Korean and Vietnam Wars Notes

Korean War

38th Parallel:

• Korea was divided at the 38th parallel after World War II.

• Soviets established a Communist government in the north.

• Border set near the 38th parallel after the Korean War.

Start of the War:

• June 25, 1950: North Koreans attacked, crossing the 38th parallel.

U.S. and UN Intervention:

• Truman saw aggression as a repeat of Hitler's actions.

• UN intervened with an international force.

• 15 nations participated under General MacArthur.

Course of the War:

• By September 1950, North Koreans controlled most of the peninsula except Pusan.

• MacArthur launched a surprise attack at Inchon.

Chinese Intervention:

• October 1950: China sent 300,000 troops into North Korea.

• January 1951: Chinese forces captured Seoul.

• July 1953: cease-fire agreement, border near the 38th parallel.

• $4$ million deaths.

Aftermath:

• Korea remained divided by a demilitarized zone.

• North Korea, under Kim Il Sung, developed heavy industry and military.

• South Korea prospered with U.S. aid.

• The United States still keeps troops in South Korea.

Vietnam War

Background:

• U.S. involvement stemmed from Cold War containment policy.

• Stopping communism was the main goal.

French Colonialism and Vietnamese Nationalism:

• France controlled French Indochina.

• Vietnamese independence movements developed.

• Ho Chi Minh turned to Communists.

• French defeated at Dien Bien Phu in 1954.

Domino Theory:

• Eisenhower: the fall of one nation to communism would lead to others.

• Justification for U.S. foreign policy.

Division of Vietnam:

• Geneva divided Vietnam at $17°$ north latitude.

• North: Ho Chi Minh’s Communist forces.

• South: U.S. and France set up an anti-Communist government.

Escalation of Conflict:

• Diem ruled South Vietnam as a dictator.

• Vietcong gained strength.

• Diem assassinated in 1963.

U.S. Involvement:

• U.S. increased involvement.

• August 1964: Gulf of Tonkin incident.

• Congress authorized troops to fight in Vietnam.

• By 1968, over half a million U.S. soldiers.

Challenges for the U.S.:

• Guerrilla war in jungle terrain.

• Unpopular South Vietnamese government.

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

U.S. Tactics and Withdrawal:

• U.S. used air power.

• 1969: Nixon began withdrawing troops through Vietnamization.

• Last U.S. troops left in 1973.

End of the War:

• 1975: North Vietnamese forces overran South Vietnam.

• Over $1.5$ million Vietnamese and $58,000$ American deaths.

Post-War Southeast Asia

Cambodia in Turmoil:

• 1975: Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, set up a government.

• Pol Pot’s followers slaughtered $2$ million people.

• Vietnam invaded in 1978, overthrew the Khmer Rouge.

• 1993: Cambodia adopted a democratic constitution.

Vietnam after the War:

• After 1975, North Vietnam imposed controls over the South.

• Saigon renamed Ho Chi Minh