Extension of the Cold War Cuban Missile Crisis
Extension of the Cold War Cuban Missile Crisis & the Vietnam War
JFK the Cold Warrior n 1960 Election--Defeated Nixon, closest election. – Both Kennedy & Nixon had been active in foreign policy in Senate; – Kennedy emphasized Missile Gap that had developed during Eisenhower administration. n New Frontier & Flexible Response – Accepted Domino Theory & wars of liberation; – Believed modern, conventional forces would prove more effective than nuclear weapons. n Bay of Pigs--Legacy of Ike, JFK’s first test – Failure due to lack of air support; JFK took responsibility.
Cuban Missile Crisis Cuban Revolution 1959 --Alliance w/USSR n 1962 --Krushchev sends nuclear weapons to Cuba n – Intended to force US to back down in Berlin, Cuba, etc. – Only Pacific Northwest out of range, warning of launch falls from 30 minutes to 2 minutes; – October 14, 1962, aerial photos reveal missile sites. n American Response--Quarantine – Demanded removal of missiles, not invasion or surgical strike; – Crisis worsened as Soviet ships w/more missiles headed for Cuba, but Krushchev relented & agreed to removal. n Represented closest world came to nuclear war.
The Wars of Vietnam n France’s Vietnam War – Though Vietnam sought independence in 1945, US supported returning Indochina to France; – Nationalists & Communists united as Vietminh under Ho Chi Minh to fight French, end of war 1954 at Dien Bien Phu; – By 1954, US paying 80% of French costs. n Vietnamese Civil War – Geneva Conference divided along 17 th parallel until 1956; – Land reform in North & massive migration of wealthy & Catholic Vietnamese to South; – 1956 nationwide elections cancelled by Ngo Dinh Diem, repressive leader of South Vietnam.
America’s Vietnam War US Support of Diem Regime – Economic support began during Eisenhower administration, military advisers sent by Kennedy; – Diem’s regime challenged by National Liberation Front, renamed Viet Cong by Americans; – Most visible opposition to Catholic Diem came from Buddhist monks; – US saw Diem as liability, gave tacit support to his overthrow & assassination. n Tonkin Gulf Resolution--LBJ’s Blank Check – Based on questionable reports of attack on US ships; – Congress overwhelmingly approved, only 2 Senators opposed. n
Escalation n Initial escalation following attack on Pleiku – Operation Rolling Thunder began March 1965, continued non-stop for 3 years; – Increased deployment from 16, 000 advisers to 184, 000 combat troops in 1965; doubled in 1966. n Nature of combat – Early use of pacification programs, including Strategic Hamlet Program; – Reliance on carpet bombing, napalm & Agent Orange; – “Winning of hearts & minds” replaced by Search & Destroy missions & Zippo raids (“We had to destroy the village to save it. ”) & reliance on Body Counts.
End of America’s Vietnam War n Westmoreland claimed Light at End of Tunnel – Tet Offensive (1968)--Simultaneous Vietnamese attacks in 100 cities, bases & embassies military failure but demoralized American troops & turned public against war; – LBJ chose not to run in 1968 & Nixon won, promising public he had Secret Plan to win war. n Nixon’s Vietnam War--Vietnamization – Bombings & Vietnamese troops gradually replaced US ground forces; – Expanded war--Invasion of Laos & bombing of Cambodia; n Paris Peace Accords (1973)--”Peace with Honor” – Concerned return of US POWs & removal of US troops.
Legacies of Vietnam War 58, 000 US dead, 300, 000 wounded, 2, 500 MIA n At least 2 million Vietnamese dead; n Cost of war over $150 billion n – Both LBJ & Nixon chose not to sacrifice domestic programs; – Led to high inflation that plagued nation through 1970 s. n The Credibility Gap – Trust in government all-time high after Depression, WWII; – Cold War & Mc. Carthyism soured some Americans; – Escalation of war, promises of quick resolution & ultimate quagmire disillusioned many Americans; – Watergate Scandal solidified distrust.
- Slides: 34
