Pierre Asselin

No, whereas Pyongyang and Seoul eventually accepted the status quo, Hanoi was never going to accept a Korea-style two-state solution. That was never going to happen. And again, I want to emphasize this, Don, because a lot of people misunderstand that. When people look at Geneva in 1954, they'll often tell you, oh, it created two countries, North and South Vietnam. Absolutely not.

No, whereas Pyongyang and Seoul eventually accepted the status quo, Hanoi was never going to accept a Korea-style two-state solution. That was never going to happen. And again, I want to emphasize this, Don, because a lot of people misunderstand that. When people look at Geneva in 1954, they'll often tell you, oh, it created two countries, North and South Vietnam. Absolutely not.

No, whereas Pyongyang and Seoul eventually accepted the status quo, Hanoi was never going to accept a Korea-style two-state solution. That was never going to happen. And again, I want to emphasize this, Don, because a lot of people misunderstand that. When people look at Geneva in 1954, they'll often tell you, oh, it created two countries, North and South Vietnam. Absolutely not.

The Geneva Accords partitioned Vietnam temporarily into two regroupment zones. In Hanoi, the communists were emphatic. This is not a political marker. This is a military demarcation zone. So neither side ever, ever agreed. to creating in Vietnam a situation, a two-state solution, as we ended up having in Korea.

The Geneva Accords partitioned Vietnam temporarily into two regroupment zones. In Hanoi, the communists were emphatic. This is not a political marker. This is a military demarcation zone. So neither side ever, ever agreed. to creating in Vietnam a situation, a two-state solution, as we ended up having in Korea.

The Geneva Accords partitioned Vietnam temporarily into two regroupment zones. In Hanoi, the communists were emphatic. This is not a political marker. This is a military demarcation zone. So neither side ever, ever agreed. to creating in Vietnam a situation, a two-state solution, as we ended up having in Korea.

And I think our inability to understand that accounts for a lot of the misconceptions we have about Vietnam.

And I think our inability to understand that accounts for a lot of the misconceptions we have about Vietnam.

And I think our inability to understand that accounts for a lot of the misconceptions we have about Vietnam.

Yes. I really think that the Americans understand that getting involved in Vietnam, it's not in their best interest, right? Because, you know, after World War II, there's recognition that the age of imperialism is over. And now all these new countries are emerging in the so-called third world. And the U.S. really needs to find ways of becoming friends with these new third world countries, right?

Yes. I really think that the Americans understand that getting involved in Vietnam, it's not in their best interest, right? Because, you know, after World War II, there's recognition that the age of imperialism is over. And now all these new countries are emerging in the so-called third world. And the U.S. really needs to find ways of becoming friends with these new third world countries, right?

Yes. I really think that the Americans understand that getting involved in Vietnam, it's not in their best interest, right? Because, you know, after World War II, there's recognition that the age of imperialism is over. And now all these new countries are emerging in the so-called third world. And the U.S. really needs to find ways of becoming friends with these new third world countries, right?

And then you get the French becoming who want to reclaim jurisdiction over Vietnam, which they lost in World War II. And the Americans have no interest in getting involved in a war that's essentially colonial in nature and that could tarnish America's image in the third world at a time when they understand that they'll be competing against the Soviets.

And then you get the French becoming who want to reclaim jurisdiction over Vietnam, which they lost in World War II. And the Americans have no interest in getting involved in a war that's essentially colonial in nature and that could tarnish America's image in the third world at a time when they understand that they'll be competing against the Soviets.

And then you get the French becoming who want to reclaim jurisdiction over Vietnam, which they lost in World War II. And the Americans have no interest in getting involved in a war that's essentially colonial in nature and that could tarnish America's image in the third world at a time when they understand that they'll be competing against the Soviets.

for the affection of those same third world leaders. But then the French, they really do a number on the Americans, right? And it's really the French who pressure the Americans into getting involved in Vietnam. I would argue they dupe the Americans into getting involved in Vietnam. just to get someone to pay for their war, which they themselves can't afford. And they succeed.

for the affection of those same third world leaders. But then the French, they really do a number on the Americans, right? And it's really the French who pressure the Americans into getting involved in Vietnam. I would argue they dupe the Americans into getting involved in Vietnam. just to get someone to pay for their war, which they themselves can't afford. And they succeed.

for the affection of those same third world leaders. But then the French, they really do a number on the Americans, right? And it's really the French who pressure the Americans into getting involved in Vietnam. I would argue they dupe the Americans into getting involved in Vietnam. just to get someone to pay for their war, which they themselves can't afford. And they succeed.

In public, what they're saying is that they just want peace. They just want to be left alone. They want independence and freedom, right? But then privately, what they really want is to not commit to any sort of an agreement that could eventually create challenges for their goal, which will always remain the reunification of Vietnam under communist authority.

In public, what they're saying is that they just want peace. They just want to be left alone. They want independence and freedom, right? But then privately, what they really want is to not commit to any sort of an agreement that could eventually create challenges for their goal, which will always remain the reunification of Vietnam under communist authority.