USA and Containment in Asia

Introduction Korean War had expanded the Cold War to Asia Domino Effect had to be avoided Varying degrees of success for the US

Korea Communism kept north of the 38th parallel MacArthur had expanded the war in an attempt to roll-back Communism Mutilated success Americans routed by Chinese NSC-68 implemented Great cost Future impact as well

Japan More success there Originally objective was to create weak Japan Changed with Cold War Demilitarization, royal family survived Emperor reduced New constitution emphasizing individual

Japan Need for anti-Communist ally changed everything Needed to be strong militarily and economically Trade unions banned Powerful families returned to power Shortly after Korean War given 75,000 self-defense force Became a military protectorate with American-Japanese Security Treaty American military bases

Containment a Success in Japan Japan became a strong force Economic miracle Never a threat to become communism Approach of Japanese people also very important Hard working Japanese resisted further demands of USA

Taiwan Policy changed with Korean War Truman ordered navy to Taiwan straits to keep China from Formosa US began to recognize Nationalists as official Chinese state Gave substantial aid Eisenhower allowed Nationalists to attack China China responded, Eisenhower threatened nuclear war Brinkmanship and massive retaliation

Vietnam Most striking failure North Vietnamese Communists not contained Decade of military involvement Loss of hundreds of thousands of American lives Billions of dollars Division of public opinion Fear of dominoes, Cambodia and Laos already fallen

Background to Vietnam Indochina a French colony Nationalist movements Ho Chi Minh Vietminh Movement against the Japanese French with no intention of letting it go Roosevelt has pressured them to Had changed with Truman 1950, Eisenhower sends aid 1954 French defeated at Dien Bien Phu in 1954

Geneva Accords 1954 USA did not sign South Vietnam in SEATO protection French would withdraw Temporary division at 17th parallel Ho Chi Minh control north Free elections to unite Vietnam in 1956 No foreign bases Laos and Cambodia recognized USA did not sign South Vietnam in SEATO protection

Vietnam South Vietnam led by Ngo Dinh Diem Educated in US 1955, declared himself president Millions in aid sent to him USA began training the army 1960, 100 military advisers there Diem turned out to be ruthless leader Brutal, reforms no where, Catholic despite Buddhist tradition Refused to hold elections, afraid Ho Chi Minh would have got 80 percent Vietcong formed

Kennedy Widens the Conflict Kennedy (1960) advocated for flexible response Increased advisers Began counter-insurgency against Vietcong Green Berets Encouraged social and political reforms from Diem Did not succeed Alienated local popilation Diem’s anti-Buddhist policies led to mass protests Diem killed in a coup in 1963 Further US commitment

Johnson’s Continuation of the War LBJ inherited Kennedy’s team Determined to prevent domino effect Johnson needed to escalate the commitment August 1964, Gulf of Tonkin incident Maddox fired upon Two days later again, Turner Joy Johnson gained Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Operation Rolling Thunder 100,000 ground forces in South Vietnam, 1968, 520,000 Also bombed targets in the South to hit supply lines

Great Society and Credibility Gap Johnson wanted to focus on this program at home Against poverty and social injustice Kept many in the dark on Vietnam’s failures because of these desires

Tet Offensive 1968, war had reached a turning point War of attrition had not succeeded No light at the end of the tunnel January 1968, major offensive, 100 cities in South Vietnam 11 days to recover Saigon Did not trigger the uprising the Vietcong had hoped Public opinion in the US now turned First televised war New peak of protests 1968, Johnson halted bombing and peace talks initiated Announced he would not run for re-election

Nixon’s Peace With Honor Nixon in 1968, wanted withdrawal Not prepared for peace at any price Could not simply leave Wanted South Vietnam to survive Another four years Tried to use force to do that 14 months of bombing Ho Chi Minh trail Vietnamization Gradual withdrawl and handing over the war Nixon doctrine Nations responsible for their own defense

Paris Peace Talks 1973, Both sides trying for peace with honor Continued fighting to try to gain advantage Nixon sought détente Period of cooling relations with China and Soviet Union, hope to put pressure on North Vietnam Signed, but not followed North invaded and took Saigon in April 1975 Containment failed and in Laos and Cambodia

Vietnam a Failure? Failed to some extent Badly fostered growth in Cambodia and Laos Did provide stability in other areas of Asia

Conclusions Containment successful up to 1949 Less successful in Asia Soviet expansion stopped, Berlin Airlift, Marshall Plan Less successful in Asia Communism much more diverse there, linked with nationalism Too much fighting against local movements

Reviewing Leaders

Eisenhower and Dulles in the US 1952, Eisenhower in, had been Chief of Staff and Commander Dulles, Sec. of State Both strongly anti-Communist Dulles had discussed roll-back No attempt ever made ‘New Look’ policy instead Use of alliances Assisting forces fighting communism CIA used Notable was threat of nuclear weapons Brinkmankship Also aware of the dangers though Summits in 55 and 59

Khruschev and Co-Existence New attitudes in Soviet Union Stalin died in 1953, Nikita Khruschev part of a collective leadership ‘New Course’ Peaceful co-existence Should accept differences with West Capitalism would eventually die out Khruschev wins power struggle

Other Factors in the Cool Avoiding a nuclear holocaust Wanted to decrease military spending Korean War ended in 1954 April 1955, Austrian State Treaty First meeting of the heads of government Geneva Summit, July 1955 Better relationship in terms of trade exhibitions, scientific information and cultural exchanges 1956, Khruschev gives de-Stalinization speech Creates problems for him Suez Canal crisis created problems for US Eisenhower Doctrine out of this

Technology 1957 Sputnik launched by Soviets Missile Gap Panic in America Khruschev suggests he can wipe out a city Missile Gap Gaither Report created Increase in missile spending Build-up of conventional forces Buildup of fallout shelters U-2 spy planes showed the gap did not exist Eisenhower created NASA in 1958, increased science education

1958-1960 Eisenhower confident in nuclear superiority Khruschev in 1958, issues ultimatum to the West to leave Berlin Did not, he backed down Accepted an invitation to visit US in 1959 Paris Summit May 1960 planned U-2 Incident Before summit, US plane shot down, Eisdenhower embarrassed Refused to apologize at Paris Cancelled his visit to Soviet Union Thaw was at an end