Vietnam War and Korean War SS7H3a: Describe how nationalism led to independence in Vietnam. SS7H3e Explain the reasons for foreign involvement in Korea and Vietnam in terms of containment of Communism. (Korean War and Vietnam War)

Where is Vietnam? North and East Hemispheres East of Laos and Cambodia Vietnam is in Southeast Asia North and East Hemispheres East of Laos and Cambodia South of China

What history do I need to know about Vietnam? From 1880s until WWII France governed Vietnam as part of French Indochina French Indo-China included Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos After Japan’s defeat in WWII, France tried to reassert its control over Indo-China. In Vietnam, a nationalist movement under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh rose up to resist the French.

In 1940 Japan invaded French Indochina

WWII-a chance for resistance to colonial rule U.S. Demanded that the Japanese leave The Viet Minh of the League for the Independence of Vietnam was formed Viet Minh formed an alliance with the U.S. When the Japanese surrendered in 1945, the Vietnamese declared their independence.

Who are the western powers? Ho Chi Minh’s success concerned the United States because they viewed him as a Communist. In 1954, the Vietnamese and Western powers reached a compromise. They divided Vietnam into two nations. North Vietnam fell under Communist rule of Ho Chi Minh, while a U.S. backed government rules South Vietnam. U.S. involvement in Vietnam developed as a result of U.S./Soviet Cold War politics. The Cold War (approx. 1945-1991) was a continuing state of political and military tension between the powers of the Western world, led by the United States and its NATO allies, and the communist world, led by the Soviet Union, its satellite states and allies.

Vietnam War-1955-1975 North Vietnam attacked South Vietnam. The Western Powers feared that communism would spread throughout all of Eastern Asia. The U.S. was not only fighting North Vietnam’s invading army, but also South Vietnamese communists, known as Vietcong. Vietcong were poor rural farmers who felt they would be better off under Communism. Vietnamese resented the French for ruling them for years and did not want the U.S. or Great Britain to have any influence over their country. The U.S. was involved in the Vietnam War from 1955-1973. In 1975, South Vietnam fell to Communist rule and the entire country of Vietnam was unified under Communism.

Domino Effect The idea that if all of a country fell under a communist government communism would spread throughout the world. 1954-President Eisenhower Cites "Domino Theory" Regarding Southeast Asia:   "You have a row of dominoes set up. You knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly."

What is Communism? Government type where 1 political party rules over people and economy. Who are the Communist nations that we know of?

Where is the Korean Peninsula? Since both the Soviet Union and the US played a role in Korea’s liberation from the Japanese during WWII, the country was divided along the 38th parallel.

Korean War-1950-1953 North Korea allied with the Soviet Union as a Communist State. South Korea became a pro-US, democratic, capitalist society. 1950 Korean War began when North Korean troops crossed the 38th parallel and invaded South Korea.

Who helped South Korea? General Douglas MacArthur (same man who helped re-build Japan after the war) commanded the UN troops that were sent into South Korea. MacArthur’s forces successfully pushed the North Koreans all the way back to the border. A stalemate soon developed; neither side could gain an advantage. Both sides signed a cease-fire in 1953 that left the country divided at almost exactly the same point as it had been prior to the war.

North and South Korea Today Tensions remain high between North and South Korea. Capitalism and democracy have allowed South Korea to thrive as a wealthy, modernized society. Meanwhile, North Korea is one of the poorest nations in the world. North Korea’s strict communist regime pours most of the nation’s resources ($) into its military rather than on efforts to modernize and benefit the population.

Standards Check? 1. Why did the U.S. become involved in the Korean and Vietnam Wars? 2. What were the results of the Korean and Vietnam Wars? What countries were Vietnam and Korea Liberated from during WWII? 3. When a country has a Nationalist Movement, what does that mean? 4. Was Communism contained in both wars? SS7H3a: Describe how nationalism led to independence in Vietnam. SS7H3e Explain the reasons for foreign involvement in Korea and Vietnam in terms of containment of Communism. (Korean War and Vietnam War)