Postwar Vietnam 1975-1979

The Choices of the Hanoi Government

The problems associated with integrating South Vietnam were so difficult there were no obvious or good solutions

These difficulties were compounded by the heavily ideological approach taken by Hanoi

The decision for rapid economic and political integration was probably correct given the length and severity of the war

The Hanoi government was deeply suspicious of former GVN officials and constantly worried about the revival of the "Thieu-Ky clique"

Disbanding the NLF was a result of concerns over political autonomy for any group in Vietnam, especially one from the South

Moving large numbers of urban dwellers (refugees from the countryside) back to the countryside was both necessary and rational - they could not be productively employed in the cities

But many of those driven into the countryside had no experience in agriculture - they were moved there out of fear of their politics - movement to the countryside into "reeducation camps was both unnecessary and cruel

Plans were drawn up for creation of new economic zones, forced relocation, and establishment of huge agrofarm collectives

The nationalization of banks and manufacturing and industrial facilities paralleled the effort to gain state control over the resources of the capital-owning classes in the South

In 1976, an ambitious five year plan for economic development was adopted that depended on substantial aid from abroad

A whiff of pragmatism was evident in a series of decisions designed to attract foreign capital and in joining the IMF and Asian Development Bank