Korean War and

Vietnam War

By the Omniscient Strivers

Northvs

South

Korean War

Key Issues Faced by the Superpowers That Led to the

Korean War (Involvement)August 15, 1945- Korea divided into US and Soviet occupation zones along 38th parallel.July 26, 1947- President Truman's National Security Act creates US Department of Defense.

Aug 15, 1948- After supervised elections, US military government turned over power to Republic of Korea.June 25, 1950- North Korea, hoping to unify all of Korea under one Communist government, invaded South Korea.

What Happened1949• China became a Communist country. Truman was worried that a domino

effect of Communism would occur.• Kim Il Sung (ruler of North Korea) persuaded Stalin and Mao Tse Tung for

permission to attack South Korea.1950• Syngman Rhee (ruler of South Korea) boasted about his plans to attack

North Korea, giving Kim Il Sung a reason to begin his invasion.• At first the NKPA (North Korean People’s army) was very successful in

defeating the ROKs (Republic of Korea’s Army); by July they had captured all of South Korea except for Pusan in the far South of the peninsula.

• The Americans were alarmed and convinced the UN to support South Korea.

• In July 1950, the UN army of 300 000 men went to Korea, led by General MacArthur. They landed in Pusan and recaptured South Korea.

• The Americans captured 125 000 NKPA prisoners, and advanced in to North Korea right to the Chinese border.

• The Chinese became alarmed and 200 000 Chinese men (‘People’s Volunteers’) came to the aid of North Korea with arms of the Russians and a hatred of Americans.

• In December 500 000 more Chinese troops joined and used the ‘human wave’ tactic to recapture North Korea, and advance in to South Korea once again.

• In March 1951, MacArthur reached the 38th parallel. Truman ordered him to stop, and MacArthur publicly criticized the idea, losing him his job.

1953• Eisenhower was appointed American president and made a formal truce to

stop the war.• An estimated 10 million people were killed in the Korean War.

1951• MacArthur urged

Truman to use atomic weapons, but Truman refused.

• In February 1951, Truman sent more troops and increased the bombing raids which once again drove the Chinese back, but resulted in the loss of 54 000 American men. This war became very unpopular in America.

Importance Regarding Extent to Which the Korean War

Increased/Decreased Tension

The Korean War had been a stalemate between the two superpowers, increasing the need for both of the countries to “one-up” the other and show that either communism or anti-communism was ultimately better. Both countries desired to settle this once and for all and as the tension increased more battles were fought and more crises occurred.

Choices Available to the

Superpowers During the Korean

WarUSA: • They had to choose between: intervene in Korea’s affairs or not… based

on the Soviet Union’s involvement. Would they have gotten involved if the USSR had not been involved?

USSR:• Up until the end of 1949, Stalin was afraid of an attack from South

Korea.• Kim II Sung tried to convince the Soviet leader- Stalin to help him reunite

Korea under one government, over the course of 1949. Stalin was against such a move because he still believed that the peaceful reunification of Korea was still possible. He was later convinced by Kim II Sung that reunification was only possible through military means, and he agreed to help North Korea. Stalin had the choice of possibly allowing the two halves of Korea

come to terms on their own… or to go along with Kim II Sung, and start a war with the South.

Reasons For the Decisions Made By Both Sides

USA:• President Truman wanted to fight in the Korean War because he

believed that the Domino Theory would prevail – if one country fell to communism then others would also fall.

• There were concerns that a war in Korea could turn into another world war

• USA WAS in competition for world domination.• They supported South Korea, because it was a chance to fight

communism without directly attacking Russia.USSR:• USA and USSR were in

competition for world domination.

• The Soviet leader Stalin was persuaded by Kin II Sung to help him conquer South Korea. Stalin agreed because he believed the U.S.A. wouldn’t get involved so he agreed.

Consequences of the Event

• There were several casualties on both sides though the exact figure may never be known.

• The Korean War created more friction between the United States and the Soviet Union.

• The war demonstrated the will of the United States to do everything possible to prevent the proliferation of communism. A feeling of enmity developed between China and the United States that would last for decades.

• Families were split with relatives on either sides of the border.• This war created a fear in the United States of the domino effects of

communism• The United States intervened in Vietnam to avoid another North Korea.

South Korea became an important US military base with thousands of American troops stationed there. The Korean War never ended. The inability of the two sides to resolve their differences has meant that the two Koreas and their allies have had to remain on a battle ready state along the border ever since.

What the Korean War Reveals About How Ideological Conflict Affected International Relations After WWII

The superpowers would use any excuse to fight one another, even joining in wars they should not have. The US and USSR forces in the Korean War created more tension between each other and North Korea/South Korea. This war was a preview of what was to be continued for years to come in similar instances around the world, like the Vietnam War…

Vietnam War

Key Issues Faced by the Superpowers That Led to the Vietnam War (Involvement)

Neither of the superpowers “won” in Korea so they decided to join another battle of Communism vs. Anti-Communism in Vietnam to try once again to win world power.

What Happened1960 • Vietcong Formed

(National Liberation Front for South Vietnam)1962• Cuban Missile Crisis1964 • 3 North Vietnamese PT boats allegedly fire torpedoes at the USS Maddox

named the Gulf of Tonkin Incident• Following the Gulf of Tonkin Incident Congress authorizes President

Johnson to "take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression." The US wages total war against North Vietnam

1968 • President Johnson does not run for the presidency and Richard Nixon

Elected President of the USA1972 • Pressure on Nixon increases to end the involvement of the US in

Vietnam and secret peace talks are initiated.1973 • A cease-fire agreement is signed in Paris• All remaining US troops leave Vietnam

Importance Regarding Extent to Which the Vietnam War

Increased/Decreased Tension• During the start of the Vietnam War tension

between the USSR and US was high, resulting in the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962

• Tensions were already high between the two superpowers from the Korean War and fighting in another war added to the tension.

Choices Available to the Superpowers During the Vietnam War

• Both superpowers could have decided to stay out of a war they had no reason in getting involved in

• President Johnson made the choice to send more troops into Vietnam instead of pulling out

• The superpowers could have chosen to use their nuclear weapons during the Cuban Missile Crisis going on during the war

• Vietnam. • The US could have allowed the protests to go on peacefully instead of opening fire on the protesting students

Protests were held at Kent State and all over the US against President Johnson’s decision to send more than 500,000 men to fight in Vietnam. National Guardsmen were sent in to break up the protests at Kent State and ended up killing 4 students after opening fire on the protesters. This led to more protests against the war in

Reasons For the Decisions Made By Both Sides

Like in the Korean War it was a war between the communist north and anti-communist south; both superpowers saw this as a means of fighting one another in the great communism vs. anti-communism war and proving which country had the most power on the world stage

Consequences of the Event

• The Vietnam War cost the United States 58,000 lives and 350,000 casualties. It also resulted in between one and two million Vietnamese deaths.

• Congress enacted the War Powers Act in 1973, requiring the president to receive explicit Congressional approval before committing American forces overseas.

What the Vietnam War Reveals About How Ideological Conflict Affected International

Relations After WWII

The superpowers' involvement in the Vietnam War over whether or not communism was the better ideology led to thousands of unnecessary deaths, causing unrest around the world and eventually needing in neither the US nor the USSR “winning” the ideological war. International relations were attempted to be patched up but there is always a tension present.

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