Question Description
See this on the family business pay attention to Ngo Dinh Diem’s Law 10/59: and to the attempts to suppress all opposition.
In this re the Lansdale visit in January 1961
The government of Diem, 1954-1963, operated as a state: collected taxes, police force, army, judicial system, roads and bridges, put down the sects, etc. He likely was very near eliminating the communists in the south during 1958.
Of course, as we are learning, his ways caused resentment to say the least among many Vietnamese, the Buddhists for example.
So even if we say that Diem wanted to “reform and modernize,” he never constructed any real popular support [his “cause” did not have a following].
And the struggle in the south was not just communism vs anti communism. It is important to remember that most Vietnamese who opposed Diem and his Saigon government were not communists.
The NLF [National Liberation Front] was not the only outfit competing for those hearts and minds.
Ignoring the social, economic, religious, sects, security, “good” government, ARVN’s disdain for the people, Diem’s appointment of provincial “chiefs” loyal only to him… and endless issues….
Lest we forget, Ngo Dinh Diem did undertake what has been termed his Personalist Revolution [reform] on a large scale.
What in general overall do you find significant about “nation building” [South Vietnam] and about the American “advisory years?”
About Diem and the Americans?
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