The POW/MIA And Normalization Of The U.S.-Vietnam Relation

In the Cold War era,U.S.insisted to limit the development of the communist,and involved in the war of Indochina region to support the anti-communist forces in Vietnam.During the Vietnam War,the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the Provisional Revolutionary Government of South Vietnam began to use American prisoners as a bargaining chip,asked the US to withdraw from Vietnam completely.In turn,U.S.take the release of prisoners as a condition of withdrawal to counter Vietnam.Since then,the prisoners of war and missing in action(POW/MIA)had become a key issue of the relation of U.S.and Vietnam.Nixon administration,U.S.finally signed the Paris Peace Agreement.The anticipated parties tried to use the agreement to resolve the POW/MIA,and define the reconstruction aid supplied to Vietnam by America.However,U.S.didn't intend to give up its policies in Vietnam and continued to support the South Vietnamese government.Ford administration,U.S.has repeatedly rejected Vietnam's application for UN membership.Before the reunification of Vietnam,Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the Provisional Revolutionary Government of South Vietnam protested that the U.S.maintained Vietnamese territory split.They delayed and even refused to cooperate with US investigators about the POW/MIA.After Vietnam finished reunification,Socialist Republic of Vietnam demanded post-war reconstruction assistance from U.S..,otherwise it would refuse to accept the obligations of providing accounting for the POW/MIA.With the attention of public opinion on the issue increasing gradually,as well as international and domestic political situation changes.Carter administration,U.S.began to deal with the POW/MIA more flexibly,as a result,the US-Vietnam relation was improved.In 1978,Vietnam invaded Cambodia,and become Soviets ally.And the the US-Vietnam relation had once dropped to the freezing point.Reagan's second term,forced by domestic pressure,began to speed up the process of settling the POW/MIA,and easy the US-Vietnam relation.During this period,Vietnam suffered long-term isolation in the international community because of its aggressive policy in Cambodia.Faced with its domestic production falling down,material scarcity,people's living standards extremely low dilemma.This forced the Vietnamese government to adjust its foreign policy on the POW/MIA and show a positive and cooperative attitude,trying to realize the normalization of US-Vietnam relation and get American aid.1987,President Reagan appointed General Vessey as special envoy to deal with the POW/MIA.Following that,the POW/MIA achieved breakthrough,and US-Vietnam relation have also been greatly improved,which paved the way for U.S.and Vietnam establishing diplomatic relation ultimately.