europe and South East Asia; Harry S. Truman was a particular believer in this and was prepared to stop it at any cost. In 1950, Indo-China saw the first U.S supplies sent to the French in Vietnam; France was fighting for its colony after loosing their share of South East Asia to the Japanese. Despite U.S ideology being against colonialism, Truman believed that helping France with their fight was the ‘the lesser of two evils’ compared to loosing Vietnam to the Communist Vietminh under control by Ho Chi Minh. The U.S were …show more content…
Eisenhower’s approach to policy was very similar to that of his predecessor, Truman. He was determined to continue the policy of ‘containing’ communism but this did not involve launching a crusade to roll back communism. In 1953, John Foster Dulles was appointed as secretary of state, he was a devout Christian and firm hater of communism. The humiliating defeat of the French at Diem Bien Phu in 1954 saw the occurrence of the Geneva Conference and Accords. The USA was not to get everything it desired. Half of Vietnam was to be lost to communism and in the aftermath of the French defeat it looked as though the Vietminh would sweep all before it. The USA lacked the troops or the will for direct intervention. In September the South East Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO) was set up to give $2 billion in aid to South Vietnam from the
The USA were involved in South East Asia between the years 1950 to 1963 mainly because of the growing threat of communism spreading through Indo-China (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Burma, Malaya, Thailand). This thirteen-year period saw two changes in Presidency and increased military involvement in Southern Vietnam.
The ‘Domino Theory’ was a speculation many presumed would occur in Eastern Europe and South East Asia; Harry S. Truman was a particular believer in this and was prepared to stop it at any cost. In 1950, Indo-China saw the first U.S supplies sent to the French in Vietnam; France was fighting for its colony after loosing their share of South East Asia to the Japanese. Despite U.S ideology being against colonialism, Truman believed that helping France with their fight was the ‘the lesser of two evils’ compared to loosing Vietnam to the Communist Vietminh under control by Ho Chi Minh. The U.S were …show more content…
Eisenhower’s approach to policy was very similar to that of his predecessor, Truman. He was determined to continue the policy of ‘containing’ communism but this did not involve launching a crusade to roll back communism. In 1953, John Foster Dulles was appointed as secretary of state, he was a devout Christian and firm hater of communism. The humiliating defeat of the French at Diem Bien Phu in 1954 saw the occurrence of the Geneva Conference and Accords. The USA was not to get everything it desired. Half of Vietnam was to be lost to communism and in the aftermath of the French defeat it looked as though the Vietminh would sweep all before it. The USA lacked the troops or the will for direct intervention. In September the South East Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO) was set up to give $2 billion in aid to South Vietnam from the