Open AccessThe intentions to replace Ngo Dinh Diem of us officials from ambassador lawton collins to ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge (1955 - 1963)
Author(s) -
Phan Văn Cả
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
khoa học và công nghệ: khoa học xã hội và nhân văn
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2588-1043
DOI - 10.32508/stdjssh.v3i2.517
Subject(s) - politics , power (physics) , vietnam war , government (linguistics) , political science , law , subject (documents) , military government , economic history , history , philosophy , linguistics , physics , quantum mechanics , library science , computer science
After the Geneva Agreement of 1954, the US officials supported Ngo Dinh Diem come to power in South Vietnam in the hope that he would obey, but later realized that they could not control him. While Americans were worried about Diem, he himself was worried about the US. The US viewed economic aid and their increased military presence as a prerequisite, if not a guarantee for a must-have reform to win the war in Vietnam. Diem accepted all the support in terms of military and economy but he still acted on his will, not being subject to the US advice. Despite all warnings, Diem continued dealing with, in an unwise manner, movements against the Ngo government. This approach made the US war target in Vietnam at risk of failure. Diem's government gradually eliminated all political oppositions and created a power vacuum in South Vietnam that gave Americans no other choice but the existing government. Therefore, Americans were forced to “swim” or to “sink” with Diem even though this regime became increasingly unpopular. US officials had almost never found a perfect solution for South Vietnam. The intentions to replace Diem appeared once he came to power (1955) until it became a reality (1963).