The Cold War in Asia

A. China Turns Communist

B. The Korean War 1950-1953
C. Vietnam War 1964-1975
 A. China Turns Communist
• Before WWII began there was a Civil War in
China between the Communists and
Nationalists
• During WWII the fighting stopped as the
Chinese concentrated on defeating Japan
• Fighting renewed after WWII from 1946-1949
• Communist forces were led by Mao Zedong
• Nationalists forces were led by Jiang Jieshi
• Communists win the Civil War because they have
the support of the peasants (90% of the population)
• Oct. 1, 1949 Mao proclaims the People’s Republic
of China (PRC) – a communist state
• Nationalists retreated
to Taiwan and
created the Republic
of China (ROC)
• U.S. supported the
Nationalists and
therefore the ROC
• The Soviet Union
supported the PRC
• Created problem in the UN
• Which China would be seated?
• U.S., Britain, & France voted for the ROC
• Soviet Union will now boycott the UN in support of
the PRC
 B. The Korean War 1950 – 1953
• 1st Cold War conflict
outside of Europe
• Korea divided into 2
zones of influence after
WWII: Soviets in the
North, U.S. in South
• Divided at the 38th
parallel
• 1950 North Korea
invades the South
to try to reunite
• U.S. under the
policy of
containment
wishes to stop the
invasion
• U.S. will appeal to
the U.N. to send
troops
• U.S. will send troops led • China will then become
by General MacArthur involved to help the
and will drive the North North Koreans and
Koreans back to the protect their own nation
Chinese border
• Chinese will drive • Truman doesn’t
MacArthur back to 38th • MacArthur fired
parallel • Cease-fire declared
• MacArthur wants to use the • At the end, still divided at
atomic bomb to win war the 38th parallel
 C. The Vietnam War 1964-1975
• Vietnam was part of
the French colony of
Indochina and was
captured by the
Japanese during WWII
• Following WWII,
Vietnam fights for it’s
independence from
France
• Vietnamese are led by
Ho Chi Minh, a
communist
• Vietnam will win
independence from France
in 1954
• U.S. becomes worried that
Vietnam will become
Communist
• Vietnam divided into two
at the Geneva Conference
– Communist North & U.S.
supported South
• Domino Theory – belief that if one SE Asian
country falls to communism, they all will
• Communists were gaining
support in the South
• the U.S. sends advisors to help
rule and limit communist
influence in late 1950’s
• Gulf of Tonkin Incident (1964) - “attack” on two
American destroyers
• Congress authorizes troops into South Vietnam to
stop the spread of Communism– war never declared
• By 1968, President Johnson has sent ½ million U.S.
soldiers to Vietnam to fight against the Viet Cong
(Communist forces) in South Vietnam not against
North Vietnam
• Problems for the U.S.:
– Most Vietnamese like
the Viet Cong
– Can’t figure out who is
the enemy
– Fighting in the jungle
– Ho Chi Minh Trail
– North Vietnam helping
the Viet Cong
– U.S. not winning the
war
• War becomes increasingly unpopular in the U.S
• President Nixon calls for Vietnamization – gradual
withdrawal of U.S. troops
• By 1973, all American troops pulled from Vietnam
• 1975, North Vietnamese overrun the South and
Vietnam is reunited as a communist nation
• In the end Communism spread to 3 nations in Asia
– China
– North Korea
– Vietnam