Background Information Relating to Southeast Asia and Vietnam

A. SUMMARY OF EVENTS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, 1954-1964

Prepared by the Legislative Reference Service, Library of Congress, and the staff of the Committee on Foreign Relations1

1948

June 5.-Bao Dai, French High Commissioner Emile Bollert, and Gen. Nguyen Van Xuan sign the Baie d'Along Agreement to establish State of Vietnam with Bao Dai as chief of state within the French Union.

1949

March 8.-The Elysee Agreement, in the form of an exchange of letters between Bao Dai and President Auriol of France, outlines the general principles affecting French-Vietnam relations. June 14.-An exchange of letters between Bao Dai and French High Commissioner Leon Pignon puts into effect the Elysee Agreement. United States sends message of welcome to Bao Dai. July 1.-Bao Dai decrees formally establishes State of Vietnam and provide a basis for its organization on a constitutional framework.

1950

February 7.-Great Britain and the United States extend de jure welcomes to Vietnam.

February 19.-U.S. consulate general in Saigon is raised to Legation and Minister accredited to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. December 23.-United States signs Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement with France, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos for indirect U.S. military aid to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.

1951

September 7.-United States signs agreement with Vietnam for direct economic assistance.

September 8.-Delegates from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos participate in the signing of the Japanese Peace Treaty at San Francisco.

1952

July.-U.S. Legation in Saigon is raised to Embassy status. U.S. Ambassador presents credentials to Bao Dai. Vietnamese Embassy is established in Washington, D.C.

October 12.-The 200th U.S. ship carrying military aid arrives in Saigon.

1 This chronology has been compiled primarily on the basis of "Deadline Data on World Affairs," Deadline Data, Inc., New York, and Memorandum RFE-14, Department of State, Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Jan. 10, 1962.

1954

May 8-July 21.-Geneva Conference on Indochina. The delegates are from Great Britain and the U.S.S.R. (joint chairmen), France, the United States, Communist China, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, and the Vietminh regime. Agreements are signed on July 20 and 21 and the main provisions concerning Vietnam are that (1) Vietnam is to be partitioned along the 17th parallel into North and South Vietnam, (2) regulations are imposed on foreign military bases and personnel and on increased armaments, (3) countrywide elections, leading to the reunification of North and South Vietnam, are to be held by July 20, 1956, and (4) an International Control Commission (ICC) is to be established to supervise the implementation of the agreements. The United States and Vietnam are not signatories to the agreements. The United States issues a unilateral declaration stating that it (1) "will refrain from the threat or the use of force to disturb" the Geneva agreements, (2) "would view any renewal of the aggression in violation of the aforesaid agreements with grave concern and as seriously threatening international peace and security," and (3) "shall continue to seek to achieve unity through free elections, supervised by the U.N. to insure that they are conducted fairly."

July 7.—Head of State and former Emperor Bao Dai appoints Ngo Dinh Diem Premier of Vietnam.

August.-Flow of almost 1 million refugees from North to South Vietnam begins.

October 11.-The Communist Vietminh regime formally takes over control of Hanoi and North Vietnam.

October 24.-President Eisenhower sends a letter to Premier Diem of South Vietnam stating that American assistance will be given. hereafter not through the French authorities, but directly to the Government of South Vietnam. The letter also states that the U.S. Government "expects this aid will be met by *** undertaking needed reforms."

December 29.-Conference of France and the Associated States (Cambodia, etc.) terminates the economic and customs union between the Associated States.

1955

January 1.-United States promises to render direct assistance to Vietnam, on the basis of the existing pentalateral agreement of December 1950, for support of the Vietnamese Armed Forces. February 5.-Premier Diem decrees the first of a series of laws initiating important and extensive land reform program.

February 12.-The U.S. Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) takes over the training of the South Vietnamese Army, following the relinquishing of command authority by the French. February 19.-Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty (SEATO)— with its protocol covering Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos-comes

March 2.-Cambodia's King Sihanouk abdicates in favor of his father Prince Norodom Suramarit after criticism by the International Supervisory Commission of his proposed electoral reforms. March 7-United States and South Vietnam sign agreement which supplements existing economic cooperation agreement of September 1951. March 29-Armed revolt is precipitated in Saigon by the Binh Xuyen political-bandit group, spreading ultimately into large-scale dissidence in the southern provinces with the participation of elements of the Cao Dai and Hoa Hao religious sects.

April 17.-South Vietnamese Government appeals to the U.N. against the North Vietnamese Communists, who, in violation of the Geneva agreements, prevent northerners from migrating to South Vietnam.

April 23.-Chou En-lai and the North Vietnamese Foreign Minister gives assurances of "noninterference" to ex-King Sihanouk of Cambodia. May 10.-Premier Diem forms a new Cabinet composed largely of his own followers.

May 16.-United States signs agreement with Cambodia for direct military aid to replace the aid formerly given through the French Government.

July.-Communists initiate first overt propaganda move in South Vietnam by distributing literature signed by North Vietnam's "National United Front."

July 1.-France formally relinquishes command authority over the Vietnamese Navy.

July 7.-French formally transfer Nha Prang Airbase to Vietnamese control.

July 20.-Talks were scheduled to begin (according to Geneva agreement) for the preparation of all-Vietnam elections to be held on July 20, 1956, to reunite the country. The Government of South Vietnam rejects the North Vietnamese Government's invitation to discuss the elections, on the grounds that in North Vietnam the people would not be able to express their will freely and that falsified votes in North Vietnam could overrule the votes in South Vietnam.

August 16.-Last French High Commissioner in Vietnam departs. September 25.-Cambodia leaves the French Union. Cambodia declared an "independent and sovereign state" by the Cambodian National Assembly.

October.-Binh Xuyen is defeated as an organized armed insurgent force.

October 23.-A national referendum deposes Bao Dai, former Emperor and since March 7, 1949, head of State of Vietnam. Ninetyeight percent of the votes express preference for Premier Diem. October 26.-A Republic is proclaimed by Ngo Dinh Diem who becomes the first President of South Vietnam.

October 31.-President Diem issues his first order to the Vietnamese Armed Forces as their supreme commander.

1956

January-South Vietnamese Army units occupy Tay Ninh, principal Cao Dai political center, leading to breakup of the organized Cao Dai armed insurgency. Agreement with Cao Dai leaders on February 28 legalizes Cao Dai religious practices and forbids its political activities as a religious sect.

February 12.-Tran Van Soai, leader of an important Hoa Hao faction, surrenders. Ba Cut, another principal Hoa Hao leader, is captured on April 13, leading to breakup of organized Hoa Hao armed insurgency.

February 18.-Sihanouk on a visit to Peiping declares that Cambodia renounces SEATO protection.

March 4.-General elections for South Vietnam's first National Constituent Assembly, which is to have 123 members, results in the victory of the National Revolutionary Movement and other political parties supporting President Diein.

March 31.-Souvanna Phouma becomes Prime Minister of Laos. April 6.-Vietnam Government announces it will continue to cooperate with the ICC and reiterates its position of supporting Vietnamwide elections at such time as conditions in Communist North Vietnam permit genuinely free voting.

May 9.-Communist China signs a 2-year economic and technical aid agreement with Cambodia.

May 17.-Soviet Union announces the establishment of diplomatic relations with Cambodia. July 4-Constituent Assembly in Vietnam approves unanimously a draft constitution providing for a strong executive with safeguards for individual citizens. The President, whose term of office is to be 5 years, has veto power over all legislation of the unicameral parliament and may rule by decree when the National Assembly (elected for 4 years) is not in session.

July 6.-U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon visits Vietnam, hands to President Diem of South Vietnam a letter in which President Eisenhower declares he is looking forward to many years of partnership between the two countries. As guest speaker before the Constituent Assembly, Nixon declares that "the militant march of communism has been halted."

July 30.-Vietnamese liaison mission to the ICC is established preparatory to the transfer of functions from the French liaison mission.

August 5.-Accord reached between Premier Prince Souvanna Phouma and Pathet Lao leader Prince Souphanouvong for establishment of a coalition government.

September 19.-French Air Force officially transfers the Touraine Airbase to Vietnamese control.

October 26.-South Vietnam's first constitution is promulgated and the National Constitutent Assembly is officially transferred into a

« Indietro Continua »

Libri

Background Information Relating to Southeast Asia and Vietnam: January 14, 1965