Vietnam

About the lecture

In this module, we think about Kennedy’s approach to the situation in Vietnam, focusing in particular on: (i) the development of the political situation in Vietnam between 1946-61; (ii) Dwight Eisenhower’s commitment to South Vietnam; (iii) the large increase in US troops in Vietnam during Kennedy’s presidency, and the question of what he might have done had he lived beyond the end of 1963; and (iv) the importance of events in 1963, including the self-immolation of the Buddhist monk, Thich Quang Duc, and the assassination of South Vietnamese President, Ngo Dinh Diem, just two weeks before Kennedy’s own assassination.

About the lecturer

Mark White is Professor of History at Queen Mary, University of London, specialising in US foreign policy in the Cold War and the US presidency since 1945. His recent publications include Against the President: Dissent and Decision-Making in the White House (2007) and The Presidency of Bill Clinton: The Legacy of a New Domestic and Foreign Policy (2012)