Vietnam has numerous examples of history being spun to fit the agenda of the spin's proponent. One of the simplest to debunk is Ike's "80%" statement, which was popularized by Wayne Morse (Sen. from Oregon - Wiki) and others in the mid-1960's and after.

The actual original statement is as follows, Eisenhower's Views on the Popularity of Ho Chi Minh:

Source: Dwight D. Eisenhower, Mandate for Change, 1953-56 (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Compnay, Inc., 1963), p. 372

I am convinced that the French could not win the war because the internal political situation in Vietnam, weak and confused, badly weakened their military position. I have never talked or corresponded with a person knowledgeable in Indochinese affairs who did not agree that had elections been held as of the time of the fighting, possibly 80 per cent of the population would have voted for the Communist Ho Chi Minh as their leader rather than Chief of State Bao Dai. Indeed, the lack of leadership and drive on the part of Bao Dai was a factor in the feeling prevalent among Vietnamese that they had nothing to fight for. As one Frenchman said to me, "What Vietnam needs is another Syngman Rhee, regardless of all the difficulties the presence of such a personality would entail."
Italicized parts are what the spinners usually leave out - and they ignore the last two [bolded by me] sentences entirely - resulting in something like this:

"I am convinced and I have never talked or corresponded with a person knowledgeable in Indochinese affairs who did not agree that had elections been held, possibly 80 per cent of the population would have voted for the Communist Ho Chi Minh as their leader."

Ain't agitprop wonderful ?

The actual statement, of course, was aimed at the French War (1954 and prior), compares Bo Dai and Ho, and has nothing to do with 1956 and Diem (who did win an election against Bo Dai, and who was something of a Syngman Rhee).

Ironically, Ike's statement supports the position that the French playboy puppet Bo Dai was a negative influence on "good governance" (as Marse Bob Jones might say). And, other evidence is abundant that Diem in the net result did not establish governmental "legitimacy" (in security, opportunity and ideology). BUT, Ike's "Mandate" statement is not part of that evidence.

Regards

Mike