"The Viet Cong was responsible for outbreak of the Second Indochina War" HFDYA? EYA.
One important reason for the outbreak of the war was the role of the Viet Cong. The Viet Cong, supported by North Vietnam, began a campaign of guerrilla warfare in the South from 1959 onwards.
They attacked South Vietnamese officials, assassinated village leaders loyal to the government, and carried out sabotage against infrastructure. By creating unrest in the countryside, the Viet Cong undermined Diem's regime and gained the support of many peasants through land reform and promises of equality. Their growing strength pressured the United States to increase its involvement to prevent South Vietnam from collapsing. Therefore, the Viet Cong was a key trigger for the outbreak of the war.
Another factor was American involvement and the wider Cold War context. The United States was determined to prevent the spread of communism in Southeast Asia, fearing the "domino theory" if Vietnam fell. As such, the US was determined to prevent North Vietnam from winning. This determination grew after China's first atomic bomb test in 1964, which heightened American fears of communist expansion. America's strong financial and military support for Diem, and later for the South Vietnamese army, escalated tensions with the North. US involvement began with financial and military aid to Diem and American advisors in Vietnam, but expanded into direct military intervention as Viet Cong attacks increased. By committing itself to defend South Vietnam as a non-communist state, the United States ensured that the conflict developed into a full-scale war.
China was also responsible for the outbreak of the Vietnam War. This was because after the communist victory in China in 1949, Mao saw the USA as his greatest threat. Vietnam, if aligned with the U.S, could potentially serve as a base for attacks or influence against China. Therefore, supporting a communist Vietnam would create a buffer against perceived U.S. aggression in the region. Thus, Mao was eager to support any state that created an anti-US buffer in Vietnam especially if it was a communist one. Another reason why Mao wanted to help North Vietnam to show support for another communist state. He also believed involvement in the Vietnam War could help unite the Chinese people behind his leadership just like in the Korean war. Mao also sought to bolster his domestic support and legitimacy by portraying China as a leader in the global anti-imperialist struggle. Involvement in the Vietnam War was similar to China's participation in the Korean War, as a way to rally domestic unity and support for the Communist Party. Thus, China's involvement to support North Vietnam was the reason for the outbreak of the Vietnam War.
However, the weaknesses of the South Vietnamese government also contributed significantly. President Ngo Dinh Diem's regime was authoritarian, corrupt, and unpopular, particularly among the Buddhist majority. His refusal to hold national elections in 1956, as agreed at the Geneva Accords, damaged the South's legitimacy and pushed many in the South towards supporting the Viet Cong instead. Furthermore, his harsh policies, including forced relocations into "strategic hamlets," alienated the rural population. The lack of popular support meant that South Vietnam was politically unstable and vulnerable, creating conditions where war became more likely.
Weighing para: Although the Viet Cong's insurgency destabilised South Vietnam and Diem's government was deeply unpopular, it was ultimately American involvement that turned a limited conflict into a full-scale war. The Viet Cong's guerrilla campaign and Diem's political weakness may have created the conditions for instability, but these would likely have remained a civil conflict (internal war). It was the United States, driven by Cold War containment and fears of communism, that escalated the conflict, directly fanning the flames of the Vietnam War.