Why South Vietnam Lacked Support During the Vietnam War Compared to South Korea’s Korean War

The Vietnam War and the Korean War were both theater conflicts during the Cold War era witnessing significant military interventions from the United States. However, the underlying factors contributing to the level of support and sustained engagement from South Vietnam and South Korea differed substantially. This article explores the key reasons for this difference, drawing on strategic and contextual factors that influenced public and governmental support.

The Nature of the War

One of the critical differences between the Korean War and the Vietnam War is the nature of the conflict. In the Korean War, the United Nations forces, led by the U.S., primarily engaged in conventional warfare, a form of combat in which they were already proficient. The North Korean forces sought a swift victory with a blitzkrieg approach in June 1950, hoping to force a rapid surrender in the South. When the South was resilient and rapidly reinforced by U.S. forces, the North's strategy failed, resulting in a stalemate that lasted for years. In contrast, the Vietnam War, which started in the mid-1950s, involved significant guerrilla warfare tactics employed by the National Liberation Front (NLF), a guerrilla movement aiming to overthrow the South Vietnamese government, along with a conventional war component.

Governmental Stability and Nationalism

A second significant difference was the nature of the governments and their leadership. In South Korea, the government consisted of both holdovers from the previous Japanese colonial regime and new nationalist figures who were widely recognized as such by the population. This mixing of old and new elements helped to establish a semblance of legitimacy. Conversely, in South Vietnam, while some elements of the new government were progressive, efforts to establish nationalist credentials were undermined by factors such as:

Religious and Political Polarization: Diem, a Roman Catholic leader, was installed in a predominantly Buddhist nation, where Catholics were viewed with suspicion. The support for the U.S. was divided, with many Southerners joining the NLF against Diem, and thousands of Catholics migrating south due to fear of communist rule. The substantial land reforms initiated by the Viet Minh, which redistributed land from the elites to peasants, were later reversed by Diem, further alienating the rural poor. Professional Military Loyalties: The South Vietnamese Army (ARVN) was led by officers who had previously served the French, a factor that was often viewed with doubt by the Buddhist majority. These officers were seen as unreliable due to their perceived loyalty to the new colonial power, the U.S. This mistrust stripped them of much of their legitimacy and contributed to their loss of support over time. Economic Instability: The economic policies of the Saigon regime failed to address the needs of the vast majority of the rural population. Corruption and economic mismanagement further undermined the credibility of the regime. Attempts to rectify these mistakes came too late, and the collapse of the regime coincided with the 1974 oil crisis, which severely impacted the already struggling South Vietnamese economy.

Consequences of Strategic Mistakes

The cumulative effect of these strategic missteps led to a situation where the South Vietnamese government was seen as illegitimate and ineffective. By the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Saigon regime was beset with internal strife and external challenges. The military coup of 1963 and the subsequent political instability further weakened the regime’s ability to maintain public support. With significant U.S. intervention only serving to exacerbate some of these issues, the South Vietnamese military and civilian government became increasingly fragmented and unable to effectively govern the country.

Conclusion

The contrasting levels of support between the Korean War and the Vietnam War highlight the importance of several key factors, including the nature of the conflict, the legitimacy and stability of the government, and effective economic and social policies. While South Korea was able to navigate its conflicts more effectively, South Vietnam's inability to manage these factors contributed to its failure, ultimately leading to the fall of the Saigon regime in 1975.