Conflict and tension in Asia, 1950–1975

The Korean War, 1950–53

• Korea was divided at the 38th parallel in 1945: a communist North under Kim Il-sung and a South under Syngman Rhee. In June 1950, North Korea invaded the South.
• A UN force led by the USA and General MacArthur landed at Inchon (September 1950) and pushed north. China entered the war (late 1950), and the front settled near the 38th parallel. Truman sacked MacArthur in 1951, and an armistice was signed in July 1953.

Vietnam: from the French to the Americans, 1954–64

• The Vietnamese defeated France at Dien Bien Phu (1954). The Geneva Accords split Vietnam at the 17th parallel: Ho Chi Minh's communist North and Diem's South.
• The USA supported the South, fearing the domino theory. The Viet Cong fought in the South, supplied along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. After the Gulf of Tonkin incident (1964), Congress let President Johnson fight.

The American war, 1965–75

• Operation Rolling Thunder (1965) bombed the North, and US troops arrived. The Viet Cong used guerrilla warfare; the USA used napalm, Agent Orange and search-and-destroy missions.
• The Tet Offensive (1968) and the My Lai massacre (1968) turned American opinion against the war. Nixon's Vietnamisation withdrew US troops; protests included Kent State (1970).
• The Paris Peace Accords (1973) ended US involvement, and Saigon fell to the North in April 1975.

Key terms

38th parallel

The line dividing North and South Korea.

Domino theory

The fear that if one country fell to communism, its neighbours would follow.

Viet Cong

Communist guerrillas in South Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh Trail

The supply route from North Vietnam to the South.

Tet Offensive

The 1968 Viet Cong attack on cities in the South.

Vietnamisation

Nixon's policy of handing the fighting to South Vietnam.

Quick questions on Conflict and tension in Asia, 1950–1975

Who invaded South Korea in June 1950?

North Korea: The UN sent forces to defend the South.

Where did MacArthur land in September 1950?

Inchon: It cut off the North Korean army.

Why did Truman sack MacArthur in 1951?

MacArthur wanted to widen the war against China: Truman feared a wider war.

When did the Korean War armistice come?

July 1953: Korea stayed divided.

Where were the French defeated in 1954?

Dien Bien Phu: The Geneva Accords followed.

What was the domino theory?

The fear that communism would spread from country to country: It explains US involvement.

What did the Gulf of Tonkin incident (1964) lead to?

Congress allowing Johnson to fight in Vietnam: Rolling Thunder began in 1965.

Why was the Tet Offensive (1968) important?

It turned American opinion against the war: Americans saw that victory was far off.