President Kennedy
History: Cambridge International GCSE The Twentieth Century (Option B), topic 5.3.3
Reasons for Greater US Involvement Under Kennedy
Kennedy became President of America in 1961.
Increased support
- In 1961, Kennedy became President of the USA.
- Kennedy sent 16,000 more advisors to help South Vietnam.
- Their job was to train the ARVN to fight the Viet Cong.
- By then, 12,000 VC fighters controlled about half of South Vietnam.
Lack of support
- Kennedy wanted to hunt down the VC and destroy them.
- But also to gain the support of the local people.
- However, the ARVN were seen as part of Diem’s corrupt government.
Reasons for failure
- American attempts to train villagers to fight the VC failed.
- The villagers didn’t speak Vietnamese and couldn’t stop the VC visiting villages at night when they had left.
The Strategic Hamlet Program
- In 1962 the USA set up the Strategic Hamlet Program.
- The Strategic Hamlet Program built around 5,000 new villages.
- These villages would be guarded by the ARVN to prevent the VC recruiting villagers and getting supplies.
- They even built new schools and hospitals for the people.
- Hoping that this would earn support for Diem.
Failures
- However, villagers were forced to move into the Strategic Hamlets when they didn’t want to.
- And some new villages faced starvation as the government didn’t provide enough food.
- This made people even less likely to support Diem.
The Overthrow of Diem
In 1963 the USA had to accept Diem’s government was too unpopular to continue and they publicly announced they would no longer support him.
The Battle of Ap Bac
- In January 1963 the ARVN lost the Battle of Ap Bac, despite massive US military support.
- It was embarrassing for the USA.
Buddhism and Diem
- In May, Diem’s troops shot at a Buddhist procession, killing nine people.
- In June, a Buddhist monk burned himself to death in Saigon in protest over Diem’s treatment of Buddhists.
- In response, Diem raided and closed Buddhist temples.
Breaking ties
- The USA had to accept Diem’s government was too unpopular to continue.
- They publicly announced they would no longer support him, and ARVN generals removed him from power.
- He was later assassinated.
Test yourself on President Kennedy
When did Kennedy became President of America?
Why did American attempts to train villagers to fight the VC fail?
Which battle did the ARVN lose in January 1963 despite massive US military support?
In which year did the USA publicly announce they no longer supported Diem’s government?
What happened in January 1963 in Vietnam?