Conflict Around the World

Korea

• North Korea (Soviet backed) vs South Korea (US backed)– 38th parallel crossed by the North– Containment was being put to the test– UN troops would push North forces back– After 3 years, 4 million soldiers and civilians died– Cease fire reestablished the 38th parallel

Korean War

Vietnam

• Japan surrenders in WWII• Vietnam under Ho Chi Minh (communist

nationalist) claims independence• Formally a French colony, they want it back• France invades Vietnam, no success• IKE’s Domino theory• Geneva Accords – Divided Vietnam into North and South– Communist North vs Anti-Communist South

Vietnam

• Ho Chi minh vs Ngo Dinh Diem• Rise in Vietcong (Southern rebels, communist

loyalists)• US enters the War, China and USSR support

Communist North and Vietcong• Public Pressure and lack of success, US pulls

out under Vietnamization, 1973 troops out.• 1975 North takes over South

Vietnam War

Cambodia

• Khmer Rouge– Brutal communist regime under Pol Pot– Millions murdered– In 1993, UN helped establish free elections

Cuba

• Fidel Castro leads the revolution• Bay of Pigs Invasion– CIA backed - failed invasion

• Cuban Missile Crisis– Nikita Khrushchev vs JFK

Cuba

Nicaragua

• Daniel Ortega leads a communist revolution supported by initially by US and USSR.

• Started giving assistance to other Marxist rebels

• So, US began supporting contras (anti-communists) in Nicaragua

• Civil War weakened the nation led to free elections in 1990

Nicaragua

Iran

• US backed Shah (King) of Iran– Pro Western

• Ayatollahs (Muslim clerics) opposed this relationship– 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini led a revolution to

overthrow the Shah• War with Iraq– Aided by USSR and US, to maintain balance in the

region

Shah Pahlavi vs Ayatollah Khomeini

Afghanistan

• 1950s, Soviet influence threatened Afghan independence

• 1970s, Muslim revolt threatens Afghan Communist government

• 1979 Soviet Union invades • Afghan rebel soldiers equipped and trained by

the US• 1989 Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev

withdraws troops

Taliban and Mujahideen Fighters