Cold War Conflicts in Asia: Korea and Vietnam

The Big Idea

• The Cold War in Asia led to wars, supported by superpowers.

• Vietnam is now Communist; Korea is divided.

Key Terms and People

• 38th parallel: Divides North and South Korea.

• Douglas MacArthur: Commanded UN forces in the Korean War.

• Ho Chi Minh: Vietnamese Communist leader.

• Domino theory: If one nation falls to communism, others will follow.

• Ngo Dinh Diem: Leader of South Vietnam.

• Vietcong: Communist guerrillas in South Vietnam.

• Vietnamization: Nixon's plan to withdraw U.S. troops.

• Khmer Rouge: Communist rebels in Cambodia under Pol Pot.

Wars in Korea and Vietnam

Setting the Stage

• Korea was divided after WWII.

• North: Communist (Soviet).

• South: Non-Communist (U.S.).

War in Korea

• Soviets armed North Korea, attempting to take over the peninsula.

• June 25, 1950: North Korea attacked South Korea.

• Truman used containment policy to help South Korea.

• UN intervened, led by General Douglas MacArthur.

Ho Chi Minh (1890-1969)

• Early life: Worked on a French ship, learned about U.S. culture.

• Name: "He who enlightens."

• Declaration of Independence: Echoed the American version.

• Rule: Crushed opposition in North Vietnam.

The United States Gets Involved

• U.S. escalated involvement to prevent Communist victory.

• August 1964: Gulf of Tonkin incident led to U.S. troop deployment.

• By 1968: Over 500,000 U.S. soldiers in Vietnam.

• Difficulties: Guerrilla war, unpopular South Vietnamese government.

• Vietcong received support from Ho Chi Minh, Soviet Union, and China.

• U.S. used "carpet bombing," napalm, and Agent Orange.

• Bombing increased opposition to South Vietnam and U.S. forces.

War Breaks Out in Vietnam

• U.S. involvement stemmed from containment policy.

• French Indochina: Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.

• Ho Chi Minh turned to communism.

• 1930s: Ho's party led revolts against the French.

• 1941: Ho returned to Vietnam, founding the Vietminh.

The Fighting Begins

• Vietnamese nationalists fought the French.

• 1954: French defeated at Dien Bien Phu.

• Eisenhower's domino theory justified U.S. involvement.

Vietnam: A Divided Country

• Vietnam divided at 17° north latitude.

• North: Communist (Ho Chi Minh).

• South: Anti-Communist (Ngo Dinh Diem).

• Vietcong gained strength in the South.

• 1963: Diem assassinated.

War in Korea, 1950-1953

• North Koreans advanced, controlling most of the peninsula.

• MacArthur launched a surprise attack at Inchon.

The Fighting Continues

• UN troops pushed into North Korea.

• China sent troops, pushing UN forces back.

• MacArthur wanted to attack China, Truman disagreed and removed him.

• 1953: Cease-fire signed, border near the 38th parallel.

• 4 million died.

Aftermath of the War

• Korea remained divided with a DMZ.

• North Korea: Communist dictatorship, nuclear weapons.

• South Korea: Prospered with U.S. aid, adopted democracy.

The United States Withdraws

• Late 1960s: War unpopular in the U.S.

• Nixon's Vietnamization: U.S. troops withdrew, South Vietnam fought.

• 1973: Last U.S. troops left.

• 1975: North Vietnam overran South Vietnam.

• 1.5 million Vietnamese and 58,000 Americans died.

Postwar Southeast Asia

Cambodia in Turmoil

• 1975: Khmer Rouge (Pol Pot) set up a brutal government.

• 1978: Vietnamese invaded, overthrew Khmer Rouge.

• 1993: Cambodia adopted democracy.

Vietnam After the War

- North Vietnam imposed controls over the South.