Lesson 23 Cold War: Containment & Confrontation

1. Lesson 23 Cold War: Containment & Confrontation

2. The Cold War Class Definition between A prolonged armed confrontation   Totalitarian Socialism Communism East   Democracy Free Market Capitalism West characterized by intense competition: Economic Military Diplomatic Scientific Cultural with local wars fought by proxies

3. Roots of the Cold War The Three Conferences Tehran Conference November 28 - 1 December 1, 1943 First meeting of “Big 3” Allies agree to coordinate war activities Yalta Conference 4-11 February 1945 Yalta Conference 4-11 February 1945 Defined post-war world Defined post-war world Potsdam Conference July 17 - August 2, 1945 Discussed issues in transition from war to peace

4. Yalta Conference 4-11 February 1945 Each leader had their priorities: Roosevelt: Gain Soviet assistance in war with Japan Obtain Soviet participation in United Nations Churchill: Restore democratic institutions to Eastern Europe Stalin: Extend sphere of influence to Eastern Europe as buffer

5. Yalta Conference 4-11 February 1945 Concerns: • Soviets would take Berlin • Four Power Partition of Germany, Berlin • Soviets would get parts of Poland • Soviets would receive Japanese territory • Korea divided at 38th parallel Considered by many the beginning of the Cold War Defined the issues of the confrontation

6. Truman Doctrine March 12, 1947  (2:30) US foreign policy designed to stop spread of Communism Pledged to provide economic and military aid to Greece and Turkey US foreign policy transitioned from détent to containment Established containment as grand strategy of Cold War Some sources cite this as the beginning of the Cold War

7. Marshall Plan April 3, 1948 Foreign Assistance Act of 1948 (Also referred to as the Economic Cooperation Act and the European Recovery Act) • Grew from realization that slow recovery from war devastation in Western Europe would leave the region weak and subject to Communist incursion • US leadership did not want a repeat of post- World War One conditions that contributed to the Great Depression and rise of Fascism. • Marshall publicly presented idea in Harvard commencement address (June 5, 1947) • Provided $12 B in recovery aid (Value in 2005 $: $555 B per GDP share) • Major factor in Western European resistance to Communism

8. North Atlantic Treaty April 4, 1949 Formed North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) • Military alliance to protect Western Europe • Original members: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom, United States • Greece, Turkey joined in 1952 • West Germany joined following ratification of Paris Peace Treaties (May 1955) USSR responded with Warsaw Pact (May 14, 1955) • Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Rumania, Soviet Union

9. Soviet A-bomb Soviet Nuclear Test (US code name “Joe 1”) August 29, 1949

10. NSC-68 April 14, 1950 Classified National Security Council document Full analysis of US-USSR relationship Defined initial US Cold War strategy: Containment Implemented the Truman Doctrine

11. Impact of NSC-68 Immediate increase in defense spending FY 1950: Defense budget $14.1 billion 33% of national budget, 5% 0f GNP FY 1951: Defense budget $33.6 billion 73% of national budget, 10% 0f GNP Demonstrated American commitment to win the Cold War Source

12. Cold War: Thinking the Unthinkable

13. US Cold War Policy Stem the tide of worldwide Soviet expansionism Insure security of Europe through a strong NATO Prevent global nuclear war through deterrence • Emphasis on defense Colonel John Osgood, USA, Retired United States Nuclear Strategy 1945-1995

14. Nuclear Targeting Theories Counterforce : target warfighting capability Countervalue : target cities and industry

15. Nuclear Triad Manned Bombers Can launch on warning Accurate Flexible Vulnerable in flight Slow SLBM ICBM Vulnerable to first strike Quick response Invulnerable in flight Accurate Economical Survivable Quick response Invulnerable in flight Unpredictable Expensive

16. Cold War: Cuban Missile Crisis

17. Roots of the Cuban Crisis Soviet Union threaten by US strategic missiles in Europe • Felt they were falling behind in arms race Castro feared an invasion of Cuba by U.S. • Approved deployment of Soviet missiles to Cuba as a safeguard

18. Cuban Crisis Options Available to U. S. Airstrikes against missiles Invasion of Cuba Quarantine

19. Resolution October 28, 1962 After exchange of messages, Kennedy & Khrushchev reach a confidential agreement: • US to remove IRBMs from Turkey, Italy • USSR to remove missiles from Cuba • US pledged not to invade Cuba • USSR agreed not to publicly reveal removal of IRBMs

20. Significance of Cuban Crisis Kennedy gained prestige for having defused the crisis but widen trans-Atlantic gulf for not consulting with NATO allies USSR lost some stature in Third World to China Superpowers learned valuable crisis management lessons Nuclear disarmament received increased emphasis Kennedy’s Flexible Response doctrine validated

21. Vietnam: Into the Abyss

22. The Vietnam War Technically, The Second Indochina War or The Southeast Asia War

23. Terms Viet Minh: Communist independence movement in Vietnam, founded 1941 VC: Viet Cong, political/military insurgent group in South Vietnam (1959-1975) NLF: National Liberation Front, formal name for Viet Cong COSVN: Central Office for South Vietnam, US term for NLF HQ DRV: Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) PAVN: Peoples Army of Vietnam (North Vietnamese Army, also NVA) RVN: Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) ARVN: Army of the Republic of Vietnam

24. First Indochina War 1945 - 1954 vs. France Viet Minh Democratic Republic of Vietnam declared September 2, 1945 Viet Minh began a long, bitter war with French Ho Chi Minh 1890 - 1969 • US supported France • Chinese Communists, USSR supported Viet Minh Was fought as a guerilla war … A war of national liberation

25. Viet Minh Strategy Strategy of Revolutionary War Objective: The seizure of power in a nation-state … … by any means possible Characteristics: • Integrated military conflict and political conflict • War on multiple fronts • Geographical • Programmatic

26. Strategy of Revolutionary War Phase I: Targeted state stronger militarily • Revolutionaries avoid combat • Guerrilla war: raids, ambushes, sabotage, terrorism • Political conflict predominant Phase II: Rough military parity • Combined guerrilla and conventional war • Military and political conflict equally important Phase III: Revolution stronger than targeted state • Revolutionary forces go to totally conventional war • “General Offensive” linked to political “Great Uprising”

27. Domino Theory Term coined by President Dwight D. Eisenhower (April 7, 1954) Described how, if one country in Asia fell to Communism, others would follow in succession.

28. • Munich • Truman Doctrine (Containment) • Chinese Intervention in Korea • Domino Theory • Cuban Missile Crisis

29. Why Vietnam? What were the U.S. objectives in Vietnam? Stated: Preservea non-Communist government in South Vietnam Understood: Containment

30. U.S. Attitude Toward Vietnam Eisenhower (1954-1961): US Military Assistance • Trained ARVN to resist cross-border invasion Kennedy (1961-1963): Counterinsurgency • Resisted by US military leaders Johnson (1963-1969): Limited War • Attempted to force North Vietnam to negotiate Nixon (1969-1973): Vietnamization • Increased pressure on North Vietnam to negotiate

31. Vietnam: In Search of a Strategy

32. Review Strategy of Revolutionary War Phase I: Targeted state stronger militarily • Revolutionaries avoid combat • Guerrilla war: raids, ambushes, sabotage, terrorism • Political conflict predominant Phase II: Rough military parity • Combined guerrilla and conventional war • Military and political conflict equally important Phase III: Revolution stronger than targeted state • Revolutionary forces go to totally conventional war • “General Offensive” linked to political “Great Uprising”

33. Review Viet Minh Strategy As Used In First Indochina War Strategy of Revolutionary War Objective: The seizure of power in a nation-state … … by any means possible Characteristics: • Integrated military conflict and political conflict • War on multiple fronts • Geographical • Programmatic

34. Review North Vietnamese Strategy Viet Minh Strategy As used In First Indochina War Strategy of Revolutionary War Objective: The seizure of power in a nation-state … … by any means possible Characteristics: • Integrated military conflict and political conflict • War on multiple fronts • Geographical • Programmatic … just as they used against the French in the First Indochina War!

35. Strategy of Revolutionary War Timeline 1954-1965: Phase I(targeted state stronger) • 1961-1965: Heated Politburo debate on transition 1965-1967: Phase II (rough military parity) • Increased large unit actions (Ia Drang, Khe Sanh) 1968 (early): Phase III (Tet Offensive) (revolutionaries stronger)

36. Strategy of Revolutionary War Analysis US did not recognize and adequately respond to the nature of this strategy and the character of the war • Not totally committed North Vietnam totally committed One country’s limited war = Another country’s total war

37. Strategy of Revolutionary War Timeline 1954-1965: Phase I(targeted state stronger) • 1961-1965: Heated Politburo debate on transition 1965-1967: Phase II (rough military parity) • Increased large unit actions (Ia Drang, Khe Sanh) 1968 (early): Phase III (Tet Offensive) (revolutionaries stronger)

38. Vietnam: Great Society to Great Quagmire

39. Timeline NVA troops begin moving into South Vietnam Early 1960’s Tonkin Gulf Resolution 7 Aug 64 Operation Rolling Thunder (bombing of North) begins 2 Mar 65 8 Mar 65 Marines land at Da Nang 1967 North Vietnamese Army (NVA) increases pressure on South Siege of Khe Sanh Begins Spring 67 31 Jan 68 Tet Offensive begins

40. Review LBJ’s Dilemma “In later years [Johnson] lamented: 'I knew from the start that I was bound to be crucified either way I moved. If I left the woman I really loved, the Great Society, in order to get involved in that bitch of a war on the other side of the world, I would lose everything at home. All my programs. ... But if I left that war and let the communists take over South Vietnam, then I would be seen as a coward and my nation would be seen as an appeaser, and we would both find it impossible to accomplish anything for anybody anywhere on the entire globe.’” Joshua Zeitz "1964 - The Year the Sixties Began" American Heritage, October 2006 Source

41. Review Strategy of Revolutionary War Phase I: Targeted state stronger militarily • Revolutionaries avoid combat • Guerrilla war: raids, ambushes, sabotage, terrorism • Political conflict predominant Phase II: Rough military parity • Combined guerrilla and conventional war • Military and political conflict equally important Phase III: Revolution stronger than targeted state • Revolutionary forces go to totally conventional war • “General Offensive” linked to political “Great Uprising”

42. Significance of Ia Drang First employment of Airmobile concept First major combat between US and NVA units Communist shift from Phase I to Phase II in Strategy of Revolutionary War

43. Strategy of Revolutionary War Timeline 1954-1965: Phase I(guerilla warfare) • 1961-1965: Heated Politburo debate on transition 1965-1967: Phase II (combined guerilla & conventional warfare) • Increased large unit actions (Ia Drang, Khe Sanh)

44. Tet Offensive 1968 Began January 31, 1968 Country-wide combined VC & NVA offensive intended to inspire popular uprising Attack on Khe Sanh began earlier as a diversion

45. Post-Tet Walter Cronkite Upon his return to the US, Cronkite delivered an unprecedented editorial comment on this trip (February 27, 1968) “To say that we are mired in stalemate seems the only realistic, yet unsatisfactory, conclusion.” LBJ’s reply on hearing this: “If I’ve lost Cronkite, I’ve lost middle America.” On March 31, 1968, President Johnson announced he would not seek re-election. Source

46. Strategy of Revolutionary War Timeline 1954-1965: Phase I(guerilla warfare) • 1961-1965: Heated Politburo debate on transition 1965-1967: Phase II (conbined guerilla & conventional warfare) • Increased large unit actions (Ia Drang, Khe Sanh) 1968 (early): Phase III (Tet Offensive) (conventional warfare) • Military disaster (VC destroyed) • “General Uprising” did not occur • Strategic victory none the less 1968 (mid): Phase II

47. Timeline NVA troops begin moving into South Vietnam Early 1960’s 7 Aug 64 Tonkin Gulf Resolution Operation Rolling Thunder (bombing of North) begins Marines land at Da Nang North Vietnamese Army (NVA) increases pressure on South Siege of Khe Sanh Begins Tet Offensive begins Nixon becomes president, begins “Vietnamization” US manpower in Vietnam peaks (543,000) Heavy bombing of Hanoi, Haiphong (Operation Linebacker II) US-North Vietnam sign cease-fire in Paris Last US combat forces leave South VIetnam 2 Mar 65 8 Mar 65 1967 Spring 67 31 Jan 68 20 Jan 69 Mar 69 Dec 72 27 Jan 73 Mar 73

48. Lessons Learned from Vietnam War Weinberger Doctrine • US should not commit forces to combat unless deemed vital to our national interest or that of our allies. • If we commit combat troops, we should do so wholeheartedly and with the clear intention of winning. • Should have clearly defined political and military objectives. • Relationship between our objectives and forces must be continually reassessed and adjusted if necessary. • Reasonable assurance of support of the American people and their elected representatives in Congress. •Commitment of US forces should be a last resort.

49. What Would Weinberger Do? How would US decision to fight in Vietnam have stood up against the test of the Weinberger Doctrine? Vital to our national interest? Clear intent to win? Clearly defined political & military objectives? Objectives, forces committed continuously reassessed? Support of the American people? Last resort?

50. Vietnam: Peace With Honor