Into the Maelstrom : America and Vietnam , 1945 – 1956
also began to increase the amount of military assistance given to the French , assistance that would help them defend their installations and increase their operations against Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh .
In April 1954 , the French suffered a humiliating defeat by the forces of the Viet Minh at Dien Bien Phu . The battle lasted for fifty-seven days and ended France ’ s influence in Indochina . The Geneva Accords , which settled the issue of the war , stipulated that Vietnam would become an independent nation , as would Laos and Cambodia . Vietnam was to be divided along the 16 th parallel , a division “ that was not to be interpreted as constituting a political or territorial boundary .” The Geneva Accords also included a stipulation that elections would be held within two years -- elections that would unify North and South Vietnam under one government . These elections never took place because Eisenhower was a firm believer in the Domino Theory . The Republican Party had accused the Truman administration of losing China to the Communists , and Eisenhower was going to make sure that he did not lose Indochina . Eisenhower ’ s commitment to not lose Indochina , in effect , prevented the unification of Vietnam .
Prior to the signing of the Geneva Accords ( the United States never agreed with the Accords , never signed them , and were not bound by them ), Emperor Bao Dai appointed Ngo Dinh Diem as prime minister of Southern
Vietnam . Diem was the perfect person for the United States to support because he was both anti-French and anti-Communist , and a western-educated nationalist . The United States , while backing Diem as a potential leader of Southern Vietnam , had misgivings because he had no experience in politics .
The summer of 1956 came and went without the election stipulated in the Geneva Accords . Many argue that Diem ’ s refusal to hold an election could be considered an unofficial declaration of war . However , Ho Chi Minh still held out hope that an election would take place and that Vietnam would become unified . Many attribute this refusal to hold an election because both the United States and Diem were certain that Ho Chi Minh would win .
From this point forward , North Vietnam , under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh ( and backed by the Soviet Union and China ) and South Vietnam , under the leadership of Ngo Dinh Diem ( backed by the United States ), could never reach a compromise . The Geneva Accords , meant to unify Vietnam , failed miserably .
Over the next twenty years , the conflict in Vietnam raged not only claiming millions of lives , but also destroying forests and farmlands , polluting rivers , and virtually devastating the entire region . The Vietnam War also saw the people of the United States beginning to question the truthfulness of their government and the need to be the policeman of the world .
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