John F Kennedy's Assassination as the Turning Point of the Vietnam War

There are a fascinating series of memos and audio recordings available to the public online through the auspices of the National Security Archive at George Washington University. At this time, Kennedy had decided upon a coup against Ngo Dinh Diem if he did not remove his brother Ngo Dinh Nhu who the administration was convinced would lose the war due to his oppressive policies. Kennedy recognized that the Congress might be angry at him for supporting Vietnamese generals in a coup against Diem. However, Kennedy remarked that it will "be madder if Vietnam goes down the drain ("Kennedy considered supporting," 2009)." The administration then considered proposals to evacuate American troops from South Vietnam as explicitly linked to the success of a military coup. The administration tapes reveal that the plans for the American withdrawal were created in fabric of the NSC deliberations about the coup. The coup rumors and threats were waved as a feature of diplomatic maneuvers to induce President Diem to oust his brother Nhu from the government (ibid.). The failure of the administrations policies in the wake of the Diem coup ensured the escalation of the U.S.

In the farewell speech given by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower when he left office, he warned the nation about the power of the military establishment and the arms industry. "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist." Some conspiracy theorists have argued that Kennedy planned to end the involvement of the United States in Vietnam, and was therefore targeted by those who had an interest in sustained military conflict, including the Pentagon and defense contractors.

1) What was Martin Luther King's position on the Vietnam War? Please identify at least five of King's arguments. Based upon your readings, and the films do you agree with King's analysis? Why or why not?

Diem's nationalism and administrative experience made him the logical choice for the premiership of an independent Vietnam, but he was lacking many qualities that were required for the challenges he would face. Herring admits that even now it is unclear how Diem became the premier of Vietnam. The US did not think that Diem was capable of controlling the nation, but at the same time, "there was no one to take his place who would serve US interests better"(55). Through his bungling of responsibilities, Diem was found to be nothing but trouble for the United States and France, therefore; officials in Saigon were convinced that he must be removed. Now the experiment in nation building assumed the form of a crusade. Private charitable agencies provided food, soap, toothbrushes and emergency medical supplies. American money and technology helped to repair the vast damages resulting from more than a decade of war. More than any other single group, American aid allowed South Vietnam to survive the first few critical years after independence. By the late 1950s it appeared as though the new nation was flourishing.

There were several events during the Vietnam War that can be considered “turning points”, which can be described as the occurrence of an event that changed the course of history. One such event was the Buddhist crisis in 1963. The Buddhists of South Vietnam had experienced decades of religious persecution during French colonialism that continued with the Catholic government, which was backed by the United States (Toong, 2008). The demonstrations, protests and self-immolations that followed as a result of this religious persecution and the media coverage it generated encouraged the Kennedy administration to back a coup d’état against Ngo

One major event occurred on January 20, 1969, with the inauguration of President Nixon.1 To this point the war as seen three U.S. Presidents apply their own theory to win the war and now a fourth was about to inject his own method to end the war that has generated a political and public relation nightmare for the United States. President Nixon decided to attack the war from a platform of “the madman theory” where political moves and offers would be posed to the North Vietnamese supporter, Soviet Union, during the Paris negotiations.2 Along with the new play at the negotiation table, President Nixon supported his attempts with an escalation in bombings to include targets in Cambodia, potentially forcing the Soviet Union to remove itself from a war that may become out of control.3 It was obvious this method, like others previously, did not have the intended effect.

While Kennedy was in office Kennedy he agreed to help Diem regime during his term in 1961. Kennedy sent more advisors and soldiers were sent to South Vietnam. In 1963 Kennedy tacitly approved an operation to overthrow Diem about three weeks before his assassination.

The unrest of the 1960s reached a boiling point in 1968, a year that can be considered the most turbulent year in American history. The tumultuous events that took place in 1968 effectively transformed the face of the nation in every aspect; economically, socially, and politically. Failed military tactics, assassinations, and violent civil rights movements were the defining characteristics of 1968. Despite the few good things that came out of that year, much of 1968 was dedicated to rebuilding the country, tragedy after tragedy. The assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, involvement in the Vietnam War, and escalating civil rights movements are a few of the quintessential events that contributed to

On November 22, 1963 national tragedy struck America after the catastrophic death of the thirty-fifth president of the United States, John F. Kennedy. Kennedy arrived in Dallas with his wife, Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy, by his side and rode in a convertible limousine behind John and Nellie Connolly through Dealy Plaza. When the motorcade took way through downtown Dallas, shots were fired at president Kennedy soon killing him. The assassination of president John F. Kennedy made questions surface about his death, and when those questions were left unanswered, distrust of the government in the 1960’s formed; in return led conspiracies to thrive.

Kennedy’s cabinet members were made up of many different thinkers. Dean Rusk, the Secretary of State believed that there was a communist plot to take over the world and it must be stopped. Walt Rostow, the presidential advisor believes that we should use military force to cut off supplies to the Vietcong, have large scale bombings of North Vietnam and accelerate modernization in South Vietnam. General Maxwell Taylor criticized Eisenhower’s conventional training efforts. McGeorge Bundy, the NSC advisor wanted to attack the Vietcong and North Vietnam if necessary. George Ball believed that Diem regime was corrupt and to create democracy in Vietnam was impossible.

He was supported by the United States, as he was anti- communist. He was a catholic and he discriminated against the Buddhists who made up approximately 90% of the population. On May 8, 1963, South Vietnamese soldiers killed nine civilians, who were protesting the ban of the Buddhist flag. Diem refused to respond to Buddhist leaders’ demands to end religious oppression.

From 1954-1963, Diem presided over an increasingly corrupt, devious, and repressive regime. Communist guerrillas backed by North Vietnam launched a new rebellion, but a civil disobedience campaign led by the country's Buddhist monks contributed more directly to his downfall. Brutal persecution of the dissident monks in 1963 damaged the regime's already shaky international reputation. With American support, Vietnamese

Diem helped rule the South of Vietnam with the Emperor Bao Dai, until he removed the Emperor and replaced him with himself. He then further abused his position and appointed his family and friends with the most beneficial positions. He then introduced new laws and taxes which greatly upset the peasants, especially with the new farming policies. It was these laws that led to protests such as the Monks which burnt themselves to death as they were unable to practise freely. Unfortunately for America the harm Diem was creating and led to an increase in their involvement.

The conflict in Vietnam for the United States started when President Dwight D. Eisenhower went along with the domino theory and sent in military advisors in South Vietnam to stop the communist movement from taking place in South Vietnam. The Vietnam conflict was between the communist’s and the United States. North Vietnam was led by Ho Chi Minh, and Ho Chi Minh led the Viet Cong, a guerilla group to help spread communism. The United States were supporters of the South Vietnam because they wanted them to maintain their government rather than falling to the domino theory of communism. After Eisenhower’s term ended John F. Kennedy became president and took control of the situation of Vietnam but on November 22, 1963, Kennedy was

From the beginning of his term, Diem felt that North Vietnam was planning to forcefully take over South Vietnam. Diem began to arrest anyone who was suspected of being a Communist. Soon after, North Vietnam began attempting to reunify Vietnam through political means, and not through the use of violence. After this proved to be an unsuccessful attempt, North Vietnam and the Communist Party finally approved the use of violence to overthrow Ngo Dinh Diems government. The National Liberation Front (NLF) was thus developed by the Communists, allowing anyone who was against Diem and for the unification of Vietnam to join to join their alliance.