Knowledge Connections Vocabulary  Domino Theory Term Definition Knowledge Connections Picture

Essential Question How were the Korean War and Vietnam War both linked to the policy of containment?

What was Korea like after WWII? After World War II, Korea had been left a divided nation The Soviet Union controlled the northern part of the country Korea was divided at the 38th parallel The United States controlled the southern part of the country

How was Korea rebuilt? The Soviet Union set up a communist government in NORTH KOREA The United States set up a democratic government in SOUTH KOREA

How did the Korean War start? 1950 – North Korea invades South Korea US President Harry Truman convinces the UNITED NATIONS to send troops (Americans made up most of the troops)

How did outside nations respond? Soviet leader JOSEPH STALIN had supported North Korea’s invasion American General DOUGLAS MACARTHUR led the UN troops into battle and was able to push the North Korean army back across the 38th parallel China’s leader MAO ZEDONG saw the UN troops as a threat and sent Chinese troops to push the UN back to South Korea

What was MacArthur’s plan? Gen. MacArthur wanted to use atomic bombs on Chinese military bases… …but President Truman refused When MacArthur objected and tried to go around Truman – MacArthur was fired! Truman did not want to start World War III by dropping bombs on Korea or China

Who won the Korean War? Three years of fighting = no clear victory 1953 – An armistice was signed – the fighting was over

What were the results of the war? 2.5 million people lost their lives The boundary between the two Koreas was unchanged No peace treaty was ever signed

What is Korea like today? North Korea = Communist South Korea = Democratic Many see North Korea as a trouble spot to this day for several reasons It has a totalitarian government (dictatorship) It has ties with terrorists It has the knowledge to build nuclear weapons

Like Korea, Vietnam was a divided country What was Vietnam like after WWII? Like Korea, Vietnam was a divided country When the Japanese left HO CHI MINH declared Vietnam independent However, INDOCHINA had once been a French colony and they wanted to regain control

What is Indochina? China is to the north Indochina is made up of the following countries: Cambodia Laos Vietnam Indonesia is to the south

How did war break out? 1946 – the French return to reclaim their colony Ho Chi Minh led a a group known as the VIETMINH to drive the French out of Vietnam

How did the US get involved? The United States feared that Ho Chi Minh was a Communist… …if he was successful, he could spread communism all over Asia If Vietnam falls to the Communists, then other countries will fall too… like a row of dominoes! President DWIGHT EISENHOWER coined the term DOMINO THEORY in an April 7, 1954 news conference

Vietnam divided at the 17th parallel What did the US do in Vietnam? The United States tried to help the French reclaim Vietnam 1954 – The French decide to make peace with the Vietminh GENEVA ACCORDS Vietnam divided at the 17th parallel North Vietnam = Communist (led by Ho Chi Minh) South Vietnam = Democratic (led by a US backed government)

Was the war over? The Geneva Accords also required elections to be held in North and South Vietnam Fearing a Communist takeover, South Vietnam (backed by the US) refused to participate The conflict in Vietnam continued…

What happened as the war continued? The United States sent money, weapons, and aid to South Vietnam The Soviet Union and China poured weapons into North Vietnam By the 1960s, American troops began arriving in Vietnam 1969 – 500,000 American soldiers in Vietnam

US involvement in Vietnam divided the American people How did people in the US feel about the war? US involvement in Vietnam divided the American people 1973 – President RICHARD NIXON reaches a settlement to withdraw American forces from Vietnam Sadly, by this time, more than 58,000 Americans had lost their lives in the war Their names can be found on the VIETNAM MEMORIAL in Washington, DC

What was the result of the Vietnam War? 1975 – North Vietnam invades South Vietnam… …South Vietnam falls North Vietnamese leaders reunite the country into one Vietnam – a Communist Vietnam It would take 20 years for the US and Vietnam to renew their relations… …the two nations reopened to talks and trade in 1995

Essential Question How were the Korean War and Vietnam War both linked to the policy of containment?

Vietnam War Korean War