The Surrogate Wars: Korea & Vietnam

  • Soviet Troops enter North Korea

    Soviet Troops enter North Korea
    Soviet Union is supporting all Communist countries, defending the communist government and attempting to make the other part of the country Communist as well. The Soviets provided the Koreans with new military technology and new soldiers to attack South Korea and its defenders: The US and UN.
  • Korea is divided

    Korea is divided
    The Japanses regime ceases after WWII. Korea is divided into North and South Korea at the 38th Parallel, where the North is supported by the Communist countries such as the Soviet Union and Communist China, while the South is supported by the US and the UN, the Capitalist powers.
  • US Troops enter Seoul

    US Troops enter Seoul
    The US acts upon its policy of Containment, where the US wishes to stop Communism from spreading all over the world. This marks the US's first action against Communism. The US wants to protect Capitalist countries because the US's Economy cannot survive without the imports and exports of other countries, not because they actually care what happens to the Korean people.
  • North Korea attacks South Korea

    North Korea attacks South Korea
    After extensive preparation for war, North Korea finally makes the first move in invading South Korea. After the invasion of North Korea, Truman sent American troops to support the South Korean Capitalists's Side as an act of Containment.
  • Korean War ends

    Korean War ends
    The armistice, signed on July 27, established a committee of representatives from neutral countries to decide the fate of the thousands of prisoners of war on both sides. A new border between North and South Korea was drawn, which gave South Korea some additional territory and demilitarized the zone between the two nations. The war cost the lives of millions of Koreans and Chinese, as well as over 50,000 Americans.
  • Vietnam War with USA begins

    Vietnam War with USA begins
    Massive attacks finally overwhelmed the French troops at Dien Bien Phu. Before their beleaguered retreat, the French had pleaded with the United States for direct military assistance. The Joint Chiefs proposed an air strike, the Vice President Richard Nixon suggested, “putting our boys in.” When the Congress expressed reservations, President Eisenhower sought British support. Prime Minister Churchill refused.
  • Vietnam is divided

    Vietnam is divided
    Supposed to be a provisional demarcation between North Vietnam and South Vietnam at the 17th Parallel, in accordance to the Geneva Accords that was to end hostilities in Vietnam after France’s defeat. All of Vietnam was to be reunited under one government after elections in 1956. The US was not in agreement with the Geneva accords, refusing to let Vietnam become communist, and France was determined to regain control of its colony.
  • Battle of Inchon / Korean Warfare

    Battle of Inchon / Korean Warfare
    Warfare in the whole Korean War was characterized as spontaneous and quick, also known as Guerilla warfare. The guerrillas harassed isolated villages, ambushed patrols, fired on trains, cut telephone lines, and attacked police stations. U.S. forces used a tremendous amount of napalm in Korea, much of it made in Japan. During the conflict, U.S. forces dropped a quarter of a million pounds of napalm bombs every day.
  • Vietnam War Warfare

    Vietnam War Warfare
    Guerrilla warfare refers to small conflicts where groups of stealthy combatants use the element of surprise to eliminate the opponent. This tactic was widely used by the North Vietnamese Communists, also called the Vietcong. The US retaliated by constantly bombing North Vietnam in Hit-and-Run situations.
  • Vietnam is reunified

    Vietnam is reunified
    When South Vietnam fell it was united with the North. Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City. A communist government was set up in the South. Industries were taken over and remnants of US influence were destroyed. At first a wave of anti-US feeling swept through Vietnam. South Vietnamese who had collaborated with the US forces were hunted down. Refugees began to try to escape from Vietnam by boat.