War in Vietnam and Confrontation over Developing Nations

1. War in Vietnam and Confrontation over Developing Nations Presented by Nicholas stump Social studies teacher Panther creek high school North Carolina state university graduate student, eci 517

2. War In Vietnam • America was adamant about containing communism • The Road to War • France controlled most of resource-rich SE Asia • But there were nationalist movements beginning in Vietnam • Leader was Ho Chi Minh  asked for communist help • As Japan ruled during WWII and left after losing, Ho believed independence was right around the corner • War Breaks Out • French v. Communist Vietminh • French ultimately surrender • Again, “domino theory” comes into play  became justification for US foreign policy • Meeting at Geneva to split Vietnam into Northern Communists under Ho Chi Minh and a Southern Anti-communists with the aid of the US and Ngo Dinh Diem

3. War In Vietnam • Vietnam – A Divided Country • Diem was unpopular and Ho became extremely popular with land redistribution  US helped Diem with cancellation of elections • Communist guerillas, called the Vietcong, grew in opposition to Diem’s leadership • With US aid, group of S. Vietnamese generals planned a coup to kill and overthrow Diem • New leader was just as bad and it seemed inevitable that a takeover with the backing of North Vietnam and Vietcong was coming

4. War In Vietnam • The US gets involved • US increased involvement b/c of Vietcong scare • August 1954 – LBJ, told Congress that N. Vietnamese patrol boats attacked two American destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin • Authorized sending of troops  late ’65, >185,000 troops with no declaration of war • By 1968, over 500,000 American troops were in Vietnam • US was the best-equipped, most advanced but faced two major difficulties • They were fighting a guerrilla war in unfamiliar territory • S. Vietnamese govt. became more unpopular  Vietcong became more popular • Could not win on the ground  lets try the air • Massive bombings on farmland and forests to destroy enemy hideout , which strengthened the peasants’ opposition to the S. Vietnamese govt.

5. War In Vietnam • The US withdraws • War became really unpopular in the United States  youth revolts and riots • President Nixon called for Vietnamization U.S. troops being withdrawn gradually and preserve S. Vietnamese govt. • Also authorized bombings in neighboring Laos and Cambodia to wipe out Vietcong hiding places • Last forces left Vietnam in 1973 • N. Vietnamese overran S. Vietnam b/c they could not hold them off • Renaming of Saigon (former capital of the South) to Ho Chi Minh • Over 1.5 million Vietnamese and 58,000 Americans had died during the war.

6. Anti-War Demonstrations Columbia University, 1967

7. Anti-War Demonstrations

8. Anti-War Demonstrations

10. Anti-War Demonstrations • May 4, 1970 • 4 students shot dead. • 11 students wounded • Jackson State University • May 10, 1970 • 2 dead; 12 wounded Kent State University

11. DIVIDED AMERICA divided US ESTABLISHMENTANTI-ESTABLISHMENT • Called Middle America, the Silent Majority • Supported Vietnam War • Traditional American values: hard work, family and patriotism • Feared and disliked new styles of music and dress of youth Called counterculture Hippies, Flower Children Opposed Vietnam War Disillusioned with values of money, status, power; emphasized love, individual freedom, cooperation Music and fashion emphasized movement toward new society, greater freedom

12. grunts 1971 • Nixon withdraws100,000 troops. • Defensive role for U.S. ground forces. • Offensive attacks by South Vietnamese Army.

13. War In Vietnam • Ongoing Turmoil in Cambodia • Remained unstable due to US bombing • 1975, Khmer Rouge, Communist rebels, set up brutal Communist govt. under leader Pol Pot • Killed over 2 million people to transform into rural society • Overthrown in 1978  1993 became democratic and captured Pol Pot in 1997 and placed in prison for his war crimes • Postwar Vietnam • N. Vietnamese establish “Reeducation camps” for training in Communist thought • B/c of Communist oppression, over 1.5 million refugees • Still Communist but welcomes foreign investment, US lifted trade embargo in 1994 • While Cold War superpowers were struggling for control over Korea and Vietnam, also used economic and diplomatic means to bring other countries under their control.

14. The Fall of Saigon South Vietnamese Attempt to Flee the Country

15. The Fall of Saigon April 30, 1975 America Abandons Its Embassy

16. The New Vietnam Formerly Saigon

17. The Fall of Saigon North Vietnamese at the Presidential Palace

18. Confrontations over Developing Nations • Cold War Strategies • US, USSR, and China backed or sponsored wars of revolution, liberation, or counterrevolution in 3rd World countries • CIA and KGB engaged in a variety of covert activities • Assassination attempts, spying • US also provided military aid, built schools, sent volunteer workers • USSR sent military and technical assistance to India and Egypt • Association of Nonaligned Nations • Some countries wanted to remain neutral • Banded together at Bandung Conference  primarily India and Indonesia

19. Postwar Face-off in L. America • Civil War in Nicaragua • US funded Nicaraguan dictatorship of Anastasio Somoza since 1933. • 1979, Communist Sandinista rebels topped dictatorship • Both US and USSR initially gave aid to Sandinistas and their leader, Daniel Ortega • Sandinistas also helped rebels in El Salvador but US helped the El Salvadoran govt. by supporting Nicaraguan anti-communist rebels • This civil war last for over 10 years, severely weakening the economy • 1990  Ortega decides to hold free elections and he is then defeated

20. Postwar Face-Off in L. America • Cuban Revolution • 1950’s  US supports Cuba’s dictator, Fulgencio Batista • A young lawyer, named Fidel Castro led revolution in 1959 • Brought many improvements in economy, literacy, health care, and conditions for women • But was a harsh dictator  no elections, jailed/executed opponents, censorship • Nationalized Cuba’s economy, taking over sugar mills and refineries  Ike placed trade embargo (still stands today) • 1960 (Bay of Pigs)  JFK and CIA plan invasion to train anti-Castro Cuban exiles yet during invasion JFK refused to send US planes to support it. • Forces are defeated and the US looks silly

22. Postwar Face-off in L. America • Cuban Missile Crisis • Khrushchev is now convinced US would not resist Soviet expansion in L. America • July 1962  USSR built 42 secret missile sites yet in October a spy plane discovered the sites • JFK demanded the removal of the missiles and placed a quarantine on Cuba to prevent anymore building • How did Castro react to being used as a tool of the Cold War? • US troops gather in FL to invade Cuba • Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles if US does not invade Cuba • Cuba is now completely dependent on Soviets • Castro back Communist revolutions in L. America and Africa • Soviet Union’s end in 1990 crippled Cuba and they are still feeling the effects today

23. cuban missile2 CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS • This U-2 reconnaissance photo showed concrete evidence of missile assembly in Cuba. Shown here are missile transporters and missile-ready tents where fueling and maintenance took place.Courtesy of CIA

24. cuban missile2 • Low altitude view of missile preparation area. The pilot taking this shot flew at an altitude of about 250 feet, and at the speed of sound.

26. cuban missile2 Photographed from an RF-101 Voodoo, this view of a Soviet SA-2 (surface-to-air) missile pattern provided additional evidence of the Russian arming of Cuba.

27. The crisis developed as the U.S. demanded the Soviets to dismantle missiles in Cuba or the U.S. would invade Cuba.

28. cuban missile2 Adlai Stevenson shows aerial photos of Cuban missiles to the United Nations in November 1962.

29. cuban missile2 President Kennedy in the Oval Office with General Curtis LeMay and reconnaissance pilots who flew the Cuban missions. Third from the left is Major Richard Heyser who took the first photos of Cuban missiles.

30. cuban missile2 • U.S. and Soviets prepared for war…..U.S. placed a blockade around Cuba and warned Soviets not to break through the blockade. The Soviets sent their Naval fleet to protect Cuba.

31. cuban missile2 • Last minute decision made: Soviets would dismantle missile sites in Cuba in return for U.S.not invading Cuba. • U.S. would later dismantle missile sites in Turkey…..Not part of original deal.

32. Kennedy and Khruschev both realized how close they came to nuclear war. • The “monster” of nuclear war must never be released. • Both leaders vowed to better communicate with one another. • US and Soviet Union would sign their first nuclear arms limitation treaty in 1963.

33. We went eyeball – to – eyeball with the Russians, and the other man blinked.