The Vietnam War Era (1954-1975) Lesson 1 The Cold War and Vietnam

1. The Vietnam War Era (1954-1975) Lesson 1 The Cold War and Vietnam

2. The Vietnam War Era (1954-1975) Lesson 1 The Cold War and Vietnam Learning Objectives • Explain the steps Kennedy took to change American foreign policy. • Analyze the causes and effects of the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis. • Assess the outcome of the Berlin Crisis and other foreign-policy events of the 1960s. • Describe the reasons that the United States helped the French fight the Vietnamese. • Identify ways in which the United States opposed communism in Southeast Asia. • Analyze how the United States increased its involvement in Vietnam.

3. The Vietnam War Era (1954-1975) Lesson 1 The Cold War and Vietnam Key Terms • John Kennedy • Fidel Castro • flexible response • Peace Corps • Alliance for Progress • Bay of Pigs invasion • Cuban missile crisis • Nikita Khrushchev • hot line • Nuclear Test Ban Treaty • Berlin Wall • Ho Chi Minh • domino theory • Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) • Vietcong • Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

4. Kennedy Strives to Win the Cold War John Kennedy's 1960 campaign stressed the need for the United States to move forward with vigor and determination. Kennedy argued that during the Eisenhower years America had lost ground in the Cold War struggle against communism. He pointed to the new communist regime under Fidel Castro in Cuba and charged that there was now a “missile gap” that left the U.S. nuclear missile force inferior to that of the Soviet Union. The first goal of the Kennedy administration would be to build up the nation’s armed forces.

5. Kennedy Strives to Win the Cold War • Significant National Decisions Impact the Cold War • Important International Decisions Shape the Cold War

6. Kennedy Strives to Win the Cold War President-elect Kennedy meets President Eisenhower at the White House in December, 1960. After he took office, Kennedy increased defense spending by $6 billion.

7. Kennedy Responds to Communism in Cuba In 1959, Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro succeeded in overthrowing the regime of Fulgencio Batista. Initially, the United States attempted to cultivate good relations with Castro. However, it soon became clear that the Cuban leader was determined to nationalize land held by U.S. citizens, enforce radical reform measures, and accept Soviet economic and military aid. Thousands of wealthy and middle-class Cubans fled their country, many settling in Miami and southern Florida. Proud of their heritage and deeply anticommunist, they made new lives for themselves and their families in the United States.

8. Kennedy Responds to Communism in Cuba • Bay of Pigs Invasion • Kennedy’s Role in the Cuban Missile Crisis • The Impact of the Crisis

9. Kennedy Responds to Communism in Cuba During a May Day rally in Havana, Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro stokes public distrust of the United States, accusing it of preparing to attack Cuba through nearby Latin American countries.

10. Kennedy Responds to Communism in Cuba Analyze Maps Based on the information in the map, what factors might have influenced President Kennedy's decision to launch the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba, in 1961?

11. The Causes and Outcomes of the Berlin Crisis Since 1958, Khrushchev wanted to sign a peace treaty that would put the western zones of Berlin under control of East Germany. His actions were motivated by the steady flow of skilled East German workers into West Berlin. Desiring to show his strength, Kennedy stood firm on America’s commitment to defending the rights of West Berliners and West Germans. At a conference in Vienna in June 1961, Kennedy and Khrushchev focused on Berlin as the key issue. Khrushchev called the present situation “intolerable.”

12. The Causes and Outcomes of the Berlin Crisis In 1961, workers build part of the Berlin Wall. The ninety-six-mile-long wall would divide Soviet controlled East Berlin from democratic West Berlin.

13. Reasons for U.S. Involvement in Indochina Presidents Kennedy and Johnson shared a vision for a better America in the 1960s. They also shared a vision for a better world in which America would emerge victorious from its Cold War struggle against global communism. As part of this strategic and ideological battle, the United States established a new line of defense against communism in Vietnam. The conflict in Southeast Asia would grow to be one of the most costly wars in American history.

14. Reasons for U.S. Involvement in Indochina • French Control of Indochina in Southeast Asia • The French Fight Nationalism and Communism • The Domino Theory Spurs U.S. Involvement in Vietnam

15. Reasons for U.S. Involvement in Indochina Analyze Maps Based on the information in this map, which regions of present-day Vietnam were particularly dangerous for French forces?

16. Reasons for U.S. Involvement in Indochina Ho Chi Minh was a revolutionary leader who fought against French occupation. Later, he became the prime minister, then president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam).

17. Reasons for U.S. Involvement in Indochina Analyze Charts Based on the graphic, were U.S. leaders concerned about the spread of communism only in Southeast Asia or did they fear it would spread worldwide?

18. Reasons for U.S. Involvement in Indochina Support a Point of View with Evidence The graphic shows the international chain reaction that American strategists of the 1950s most feared. Were these strategists justified in their concern about the spread of communism? Explain.

19. The United States Responds to Communism in Vietnam During the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, France appealed to the United States for military support. President Eisenhower was willing to supply money but not soldiers. Ike would not commit American troops to defend colonialism in Asia. Nevertheless, the President firmly supported the new anticommunist government of South Vietnam.

20. The United States Responds to Communism in Vietnam • The U.S. Escalates Involvement in South Vietnam • Impact of the Communist Insurgency • Kennedy Sends U.S. Troops to Vietnam • Johnson Leads the Nation into the Vietnam War • Reasons for Escalating Conflict • Congress Gives Johnson Broad Military Powers

21. The United States Responds to Communism in Vietnam French soldiers march Vietminh prisoners captured during fighting near Dien Bien Phu.

22. Quiz: Kennedy Strives to Win the Cold War Which defense policy did President Kennedy favor? A. nuclear attack B. flexible response C. massive retaliation D. diplomatic consideration

23. Quiz: Kennedy Responds to Communism in Cuba What was the effect of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty? A. It ended aboveground nuclear tests. B. It prohibited all testing of nuclear weapons. C. It limited the production of nuclear weapons. D. It authorized nuclear tests in specific countries.

24. Quiz: The Causes and Outcomes of the Berlin Crisis Why did President Kennedy want to defend the freedom of West Berlin? A. He considered its resources important to the U.S. economy. B. He hoped to prevent a war between East Berlin and West Berlin. C. He considered it critical to defending western Europe from communism. D. He wanted to negotiate an agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union.

25. Quiz: Reasons for U.S. Involvement in Indochina Why did the United States support French colonial efforts in Vietnam? A. to strengthen nationalist efforts in Vietnam B. to help preserve French colonialism in Vietnam C. to ensure French support of the United States during the Cold War D. to reward France for its support of the United States in previous conflicts

26. Quiz: The United States Responds to Communism in Vietnam What was the primary goal of the Vietcong? A. to replace Soviet communism with democracy in North Vietnam B. to unite North Vietnam and South Vietnam by way of a compromise C. to undermine the anticommunist Diem government in South Vietnam D. to reverse the anti-Buddhist legislation passed by the Diem administration