Britain and US Involvement in the Vietnam War during the Kennedy Administration, 1961-63

Abstract

This article focuses on Britain's policy towards the US government's involvement in the Vietnam war during the Kennedy administration, dealing with Foreign Office's early reactions to the worsening of the situation in Vietnam and examining Britain's decision to give the US its support through the creation of the British Advisory Mission (BRIAM). The article argues that the Foreign Office also pursued the diplomatic path as Britain was co-chairman, with the Soviet Union, of the International Control Commission created in 1954 at Geneva. In 1962 the British authorities came to the conclusion that the diplomatic option was a blind alley and they began to fear growing US military involvement. The article looks as the launching of the 'strategic hamlets' strategy, advocated by the BRIAM and, finally, deals with Britain's reaction to military developments, the Buddhist crisis and the fall of the Diem regime.