The North in the South?
North/South up to 1960 Even though many Vietminh fighters moved North, tens of thousands remained in the S outh. There were thousands of "Freedom fighters" in the South with one order - return north when free and fair elections are held. Until 1959, Ho was no supporting them in any efforts to attack Diem. In fact they were ordered to bury their weapons and become absorbed in Southern life. Before 1959 Ho actively discouraged supporters in the South from attacking Diem's regime. Hanoi wanted to be seen to be abiding by the Geneva agreements and was bitterly opposed about whether consolidation in the North should take priority over liberation of the South/ Why?
USSR and China were urging constraint and Hanoi was dependent on them Didn't want to provoke an American attack North couldn't afford to support a struggle such as this North expected to win the 1956 elections
A change of Policy - why? Diem's policy of repression was so brutal and there was a risk that the South might be totally annihilated Southern comrades were pleading for help The leading Southern communist was Le Duan. In 1957 he moved North and became a part of the politburo and was able to promote the Southern cause. Southern communists were beginning to take things into their own hands and the late 1950s there were frequent small scale attacks
A Change of Policy - What? May 1955, Central Committee in Hanoi established a branch of the Party called Group 559. Purpose was to facilitate movement of supplies and troops from North to South. In addition, cadres were being sent from the North The insurgents were not officially part of the NVA but it was supported by them. However, as time wore on, Northern control of NLF increased. 1959, North governing Politburo created COSVN: the Central Office for South Vietnam to coordinate activities in the South. Run by Le Duan, Le Duc Tho and 4 other politburo members
Formation January 1959 - 15th CP Plenum finally adopted a policy of Revolutionary violence to overthrow Diem's Government and liberate Vietnam - idea was not to 'overtake' the south, but 'liberate' the south. Ideologically, very different - one is aggressive, one is assistance 20th December 1960 the NLF was formed and it appealed broadly to the people of the South Incorporated variety of anti-Diem gro ups: Indigenous Southerners, Northerners sent South, southerners who had moved north and now returned. Avoided Marxist identity Given the derogatory term (Diem or US?) of Vietcong. (Vietnamese Commies - 'commies', 'communists') In an essay, use either 'NLF' or 'Vietcong' but be consistent ('NLF' is easier to write though)
Organisation
By 1963 Regional Officers presided over 20 zones throughout South Vietnam, each controlled by an NLF member. Zones were further subdivided into districts and villages all linked vertically to the Central Committee. Like Lao Dong, the NLF embraced every aspect of Vietnamese society: youth groups, women's issues, agricultural reforms NLF was based on: liberation and ongoing struggle. The struggle was in 2 parts: political and military. Overthrow Diem and oust the Americans and their goal dovetailed perfectly with Vietnam's historic and socio-cultural traditions. Many Southerners joined and many more supported with foo d, safety and intelligence info. The NLF had a 10 point program, including: o Democratic freedom o Land of the tiler o Independence from imperialist domination (US) Re unification with the North (peaceful) o Neutral foreign policy and relations with Laos and Cambodia Regular force of 5500 along with an irregular force of 30,000 guerrillas. The force was reorganised into the People's Revolutionary Army which comprised both paramilitary units of villagers involved in classic guerrilla tactics and regular soldiers The cell = 3 people, 3 cells = square, three squads = platoon
Appeal Land was offered as an incentive to join the guerrillas -> peasant support Extremely effective recruitment tool -> mass establishment of bases Villagers were allowed to distribute land amongst themselves Groups encouraged to be self-sufficient and to use initiative infiltration and espionage widespread Cadres generally 'popular and respected' (CIA report)
Front similar to the original Viet Minh proposed, to make it clear that the struggle originated from the South and disguise communist involvement
Success It contained in its ranks and in it hierarchy, people from all walks of life. Its foundation president was Nguyen Huu Tho was the son of a rubber plantation worker . Tho rose from poverty and eventually studied law in Paris. He returned and became politically active Warnings were given to collaborators (teachers, civil servants) to cease their collaboration with the regime, I the warnings weren't heeded the retribution would be swift and v iolent. In 1961, 4000 people were assassinated by the VC. They were under strict instructions to respect the people they were fighting for and spent a great deal of time and effort educating the people - particularly about l and reform Many of Diem's policies, e.g. Agrovilles, just played into the NLF's hands BY end of 1961 it is estimated that the NLF controlled 80% of the countryside BY 1963 the VC had become so successful the Southern regime was on the verge of collapse
North Vietnam
Political o
o
o
o o
th
The division of Vietnam at the 17 parallel didn’t satisfy the political aims of Ho Chi Minh However the north accepted the terms because Ho anticipated the economic, and thus political downfall of the south Initially the North wasn’t in a position to assume control of the whole country 0 militarily or politically Ho was anticipating an election in the next two years, in which he would win Just in case free election weren’t held – a large number of arms and ammunition was left behind and hidden in the south Huge whole left in the north after separation. Factories and merchants packed and left big economic whole in north The departure of the Catholics – removed a significant source of opposition to the north Vietnam Government The reforms implemented caused a destructive period in North Vietnam and in 1956 Ho Chi Minh professed t hat ‘errors have been committed’ In the period to 1957, North Vietnam relied heavily on both the Soviet Government, and the Chinese for industrial support While conflict between China and S oviet Union occurred, North Vietnam maintained neutrality However – after 1957, when growth of industries, such as coal production, transport, electricity reliance on them decreased However military reliance continued
o
o
o
o
o
o
Economic st Since most of the fighting of the 1 Indo- Chinese war had occurred in the North – o production capacity was severely damaged – food production down The division between the north and the south – cut off the north from its major fo od o supplier – the Mekong valley During the French-Indochina war – the infrastructure (bridges, roads, buildings etc) o had been severely damaged Further exacerbated by the refugees moving south – while departing they o dismantled and stripped harbour installations, post offices, hospitals, and factories A solution to the economic ruin in North Vietnam was the implementation of the o Agricultural reform Tribunals 1955 This was to supervise:
Peasants received equal land, however, it was owned by the state under the communist regime The purging of those deemed to be landlords and other feudal elements The Vietminh deemed 5% of the population to fir this category
Not popular with anyone The Agricultural Reforms and the resultant land redistribution did mean that by 1957, North Vietnam had achieved self-sufficiency in rise production
o
The redistribution of land to the peasants from the landlords –
o
o
o
Social o
o o
o
o
o o o
o
o
o
1958 – North Vietnam government abandoned the Tribunals – in favour of Cooperativisation plans – an attempted to win back the peasant population Based on the principle that each village shared the work and responsibility amongst its members- 1960 – 86% was working and live in this structure From the Geneva Conference to 1960 – Vietnam had changed from a country in famine to the country with the fastest growing economy in South-East Asia Due to the drop in production of food, due to above points – i.e. damage inflicted by war, and loss of major source of food supplies – there was a severe shortage of food Consequently a severe famine was rife Famine was alleviated in some sense by the departing refugees heading south – largely Catholics, however some sources suggest that up to 300000 Buddhists also went South The Vietminh believed everybody should adopt the correct attitude – a proletariat attitude To be a member of this new society, a Vietnamese must have fo ught against the French – trained in bloodshed You had been jailed and tortured by the French Renounce loyalties to your family Cadres who implemented the reforms and found those 5% disloyal to North Vietnam, often did so with enthusiasm – atrocities were committed They executed anyone who had worked for the French, or those deemed not to have sufficient enthusiasm and support for the Vietminh Often Peasants brought about false accusations of a neighbour to protect themselves The restructuring of agriculture and growth of industry caused great difficulties on all levels of Vietnamese society
Military o
o
Peasant uprising were subdued – example – November 1956 revolt led Ho Chi Minh to send a decision to put it down (similar to French style) 6000 were killed or deported in that one uprising alone
South Vietnam
Political o o o
o o
o
o
o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o
Ngo Dinh Diem was ill-prepared to assume control of the country as w whole Diem preferred to consolidate his power in the South Within a year of the Geneva conference, Diem had consolidated his position in South Vietnam He dethroned Bao Dai (emperor) in October 1955 by means of a rigged referendum South Vietnam left the French Union and Diem declared the independent state of the ‘Republic of Vietnam’ (RVN) Diem made his family the core of the political structure – they were extremely inefficient The south Vietnamese government- became significantly dictatorial – and it started to resemble a totalitarian state An elaborate ideology Ordinance 47: made it illegal to be, or to be associated, with communists Many were killed or imprisoned as a result A single party government After 1956 the only legal political party was the ‘Can Lao’ led by Diems brother Nhu Other political challengers were eliminated A System of Terror The Can Lao also acted as a Military secret police – making Gestapo raids and using torture Near monopoly over communications Newspapers were closed down, and strict censorship laws were passed Control over the Army Diem created a personal army Centralised Economy A state economic sector was established in 1957, introducing a planned, centralised economy which was directed by 5 year plans
Social o
o
The difference between the city life with ample luxuries and US imports, and the countryside continued to widen The South attempted to eliminate the threat of Vietcong relocating entire villages and then establishing fortified and protected villages 0 this was the Argoville Plan introduced by Ngo Ding Nhu (Diem’s Brother) Vietcong – Supporters of Ho, but lived in the South Villages were expected to move from their place of homage, relocate in new villages where they had to build their own houses – equipment bought from Nhu Peasant opposition rendered the plan obsolete – abandoned in early 1961 However the strategic Hamlet Project followed it – with US advisers and finance Again peasants were expected to relocate in armed and protected villages – and rebuild their homes and to construct fortifications
o
o o o
o
However the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) were unable to screen villages of each Strategic Hamlet – often villages were Vietcong (VC) or National Liberation Front (NLF) Same group They couldn’t make the targets and the Strategic Hamlet project – as part of the winning of hearts and minds (WHAM) failed after Diem’s death The real effect was that it turned the peasants against both the USA and the Republic of Vietnam Om 1956, Diem abolished elections in the villages for the village officials instead thy were to be appointed by the Diem Government The peasantry was oppressed and exploited
o
o
o
o
