From Roosevelt To Eisenhower 1940-1954 Years The U.s. Vietnam Policy

This Dissertation deals with US Vietnam policy from Roosevelt administration to Eisenhower administration(1940-1954).The United States first get involved Vietnam affairs in Roosevelt years,then Truman and Eisenhower administration laid the foundation for large-scale US involvement in Vietnam.The paper consists of four parts.I. The Roosevelt administration's Vietnam policy( 1940-1945).When WWII started, US opposed strongly Japan's dominating Indochina. During WWlI,Roosevelt suggested a decolonization program in Indochina,He insisted that France's control over its Indochina colonies be replaced by a postwar United Nations trusteeship,but before his death,he agreed French restoration of Indochina.II. The Truman Administration's Vietnam policy(1945-l 953).Following the Roosevelt administration's policy toward Vietnam,the Truman administration declared that it recognized French sovereignty of Indochina and acquiesced in France's using the weaponry and credit that US provided France for the defence of France and western Europe.Duing the early days of the first Indochina war(1946-1950),the Truman administration claimed to be neutral but in fact pursued a neutrality heavily skewed in France's favor and even upheld and maintained "Bao Dai Solution".With the Cold War breaking out,the Truman administration took Vietnam as a part of its global strategy. The victory of CPC in China in 1949 and the outbreak of the hot war in Korea in June 1950 led the Truman administration to extend to East Asia the containment policy already applied in Europe, US began to supply direct economic and military aid to France for the war in Vietnam.III. The Eisenhower administration's Vietnam policy(1953-1954).Eisenhower administration continued and even expanded the policy initiated by his predecessors.The Eisenhower administration planned direct military intervention two times against the Vietminh to relieve the siege of Dienbienphu.This was a greater escalation,which was a manoeuvre for later direct military intervention, for US to interfere in Vietnam affairs. Eisenhower administration obstructed ensuing peace conference at Geneva,and then didn't sign the Geneva Accords in order to cast off unnecessary restrictions for infringing Vietnam.The Eisenhower administration tried to organize SEATO for later united aggressive action.In Eisenhower years,domino theory was firmly rooted as a guiding principle which stated that the loss of the Vietnam to communist might ,through dominolike effect,cause the loss of all Southeast Asia,for US to interfere in Vietnam.IV. Conclusion.This part summarises and analyses the background,evolution,essence and the influence of US Vietnam policy and expounds that US Vietnam policy was subordinated to her Cold War strategy and her global strategy.The Cold War policy provided an unrealistic parameter for US Vietnam policy planning.Domino theory overestimated the threat of the communism,and didn't conform to the reality .As a result,it led US into a dead-end alley.From this dissertation,one can find out US original involvement in the Vietnam War and we can comprehand America's hegemonical policy of global expansionism.