Get started on
the Domino
Theory
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Korean War Timeline
• 1910– Korea annexed by Japan
• 1945– Potsdam Korea divided
between USSR & USA
– Russians arrive in Korea
– USA arrive in Korea/Japan
surrender
• 1947
– US began withdrawal form
Korea
• 1948
• 1950
–
–
–
–
–
Stalin approves Southern invasion
North Korea invades South Korea
North pushes South to coast
MacArthur’s landing at Inchon
North pushed across 38th to Yalu
River
– China enters the war.
– US pushed to brink of defeat
• 1951
– Stalemate at 38th Parallel
• 1953
– Democratic People's Republic
– Armistice signed (DMZ)
of Korea
– Treaty negotiators fail
(NORTH/Communist)
• 1954
– Republic of Korea
– Treaty negotiators fail
(South/Dem)
III. Cold War: Harry Truman --- Foreign Policy
Korean War (1950-1953):
(June, 1950)
Communist North Korea
invades across the
38th parallel, attacking
Democratic South Korea
III. Cold War: Harry Truman --- Foreign Policy
U.N. troops defend South Korea
• Push N. Korean army back
across 38th parallel
• MacArthur continues to
push Communist out of N.
Korea
Stay away
from
CHINA!!!!
III. Cold War: Harry Truman --- Foreign Policy
• Nov 1950
• 300,000 “Red Army”
Communist Chinese
enter war and push UN
forces back across 38th
• MacArthur wants
declare war and
use A-Bomb on
China
• Truman says NO!
• MacArthur
criticizes Truman
• Truman fires
MacArthur
• US pushes back:
• Stalemate at 38th
parallel
• July 1953 Sign
Armistice
Results of
Korean War:
• 54,000 Americans
die
• Millions of Dollars
spent
• South Korea still
democratic
• Korean War Brings
communism into
Asia
The Vietnam War:
an introduction
1945-1975
What do I know about Vietnam?
• Write down as many
things you know
about Vietnam and
America’s
involvement in
Vietnam.
Where is Vietnam
Southeast Asia
• Vietnam is in S.E. Asia
• Near
–
–
–
–
–
–
China
Laos
Thailand
Cambodia
Malaysia
Burma
• Remember the Domino
Theory!!!!!
Why Vietnam?
•
•
•
•
•
Fertile Soil
Many resources
Farming
Fishing
83 million people
Vietnam under Imperial Control
• 111-1800 under China
control
• First to defeat the
Mongols under Kublai &
Genghis Kahn
• Mongols failed 3 times to
invade S.E. Asia
• Gained independence
from China in early
1800s
French in Vietnam
• 1850’s to 1954
• Exploited Vietnam’s
resources
• Introduced Catholicism
• Western Education
• French cultural diffusion
Vietnam & imperialism
• Strongly resisted
imperialism from:
– China
– Mongols
– French
– Japanese
• Centuries fighting
guerrilla tactics in
Vietnamese Jungles
• USA military & politicians
did not understand this
Vietnam & Colonialism
• WWI- 14 points Wilson
promised to end
Colonialism
• Ho Chi Minh- Went
to Versailles hoping to
get Vietnamese
independence from
France
Ho Chi Minh
• Nationalitist
– Wanted Independence
– Pride in your country
• Viet Minh
– Nationalist group founded
by Ho Chi Minh
– Opposed French &
Japanese
Vietnam & wwii
• Controlled by the French
• Resisted French more as war grew
• French abandon colony to fight
Germany
• Invaded by Japan (expansion)
• USA trains Viet Minh to fight Japan
End of WWII
• Ho Chi Minh declares
Vietnam independent
• Reads Declaration of
Independence
– Build relationship with US
• France reclaims their colony
U.S. Torn
• Back French
• Back Vietnamese
colonialism ?
independence ?
• Korea & China = easy to • Ho Chi Minh likely to go
go Communist
Communist
• France stronger to
• Vietnamese
practice Containment
independently are weak
and susceptible to
• France can stop
Communism
communism in W.Europe
U.S.A backs France
French vs. Viet Minh
1945-1954
• Viet Minh fight for
independence
• 70% of war paid for by
USA.
• USA sends experts to
train French
• 1954 Dien Bien Phu
– Final defeat of the French
– French surrender and
lose all territory in S.E.
Asia
1954 Geneva conference
• Ended fighting between
– French and Vietnamese
• Divided Vietnam @ 17th
parallel until French leave.
• DMZ=Demilitarized zone
• Elections to decide on type
of Government.
• Communist North
• Democratic South
USA dilemma
Important
• If Vietnam goes
Communist
– Failure of
Containment
– Domino Theory
– Fear of Communist
Alliance
• America supports
– No unification
– Free Southern
Vietnam
South Vietnam
• Nationalist & AntiCommunist
• Ngo Dinh Diem
– Support from
Eisenhower,
Truman, &
Kennedy
– Military and
Financial Aid
– Escalation of
Troops