Help with an Indochina Essay (1 Viewer)

[weirdguy99]

Hey,

Could you please give me some tips on this essay question?

"To what extent did the South Vietnamese government depend on the United States for its survival in the period from 1954 to 1965?"

I keep thinking that the US is aiding the South due to their own objectives such as containment and such, rather than the South actually depending on the aid.

Thanks in advance!

 

[enoilgam]

If that is the case, then you can argue that South Vietnam didnt depend on the US for survival. Or you could argue that their reliance was minimal or that they were reliant on the US in some areas more than others. Remember the question says "to what extent", meaning that you dont have to give a yes or no answer, ie "Yes they were reliant on the US" or "no they were not reliant"

 

[weirdguy99]

I did think about that, but when I asked my teacher, he was adamant that I should argue that it was to a large extent.

 

[enoilgam]

Remember with any essay, the markers opinion is irrelevant. What you are being marked on is your ability to develop and sustain an argument using appropriate evidence, language and structure.

 

[weirdguy99]

So if I were to argue that it was to a large extent, what key points should I focus on?

 

[enoilgam]

That I'm not sure of as I didnt do indochina, I did conflict in Europe.

 

[cem]

Hey,

Could you please give me some tips on this essay question?

"To what extent did the South Vietnamese government depend on the United States for its survival in the period from 1954 to 1965?"

I keep thinking that the US is aiding the South due to their own objectives such as containment and such, rather than the South actually depending on the aid.

Thanks in advance!

Ask yourself this question - could the South have survived without US aid from 1954 to 1965? What threats were there to its survival and how could it diminish those threats? What aid was it getting and why was it getting that aid - not why was the US giving it but why was the South taking it?

Now that you have asked those questions, and answered them - you should be able to answer the bigger question.

I always encourage my students to turn questions around the other way - so instead of looking at why the US was giving aid actually ask was the aid necessary and if not why not and if so why?

When you answer a 'to what extent' question you should also try to show both sides - why it did and why it didn't need the help and then make the judgement about to what extent - a great extent, a small extent, not really at all, absolutely necessary etc.

 

[weirdguy99]

Ask yourself this question - could the South have survived without US aid from 1954 to 1965? What threats were there to its survival and how could it diminish those threats? What aid was it getting and why was it getting that aid - not why was the US giving it but why was the South taking it?

I was looking at Diem's consolidation to power, such as suppressing the various Sects, the November 1954 coup and the Denunciation campaign for starters. I understand that US aid was used to bribe the sects and that Lansdale intervened and prevented the coup, but did the South NEED this aid, or could they have done it themselves?