10.4 - KOREA and VIETNAM

THE DOMINO THEORY

  • If one country adopted communism, its neighboring countries would follow suit.

KOREA

KOREA POST WWII

  • Japan controlled Korea during WWII
  • Post WWII - divided by US and USSR
    • 38th Parallel = boundary
    • Line of Latitude (invisible line on a map)
  • Different characteristics and leaders develop
    • North (USSR) - Kim II Sung - leader
    • South (US) - Syngman Rhee

CONFLICT IN KOREA

  • June 1950 - North army invade South (given supplies by USSR)
    • They make progress into the southern part of Korea
  • US response = send forces to South
    • UN international force included
    • Led by Douglas MacArthur
    • DIFFERENCE: USSR provides supplies but US is directly involved with troops fighting
  • October 1950 - UN forces push North back to Chinese border 
    • China sends troops to back North because North Korea is trying to spread communism CHINA = COMMUNIST
    • So China sends troops to support North Korea
    • UN forces retreat & stalemate occurs

AN ENDING?

  • 1953 - armistice signed to end fighting
    • Creation of demilitarized zone (DMZ)
    • No official peace treaty 
  • Peninsula badly damaged
    • US used bombs on North Korea and uses MORE than they ever used on whatever pacific thing in WWII
  • Conflict & tensions still exist

VIETNAM

EARLY CONFLICTS 

  • 1946 - France looks to regain control of Indochina (Siam, Cambodia, & Vietnam) 
    • Ho Chi Minh = communist/nationalist leader
    • WEIRD CAUSE THEY ARE ALWAYS SEEN FIGHTING AND CONTRADICTING EACH OTHER
    • Nationalism has started to form. Trying to find a way for Vietnam independence
  • 1954 - Vietnamese victory at Dien Bien Phu
    • Ends conflict w/ France 
    • Splits country in two - Communist North, Anti-Communist South
    • Eventually who ever wins the election will win control
  • NORTH VIETNAM = Ho Chi Minh
  • SOUTH VIETNAM = Ngo Dinh Diem

TENSIONS RISE

  • 1956 - elections held to unite country
    • Ngo Dinh Diem refused to participate
    • Growing communist resentment
  • 1963 - Diem overthrown & killed
    • US increases role - money & aid
    • They are going to put troops to protect South Vietnam from the North
    • North Vietnam (communists) were blamed for the death of Diem
  • August 1964 - Gulf of Tonkin Incident
    • Leads to US bombing raids on North Vietnam
    • Brings the US more involvement into Vietnam

FIGHTING IN VIETNAM

  • Viet Cong = communist guerilla fighters
    • Advantages - knowledge of land, tactics, motivation
    • Knowledge of land is better to make battle plans
    • Tactics help catch them off guard with traps and surprise attacks
    • Motivation - fighting for an independent state, fighting for their future
    • US struggles because they do not know who is on their side and who is not…they are fighting unknown enemies
    • Complex tunnel systems & traps
  • US struggle fighting in Vietnam
    • Unknown enemy
    • Unprepared for jungle warfare
    • Use of napalm & agent orange
    • Napalm - extremely flammable, to burn the jungle down, and very hard to control - leads to a lot of innocent people dying and destruction of Vietnam.
    • Agent Orange - chemical weapon used by US, dropping it overhead, hard to control where it drops, causes blinding, leads to death if inhaled, the crops and ground are contaminated - leads to death of innocent people and destruction of the country of Vietnam.

END OF WAR

  • January 1968 - Tet Offensive
    • Unsuccessful, costly Viet Cong offensive
    • Turning point of US viewpoints
    • Think is this worth it, are we here for a good reason or no
    • Tried to push the US troops back
  • Opposition grows in US 
  • 1973 - ceasefire agreement made 
    • US will withdraw troops
  • 1976 - North capture Saigon & rename capital (Ho Chi Minh City)-> many try to flee country
  • THE US AND VIETNAM ARE ON GOOD TERMS AND HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM