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Chapter 30: Vietnam Era. Section 1. President Eisenhower’s policy toward Communism was Massive Retaliation. Kennedy agreed with this policy, but began some new approaches. Communist groups used Guerrilla Warfare in order to take over their governments.
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Section 1 President Eisenhower’s policy toward Communism was Massive Retaliation. Kennedy agreed with this policy, but began some new approaches. Communist groups used Guerrilla Warfare in order to take over their governments. Guerrilla Warfare is fighting by small bands using tactics such as sudden ambushes
Kennedy used Special Forces in order to fight guerrilla wars.
Kennedy feared that poor people in Latin America, Africa, and Asia would be attracted to Communism. He fought this by creating the Peace Corps, which offered volunteers in the areas of teaching, health care, farm aid, industry, and government. Fidel Castro seized power in Cuba in 1959. Castro leaned toward Communism.
The CIA makes plans to overthrow Castro. The CIA planned to send exiles from Cuba back to start an uprising. Exiles are people forced from their homes. 1500 refugees were sent to Cuba, but Kennedy did not give air support and the rebellion failed. (Bay of Pigs) The failure proved America could be bullied.
Premier Khrushchev demanded that the West leave Berlin. Kennedy answered by sending more troops. The Soviet Union responded by building the Berlin Wall which cut off communication between the East and West.
American U-2 spy planes spotted missile silos being built in Cuba. Kennedy warned the Soviet Union that this could lead to a nuclear war. Kennedy sent war ships to blockade Cuba. Khrushchev sent ships with nuclear missiles toward Cuba in defiance of the blockade. For 13 days Americans and Soviets faced the possibility of a nuclear war.
America won the confrontation as Soviet ships retreated and the missile bases were dismantled.
Yuri Gagarin, a Russian cosmonaut, became the first man to orbit the earth. American Space Achievements; Alan Sheppard – first American in space John Glenn – first American to orbit Earth Neil Armstrong – first person on the moon
Section 2: War in Vietnam Vietnamese forces led by Ho Chi Minh fought against the Japanese after WW2. Ho Chi Minh was fighting for Vietnamese independence from France The Geneva Accords split up Vietnam. Communists ruled in the north with Hanoi as their capitol. Non-Communists ruled in the south with Saigon as their capitol.
Vietnam was to be united in 1956 after national elections America reserved the right to step in if the North invaded the South Diem, the Southern leader, with the help of America, refused to hold elections Communist supporters in the South were called Vietcong On orders from Ho Chi Minh, the Vietcong began a war against Diem’s forces.
American forces were to act as advisors to the South Vietnamese forces. American war funds meant to help the South went into the pockets of corrupt officials Diem was so brutal, that army officers staged a coup, an overthrow of the government, in which Diem was killed. Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara advised that we needed more troops for the war in Vietnam. President Johnson was not sure it was worth the fight.
The North Vietnamese allegedly attacked an American boat in the Gulf of Tonkin. Due to the attack, Congress allowed American soldiers to use force. American forces bombed the Ho Chi Minh trail, a major supply route into South Vietnam. More bombs were dropped on North Vietnam than all of WW2
While the war raged on in Vietnam, people in America grew tired of America’s involvement. Chapter 30, Section 3 Those for the war were called “baby killers.” Those against the war were called “traitors.” Many that rejected the war were part of a counterculture, a movement that rejected traditional American values.
These people became known as hippies. Opponents of the war became known as “Doves.” Supporters of the war became known as “Hawks.”
Both Hawks and Doves complained about Johnson’s handling of the war in Vietnam. Johnson decided not to run for reelection. Richard Nixon won the Presidency in 1968 with a promise to return America to law and order and to end the war with dignity.
Chapter 30, Section 4 Nixon’s plan to end the war called for transferring responsibility to the South Vietnamese army and a slow withdrawal of American forces. To help the South Vietnamese with the transition, Nixon expanded the bombing campaign into Communist hideouts in neighboring Cambodia.
Although America entered peace talks with North Vietnam, the anti-war protests encouraged the Communists to hold out for America to quit. A peace agreement was finally made in 1973 and American troops pulled out of Vietnam. In 1975, the North Vietnamese conquered the South completely.
