Korea and Vietnam Wars
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Korea and Vietnam Wars. Korea and Vietnam Wars. Korea and Vietnam Wars. Communism spreads to China in 1949 and the U.S. grows concerned for SE Asia. Domino Theory.
Korea and Vietnam Wars
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Korea and Vietnam Wars • Communism spreads to China in 1949 and the U.S. grows concerned for SE Asia
Domino Theory • Speculated that if one state in a region came under the influence of communism, then the surrounding countries would follow in a domino effect. • Used to justify the need for American intervention around the world.
Korea and Vietnam Wars • 1950 the North Korea invades South Korea in an attempt to unify country under Communism • UN decides to take action
Korea and Vietnam Wars • US Troops push N. Korean forces back to China – Chinese forces attack • By 1951 there is a stalemate and by 1953 there is a truce • Korea remains divided today at the 38th parallel
Korea and Vietnam Wars • 1964 U.S. warships attacked by the North Vietnamese • Gulf of Tonkin Resolution: The President is allowed to protect troops in Vietnam by any means necessary
Who we faught • Viet Cong • North Vietnamese Army heavily supplied from USSR via China
Korea and Vietnam Wars • Guerilla Warfare: Soldier’s fighting in unconvential tactics (not wearing uniforms, ambush, booby traps…) • http://www.learn360.com/ShowVideo.aspx?SearchText=vietnam+war&lid=18035743&GradeLevel=3360056&MediaFormat=3360062&ID=236066
Tet Offensive • 1968 • Viet Cong Attack every major US base in South Vietnam • US Embassy compound in Saigon is attacked • Americans defeat attack, but media begins to see this as an unwinnable war
Turning point in public support • Walter Cronkite wavers with his public support • LBJ states “if I’ve lost Cronkite, I’ve lose middle America…” • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn4w-ud-TyE
American’s have had enough • By 1965 support for the war is low • Protests start and college campuses are at the center of the demonstrations
Vietnamization • Nixon’s plan to "expand, equip, and train South Vietnam's forces and assign to them an ever-increasing combat role, at the same time steadily reducing the number of U.S. combat troops."
Korea and Vietnam Wars • Finally in 1973 Pres. Nixon signs a cease fire and starts to pull troops out of Vietnam • 1975 South Vietnam falls to Communism
Cost of War • Of the 2.7 million Americans that served in the Vietnam war… • 300,000 were wounded in action • 75,000 were disabled • Of the casualties listed on The Wall, approximately 1,300 remain missing in action • 58,129 were killed • The average age was 19