Replacing France

Using recently released archival materials, Replacing France explains how and why the United States came to assume control as the dominant western power in Vietnam during the 1950s. Kathryn C. Statler examines diplomatic maneuvers in Paris, Washington, London, and Saigon to detail how Western alliance members failed to work together against the Communist threat. Motivated by a deep belief in the inherent superiority of their own cultures, both the United States and France sought to transform South Vietnam into a modern, westernized, and democratic ally. Although the United States ultimately replaced France, efforts to build South Vietnam into a nation failed. Instead, the Eisenhower administration created a dependent client state that was unable to withstand increasing Communist aggression from the north. Replacing France is a fundamental reassessment of the origins of U.S. involvement in Vietnam.