The Vietnam War: A Narrative History

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the roots of the Vietnam War (1961-1975) really began with the fall of the French Colonial Empire at Dien Bien Phu, when the Americans became involved in the greatest war debacle in U.S. history. The author points out that this secret war was being conducted mainly by the Central Intelligence Agency and its founding Director Allen Dulles, the Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and President Dwight David Eisenhower. The paper explains that this war started when Ho Chi Min, the Communist strong man in Hanoi and founder of Viet-Cong, and Ngo Dinh Diem, president of South Vietnam, who had the full backing of the United States' assets, got involved in a gorilla war, which escalated into the Vietnam War from which Ho brought the United States to their knees in disgrace.

From the Paper:

"With the abrupt fall of the Japanese Empire in August of 1945, Ho Chi Minh seizes his opportunity. Using the established Viet Minh, formally known as Vietnam Doc Lap Dong Minh or The League for the Independence of Vietnam, Ho established at the 8th Plenum at Pac Bo, in May of 1941, as his tool. In September 1945, Ho Chi Minh declares Vietnam's independence in Hanoi. Surprisingly there is little to no opposition to his declaration and he feels confident his organizational structures and skills are sound. So confident, in fact, Ho goes to Paris in 1946 to negotiate the separation from France personally with his staff of advisors."

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