corrigé

US TROOPS ARE SENT INTO BATTLE IN VIETNAM ( texte pour l’oral européen)

Before I start commenting on this text which was written on June 29, 1965, I feel it is important to situate it within its historical frame.

Before reaching this phase of deep US involvement in Vietnam under President Johnson, we have to see the various stages which led to this escalation.

I) Origins of the war ( and reasons for the USA to have fears as to the situation in Vietnam)

II) Advisory mission under President Kennedy

III) The text : escalation under Johnson

a-We can notice that this text underlines the fact that it was still early days in this war: indeed we can quote line 2 “offensive for the first time” , in the 2^nd § “only light contact was made” , in the third one “ it marks the beginning of the regular commitment of American troops”.

b-The journalist also points out that the American policy at that time was to give “support” to the Vietnamese troops , in other words to help them to fight against the Vietcongs. However he is not a fool and realizes that the South Vietnamese troops will soon become puppets in the hands of the Americans ( quote “ the Americans will soon become the major partners”)

c-Indeed we know that the year 1965 marks the beginning of heavy bombings over Vietnam, of the ever increasing presence of American soldiers ( 536,000 troops in 1968), and of the use of sophisticated weaponry such as fighter-bombers, napalm etc..

d-This text is also interesting as far as the conditions of this war are concerned: the journalist mentions “ guerrillas (which) melted into jungle and deep swamp infested with leeches”; Actually the type of war that was waged is one of the main reasons why the Americans lost it: in spite of all their weaponry, they were not used to fighting in a jungle.

( description of that type of war, of the living conditions of the soldiers…)

To conclude, I could explain how this war ended ; ( Vietnamization, cease-fire, fall of Saigon)