AM launches first module of new collection on the Conflict in Indochina: 1959-1964
The latest AM archive is is the first instalment of a two-module collection covering the impact of the Vietnam War. The first section, now available, focuses on the period 1959-1964, a time of crisis and upheaval for the region following French decolonisation.
Part of the Archives Direct suite drawn from The National Archives, UK, the resource tells the story of the escalating conflict between North and South Vietnam, the resulting political instability on Laos and Cambodia, and the international ramifications of conflict in the region.
AM’s collection comprises Foreign Office files, including reports, memoranda, photographs, maps, and economic data, to provide unique new insights into the period for researchers and students. Featured correspondence includes annotations from Foreign Office staff, showing how British officials reacted first-hand to key events as they were unfolding.
The material charts a time of extensive political, social, and cultural change in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Broader themes include examinations of Anglo-American relations and British foreign policy, with researchers and students afforded a behind-the-scenes look at Britain’s complex approach to the conflict, exercising influence through its relationship with the USA.
As the United States competed with the Communist governments of China and the Soviet Union for influence within the region, the Foreign Office archives provide a view on events from beyond the American perspective, demonstrating how the conflict crossed international borders.
This important new collection significantly extends our understanding of the conflict in Indochina, charting the changing political landscape of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, and illuminating the role of international actors competing for influence within the context of the Cold War. It is an essential resource for researchers examining the ways in which the Vietnam War crossed borders and impacted the wider region of Indochina.
To find out more, or to request a free trial, visit the collection page here.
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