View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Carolina Digital Repository "Vietnam Is Fighting for Us:" French Identities and the U.S. - Vietnam War, 1965-1973 Bethany S. Keenan A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of History. Chapel Hill 2009 Approved by: Advisor: Dr. Donald Reid Advisor: Dr. Lloyd Kramer Reader: Dr. Michael Hunt Reader: Dr. Michael Seidman Reader: Dr. Jay Smith © 2009 Bethany S. Keenan ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii ABSTRACT BETHANY S. KEENAN: "Vietnam Is Fighting for Us:" French Identities and the U.S. - Vietnam War, 1965-1973 (Under the direction of Dr. Donald Reid and Dr. Lloyd Kramer) My dissertation, "Vietnam Is Fighting for Us," examines French reactions to the U.S.- Vietnam War to determine how French national identities emerged in the key post- colonial era of 1965-1973. By an analysis of social movements and political groups on the right and the left, my work illuminates the dialogic interactions of past understanding and present action which shaped France in the Fifth Republic. The study of French reactions to the war challenges current historiography on France in the pre-1968 era and rewrites our understanding of how the riots of May '68 emerged, as well as situating post- '68 political and social shifts within an international framework. Through its focus, the dissertation clearly brings out the contention within France over French identities and France's role in the world, while highlighting France's move from a power at a loss without its colonies to a nation with a new mission as international mediator and ally to countries undergoing revolutionary change. iii To Sean, with all my love and to Delaney, with all my joy iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I could not have written this dissertation without the help of numerous generous individuals and organizations, all of whom I would like to take the opportunity to thank here. The following funding allowed me to travel to France for my research: the Mowry Dissertation Fellowship and the Raymond Faherty Research Grant for Military History from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill's History Department; the Smith Graduate Research Grant from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill's Graduate School; the Doctoral Research Travel Award from the University Center for International Studies at UNC; and finally the Foreign Language Area Studies Academic Year Dissertation Award from the University Center for International Studies at UNC. I was also able to dedicate myself full-time to writing my dissertation thanks to the Doris Quinn Dissertation Completion Fellowship from the Quinn Foundation and to the University of North Carolina's Graduate School Dissertation Completion Fellowship. In the course of my research, many provided me with help and information. The librarians and archivists at the Bibliothèque de Documentation Internationale Contemporaine; the Bibliothèque Nationale de France; the Centre des Archives Contemporaines; the Collectif Intersyndical Universitaire; and the Centre d'Histoire Sociale du XXe Siècle all offered essential finding aid and guidance. Dr. Nicolas Pas shared his dissertation and his interview notes for people such as Laurent Schwartz with v me. In addition, Nicole Simone-Cortès, Daniel Hémery, and Jean-Michel Krivine all graciously shared documents from their personal archives with me. They, as well as Raymond Aubrac, Pierre Brocheux, Charles Fourniau, Camille Galic, Marcel-Francis Kahn, Alain Krivine, and Henri Weber, spoke with me about their Vietnam War activities. While I was unable to use their oral histories due to bureaucratic complications, I deeply appreciate the time they spent with me and hope to work with them in the future. Many at the University of North Carolina and elsewhere offered valuable insights and critiques to this project at all of its stages. This department has been welcoming and supporting since the day I arrived, and the dissertation period proved no different. Judith Bennett oversaw my work on the prospectus, providing the sharp commentary and great humor needed to get the project beyond idea form into working shape. Pam Lach and Sarah Shurts dutifully read multiple early brainstorms. Sarah also provided help and enthusiastic cheerleading as I moved forward in my research and writing. Lisi Lotz spent a semester reading away as I revised the Russell Tribunal chapter over and over. The members of my dissertation committee, Lloyd Kramer, Jay Smith, Michael Hunt, and Michael Seidman, gave me thoughtful comments on the final draft. I'd like to thank them for a provocative, inspiring defense that was the perfect cap to a great time as a graduate student at UNC. Two scholars with no connections to me or my school stepped up and became invaluable resources as I worked through the dissertation. Dr. David Schalk responded to a request to chair a panel with a regretful no, but with sincere interest in my work. He has since offered writing commentary, connections, and general academic guidance. I deeply vi admire his work and appreciate the time he has given to me. Dr. Pierre Journoud met with me in France and helped me out immeasurably. He provided me with contacts in France, shared his own research with me, and sent me his dissertation as soon as he himself had defended. I hope that my work can be seen as a complement to his own excellent project. There is no way I could have completed this project without the support of my writing group, the "Fantastic Four." Greg Kaliss, Patrick O'Neil, and Blake Slonecker gave me the push I needed to get over the last hurdles. Their questions and suggestions improved my writing immensely. Patrick and Blake also helped by volunteering to watch my beautiful daughter, Delaney, so I could work; Blake gave her a best friend in his gorgeous girl, Miriam, and Patrick became her beloved "Uncle Paddy." I also need to thank Greg and Patrick for the countless hours they spent explaining basketball to me, enabling me to become a true Tar Heel. All three have been, more than writing partners, good friends, and I appreciate them more than they know. Throughout my graduate school career, Don Reid has been a tireless source of support, critique and good advice. He shepherded me through the MA process and stood by patiently as I worked out my ideas about what I wanted to do for a dissertation. He read draft upon draft, frequently returning them with excellent comments within a twenty-four hour period. His sense of humor kept me smiling at all times. As I move on to being a professor myself, he will be my model in all aspects. I can only hope that I will someday be half the historian and advisor that he is. I offer my thanks here, knowing that I've come nowhere near saying how grateful I truly am. I also want to thank my family, without whom I could never have done this. My parents, Judy Keenan and Joe Keenan, always believed in me and encouraged me to vii follow my dreams. My brothers, Shane and Spencer, cheered me on and never failed to let me know they were proud of me - I am proud of them as well, and not the least for giving me such excellent sister-in-laws as Jess and Kelly. My sister-in-law Jen offered endless support, and my in-laws, Peter and Nancy McNulty, always gave their all, even coming down to watch Delaney for a week so I could put the finishing touches on. I am blessed to have them all with me. My greatest thanks goes to my husband, Sean. Sean uprooted his life and cheerfully followed me to Chapel Hill so I could pursue my dream, and in our time here took some of the world's most thankless jobs (and some quite nice ones!) in order to support us as we worked. He provided me with numerous crazy tech toys to keep me amused as I worked, saved my laptop from sure death on several occasions, and did everything in his power to make my life easier. He never doubted me, no matter how dark I thought things looked. He is, as he has been for thirteen years now, my best friend. Along with his love, he gave me my daughter Delaney, who has been the light of my life since she was born on July 17, 2007. While she will not remember Mommy writing this at all, Mommy will always remember her being there and how she reminded me of what it was I was working for. Delaney and Sean are my joy, my reason for being, and it is to them I dedicate this dissertation. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Abbreviations ......................................................................................................... x Introduction .........................................................................................................................1 Chapter One: "Flattering the Little Sleeping Rooster": The French, De Gaulle, and the Vietnam War in 1965.........................................................................................................17 Chapter Two: For Whom "The Heart of the French People Beats": Unity, Division and the Development of Vietnam War Protest Groups in France, 1966 ................................48 Chapter Three: "Today We Must Clearly Take a Stand:" The Growing Radicalization of the Vietnam War Movement in France, 1967....................................................................96 Chapter Four: "At the Crossroads of Culture and Militancy:" The Collectif Intersyndical Universitaire and Armand Gatti's V Comme Vietnam on Tour, January - June 1967......148 Chapter