Generating & Sustaing the Vietnam War, Essay Example

Following the revolution for independence in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh was able to establish a totalitarian state primarily due to his charismatic leadership style. His leadership abilities were able to win the favor of the people during the revolution and this effect continued after the war. Ultimately, charismatic leaders are able to connect with their people and make it appear that the decisions they make are in their best interest. The qualities that Ho Chi Minh exonerated included passion and wisdom, which mixed with his appearance as a humble, simple man, drew others towards him. Despite the fact that Ho Chi Minh established a totalitarian state, he was able to mobilize his people because his personality convinced them that his choices were indeed their own and necessary for the stability of the state (Hubbel, 1968).

Given the concept of a “revolution of rising expectations”, the Vietminh were successful in establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam due to the understanding that an unstable political situation could contribute to the ability to develop a new government. During World War II, Vietnam was a French colony under Japanese occupation, and control was weakening as a consequence of the involvement of these countries in battle. Therefore Ho Chi Minh was able to overcome the Nguyen Dynasty and establish his government. Likewise, the Saigon regime of South Vietnam was not successful because the political turmoil was not as strong.

The role of ideology was essential in the perpetuation of the Vietnam War because it was public opinion that ultimately kept the war going. Essentially, those that fought on the side of Vietnam were supporters of communism, and those that supported the United States were anti-communist allies. Therefore, even though these countries differed politically for the most part, this one belief was able to bring diverse nations together. This is unsurprising due to the American opinion that involvement was necessary to prevent a Communist takeover of South Vietnam (Anderson, 2004).

References

Anderson, David L. (2004). Columbia Guide to the Vietnam War. New York: Columbia University Press.

Hubbel, John G. (1968). The Blood-Red Hands of Ho Chi Minh. Readers Digest, 61–67.