THE COLD WAR: Communism Spreads Into Asia
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Transcript of THE COLD WAR: Communism Spreads Into Asia
THE COLD WAR:Communism Spreads Into Asia
COMMUNISTS TAKE POWER IN CHINA
Communists Take Power in China• Chinese Civil War:
• Before World War II, the Chinese were fighting a brutal civil war
• Chinese Communists vs. Chinese Nationalists
• During WWII these two groups temporarily united to fight the Japanese…but they continued to try to gain power in China
Communists Take Power in China• Communists
• Mao Zedong = Leader of Communists• Won loyalty of peasants through
promoting literacy & improving food production
• By 1945 Communists controlled most of northern China
Communists Take Power in China
• Nationalists• Jiang Jieshi (also known as Chang Kai-shek)
= Leader of Nationalists• Dominated southwestern China• U.S. sent financial aid to Nationalists to
help fight Japanese BUT…fought very little against Japanese
Communists Take Power in China
• Civil war resumed when World War II ended
• U.S. continued to back Nationalists with aid, but they lacked support of people – China fell to Communists
Communists Take Power in China
• TWO CHINAS:• Nationalists flee to island of Taiwan and establish a
new gov’t (with help of US) called the Republic of China
• Mao Zedong/Communists gain control of China and establish People’s Republic of China
• Soviets give financial, military, and technical aid to Communist China
THE KOREAN WAR: The Forgotten War
The Korean War• End of WWII• North Korea–Occupied by Soviet Union–Communist
• South Korea– Occupied by United States– Non-Communist
• Divided by 38th parallel
38th PARALLEL
Korean War Begins• 1950, North Koreans
(with help from Soviets) invaded South Korea
• South Korea asked the United States and the United Nations for help
• US helps out under General MacArthur
Then…• UN forces push N.
Korea across the 38th Parallel
• Neared China…• So the CHINESE army
joined North Korean forces
• Why are they helping N. Korea?
Results?• A cease-fire agreement
was signed in July, 1953• More than 2.5 million
people were dead• GET THIS:• The border between the
two Koreas was still drawn at the 38th Parallel!
38th PARALLEL
Today
The Vietnam
War
Background• 1900s – France controlled
Vietnam• Nationalist Leader Ho Chi
Minh asked for communist help
• France then fought the combined Nationalist and Communist forces
• United States supported France
• French surrendered to Ho Chi Minh
Division • Peace Conference• Vietnam was divided at 17th
parallel• North – Communism• South – anti-Communist• Sound familiar?
• Vietcong – communist guerillas who continued to fight for power in south
• Should the U.S. get involved?
Division• U.S. saw a rising threat to the
rest of Asia…• The Domino Theory: Idea that if
a nation falls to communism, nearby nations will also fall to communism
U.S. Troops Enter Fight
• 2 US boats were allegedly attacked by North Vietnamese (didn’t happen)
• 1964: Congress authorized president to send in troops– By 1965, more than 185,000
U.S. soldiers in Vietnam– By 1968 – more than ½ a
million!
U.S. Troops Enter Fight
• US had most advanced military in the world BUT…
• Guerrilla war in unfamiliar jungle territory
• South Vietnamese gov’t became unpopular
• War unpopular in the US
Result• US troops gradually pulled out– Last left in 1973
• 1.5 million Vietnamese dead• 58,000 Americans dead• Saigon capital became:– “Ho Chi Minh City”
• Communist today• However, trade is welcomed
there