Cold War Conflicts I Bay of Pigs Invasion
Cold War Conflicts
I. Bay of Pigs Invasion A. Fidel Castro: Communist Dictator who seized control of Cuba in a Communist revolution (1959) B. Kennedy’s role (JFK) • 1. On April 17, 1961, 1, 400 Cuban exiles launched what became a botched invasion at the Bay of Pigs on the south coast of Cuba. • 2. The exiles were US trained by the CIA. Kennedy takes responsibility for the attack and it’s failure live on television.
II. Cuban Missile Crisis * U-2 spy plane took pictures of Soviets building missile site in Cuba, 1962 A. Soviet Union’s role 1. Under the leadership of Nikita Khrushchev, Soviet war ships carrying the trigger mechanisms for the warheads stationed in Cuba, pointed at the US, are on their way across the Atlantic Ocean. B. Kennedy’s response 1. JFK prepares the Armed Forces for DEFCON 2 (DEFCON 1 means we have been attacked and are currently at war. 2. JFK issues a “quarantine” not a blockade, and send US warships to surround Cuba.
C. Results 1. USSR pulls back their ships 2. US withdraws from Cuba 3. USSR missiles are removed from Cuba 4. US missiles are removed from Turkey 5. USSR / US agree to the Limited Test Ban Treaty a. ban nuclear testing above ground b. limiting radioactive fallout c. example is Bikini Atoll 3 Mile Island
III. Vietnam A. Gulf of Tonkin 1. Vietnamese torpedo boat attack a U. S. Destroyer a. Congress reacts by issuing the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution 2. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution a. Gives the president the power to “prevent further aggression” b. the President can now send soldiers to “war” without the approval of Congress
B. Escalating US involvement in Vietnam 1. 1954 – Vietnam split into Communist North and Democratic South Vietnam’s 2. 1960 – President Eisenhower sent 675 “advisors” 3. By end of 1963 - President Kennedy had sent 16, 000 advisors 4. the idea of Containment is in full effect.
5. President Johnson (LBJ) will drastically increase the number of soldiers in Vietnam after the Gulf of Tonkin incident. a. Start of 1965: 25, 000 b. End of 1965: 184, 000 c. End of 1966: 385, 000 d. End of 1967: 485, 000 e. End of 1968: 536, 000
C. The Media 1. 1 st war to ever be televised and broadcasted / seen nightly on TV 2. Brought the war to the living rooms of Americans 3. Helped to change the perspective of the war in America 4. Walter Cronkite declared that the war was “unwinnable” – and the public began to agree
D. Tet Offensive 1968 • 1. Vietnamese launched offensive on Vietnamese New Year • 2. Viet Cong attacked towns, military bases and the U. S. Embassy • 3. Psychological victory for Vietnam – TV helps to show this event and turns the opinion of the war in America.
E. U. S. Offensive • 1. U. S. continued to bomb with saturation or “carpet” bombing • 2. Agent Orange • 3. Defoliant – kills leaves • 4. Caused health problems in U. S. soldiers • 5. Napalm - Burning jelly • 6. My Lai Massacre – U. S. soldiers killed 175 innocent Vietnamese
F. Richard Nixon 1. Because of growing discontent with America’s involvement in Vietnam, LBJ lost to Nixon in 1968 2. Nixon removed troops – 1968 to 1972 – from 543, 000 to 39, 000 3. Cambodia 4. Nixon secretly (to avoid public outcry) bombed Cambodia 5. Protests result when revealed • Jackson State • KENT STATE – students shot and killed 6. 1973 – U. S. signed the Treaty of Paris, promising to remove forces 7. 1975 a. America removed final personnel b. South Vietnam fell to the Communists
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