Vietnam between the two wars

In Vietnam, till that time during the World War II formed political parties were already strengthened, their views were formed and in this era they had serious fights for the power. The two Great Powers interfered in this internal affairs. The Soviet Union supported the by Ho Chi Minh founded Viet Minh because the politic of this party was close to the Soviet pattern, to the communism. The USA was behind South Vietnam which saw the future rather in a capitalist, more democratic system.

As the United States contributed in bulk that France could be there in the region, they forced out that instead of Bao Dai the puppet-ruler Ngo Dinh Diem should be the Prime Minister. From that time the Great Power supported the Diem-government like politically as well economically and with military powers. This came out mostly in that that Vietnamese soldiers were drilled and advisors were send to the country. Besides some economic advisor most of them were military. The financial aid was first for the army as well. The US wanted to overthrow the North Vietnamese government, that is regime like Richard Nixon president named it a few years later. They wanted to prevent the spread of the communism to Indochina this way, so that the Soviet Union couldn't obtain advantage.

After the liberation from the French domination, in 1954 North Vietnam had to face to serious difficulties. On the first day of 1955 the government returned to the capital, Ha Noi where only the current and water supply worked. Lots of factories, mines, dams, roads and railways were ruined by the war. The arable land was abandoned and as the farmers had been fighting, the oxen perished. Furthermore the French withdrawal was accompanied with revenge. They took away what they could, took apart what they could, and destroyed what they could. The unemployment grew to huge dimensions as well, many people starved. 1954 was the year of the misery.

The new, socialist government was expected to solve these problem and as soon as it was possible otherwise the about successes enthusiastic people could resort to weapons.

However, by 1957 North Vietnam succeeded to recover from the loss of the war by the effect of the reforms, there was development both in the economic both in the morality, but the further aim was the liberation of South Vietnam and the reunion.

During the process of recovery, in South Vietnam the Diem-regime strengthened (with American support). The communists were cruelly massacred, even by burying alive or beheading, etc.

They went so far in restriction of human rights that Diem banned Buddhism (the 70% of the population was Buddhist), thus the religious liberty didn't existed as well. This resulted constant rebellions, movements that were avenged cruelly. Because of the retribution, rebels continued it as secret, underground organizations. They were illegal, but popular, particularly when the North Vietnamese announced that the National Liberation Front (Vietcong) had been established in 1961 to overthrow the Southern regime.

The USA, recognizing the failure of the South, replaced Diem in November, 1963. Many people think that hooligans hired by the United States murdered the Prime Minister. They stopped his car and forced him to get off, then assassinated him. The country was presided over by the Great Minh who promised a military action that would defeat permanently the Viet Cong that followed the communist guidelines and fights for South's independence. In January, 1964 the USA sent General William Westmoreland to the region to take over the power because it was shocking that the Vietcong prevailed over South in spite of the fact that the USA started the strategic villages program earlier. Their aim was to separate the guerillas from the community by move people to a place. However, the pressure and force was so hard that the people rather turned to the opponent's side.