Vietnam War
In this paper it will explore lessons learned when dealing with diplomatic negotiations, presidential leadership, and cultural/social contexts. During the Vietnam War the United States did not realize the high level of intelligence that the Vietnamese people had and how much their culture and nationalism meant to them. They did not want the United States interfering with their country but some of the leaders in charge felt that the United States could help since they were offering monies and military advisors in regard to the conflicts between North and South Vietnam.
The diplomatic negotiations that most sparked my interest, was the Geneva Conference. The fact that the United States reluctantly participated (Moss 2010) yet kept the options open for military action if the negotiations did not go the way Washington wanted them to go. Nine delegations attended the conference the DRV thought they would come out the victor but they did not expect the United States to be planning behind closed doors and that Washington opposed taking away territory from Cambodia, Laos or Vietnam. (Moss 2010) The United States continued to make demands that other countries disagreed with. China and the Soviets were in touch with each other and wanted the Vietminh to accept the French’s offer. Over the next two months the delegates reached an agreement to divide the country and hold an election in two tears to reunify the country. Before the agreement was final the conference recessed for a few days and the United States, Eisenhower and Dulles decided to intervene directly in Vietnam’s internal affairs. This decision culminated the American Vietnam War. (Moss 2010)
Presidential leadership styles varied between all presidents in office while the Vietnam War continued as each president took office they all seemed to have the attitude that the United States was going to win the war because they had never lost a war before. They did not listen to the people of Vietnam, because
The diplomatic negotiations that most sparked my interest, was the Geneva Conference. The fact that the United States reluctantly participated (Moss 2010) yet kept the options open for military action if the negotiations did not go the way Washington wanted them to go. Nine delegations attended the conference the DRV thought they would come out the victor but they did not expect the United States to be planning behind closed doors and that Washington opposed taking away territory from Cambodia, Laos or Vietnam. (Moss 2010) The United States continued to make demands that other countries disagreed with. China and the Soviets were in touch with each other and wanted the Vietminh to accept the French’s offer. Over the next two months the delegates reached an agreement to divide the country and hold an election in two tears to reunify the country. Before the agreement was final the conference recessed for a few days and the United States, Eisenhower and Dulles decided to intervene directly in Vietnam’s internal affairs. This decision culminated the American Vietnam War. (Moss 2010)
Presidential leadership styles varied between all presidents in office while the Vietnam War continued as each president took office they all seemed to have the attitude that the United States was going to win the war because they had never lost a war before. They did not listen to the people of Vietnam, because
References: Moss, G (2010) Vietnam: An American Ordeal (6th ed ) Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, N.J.