This thread and another similar recent one both have people (myself included) arguing that the US would have been better off supporting Ho Chi minh. At the start he practically begged the US for support:
But Truman never replied...
Some similar situations occured elsewhere, to varying degrees, with post war nationalist anti-colonial movements.
Of course, in OTL, the US ignored the abuses of some prtty horrible governments as long as they opposed communist nationalist movements.
But what if the US instead made a play for those movements? What if there was a realpolitk recognition that they would be the eventual winners over their corrupt opponents, and instead of opposing them, the US tried to draw them in?
What would it take for the US to support:
Mao Zedong
Ho Chi Minh
Fidel Castro
Other similar leaders...
http://rationalrevolution.net/war/collection_of_letters_by_ho_chi_.htmOur Vietnamese people, after so many years of spoliation and devastation, is just beginning its building-up work. It needs security and freedom, first to achieve internal prosperity and welfare, and later to bring its small contribution to world-reconstruction.
These security and freedom can only be guaranteed by our independence from any colonial power, and our free cooperation with all other powers. It is with this firm conviction that we request of the United Sates as guardians and champions of World Justice to take a decisive step in support of our independence.
What we ask has been graciously granted to the Philippines. Like the Philippines our goal is full independence and full cooperation with the UNITED STATES. We will do our best to make this independence and cooperation profitable to the whole world.
But Truman never replied...
Some similar situations occured elsewhere, to varying degrees, with post war nationalist anti-colonial movements.
Of course, in OTL, the US ignored the abuses of some prtty horrible governments as long as they opposed communist nationalist movements.
But what if the US instead made a play for those movements? What if there was a realpolitk recognition that they would be the eventual winners over their corrupt opponents, and instead of opposing them, the US tried to draw them in?
What would it take for the US to support:
Mao Zedong
Ho Chi Minh
Fidel Castro
Other similar leaders...