ISOT Indochina ISOT'ed from November 28th, 1983 to November 28th, 1963

[raharris1973]

Indochina - Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Kampuchea, Laos, are all ISOT'ed from November 28th 1983, back to November 28th, 1963. No foreign military personnel go back in time with the Indochinese states, so no Soviet naval facilities in Cam Ranh Bay or other places. Foreign diplomatic non-uniformed personnel, east-bloc, west-bloc, and neutral do go back - at this time there would be none from the United States.

At this time in 1963 it is one week after Kennedy's assassination and Johnson’s airborne inauguration, and I think, the Friday after Thanksgiving. All US, Western and any covert foreign military or civlian personnel from anywhere are magically transported safely back to their home countries to their own or family property

How do the USA, Vietnam, and Soviet Union proceed from here?

Boom- 1963 Vietnam lost to the Commies in a flash at the beginning of LBJ's Presidency. What happens from there? How butthurt is the U.S.? Is it seriously going to try a resurrection of its dead ally? Can it politically afford not to?

I put in a poll asking what the next likely major US troop intervention would be, with Vietnam missed from 1963 onward.

I did not include the Dominican Republic, because I assume that will happen just like OTL in 1965.

I listed a bunch of other third world crises, insurgencies, and. Brushfire wars that might strike the US government as a critical national security emergency.

In the end my vote was for no intervention until Nicaragua, because in all other cases Washington could/would suppose other local powers should handle the situation.

 

[WolfBear]

I wonder if Angola might be an attractive intervention target due to its oil. Though this might trigger protests by a combination of black Americans and white anti-war "tankie" leftists.

I wonder if LBJ would decide to support the Khmer Rouge in order to give Vietnam a black eye or whether he would decide to help the Vietnamese after finding out just how brutal the KR has been in Cambodia during their rule. The 1963 US wouldn't be as butthurt towards the Vietnamese due to not losing tens of thousands of their young men in the Vietnam War, after all.

 

[raharris1973]

I wonder if LBJ would decide to support the Khmer Rouge in order to give Vietnam a black eye or whether he would decide to help the Vietnamese after finding out just how brutal the KR has been in Cambodia during their rule.

It could take LBJ awhile to learn the Vietnamese and Khmer Rouge are enemies. Also, 1963 Thailand's opinions of the matter will be relevant. They, unlike the 1980s Thailand, won't be hosting Khmer refugee camps and used to supporting KRs and other Cambodian rebels. Would they stand aside from the conflict or come to an alliance of convenience?

Vietnam 1983 knows to be suspicious of and angry with China, but unless it really presses the negativity hard, 1963 China doesn't know it is *supposed* to be hating Vietnam or preferring the KR at Vietnamese expense

 

[WolfBear]

It could take LBJ awhile to learn the Vietnamese and Khmer Rouge are enemies. Also, 1963 Thailand's opinions of the matter will be relevant. They, unlike the 1980s Thailand, won't be hosting Khmer refugee camps and used to supporting KRs and other Cambodian rebels. Would they stand aside from the conflict or come to an alliance of convenience?

Vietnam 1983 knows to be suspicious of and angry with China, but unless it really presses the negativity hard, 1963 China doesn't know it is *supposed* to be hating Vietnam or preferring the KR at Vietnamese expense

Good point about 1963 Thailand and China possibly standing aside in this TL. So, the Khmer Rouge could get defeated more decisively by the Vietnamese Communists in this TL, thankfully.