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