Cold War: Korean Cold War: Korean and Vietnam Warsand Vietnam Wars

Korean WarKorean War American involvement in the American involvement in the

KOREAN WAR in the early 1950s KOREAN WAR in the early 1950s reflected the American policy of reflected the American policy of CONTAINMENT of COMMUNISMCONTAINMENT of COMMUNISM• Containment Containment “American policy of “American policy of

RESISTING the EXPANSION of RESISTING the EXPANSION of communism around the world”communism around the world”

War lasted 1950-1953War lasted 1950-1953

Japan had ANNEXED the Korean Japan had ANNEXED the Korean peninsula before WWI; Japanese peninsula before WWI; Japanese defeated in WWIIdefeated in WWII

1945 1945 Allies agreed on a Allies agreed on a TEMPORARY solution = temporary TEMPORARY solution = temporary division of Korea at the 38division of Korea at the 38thth PARALLEL PARALLEL SOVIET-occupied NORTHERN SOVIET-occupied NORTHERN zonezone

AMERICAN-occupied SOUTHERN AMERICAN-occupied SOUTHERN zonezone

BackgroundBackground

Soon a PRO-AMERICAN government Soon a PRO-AMERICAN government formed in SOUTH Korea and a formed in SOUTH Korea and a COMMUNIST regime was established COMMUNIST regime was established in NORTH Korea. in NORTH Korea.

War breaks out in KoreaWar breaks out in Korea Koreans on BOTH sides of the Koreans on BOTH sides of the

dividing line wanted to UNIFY their dividing line wanted to UNIFY their nationnation

JUNE 1950: the Korean War broke out JUNE 1950: the Korean War broke out when NORTH KOREAN troops when NORTH KOREAN troops INVADED South Korea over the 38INVADED South Korea over the 38thth parallel border parallel border they were they were determined to reunite Korea BY determined to reunite Korea BY FORCEFORCE

U.S. responseU.S. response

1)Pres. TRUMAN 1)Pres. TRUMAN brought the issue of brought the issue of North Korean North Korean aggression to the aggression to the UNITED NATIONSUNITED NATIONS

2)Truman ordered American AIR and 2)Truman ordered American AIR and NAVAL support + GROUND troops to NAVAL support + GROUND troops to aid the South Koreans. aid the South Koreans.

4) Truman did NOT go to CONGRESS 4) Truman did NOT go to CONGRESS for an official declaration of war (as for an official declaration of war (as required by the CONSTITUTION)required by the CONSTITUTION)

- Article 1, Section 8: Congress - Article 1, Section 8: Congress maintains the power to DECLARE maintains the power to DECLARE WARWAR

UN Police ActionUN Police Action The U.S. chose Gen. The U.S. chose Gen.

Douglas MACARTHUR to Douglas MACARTHUR to be the COMMANDER of be the COMMANDER of the UN forces the UN forces

Americans made up Americans made up roughly 80% of POLICE roughly 80% of POLICE ACTION in KoreaACTION in Korea• Police action: a Police action: a

LOCALIZED military LOCALIZED military action without action without declaration of wardeclaration of war

Waging the WarWaging the War American military forces led a United American military forces led a United

Nations COUNTERATTACK that drove Nations COUNTERATTACK that drove deep into NORTH KOREA itself.deep into NORTH KOREA itself.

Communist CHINESE forces came Communist CHINESE forces came into the war on the side of North into the war on the side of North Korea to PUSH BACK UN forcesKorea to PUSH BACK UN forces

STALEMATE developed between the STALEMATE developed between the two sidestwo sides

TRUCE signed in 1953 left Korea TRUCE signed in 1953 left Korea DIVIDED at almost the exact same DIVIDED at almost the exact same place as before the war place as before the war near the near the 3838thth PARALLEL PARALLEL

Effects of Korean WarEffects of Korean War1) Enormous FRUSTRATION in United 1) Enormous FRUSTRATION in United

States States 54,000 dead, 103,000 54,000 dead, 103,000 wounded for LIMITED resultswounded for LIMITED results

2) RESISTANCE of Communist forces, 2) RESISTANCE of Communist forces, containment WITHOUT nuclear warcontainment WITHOUT nuclear war

3) INTEGRATION of UNITS in armed 3) INTEGRATION of UNITS in armed forcesforces

4) Huge INCREASE in MILITARY 4) Huge INCREASE in MILITARY SPENDINGSPENDING

5) Development of powerful MILITARY-5) Development of powerful MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL complexINDUSTRIAL complex

6) Permanent MOBILIZATION of troops6) Permanent MOBILIZATION of troops

Vietnam WarVietnam War American involvement in the American involvement in the

VIETNAM WAR also reflected the Cold VIETNAM WAR also reflected the Cold War policy of CONTAINMENT of War policy of CONTAINMENT of communismcommunism

BackgroundBackground ““DOMINO theory”: refers to the fear DOMINO theory”: refers to the fear

that if one SOUTHEAST ASIAN nation that if one SOUTHEAST ASIAN nation fell to the Communists, the others fell to the Communists, the others would also fallwould also fall

Because of its GEOGRAPHIC location, Because of its GEOGRAPHIC location, a Communist TAKEOVER of Vietnam a Communist TAKEOVER of Vietnam posed a THREAT to Cambodia, Laos, posed a THREAT to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and ThailandMyanmar, and Thailand

Increasing U.S. InvolvementIncreasing U.S. Involvement Beginning in the 1950s and Beginning in the 1950s and

continuing into the early 1960s, the continuing into the early 1960s, the COMMUNIST government of NORTH COMMUNIST government of NORTH Vietnam attempted to install a Vietnam attempted to install a communist government in SOUTH communist government in SOUTH Vietnam BY FORCEVietnam BY FORCE

The UNITED STATES helped South The UNITED STATES helped South Vietnam RESISTVietnam RESIST

The American military BUILDUP in The American military BUILDUP in Vietnam began under Pres. Vietnam began under Pres. EISENHOWER and Pres. John F. EISENHOWER and Pres. John F. KENNEDYKENNEDY

After Kennedy’s ASSASSINATION in After Kennedy’s ASSASSINATION in 1963, the military buildup was 1963, the military buildup was INTENSIFIED under Pres. Lyndon INTENSIFIED under Pres. Lyndon JOHNSONJOHNSON

August 1964: Johnson August 1964: Johnson announced that North announced that North Vietnamese TORPEDOES had Vietnamese TORPEDOES had attacked U.S. destroyers in the attacked U.S. destroyers in the GULF of TONKIN GULF of TONKIN (INTERNATIONAL waters)(INTERNATIONAL waters)

Johnson asked CONGRESS for Johnson asked CONGRESS for authority to take ACTION authority to take ACTION against North Vietnam against North Vietnam Congress passed the Gulf of Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin RESOLUTIONTonkin RESOLUTION

Gulf of TonkinGulf of Tonkin

Fighting the WarFighting the War Nearly 3 MILLION Americans served Nearly 3 MILLION Americans served

in the Vietnam Warin the Vietnam War Battlefield conditions were Battlefield conditions were

DIFFICULT:DIFFICULT:• Viet Cong (Communist guerillas in South Viet Cong (Communist guerillas in South

Korea) were familiar with LANDSCAPEKorea) were familiar with LANDSCAPE• South Vietnamese seemed INDIFFERENTSouth Vietnamese seemed INDIFFERENT• Couldn’t TRUST anyoneCouldn’t TRUST anyone• Intense HEAT, jungle climateIntense HEAT, jungle climate

Ground WarGround War Viet Cong lacked sophisticated Viet Cong lacked sophisticated

equipment, so they used GUERILLA equipment, so they used GUERILLA warfare tacticswarfare tactics• Worked in small groups to launch SNEAK Worked in small groups to launch SNEAK

attacksattacks• Hid in elaborate underground TUNNELSHid in elaborate underground TUNNELS• Set BOOBY traps like camouflaged PITS Set BOOBY traps like camouflaged PITS

and LAND MINESand LAND MINES

Air WarAir War SATURATION bombing: huge B-52 SATURATION bombing: huge B-52

American bombers dropped American bombers dropped thousands of tons of EXPLOSIVES thousands of tons of EXPLOSIVES over large areasover large areas

Chemical weapons:Chemical weapons:• NAPALM: a destructive CHEMICAL, NAPALM: a destructive CHEMICAL,

splattered and burned uncontrollably splattered and burned uncontrollably when dropped from airplanes, including when dropped from airplanes, including on human FLESHon human FLESH

AGENT ORANGE AGENT ORANGE HERBICIDE that HERBICIDE that killed leaves and undergrowth to expose killed leaves and undergrowth to expose Viet Cong hiding places; also killed Viet Cong hiding places; also killed CROPS and caused HEALTH problemsCROPS and caused HEALTH problems

Despite the LARGE United States Despite the LARGE United States presence in South Vietnam (536,000 presence in South Vietnam (536,000 by end of 1968), Communist forces by end of 1968), Communist forces INTENSIFIED their effortsINTENSIFIED their efforts

Tet OffensiveTet Offensive• Major offensive Major offensive

launched by VIET launched by VIET CONG and NORTH CONG and NORTH Vietnamese on Vietnamese on January 30, 1968January 30, 1968

• Communists were Communists were extremely BRUTAL, extremely BRUTAL, killing anyone they killing anyone they labeled an enemylabeled an enemy

• Viet Cong won Viet Cong won PSYCHOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL victoryvictory

Massacre at My LaiMassacre at My Lai March 1968: U.S. infantry company March 1968: U.S. infantry company

entered MY LAI (small village that was entered MY LAI (small village that was supposedly sheltering Viet Cong)supposedly sheltering Viet Cong)

U.S. soldiers found only WOMEN, U.S. soldiers found only WOMEN, CHILDREN, and OLD MEN in the village CHILDREN, and OLD MEN in the village the U.S. soldiers massacred these civiliansthe U.S. soldiers massacred these civilians

More than 400 INNOCENT Vietnamese died More than 400 INNOCENT Vietnamese died until a U.S. HELICOPTER crew stepped in to until a U.S. HELICOPTER crew stepped in to halt the slaughterhalt the slaughter

Political DivisionsPolitical Divisions The country became BITTERLY The country became BITTERLY

DIVIDED over the Vietnam War. DIVIDED over the Vietnam War. Some Americans SUPPORTED the Some Americans SUPPORTED the

American military and the war effort, American military and the war effort, hoped for military victoryhoped for military victory

Other Americans believed the war Other Americans believed the war was MORALLY WRONG, urged was MORALLY WRONG, urged immediate withdrawalimmediate withdrawal

Student ActivismStudent Activism Active opposition to the war occurred Active opposition to the war occurred

especially on COLLEGE campusesespecially on COLLEGE campuses Students were among the first to Students were among the first to

speak out against the Vietnam War:speak out against the Vietnam War:• ““TEACH-INS”TEACH-INS”• DRAFT RESISTANCEDRAFT RESISTANCE• PROTESTSPROTESTS

Nixon and “Vietnamization”Nixon and “Vietnamization” After Johnson declined to seek re-election,

President NIXON was elected on his pledge to bring the war to an HONORABLE END.

He instituted the policy of “VIETNAMIZATION” WITHDRAWING American troops and replacing them with South Vietnamese soldiers, while maintaining military aid to the South Vietnamese

End of the WarEnd of the War January 1973: U.S., South Vietnam, January 1973: U.S., South Vietnam,

North Vietnam, and Viet Cong signed North Vietnam, and Viet Cong signed FORMAL PEACE AGREEMENTSFORMAL PEACE AGREEMENTS

Nixon FORCED out of office by the Nixon FORCED out of office by the WATERGATE scandal (1972-1974)WATERGATE scandal (1972-1974)• Break-in at Democratic National Break-in at Democratic National

Convention headquartersConvention headquarters• Nixon part of illegal cover-upNixon part of illegal cover-up• Nixon impeached, then resignedNixon impeached, then resigned

Ultimately “Vietnamization” FAILED Ultimately “Vietnamization” FAILED when South Vietnamese troops were when South Vietnamese troops were UNABLE to resist INVASION by the UNABLE to resist INVASION by the Soviet-supplied North Vietnamese Soviet-supplied North Vietnamese ArmyArmy

April 30, 1975 April 30, 1975 North Vietnam North Vietnam completed its CONQUEST of South completed its CONQUEST of South VietnamVietnam

North and South Vietnam MERGED North and South Vietnam MERGED under communist controlunder communist control

Impact of Vietnam WarImpact of Vietnam War More than 58,000 More than 58,000

Americans deadAmericans dead 300,000 Americans 300,000 Americans

woundedwounded More than 2,500 More than 2,500

MIA (MISSING IN MIA (MISSING IN ACTION) and POWs ACTION) and POWs (PRISONERS OF (PRISONERS OF WAR)WAR)

LONGEST and LEAST successful war LONGEST and LEAST successful war in American historyin American history

United States spent at least $150 United States spent at least $150 billion on the Vietnam Warbillion on the Vietnam War

MORE bombs dropped on Vietnam MORE bombs dropped on Vietnam than on all the Axis powers in WWIIthan on all the Axis powers in WWII

DIVIDED the nation more than any DIVIDED the nation more than any other war besides the Civil Warother war besides the Civil War

Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C.