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Outcome of the competition between Communism and Capitalism. The Vietnam War. The cold war lasted from the end of WW2 to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 Although the war between the USSR and the USA was ‘cold’ countries such as Vietnam and Korea became ‘battlefields’ of the cold war.
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Outcome of the competition between Communism and Capitalism The Vietnam War
The cold war lasted from the end of WW2 to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 • Although the war between the USSR and the USA was ‘cold’ countries such as Vietnam and Korea became ‘battlefields’ of the cold war
The Vietnam War: background • 1885 Indo China (Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia) are part of French Empire • 1941 (during WW2) Japan expelled the France from Vietnam and took control of the country • Independence movement (led by Ho Chi Minh) began to grow • End of WW2, France tries to regain control of Vietnam which led to conflict between the two groups (French and Viet Minh) • Viet Minh were known for their use of guerrilla tactics during this war
Cont. • By 1954 the French were forced to surrender and Indo China was divided up into 4 (North and South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia • North Vietnam was controlled by communist Ho Chi Minh • South Vietnam was controlled by Ngo Dinh Diem who was anti communist, catholic but also corrupt
Diem was not supported by the Buddhist peasants (as his regime discriminated against non Catholics), who instead helped the Viet Cong (Vietnamese communists)
The Domino theory • America was scared of the conflict in Vietnam, believing that it was in fact an attempt by the communist north to spread communism, first into South Vietnam, then across South East Asia • It feared each country would fall (like Dominos) to communism • In response to this perceived threat, America sent support to Diem’s government
America in Vietnam • Support included money, supplies, military advisors and eventually troops • Nixon (came into power in 1968) began process of ‘Vietnamisation’ of war (making south Vietnamese army strong enough to fight on its own) • Feb 1973 – a cease fire was agreed to by North and South • America then pulled out its troops but agreed to come to the aid of the South if the North broke the cease fire • By 1975 the South Vietnamese army collapsed, America broke its promise of sending help and South Vietnam fell to the communists