Transcript Cold War and Vietnam (American History)

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June 1945 - 50 nations formed the United Nations which was (and
is) an organization dedicated to resolving international conflicts
One of the first decisions of the U.N. was to divide Palestine into
separate Arab and Jewish states on May 14, 1948
U.S. quickly recognized the new Jewish state
Arab forces attacked Israel, but Israeli forces drove them back and
both sides reached a truce in 1949
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Cold War = this phrase described the struggle for global power between the
United States and the Soviet Union (U.S.S.R.)
After Stalin created a Communist government in Poland, he created
“satellite states” which were countries under Soviet control
Iron Curtain = term refers to the division between Soviet controlled
countries and the Western world
The term “iron curtain” was coined by Winston Churchill in 1946
Truman urged free elections but Stalin refuses
In 1946, Stalin said capitalism and communism cannot co-exist
Germany divided; East Germany - Communist, West Germany - Democratic
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Containment = U.S. plan to prevent the Soviet Union from expanding its
influence around the world
Truman Doctrine = U.S. supported countries that rejected communism; for
example, Congress approved Truman’s request for aid to Greece and
Turkey to stop Communist revolutions in those countries
Much of Western Europe was in ruins after World War II
Marshall Plan = U.S. program of assisting Western European countries;
Western Europe received over $13 billion in U.S. loans and grants
Congress approved the Marshall Plan after Communist takeover of
Czechoslovakia
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In 1948, the U.S., Britain, France withdrew forces from West
Germany
Berlin Blockade - Soviets stopped land and water traffic and trade
into West Berlin
West Berlin, which was located in Soviet occupation zone, faced
starvation
U.S. and Britain flew in (airlifted) supplies for 11 months until the
blockade ended
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In 1949, the U.S., Canada, and West European countries form NATO
NATO = North Atlantic Treaty Organization was a defensive military alliance
In 1955, Soviets, Eastern European nations signed Warsaw Pact alliance
In 1961, Soviets and Khrushchev built the Berlin Wall to separate East and
West Berlin and prevent workers from leaving East Berlin
President John F. Kennedy (JFK) allowed the wall to be built because he
was unwilling to go to war over the issue
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Fair Deal = Truman’s plan that wanted a higher minimum wage, the creation of a
national health insurance plan for all Americans, end to racial discrimination in hiring,
and expansion of Social Security benefits for the elderly (only the minimum wage and
Social Security parts were approved)
Dixiecrats (Southern States' Rights Democratic Party) were segregationist and
angered by the plan because they wanted to perpetuate racial discrimination in hirin
G.I Bill of Rights = offered veterans money for school as well as loans for houses,
farms, and businesses
In 1946, prices rose, so workers went on strike to demand higher wages; this posed a
political problem for President Truman
Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 = Congress passed this act to reduce the power of labor
unions; this act outlawed closed shops (businesses that could only hire union
members)
In 1948, Truman officially ended segregation in the Armed Forces due to pressure
from African-American groups
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Many American businesses moved to southern and western states where taxes were
low
Interstate Highway Act of 1956 – many Americans migrated to the suburbs
William Levitt designed homes in Long Island, NY to be affordable for middle class
Americans (Levittown, NY)
Federal Urban Renewal Program = improved city services and housing
Television had one of the biggest impacts on American popular culture in the 1950s
Many women were dissatisfied with the post war years because society seemed to
assume a woman’s principal role was as a housewife and mother
The bebop style of jazz, invented by Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, was a fastpaced, complex form of jazz
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U.S. and Soviet Union both developed more powerful hydrogen bomb
(nuclear proliferation – building more nuclear weapons)
Brinkmanship—policy of willingness to go to the edge of war
In October 1957, Soviets launched Sputnik which was the first unmanned
satellite
Launching of Sputnik caused U.S. to spend more money on education and
technology and to develop more rigorous science and math programs and
investment in the space program in the 1960s; we were worried Soviets
would be able to launch missiles at us from space
Uprisings in Hungary in 1956 and the Soviets shooting down and American
U-2 spy plane in 1960, increased tensions between our countries
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Wisconsin Senator, Joseph McCarthy, believed that Communists were
trying to infiltrate the U.S. government (Red Scare)
Many Hollywood actors were accused of having Communist ties and were
blacklisted
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were accused of providing Soviet spies with
secret details about our atomic bombs; they were tried and executed in
1951
McCarthy took advantage of a frightened nation and brutally bullied
witnesses
He was brought down when he charged that there were Communists were
in the U.S. Army
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Chinese Communists (led by Mao Zedong) and Nationalists (led by Chiang
Kai-shek) were united against Japan because they had a common enemy
The Communist takeover of China was a U.S. foreign policy failure because
we supported the Nationalists after WWII
Korea was controlled by Japan during WWII and then it was divided by the
U.S. and Soviet Union after the war
38th parallel—line dividing Korea into North Korea and South Korea
In 1950, North Koreans invaded South Korea with Soviet support
South Korea requested UN assistance; President Truman 15 nations send
troops
Douglas MacArthur—led UN forces against North Koreans
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North Koreans controlled most of peninsula when MacArthur attacks
Half of the North’s army surrendered, the rest retreated
UN troops pushed North Koreans almost to Chinese border
Just when it seemed North Korea would successfully be invaded, Chinese
sent 300,000 troops against UN forces and captured Seoul
MacArthur called for nuclear attack and wanted to invade mainland China;
as a result, Truman removed him from command
In 1953, cease fire signed and border established at 38th parallel
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In 1959, Fidel Castro (Communist) gained power, nationalized economy, and seized
U.S. property
Bay of Pigs Invasion - In 1961, Castro’s forces defeated U.S.-trained Cuban exiles
at Bay of Pigs; CIA trained these Cubans but they failed to assassinate Castro; this
plan was originally implemented by President Eisenhower
Cuban Missile Crisis - In 1962, U.S. spy planes discovered the Soviets were
installing nuclear missiles in Cuba, so we demanded the removal of the missiles;
Soviets withdrew missiles and U.S. promised not to invade Cuba; nuclear war was
averted
Peace Corps – JFK set this up to support developing nations of the world
July 20, 1969 – Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin were the first people to
land on the moon
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French Indochina – Vietnam was a colony of France
The U.S. supported France’s attempt to suppress the Vietminh (Vietnamese
Communists), because we feared a spread of Communism in the region
Ho Chi Minh—Vietnamese Communist leader; he wanted a Communist revolution
In 1954, French surrendered to Vietnamese after major defeat
Domino theory—U.S. theory of Communist expansion in Southeast Asia; one nation
falls, the rest will follow
International peace conference agreed on a divided Vietnam
Ngo Dinh Diem—led anti-Communist government in South Vietnam
Vietcong—South Vietnamese Communist guerillas who fought against Diem
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1954 Geneva Accords – temporarily set up North and South
Vietnam; France leaves
1964 – U.S. ships off the North Vietnamese coast reported being
attacked and that led to our rapid involvement
Tonkin Gulf Resolution – gave the President (Lyndon Johnson) the
authority to take all necessary means to repel an armed attack
against U.S.forces
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In 1964, U.S. sent troops to fight Vietcong and North Vietnamese
U.S. fought guerilla war
To disrupt the Ho Chi Minh Trail (supply line), U.S. forces dropped napalm
and Agent Orange to kill troops, destroy supplies, and clear forests
General Westmoreland’s search-and-destroy missions targeted hidden
enemy camps
Vietcong gained support from Ho Chi Minh, China, Soviet Union
Escalation – President Johnson’s policy of increased involvement between
1965 and 1968
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War grew unpopular in U.S.; in 1969, Nixon starts withdrawing troops
My Lai Massacre – American soldiers killed 500 unarmed villagers, including women
and children in 1968
After the massacre, many Americans started questioning the war
Vietnam highlighted race and class differences because white, wealthy college
students were able to get deferments, releasing them from the draft.
Vietnamization—Nixon’s plan to withdraw U.S. from war gradually
President Nixon angered many Americans in 1970 when he announced he sent
troops into Cambodia
There was a huge protest against the secret bombings of Cambodia at Kent State
University
Last U.S. troops left in 1973; South Vietnam was overrun in 1975
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Vietnamization—Nixon’s plan to withdraw U.S. from war gradually
President Nixon angered many Americans in 1970 when he announced he sent
troops into Cambodia
There was a huge protest against the secret bombings of Cambodia at Kent State
University
Last U.S. troops left in 1973; South Vietnam was overrun in 1975
War Powers Act – president must get congressional approval before committing
troops to an armed struggle
Saigon renamed Ho Chi Minh City; Vietnam united as Communist nation
Vietnam War Veterans were met with hostility when they returned home
Many Americans turned inward after the war