The Cold War Notes

Origins of American War in Vietnam

• 19th Century:
  • French Indochina: The region was under French colonial rule, leading to the rise of underground independence movements.
• World War II:
  • Japanese Occupation: During World War II, Japan occupied French Indochina.
  • U.S. Support for Viet Minh: The United States collaborated with Ho Chi Minh’s forces, known as the Viet Minh, who were fighting for independence.
• 1945-1954:
  • French Reassertion: The French returned to Indochina and established a puppet government.
  • U.S. Financial Support: The U.S. provided millions of dollars to support the French effort.

American Escalation

• 1954:
  • Battle of Dien Bien Phu: A significant military defeat for the French, leading to their withdrawal from Indochina.
  • Geneva Conference: A conference was held to address the aftermath of the French withdrawal.
    • Temporary Boundary: The conference resulted in a temporary boundary being established at the 17th parallel, dividing Vietnam into North and South.
    • National Elections: National elections were planned for 1956 to reunify the country.
• U.S. Intervention:
  • Installation of Ngo Dinh Diem: The U.S. intervened by installing Ngo Dinh Diem as the leader of South Vietnam.
  • Diem’s Background: Diem was a Catholic who had resided in New Jersey.
• Formation of NLF/Vietcong:
  • Viet Minh Transformation: The Viet Minh formed the National Liberation Front (NLF), also known as the Vietcong.
  • Guerilla Warfare: The Vietcong waged war against Diem’s regime in South Vietnam.
• Buddhist Rebellion:
  • Protests and Self-Immolation: Buddhists rebelled against Diem’s discriminatory policies, with some engaging in acts of self-immolation to protest.
• 1963:
  • Overthrow and Assassination of Diem: Diem was overthrown and killed in a coup orchestrated by the CIA.

1964-1970: Frustration and Defeat

• By 1967:
  • American Troop Levels: The U.S. had approximately 500,000 troops in Vietnam.
  • Monthly Expenditure: The U.S. was spending 2 billion dollars a month on the war.
  • Escalation of Bombing: Increased bombing campaigns were conducted in North Vietnam.
• 1968:
  • U.S. Government Claims: The U.S. government asserted that “Victory [was] in sight.”
  • Tet Offensive: A major military offensive by the Vietcong and North Vietnamese forces, which exposed the U.S. government's false claims.
  • My Lai Massacre: A mass killing of unarmed Vietnamese civilians by U.S. soldiers.
  • Growing Protests at Home: Growing anti-war protests occurred in the United States.
  • President Johnson's Decision: President Johnson declined to seek re-election.
• Nixon’s Strategy:
  • “Secret Plan”: Richard Nixon campaigned on a promise of a “secret plan” to end the war.
• 1970:
  • Kent State and Jackson State Shootings: Students were shot and killed during anti-war protests at Kent State University and Jackson State University.

War Ends

• 1970-1971:
  • Paris Peace Talks: The U.S. and North Vietnam engaged in peace negotiations in Paris.
• January 1973:
  • Paris Peace Accords: A ceasefire agreement was reached, leading to U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam.
  • Nixon Ends Draft: Nixon ended the military draft.
  • “Peace With Honor”: Nixon proclaimed that the agreement achieved “Peace With Honor.”
• 1975:
  • U.S. Withdrawal: The U.S. withdrew its forces from Vietnam.
  • War of Unification: North Vietnam launched a final offensive, leading to the reunification of Vietnam under communist rule.

Era of Détente

• Sparked by Defeat in Vietnam:
  • Questioning of Containment: The defeat in Vietnam led to a reassessment of the containment policy.
• 1970s-1990s:
  • Era of Détente: A period of reduced tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.
• Nixon’s Diplomacy:
  • Opening Relations with China: Nixon normalized relations with China.
  • First Presidential Visit to Soviet Union:
    • Nixon was the first president to visit the Soviet Union
• 1972:
  • SALT Treaty: The Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty was signed, freezing the number of nuclear missiles.
  • Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty: limited the development and deployment of anti-ballistic missile systems.
• Shift in Strategy:
  • From Containment to “Peaceful Coexistence”: A shift from containment to a policy of “peaceful coexistence” with the Soviet Union.
• Roles of Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev: Their leadership and policies played a crucial role in ending the Cold War.

Cold War Ends

• Late 1980s:
  • Protest Movements in Eastern Europe: Popular protest movements emerged in Eastern Europe, challenging communist regimes.
• 1989:
  • Fall of Berlin Wall: The Berlin Wall fell, symbolizing the end of the Cold War.
  • German Reunification: Germany was reunified in 1990.
• Social and Economic Crises in Soviet Union:
  • Economic Issues: Shortages, corruption, and apathy plagued the Soviet Union.
  • Glasnost and Perestroika: Gorbachev introduced policies of Glasnost (openness) and Perestroika (restructuring) to address these issues.
• 1991 Crisis:
  • Coup Attempts on Gorbachev: Hardline communists attempted a coup against Gorbachev.
  • Emergence of Boris Yeltsin: Boris Yeltsin rose to prominence.
• Gorbachev Resigns:
  • December 25, 1991: Gorbachev resigned as President of the Soviet Union, marking the official end of the Soviet Union.

Or Does It?

• Communist States as Rivals:
  • China and Cuba: Communist states like China and Cuba continue to be rivals of the U.S.
• Conflicts in Iraq:
  • 1991 and 2003: The U.S. engaged in conflicts in Iraq in 1991 and 2003.
• Conflict in Afghanistan: The U.S. has been involved in ongoing conflict in Afghanistan.
• Ongoing Conflict with Russia in 21st Century: Conflicts persist with Russia in the 21st century.