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Why didn't we aid French in Dien Bien Pfu ?

v35v35 Member Posts: 12,710 ✭✭✭
edited February 2015 in US Military Veteran Forum
The 7th Div was packed and awaiting orders to go to the aid of the French but the orders were never given.
I've never gotten a satisfactory explanation of why we let them get overwhelmed and following their defeat, moved in as "Advisors".
What major animosities between France and the US were going on at that time to explain why we let this WW2 ally down.
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Comments

  • cbyerlycbyerly Member Posts: 689 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    We had recently fought another war for the French and we just got done with Korea in 1954. The country was "war weary". We had granted or only colony, the Philipines, independence and the public would not support another colonial war.
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  • art400mart400m Member Posts: 1 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Two very good books to read that explain the entire issue, including our involvement, are Valley of Death by Ted Morgan and The Battle of Dien Bien Phu by Jules Roy.

    One thing that was very amazing to me was that even after it became obvious that DBP was going to fall there were guys still volunteering to parachute in knowing there was no way out.

    A lot of guys lost in that fiasco........
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  • e3mrke3mrk Member Posts: 1,851 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    We aided Them in WW-2 and look how They treat Us.
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  • Ray BRay B Member Posts: 11,822
    edited November -1
    The French were trying to regain colonial rule over Indochina after the US had defeated the Japanese. The Communists had taken over China and Ho and his Vietminh had received support from the Bolsheviks. So the US was caught in a no-win situation. US didn't want to support France colonialism but it didn't want to support Communism. So at the time, the best solution appeared to be to let the recent governing body, the United Nations to provide the solution. The Treaty called for Indochina to be divided into various political entities and all parties agreed. It would have been settled but for the Communists seeking domination, but that was well after the French pulled out.
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  • v35v35 Member Posts: 12,710 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    We (7th Div) were packed and awaiting orders to ship out from Korea during the Dien Bien Phu debacle.
    I thought at the time the French in devaluing their currency once or twice, screwed the US out of WW2 debt repayment with devalued currency
    and this was payback time.
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  • Alan RushingAlan Rushing Member Posts: 8,805 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'd like to hear more about France owing the USA WWII debt after the war.

    Where can one obtain in depth information regarding those facts?
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  • john6012john6012 Member Posts: 97 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Another entry that is a question: Why didn't the US watch and learn from the former Soviet Union when they fought in Afghanistan and were run off and then they went bankrupt. We're doing the same thing thanks to our "intelligent" leaders.
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  • Wild TurkeyWild Turkey Member Posts: 2,425 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by john6012
    Another entry that is a question: Why didn't the US watch and learn from the former Soviet Union when they fought in Afghanistan and were run off and then they went bankrupt. We're doing the same thing thanks to our "intelligent" leaders.
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  • 1935Lee1935Lee Member Posts: 61 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Really the question should be why were we there at all? If anyone cares to study Vietnam history when HO was a young man and how the damn French were robbing the country blind, Many myself included would say we should never have been their trying to pull french nuts out of the fire.
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  • cbyerlycbyerly Member Posts: 689 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    The U. S. would not support a return to colonialism after the war.
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