Democracy vs. Communism

After WWII, America wanted to spread democracy through the world. The Soviet Union wanted to spread communism throughout the world. This was called the COLD WAR.

Two countries threatened by communism were Vietnam and Korea.

After WWII, Korea was split into N. Korea and S After WWII, Korea was split into N. Korea and S. Korea at the 38th Parallel.

America feared that if a country became communist, so would its neighbors…like falling dominoes.

This was called the “Domino Effect.”

America fought two wars to stop communism from spreading:

1) The Korean War *began in 1950 when communist North Korea invaded South Korea

North Korea wanted to take over South Korea and make it communist.

The Korean War: no one won. N. Korea and S. Korea kept their original borders and were divided at the 38th parallel

Korean War https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X7nbwFxGRU

2) The Vietnam War began when communist North Vietnam invaded South Vietnam (The 17th Parallel divided the two countries.)

The US supported South Vietnam so that it wouldn’t become communist.

The Ho Chi Minh Trail helped North Vietnam win the war. It was a road built through other countries to help support the North Vietcong Army.

America pulled out of the Vietnam War in 1975. North Vietnam took over South Vietnam after America withdrew, and Vietnam became one country.

Vietnam War- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgW0o-Ui94k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NB0vFbOTjMM