Evolution of U.S. Policy Towards Vietnam Under Dwight Eisenhower

Because of their relatively low media indite in the United States, the Indochina War and problems presented by internal conflict in South Vietnam were for most of the 1950s of little business to the the Statesn public. Indochina/Vietnam policy was not an issue in the presidential elections of 1952, 1956 or 1960. The first protests against the war in Vietnam in America did not occur until the early years of the disposal of president John Kennedy. When the Indochina War briefly dominated the headlines during the spring of 1954, ch origin Eisenhower quickly took steps to deflect public criticism. In intercourse to Vietnam, he is principally remembered as the President who refused to commit American forces to fighting in the jungles and rice paddies of Indochina. In doing so, he acted wisely, further he also removed Vietnam policy from the arena of national political debate for the rest of his administration, a dubious legacy.

It follows that if the policies of the Eisenhower administration toward Indochina and slowr Vietnam were later shown to have been misguided, that failure was primarily due to the policy perceptions and decisions of the President and his

In March and April 1954, Eisenhower seriously considered the possibility of American forces hindrance in Indochina. He decided against such action on grounds which proved to be sound militarily and politically, tho in the process, he was forced to cope with considerable sloppiness and conflict within his administration, with the Congress and important allies abroad. The cut, who had already suffered grievous casualties (more than 150,000) during their eight year war in Indochina, lacked both(prenominal) the political will and the means to save their besieged post at Dien Bien Phu. They urgently requested American assistance to ease the situation.

Much is still not known about the informal deliberations of the administration during this crisis.

Greenstein said in 1982: "most of the primary sources stroller on United States response to the collapse of the French fret in Indo-China . . . remains classified." Ambrose stated that the elaborate process of book of facts Eisenhower went through after the first week of April was "for the record and to entertain himself against right-wing assaults." Halberstam referred to American diplomacy between early April and the move of Dien Bien Phu in early May as "an elaborate dark dance."

Eisenhower took a number of steps to shore up the French position in Indochina. In July 1953, the new French governing headed by Premier Joseph Laniel requested (in effect as a condition for French acceptance of the European Defence Community) $four hundred million in additional aid for Indochina. In late September Eisenhower ex ten-spotded them an additional $385 million, which paid for an aircraft carrier, 25 C-47 guide planes and helicopters. In January 1954, he added to the American aid package ten B-26 bombers and 200 American Air Force technicians to maintain them. Eisenhower did so, horizontal though he had serious doubts concerning the soundness of French military strategy, in order, he said, "to give the French better air support and greater fl
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