The Cold War American Hegemony, Soviet Challenge

III. Cold War/Hot War

Korean War Koreas was divided at the 38th Parallel after WWII. Soviets backing a communist north and Americans a non-communist south North Korea launches invasion of the South. President Truman convinces UN to send troops Gen. MacArthur leads UN/American forces across Korea towards the Yalu River (Border of China) Mao sends in hundreds of thousands of troops which drives the UN/American forces back to the 38th Parallel 1953 an armistice was signed to pause the fighting.

Arms Race and Cuba Soviet Union tests A-bomb in 1949 US had 31,000 Nuclear weapons in 1965 Soviet Union had 37,000 in 1990 ICBM (InterContinental Ballistic Missiles) SLBM (Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles) International community develops MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) Cuba former US protectorate (Platt Amendment) Batista dictator and US Ally, supported turning Cuba into a gambling destination Fidel Castro, Raul Castro, and Che Guevara lead rebels against government 1959 Castro takes over in a military coup 1961 – CIA trained Cuban exiles invade Cuba at the Bay of Pigs Invasion failed and Kennedy takes blame for disaster

Cuban Missile Crisis Castro and Soviet Union create alliance Soviet Union installs nuclear missiles in Cuba Kennedy orders US Navy to “quarantine” Cuba in 1962 An official Blockade is considered an act of war Next few days feature an intense showdown as some Soviet ships are stopped, attempt to run the blockade, or turn away. Crisis was one of the most dangerous points of the Cold War due to the direct involvement of the US and Soviet Union

Vietnam War French Indochina (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia) before WWII. Ho Chi Minh as a nationalist-communist leader declared Vietnam independent after the Japanese defeat in WWII. French eager to rebuild their empire, denied Vietnamese self-determination in 1946 Ho Chi Minh led a rebel army called the Vietminh against the French French defeated at Dien Bien Phu in 1954 President Eisenhower pledged US support to French and against the spread of communism Domino Theory – If countries fell to communism surrounding countries would be at risk.

Vietnam War – cont. UN Geneva Accords divides Vietnam at the 17th parallel. Mandated free elections be held to unite North and South North under control of Nationalist and Communist leader Ho Chi Minh South under control of western allied regime led by Ngo Dinh Diem President Kennedy escalates military commitment in Vietnam. South pulls out of mandated elections for fear of communist win Gulf of Tonkin incident and resolution in 1964 begins US direct military involvement in Vietnam

Vietnam War – cont. American military highly skilled in long-range amphibious and jungle warfare due to World War II and Korea North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong guerrillas in the south were poorly armed War in Vietnam doesn’t go as expected Terrain and guerilla style fighting difficult for American armored (tank) warfare Reliance on Helicopters give mobility and temporary local advantage Local sympathy for the Viet Cong and massive guerilla warfare makes victories temporary

Vietnam War – cont. Opposition to war at home Mai Lai Massacre First war to be televised Draft dodging and desertion as more young men resist the war Student deferments bring thousands more into colleges Leaves the poor and minorities to take on a disproportionate share of the fighting Mai Lai Massacre Company of American soldiers killed most of the people in the village U.S. Army officers covered up the incident for a year before being reported by the American press Brutality and cover up helps fuel anti-war sentiment.

Vietnam War – cont. Tet Offensive Paris Peace Accords Vietnam General Vo Nguyen Giap used the Tet Holiday (Vietnamese celebration of the lunar new year) to launch a surprise attack Marine Base at Khe Sahn and the ancestral capital of Hue were attacked Legacy Tet offensive showed the US was not “winning” the War Johnson decided not to run for re-election US began peace talks that would last for another 5 years Paris Peace Accords Jan 27th 1973 the war ends. 23,700 US troops and advisors withdraw over 60 day period Vietnam still divided until April 1975 when Saigon falls to communist forces

Afghanistan Soviets invade Afghanistan in 1979 Support pro-communist government in rebellion against anticommunist Muslim guerrillas (Mujahideen) U.S. backs mujahideen rebellion President Jimmy Carter boycotts Moscow Olympics in 1980 Soviet Union gets stuck in Afghanistan becoming the Soviet “Vietnam” Soviets finally leave in February 1989 Legacy of this war creates some of the conditions that would bring about our involvement a decade later

Space Race On October 4 1957, the Soviet Union launches Sputnik, the first man-made satellite to orbit the Earth. In 1958, the U.S. creates the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the space race is in full gear. April 1961 Yuri Gagarin, a Russian cosmonaut becomes the first human in space After Gagarin, the next goal of Russia and the US was to be the first to the Moon July 1969 US becomes the first country to land men on the moon Apollo 11 Neil Armstrong = First human on the Moon