E vents leading to the start of the Korean War - PowerPoint Presentation

E vents leading to the start of the Korean WarAfter WWII, Korea was divided into two countries at the 38th Parallel line(38o N Latitude). North Korea became a communist country with the support of China and the Soviet Union. South Korea had a non-communist government and was supported by the United States. In June 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea. President Truman asked for the United Nations to send a peace keeping force into Korea to stop the fighting. The U.S. made up the biggest part of the U.N. forces. Official the U.S. never declares war, but instead enters the conflict as a policing force under the United Nation with the goal of stopping North Korea’s aggression. Korean War Memorial, Washington DC

China’s involvement in the war The U.N. forces under the command of General Douglas MacArthurwere able to push the North Koreans back across the 38th Parallel. MacArthur continued to advanced deeper into North Korea. At this point China became alarmed and warned that if U.N. forces continued to move closer to their border they would enter the war on the side ofNorth Korea. The U.N. forces did not withdraw and China entered thewar. MacArthur wanted to attack China directly, but President Truman wouldn’t allow him for fear that Korea would grow into a largerconflict. Truman eventually replaces MacArthur. Truman and MacArthur

Outcomes of the Korean War A cease fire went into effect on July 27, 1953. President Eisenhower brought the war to an end as he had promised in his election campaign. The war ended in a stalemate. The border between North and South Korea remained at the 38th Parallel (DMZ- Demilitarized Zone). ManyAmericans felt frustrated by the indecisive war. Over 33,000 American soldiers were killed in the war, with another 103,000 being wounded.

Origins of the Vietnam War French Indochina War (1945-1954) The Vietnamese had been fighting against foreign rulers for a long time. Vietnam was a part of the French colony of Indochina prior to WWII. The Vietnamese never accepted French rule. After WWII the Vietnamese had expected the French to give them their independence. Ho Chi Minh formed the Indochina Communist Party (Viet Minh) to challenge French rule. The U.S. backed the French during this war. Colonial Flag of French Indochina Viet Minh Flag Ho Chi Minh

Origins of the Vietnam War Geneva Peace Accords In 1954, the French were defeated by the Viet Minh. It was decided at the Geneva Peace Accords to divide the Vietnam at the 17th Parallel. North Vietnam would be Communist and South Vietnam would be non-Communist . The communist government in the North would be led by Ho Chi Minh . He was extremely popular in both the North and South (kind of like the George Washington of Vietnam). The South chose U.S. backed Ngo Dinh Diem to be their leader , who was not very popular with the people. He never established a democratic government in the South, and in fact set up a kind of dictatorship . Ngo Dinh Diem- Leader of South Vietnam Flag of S. Vietnam

Origins of the Vietnam War Geneva Peace AccordsThe division was only to be temporary until elections could be held. The United States and the South Vietnamese government were afraid that they would lose to Ho Chi Minh in the election so they postponed it. As a result, Vietnam remained separated into two countries. At this point a new group called the Viet Cong (South Vietnamese communist) was created to oppose Diem’s government. North Vietnam started to support the Viet Cong and their fight against the South. 17 th Parallel

America and the Vietnam War Geneva Peace Accords The Ho Chi Minh trail was a nickname for a series of trails that ran from North Vietnam to South Vietnam through the countries of Laos and Cambodia. The Geneva Accords forbid either side to cross the DMZ at the 17th parallel, so the North avoid breaking this rule by going around it. They were used by the Communists in the North to supply the Viet Cong in the South.Vietnamese carrying supplies on the Ho Chi Minh Trail

Origins of the Vietnam War After the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis, President Kennedy was reconsidering America’s involvement in Vietnam. He wanted to start scaling back the U.S.’s commitment to South Vietnam. After Kennedy’s death, President Johnson will start to increase American support for the Anti-communist in South Vietnam.Cuban Missile Crisis

America and the Vietnam War Containment/ Domino Theory The U.S. saw communism spreading around the world after WWII. As more countries turned to communism the government’s plan to contain communism seemed to be not working. When the French asked the U.S. for help in their war against the communists in Vietnam the U.S. agreed to help with money and military equipment/training. Under President Eisenhower a new theory emerged called the Domino Theory. This was the idea that if one country in a region fell to communism so would the surround countries.

America and the Vietnam War Gulf of Tonkin Resolution The United States claimed that two U.S. Navy warships had been attacked by North Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin. President Lyndon Johnson used this as a reason to ask Congress to give him permission to use greater force in Vietnam. The Congress agreed, and by doing so essentially gave Johnson a “blank check” to fight the war any way he saw fit. This resolution led to an escalation in the number of U.S. forces in Vietnam. USS Maddox fires upon three North Vietnamese torpedo boats Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

America and the Vietnam War Tet Offensive America found itself fighting a guerrilla style of war. The jungle terrain of Vietnam was difficult to fight in for soldiers. Most U.S. soldiers were young and inexperienced. U.S. soldiers only served for a short time then went back home. They were going up against the Viet Cong and NVA (North Vietnamese Army) who were used to war. The local people did not support the U.S. U.S. Troops on patrol Viet Cong tunnel complex Viet Cong Soldier

Tet OffensiveOn January 30, 1968, Communist forces launched anoffensive on the Vietnamese holiday of Tet. The offensive was stopped, but afterwards public opinion in America started to turn against the war. Many Americans realized that the government reports stating that America was winning the war were not accurate.U.S. Marines advance past a tank during the battle for Hue America and the Vietnam War

Vietnam Divides America Anti-War Movement:Why some Americans opposed the Vietnam WarSome Americans felt the U.S. had no business becoming involved in another country’s civil war, and that the fight methods used were immoral. Others thought the cost of the war was too high, and that the draft was unfair because it singled out the poor and minorities.

Hawks and Doves The war gave rise to the counter-culture movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Young people (Hippies) started to reject the middle- class lifestyle of their parents. The war further divided the country between those who supported the war, Hawks, and those opposed to it, Doves.Hawk=WarDove=Peace Vietnam Divides America Anti-War Movement:

Peace Agreement and the Legacy of the War: Peace with HonorNixon’s administration developed a strategy to withdraw America from the Vietnam War. The basic idea was to turn the war over to South Vietnam (Vietnamization). The U.S. started to bomb and invade Cambodia as part of this new strategy, with the hope of weakening the Viet Cong before America’s withdrawal. This invasion touched off a series of anti-war protest, including the shootings at Kent State University

Peace Agreement and the Legacy of the War: Cease-fire in VietnamJanuary 27, 1973 the U.S. and South Vietnam signed a cease-fire agreement with the North Vietnam and the Viet Cong. It was agreed that the U.S. would withdraw all of its combat forces out of Vietnam.

The war ends in 1975 with North Vietnam taking over South Vietnam.Vietnam was unified into one Communist controlled country. Saigon(Ho Chi Minh City), the capital of South Vietnam was the last non-Communist strong hold to fall to the Communists. The United States tried to evacuate as many South Vietnamese as possible before the Communists took the city. Vietnamese civilians boarding an America Helicopter during the fall of Saigon. Vietnam War Memorial, Washington DCPeace Agreement and the Legacy of the War:

Peace Agreement and the Legacy of the War: After America’s involvement in Vietnam ends, Congress passes the War Powers Act (1973) limiting a President’s ability to use military force. The President has 48 hours to report to Congress any time they send soldiers into combat. The soldiers can’t stay longer than 90 days unless thepresident gets approval from Congress. 26th Amendment gave lowered the voting age to 18. The war cost over 1.5 million Vietnamese their lives and over 58,000 Americans are killed. Use of “Agent Orange” caused long term health problems for soldiers and the people of Vietnam