Vietnam War
and
Korean War
SS7H3a: Describe how nationalism led to
independence in Vietnam.
SS7H3e Explain the reasons for foreign
involvement in Korea and Vietnam in
terms of containment of Communism.
(Korean War and Vietnam War)
Where is Vietnam?
Vietnam is in Southeast Asia
North and East
Hemispheres
East of Laos and
Cambodia
South of China
What history do I need to know
about Vietnam?
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From 1880s until WWII France governed Vietnam as
part of French Indochina
French Indo-China included Vietnam, Cambodia,
and Laos
After Japan’s defeat in WWII, France tried to
reassert its control over Indo-China.
In Vietnam, a nationalist movement under the
leadership of Ho Chi Minh rose up to resist the
French.
In 1940 Japan invaded French
Indochina
WWII-a chance for resistance to
colonial rule
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U.S. Demanded that the Japanese leave
The Viet Minh of the League for the
Independence of Vietnam was formed
Viet Minh formed an alliance with the U.S.
When the Japanese surrendered in 1945, the
Vietnamese declared their independence.
Who are the western powers?
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Ho Chi Minh’s success concerned the United States because they viewed
him as a Communist.
In 1954, the Vietnamese and Western powers reached a compromise.
They divided Vietnam into two nations.
North Vietnam fell under Communist rule of Ho Chi Minh, while a U.S.
backed government rules South Vietnam.
U.S. involvement in Vietnam developed as a result of
U.S./Soviet Cold War politics.
The Cold War (approx. 1945-1991) was a continuing state of
political and military tension between the powers of the
Western world, led by the United States and its NATO allies,
and the communist world, led by the Soviet Union, its
satellite states and allies.
Vietnam War-1955-1975
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North Vietnam attacked South Vietnam.
The Western Powers feared that communism would spread
throughout all of Eastern Asia.
The U.S. was not only fighting North Vietnam’s invading
army, but also South Vietnamese communists, known as
Vietcong.
Vietcong were poor rural farmers who felt they would be
better off under Communism.
Vietnamese resented the French for ruling them for years and
did not want the U.S. or Great Britain to have any influence
over their country.
The U.S. was involved in the Vietnam War from 1955-1973.
In 1975, South Vietnam fell to Communist rule and the entire
country of Vietnam was unified under Communism.
Domino Effect
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The idea that if all of a country fell
under a communist government
communism would spread throughout
the world.
1954-President Eisenhower Cites
"Domino Theory" Regarding
Southeast Asia: "You have a row of
dominoes set up. You knock over the
first one, and what will happen to the
last one is the certainty that it will go
over very quickly."
What is Communism?
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Government type
where 1 political party
rules over people and
economy.
Who are the
Communist nations
that we know of?
Where is the Korean Peninsula?
Since both the Soviet
Union and the US
played a role in Korea’s
liberation from the
Japanese during WWII,
the country was divided
along the 38th parallel.
Korean War-1950-1953
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North Korea allied with the Soviet Union as a
Communist State.
South Korea became a pro-US, democratic,
capitalist society.
1950 Korean War began when North Korean
troops crossed the 38th parallel and invaded
South Korea.
Who helped South Korea?
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General Douglas MacArthur (same man who helped
re-build Japan after the war) commanded the UN
troops that were sent into South Korea.
MacArthur’s forces successfully pushed the North
Koreans all the way back to the border.
A stalemate soon developed; neither side could gain
an advantage.
Both sides signed a cease-fire in 1953 that left the
country divided at almost exactly the same point as it
had been prior to the war.
North and South Korea Today
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Tensions remain high between North and South
Korea.
Capitalism and democracy have allowed South
Korea to thrive as a wealthy, modernized society.
Meanwhile, North Korea is one of the poorest
nations in the world.
North Korea’s strict communist regime pours most
of the nation’s resources ($) into its military rather
than on efforts to modernize and benefit the
population.
Standards Check?
SS7H3a: Describe how
nationalism led to
independence in
Vietnam.
SS7H3e Explain the
reasons for foreign
involvement in
Korea and Vietnam
in terms of
containment of
Communism.
(Korean War and
Vietnam War)
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1. Why did the U.S.
become involved in the
Korean and Vietnam
Wars?
2. What were the results
of the Korean and
Vietnam Wars?
What countries were
Vietnam and Korea
Liberated from during
WWII?
3. When a country has a
Nationalist Movement,
what does that mean?
4. Was Communism
contained in both wars?