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The Late Cold War Era: Part II

The Late Cold War Era: Part II. Indochina. France left Indochina in 1954 An international conference was held in Geneva, Switzerland Ended French rule Laos and Cambodia became independent Temporarily partitioned Vietnam at the 17 th parallel Communist North under control of Ho Chi Minh

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The Late Cold War Era: Part II

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  1. The Late Cold War Era: Part II

  2. Indochina • France left Indochina in 1954 • An international conference was held in Geneva, Switzerland • Ended French rule • Laos and Cambodia became independent • Temporarily partitioned Vietnam at the 17th parallel • Communist North under control of Ho Chi Minh • Non-communist South under Pres. Ngo Dinh Diem • Elections were to be held in 1956 to determine the future for a united Vietnam

  3. Second Indochina War • The U.S. and South Vietnam refused to: • recognize the Geneva Agreement • hold elections • The South Vietnamese Communists (Viet Cong) revolted against the S. Vietnamese government in 1958 • Other religious and political groups revolted in Laos and Cambodia turning it into a general Indochina war

  4. Second Indochina War becomes Cold War Conflict • Soviet Union and China hailed it as “war of national liberation” and supplied weapons, economic aid, and technical advisors to North Vietnamese. • N. Vietnam sent supplies and troops to the Viet Cong in S. Vietnam through Laos and Cambodia along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. • Eisenhower invoked Truman Doctrine and sent military aid and advisors to help the South Vietnamese army. • Kennedy expanded this policy to aid anti-Communist forces in Laos.

  5. U.S. Involvement Escalates • Diem’s anti-Buddhist policies led to popular protests (monk’s burn themselves to death in protest) • In 1963, the U.S. gave approval to a coup by S. Vietnamese generals that overthrew and killed Diem. • Political instability followed as a succession of generals tried and failed to organize stable governments.

  6. U.S. InvolvementEscalates • Lyndon Johnson became president in 1963 and sharply escalated U.S. involvement in Indochina. • He maneuvered Congress to pass the Gulf of Tonkin Resolutions on August 7, 1964 • Empowered Johnson to “take all necessary measures” • Johnson increased combat troops until they reached 500,000 in 1968 • Authorized air strikes against N. Vietnam and along the Ho Chi Minh trail

  7. U.S. InvolvementEscalates • Despite superior arms, equipment, & supplies, the U.S. found it extremely difficult to fight disciplined guerrillas in the hot jungle climate. • The poorly led S. Vietnamese government and army were poor partners. • By 1968, most of the fighting was occurring in S. Vietnam between the U.S. and North Vietnamese forces.

  8. Turning Point (1968) • The Tet (lunar new year) offensive • The Communists launched attacks on all important towns in S. Vietnam • They were eventually driven back but at the cost of heavy casualties • The idea of a quick, victorious end to the war by the U.S. vanished • Johnson did not seek reelection in 1968

  9. The End of U.S. Involvement • Richard Nixon tried to hasten the end of U.S. involvement (Vietnamization) • Improved relations with Soviet Union & China • Heavily bombed N. Vietnam, strengthened the S. Vietnamese army, while slowly withdrawing U.S. troops • On January 27, 1973, the U.S. and N. Vietnam signed the Paris Agreement

  10. The Paris Agreement • Cease-fire • Complete withdrawal of U.S. troops within 60 days • U.S. economic aid to both North and South Vietnam • Chief negotiators Henry Kissinger (U.S.) and Le Duc Tho (N. Vietnam) won Nobel Prize for Peace in 1973

  11. North Vietnamese Victorious • Fighting ended in 1975 when North crushed the South Vietnamese government. • The Communist victory ended the 30 year struggle for a united, independent Vietnamese government. • Cost • 3.2 million died (mostly Vietnamese civilians) • 57,000 U.S. troops died. • Result • A unified Socialist Republic of Vietnam (1976) • Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City (Ho had died in 1969) • Communists victorious in Laos and Cambodia

  12. Overpopulation in Asia • The newly independent nations were ravaged by common problems • Overpopulation was the determining factor in economic growth • Improved public health and medicine had eliminated epidemics and decreased the infant mortality rate. • Despite the huge population increase, there had been no famine because of a high-yielding “miracle rice” that doubled the world rice harvest between 1967 and 1992. (Green Revolution)

  13. Overpopulation in Asia • Countries such as Singapore, which at achieved almost zero population growth by the late 1980s, thrived economically and achieved a higher standard of living. • Most countries, however, slipped further into poverty and economic backwardness because they could not control the population explosion.

  14. Other problems • Large populations meant that it was difficult to improve education and standards of living. • Most Asian countries also suffered from inept and corrupt governments that crippled development. • Large military expenditures also slowed economic development. • Because of the Cold War, all nations in the region benefited from foreign aid, but at a cost.

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