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United States becomes involved in Vietnam (1950) |
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United States Becomes Involved in Vietnam Background Information |
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Vietnam is one of six countries in the area known as
Indochina. The peninsula it resides in juts out of the mainland
of Asia deep into the China Sea and Indian Ocean. The other five
countries of Indochina include Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and
Malaysia.
President Harry Truman sent troops to help France, which had been a close ally for many years, some historians say dating back to the time of the Revolutionary War, when the French helped the U.S. gain its independence. Before World War II began, France had established Indochina as one of its own colonies. However, after the break out of the war, France could no longer support its colonies, and consequently had to abandon them. Colonies were very beneficial to imperialistic, or colonizing, nations because they provided raw materials, a place for markets, and also power by having military bases in Asia. The Vietnamese people resisted French rule, however, attacking French forces whenever possible. |
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Although President Truman was eager to help France, he
was not entirely pleased to be helping a colonial nation, especially one
that was popular with the native people. Truman demanded a
"declaration by the French government of independence" for
Vietnam and its neighbors. He said he would continue to send aid
if and only if the French would eventually guarantee Vietnamese
independence.
Even though American leaders were not entirely supportive of France's role in Vietnam, they disapproved of France's opponents even more. From the U.S. point of view, French colonialism was the lesser of the two evils. American leaders believed a greater evil was presented by France's opposition in Vietnam, a group known as the Vietminh. The Vietminh were formed by the Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh. Like most Vietnamese, Ho Chi Minh advocated an independent Vietnam, free from foreign rule. He looked to the United State's own Revolution as an inspiration, and even requested their assistance for their cause for independence. However, since Ho Chi Minh was a communist, a believer of the government system which emphasizes a group effort working towards a common good, the United States sided with France. Source:
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