The Cold War Part II

1. The Cold War Part II Including Ms. Rohweller’s report on the background, conflict and relationship of the Vietnam war to the Cold War.

4. What you need to remember for the upcoming exam: • The leadership and policies of both Truman and Stalin • The Marshall Plan and the Truman Doctrine • Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech • NATO • The significance of the Berlin Airlift and blockade

5. What you need to remember for the upcoming exam: • Warsaw Pact • The causes, actions and effects of the Korean War (June 1950-July 1951). • Containment Policies in various regions • The Domino Theory • Senator McCarthy and HUAC (House Un-American Committee)

6. What you need to remember for the upcoming exam: • The leadership and policies of both Eisenhower, JFK and Khurshchev • U.S.-U.S.S.R rivalry played out in the rest of the world (notes that you took from the class presentations). • Soviet satellite nations: Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and East Germany. • U.S. and Soviet influences around the world

7. Two important vocabulary words to consider: • Brinkmanship: creating an impression that a country is willing and able to push a highly dangerous situation to the limit rather than concede. • Détente: relaxing or easing of tensions between two rivals, usually characterized by increased diplomatic negotiations and talks.

8. The years 1955-1975 • Escalating nuclear arms/missiles race • Stockpiling of nuclear arms in an effort to “preserve the peace”. • The space race begins-1957 the Soviet Union launches Sputnik (the first satellite into outer space). The U.S. follows with Explorer I.

9. The years 1955-1975 • The greatest confrontations of the Cold War came during the Kennedy presidency (1961-1963). • Closing the Missile Gap • American would reach the moon by the end of decade. • Increased aid to developing countries through the Peace Corps • Crisis in Cuba

10. The Bay of Pigs • 1959 Castro gives American businesses the boot out of Cuba • Thousands of Cubans flee to the U.S. (mostly around the Miami area) • Castro openly joins with the communist party • U.S. institutes a trade embargo and the CIA begins to secretly train a group of Cuban refugees for invasion of the island.

11. The Bay of Pigs Cont… • Eisenhower had been concerned about communism is the Western Hemisphere, Kennedy inherits this plan. • In April, 1961--the invasion begins and most of the 1,500 invaders were captured. Inadequate air protection was a major reason for the failure of the attack.

12. Map of the Bay of Pigs

13. Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy

14. Castro and Khrushchev President Kennedy

15. Cuban Missile Crisis • Khrushchev announces his intensions in defending a second U.S. invasion of Cuba • Soviet soldiers are sent to construct missile sites. • U.S. intelligence supplies photos of the missile sites-they had proof that the Soviets were on the doorstep of the United States. • 13 Days of tension and negotiations begin in the fall of 1962.

18. Cuban Missile Crisis Cont… • Kennedy imposed a quarantine of Cuba, which did not allow arms or supplies into Cuba. • Kennedy was fully aware that this military stand-off could lead to full nuclear war. • Negotiations continue between Khrushchev and Kennedy (who stood firm, but fully aware of the nuclear threat). • Kennedy promises not to invade Cuba and remove missiles from Turkey, Khrushchev agreed to remove missile sites in Cuba. • Khrushchev is weakened by the event and is ousted from power in 1964.

19. One last event… • The Berlin Wall is built in the summer of 1961. • The Soviets built the wall to stop the mass exodus of East Germans (almost 3 million had left up to that point). • The wall was 28 miles of concrete and barbed wire with armed guards stationed along it. • The wall was a physical, visual reminder of the Cold War.

21. Vietnam….Background • Officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam • Predominately rural population, in 2005 only 27% of the population lived in urban areas. • In the 2nd century BC, China invaded. The Vietnamese would restore their independence by 939 BC and remain independent and expand along the coast for the next thousand years.

22. French Indo-China

23. Vietnam….Background • In the late 19th century, France invaded and divided Vietnam into three regions. These regions were joined with Laos and Cambodia and become known as French Indochina. • Resources were exploited from Vietnam for the benefit of France. • After WWII, anti-colonial groups revolted against French rule. These revolts were lead by the Indochinese Communist Party.

24. Vietnam….Background • In 1954, the French were defeated by Vietnamese forces at Dien Bien Phu. • Vietnam was divided into two zones; North Vietnam which was controlled by the communists and South Vietnam which was controlled by the anti-communists. • South Vietnam would spend the next 20 years trying to stop North Vietnam’s attacks and attempts to unify the country.

25. Vietnam….The Conflict • Officially lasted from 1959-1975 • In 1965, the U.S sent in troops to prevent the South Vietnamese government from collapsing. • The U.S. also became involved because of their belief in the domino theory-if an entire country fell to communist control, all of Asia would fall as well. • 3.2 million Vietnamese and 58,000 Americans were killed. By 1976, Vietnam was united as a communist nation, the U.S. had failed in its goal.

26. Vietnam….The Conflict • During WWII, Japan controlled Vietnam. At the time, Bao Dai was emperor of the country. • The U.S. demanded that the Japanese leave and supported guerilla fighters called the Viet Minh, who were lead by Ho Chi Minh. • The Japanese surrender and Ho Chi Minh takes advantage of the situation and declares independence from France.

27. Leader of the Communist Party: Ho Chi Minh

28. Vietnam….The Conflict • With its defeat in 1954, France is humiliated and tired of war. It asks for help from other nations to begin a plan for withdrawl. • Vietnam is divided along the 17th Parallel and French troops remain in the south as they prepare to withdraw. • Ho Chi Minh remains in control in the North and Bao Dai was in control of the South. He appoints Ngo Dinh Diem as Prime Minister.

29. Emperor Bao Dai Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem

30. Vietnam….The Conflict • In 1954, the U.S. establishes SEATO-Southeast Asian Treaty Organization. • A regional alliance that extended protection to South Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos in cases of Communist subversion or insurrection • The U.S. would use SEATO as justification for direct involvement in Vietnam.

31. Vietnam….The Conflict • Diem wins election and becomes leader of South Vietnam. Many are opposed to his government and the National Liberation Front (or NFL) is formed. • Rebellions erupt in South Vietnam, especially in the rural areas. • Diem speaks out against Viet Mihn influence, calling them Viet Cong (the English equivalent of “commies”)

32. Kennedy and Vietnam • The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) was created in 1955 by the United States. This army was intended to help with the rebellions in South Vietnam. • Kennedy felt ARVN could be affective. He increased advisors from 800 in 1961 to 16,700 by 1963. • U.S. airpower was assigned to support ARVN through the use of Agent Orange.

33. Johnson and Vietnam • President Johnson felt he needed to take a tough stand on the spread of communism. • Johnson increased the U.S. advisors in Vietnam to 27,000. • Johnson believed that success could come from intimidating North Vietnam with the threat of full scale U.S. intervention. • He also increased the bombing along the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos.

34. Johnson and Vietnam • On August 2, 1964, North Vietnamese gunboats fired on the U.S.S. Maddox in the Gulf of Tonkin. • Johnson orders the first air strikes on North Vietnam. • The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution is passed by Congress, which gave Johnson war-making powers until such time as peace and security return to Vietnam.

35. The Tet Offensive • The North Vietnamese and the NFL decided that it was time an offensive to inflict severe casualties and significantly affect the public mood of the U.S. • The North Vietnamese and the NFL attack a U.S. base in December 1967. 50,000 troops are called in to support the base. • This is exactly what the NV and the NFL hoped for and Dec. 31 (Tet is the start of the Vietnamese lunar New Year) and began attacking every major city in South Vietnam.

36. Tet Offensive Continued • The Offensive lasted until the fall of 1968, during which time the embassy in Saigon was controlled for several hours by NV and the NFL. • 45,000 NV and NFL troops died. • In March 1968, U.S. troops wipe out the village of My Lai, killing 500 unarmed citizens (mostly women and children). • This event would be covered up for over a year

37. Nixon and Vietnam • By the time Nixon took office in 1969, slightly over 30,000 U.S. troops had died in Vietnam. • His plan for war was “Vietnamization”, which meant withdrawing U.S. troops and having South Vietnam take over the fighting. • Nixon orders troops into Cambodia, U.S. college campuses erupt in protest. Students are killed at Kent State and and Jackson State. (May 1970) • The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution is repealed. Congress passes the Cooper-Church Amendment which forbade the use of troops outside of Vietnam. Bombing is never specifically mentioned.

38. Nixon and Vietnam • Nixon continues the bombing of Laos along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. • On March 30th 1972, 30,000 North Vietnamese troops crossed the 17th Parallel. Only 6,000 U.S. troops remained at the time in South Vietnam. • Known as the Easter Offensive, Nixon orders massive bombings and 100,000 communist troops are killed.

39. Nixon and Vietnam • By 1973, Nixon was facing impeachment over the Watergate Scandal and it was revealed that the U.S. had secretly bombed Cambodia. • By mid-January, Nixon halted all military action against the North Vietnamese. • On January 27, 1973 a peace treaty is signed in Paris to end the conflict.

40. The End of the Conflict • On March 29th, 1973 the last U.S. troops left Vietnam • On April 30th, 1975 South Vietnam surrenders to North Vietnam and after 30 years since Ho Chi Minh’s proclamation of an independent Vietnam, it was united.

41. Connections to the Cold War • War of its own accord: war for independence from France, war to unify North and South Vietnam. • Soviet involvement: Ho Chi Minh shared the same ideology as the Soviets. Support for North Vietnam-financially, 3,000 troops. • Soviet involvement assumed a nuclear threat and prevented a major intervention of American troops. • American policy of containment and the concern over the domino effect. • Proxy war--yes, the perfect example.