Different Points of View of Vietnam - Essay Example

Different Points of View of Vietnam Introduction After the world ended in 1945, there were many changes that occurred in the world. Most of the changes were seen in power relationships and world conflicts. There was the new kind of war cold war which was between the powerful nations that had emerged after the World War II including Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States, and the Soviet Union (USSR). The nations were fighting for global supremacy, and this was from 1945 to 1989 (Freedman, 17). Vietnam had just gained independence in the same year, and national liberation was being exercised. This is why decolonization, cold war, and national liberation in Vietnam have been viewed from different points by different authors and researchers. Different documents on Vietnam from 1945 when it gained independence from the French through the early 1970s shows different points of view regarding decolonization, national, liberation, and global cold war standoffs. Decolonization It is imperative to note that “as decolonization coincided with the Cold War, the two global phenomena had a close and interrelated history, with each influencing the context and character of the other” Nelson and Ellenberger, 427). “In September 1945, the same month that World War II officially ended, Ho Chi Minh (1890-1969) declared both Vietnamese independence and the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam” (Nelson and Ellenberger, 447). Vietnam gained its independence in 1945. However, the French did not recognize that they had lost Vietnam as one of the colonies. This was not until 1954 when the French fully withdrew from Vietnam. In the early 1940s, Japanese were gaining more superiority in Vietnam than the French (Lawrence). When the people of Vietnam gained independence in 1945, this was confusing since it was not clear whether they had gained independence from the Japanese or the French. This is what eventually made the French not to accept that their rule in Vietnam had been withdrawn until in 1954 when they fully withdrew (Heiss, 25). The people of Vietnam were highly mobilized in 1945 when the declaration of independence was passed. This motivated them to engage in postwar aimed at driving the French home. Guerilla warfare was the only tactic that could work because the French had comparatively stronger military troops together with superior weapons. By 1954, there were many people who had been killed including French and Vietnamese. Decolonization shifted the war from the French to South Vietnam. The dreams of the people had not yet been achieved. The resistance was long even after the president declared that they had gained their independence in 1945. The communist nature of the country made decolonization take a long pace. The people had to be united to ensure that they worked together towards the dreams of the country. This was unlike the situation in other third world countries that only supported the majority. Even 10 years after Vietnam had talked of its independence; poverty was still a sizeable disease to the economy of the country. This made the country to lack full independence. Unites States’ influence was very evident in the sense that “United States supported the South Vietnamese government in its refusal to let elections take place…” (Nelson and Ellenberger, 430). Some scholars argue that the Americans took advantage of the situation in Vietnam to use them in fighting other parties in the cold war (Lawrence). This is why many people will ‘always say that Vietnam was one of the countries that were fighting for power during the reign of the cold war’ (Freedman, 18). The reality of the matter is that the Vietnamese were only being used by the Americans to help them venture and fight East Asia. Vietnamese were aiming at achieving internal political, economic, and social stability. This is because of the war between South and North Vietnam. They had no interest in fighting for power in the global view. National liberation After Vietnam gained its independence in 1945, The Vietnamese Declaration of Independence was passed. This was made to ensure equality and equal rights to all despite their economic, social, gender, race, and age among other differences. This declaration stated that all men were equal and thus entitled to the same rights by the creator including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This was the same declaration that had been made by the United States in 1776 when they gained independence (Maus, 13). This was to mark a new life in Vietnam after the long periods of inequality and oppression from the French who colonized them. Humanity and justice would come to sound play in the nation as the rule of law would treat all on the same and fair grounds. National liberation would also mean stability in the social affairs of the country. This was on the regards that the country was communist. Political liberty was another aspect of national liberation that was been enhanced in Vietnam. The French had deprived the Vietnamese their democratic liberty through the inhuman laws that had being passed. Vietnamese had no say over the laws of the land as they were all passed and implemented by the colonies at the expense of their subjects. One of the core challenges hindering political liberty in Vietnam was the communist social and economic society. The colonies had adopted imperialism; thus it was difficult for Vietnam to gain political liberty as they had different social and economic structures from those of the colonies (Freedman, 21). Even to date, Vietnam has remained to be among the top recognized communist economies. This is even why after they gained their independence in 1945 the French remained to be in partial control until they fully withdrew in 1954. Economic liberation was also being enhanced in the country. Before independence, all the means of production in the country were under the French control. The land had been devastated with the backbone of the country’s economy being shifted in favor of the French economy. Many Vietnamese had died from starvation more so due the late 1930s when the French and the Japanese were in the fight of the colony. The latter two countries were fighting for power in Indochina, and this was at the expense of the natives. After the dawn of the 1940s, the Japanese had gained much control of the economy than the French (Maus). This was until 1945 when Vietnam broke the chains of colonialism and inhuman leadership. The economy did not, however, grow from 1945 because of the postwar. The postwar is one of the aspects that were not evident in other countries that gained independence in the 19th century. For instance, if we look at Algeria, they gained their independence in the 1960s, and the French withdrew fully from their country. This aspect of national liberation in Vietnam made the country remain poor. Many of the Asian countries that gained their independence closer to Vietnam have showed rapid economic progress. This can be seen from the case of china. The postwar, therefore, made economic liberation in Vietnam to be achieved many years after independence. Giap Nguyen put it clear that the Vietnamese people’s war of liberation was just as they aimed at regaining their independence. This was also aimed at guaranteeing the nationalities the right to their land and other crucial rights as any other human beings who were created by the same creator. Giap also says that the war of liberation was aimed at defending the achievements of the August Revolution (Maus, 24). This made the natives cooperate in resistance of foreign and colonial control and governance. Vietnam is a communist country; thus it was hard for them to adopt imperialism which came with the colonies. They were, therefore, fighting against the aggressive imperialism. Vietnamese were also in need of unity in their country. The colonies had destabilized the country as they aimed at creating political confusion among the natives so that they could man them easily. After independence, peace in the country was not yet visible. This was mainly because of the impacts of colonialism that made a disparity to rise between the poor and the rich. The poor could not accept their status since the country was a communist (Lawrence). They had to fight for equality as the only way of enhancing peace in the country. Global cold war According to some authors, the cold war had direct impacts to decolonization in the third world countries. In Vietnam, the war began immediately after the country had gained independence from the French in 1945. This was declared by Ho Chi Minh resulting to the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (Lawrence). The cold war was specifically aimed at fighting for global between Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States, and the Soviet Union (USSR). Vietnam cooperated with the American intelligence agents in the war against the Japanese. The Japanese had some control over Vietnam after the colonial period more than the French. In the reign of the cold war, Vietnam was also fighting for power. This was being done by transforming their military weaknesses into power. They aimed at altering the balance of powers. This is what eventually led to the Vietnam War. The country was ready to employ a long term resistance against all the supreme powers. They had to use better arms so that they could win their enemies. In addition, they had to adapt better and strategic fighting tactics such as the guerilla warfare which was later of most importance to the country. The people were also united so that they could help their corps in the fight for power (Stanford and Bartholomew, 12). They locals were well united by their leaders at district level. The war later changed to mobile warfare which incorporated stronger forces. Majority of the people were poor which forced them to take part in the guerrilla warfare. There was the rich class which dominated the country. This was evidence that equality had not yet been achieved even after achieving independence. The post war was, therefore, aimed at making the independence declaration of 1945 ensuring that all human beings were equal (Freedman, 13). Many of the poor people had lost their land; thus been forced to become slaves and landlords. They had, therefore, to overthrow the rich merchants so that they could get land for farming. Freedom would help them break the chains of poverty that had hindered economic and power progress of the nation. The United States of America had gained some control over Vietnam in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The Americans aimed at getting military help so that they could fight USSR which emerged as a strong and powerful nation after the World War II. The people in North Vietnam were deeply in communism. This made them differ with the people in the south. This resulted to the Vietnam War which was aimed at destabilizing the government in the south. Guerrilla warfare was the tactic that was used by the people in the North. These people eventually came to be known as Vietcong. The American involvement in the war took place in the early 1960s, and it was crucial as by 1965 there were 200,000 American troops serving in Vietnam (Heiss). American involvement in Vietnam was highly supported by President Johnson. He wanted to ensure that his opponents the republicans were quiet over the matter. The cold war had more impact in Vietnam than other third world economies. The Asian countries that gained independence closely to Vietnam have gained power at a global view. Although USSR was eventually defeated, it remained to be a powerful nation not only in Asia, but in the whole world. “The United States of America emerged as the most powerful nation in the world. Vietnamese, therefore, had a contribution to the power supremacy that was later enjoyed in the United States of America” (Stanford and Bartholomew, 15). Conclusion Vietnam is a third world country that gained its independence in 1945. The country did not, however, full independence until in 1954 when the French fully withdrew from the country. Vietnamese engaged in guerilla warfare so that they could fight for national liberation. Immediately after the country gained its independence in 1945, the cold war began. This is why different authors have brought different points of discussion regarding national liberation, decolonization, and the cold war in relation to Vietnam. The communist nature of the country is one of the issues that have brought about the controversies. The postwar that was experienced in the country was also of keen note by different scholars. Generally, achievement of national liberation and independence by Vietnam was in a way different from other countries that were colonized. The Americans took advantage of the strategic achievement of independence in the country to make use them in the cold war. This was essential as it enabled them to fight USSR and eventually emerged as the world’s most powerful nation. Works cited Freedman, Lawrence. Kennedy's Wars: Berlin, Cuba, Laos, and Vietnam, 2000. Heiss, MaryAnn. The Economic Cold War: America, Britain, and East-West Trade, 1948-63. The Historian, Vol. 65, 2003. Lawrence, Mark. Assuming the Burden: Europe and the American Commitment to War in Vietnam. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2005. Maus, Derek. Series and Systems: Russian and American Dystopian Satires of the Cold War. Critical Survey, Vol. 17, 2005. Sanford, Levinson and Bartholomew, Sparrow. 2005. The Louisiana Purchase and American Expansion: 1803-1898. New York: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers. . Nelson, Sanders and Ellenberger, Morillo. “Encounters in World History: Sources/Themes from the Global Past: Perspectives on the Cold War, Decolonization, and the Vietnam War.” New York: McGraw-Hill. 2005. Print. Read More