5.1.1
Settlements
Northern Victory in the Vietnam War
Northern Victory in the Vietnam War
By 1975 Vietnam was a unified, socialist country.
Attacks from the North intensified
Attacks from the North intensified
- US military forces were withdrawn by April 1973 and by the end of 1973 only a small group of diplomatic personnel and a small air force remained in Saigon.
- As soon as the US withdrew, the North intensified its attacks on the South.
- By August 1974 President Nixon was forced to resign and General Ford took over.
The unification of Vietnam
The unification of Vietnam
- In March 1975, Nguyen Van Tieu asked for aid from America to assist him in fighting the communists. The American Congress refused.
- In April 1975, Nguyen Van Tieu resigned and South Vietnam surrendered.
- The city of Saigon fell to the communists on 30 April 1975 which led to a unified, socialist Vietnam.
Continuing Problems in Cambodia
Continuing Problems in Cambodia
In March 1970, Lon Nol successfully overthrew Prince Nordom Sihanouk, forming a pro-American government. In response, the communist forces in Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge, formed an alliance with North Vietnam and fought back.
The Cambodian Civil War
The Cambodian Civil War
- During the Cambodian Civil War, America supported Lon Nol and sent 119 military advisers to Cambodia as well as carrying out bombing raids.
- In total, the USA dropped 430,000 tons of bombs on Cambodia.
Lon Nol and the Khmer Rouge
Lon Nol and the Khmer Rouge
- Lon Nol had much public support but his forces were badly trained and poorly paid.
- Lon Nol was a poor leader and did not take notice of US military advice.
- By bombing Cambodia, the Americans lost Lon Nol much support.
- On the other side, Khmer Rouge received assistance from North Vietnam.
- It's forced were determined, well organised and used guerrilla tactics.
- Unfortunately, for the Khmer Rouge, they had nearly 100,000 men less than Lon Nol and limited technology.
The Battle of Phnom Penh
The Battle of Phnom Penh
- When the Paris Peace Agreement was signed in January 1973, the USA stopped bombing Cambodia.
- Following this, the Khmer Rouge intensified their attacks on the government which led to the Battle of Phnom Penh in 1975.
- This battle caused the US forces to be evacuated.
- It took a week for the Khmer Rouge to defeat the government.
The Khmer Rouge Revolution
The Khmer Rouge Revolution
- The Khmer Rouge Revolution which followed was based on ideological cleansing with the goal of creating a new agricultural country by ridding Cambodia of its existing society.
- Approximately one million people were killed in the revolution.
- This was equal to 10% of the whole population of Cambodia.
Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia
Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia
- Vietnam invaded Cambodia on 25th December 1978 as the two countries battled over borders.
- The USSR backed the Vietnamese and eventually the Vietnamese were victorious in January 1979.
- The Khmer Rouge fled and the Vietnamese installed Heng Samrin as the new leader of Cambodia.
- For the USA, losing Cambodia was a large blow; another country in Asia had succumbed to communism proving that the domino theory was a reality.
The Cost of the Vietnam War
The Cost of the Vietnam War
The USA had failed to contain communism in Indochina. The costs for the US and Vietnam were high.
The failure of the policy of containment
The failure of the policy of containment
- For the USA, the policy of containment had failed.
- The Domino Theory became a reality.
- SEATO disbanded in 1976 as a direct result of the failure to contain communism in Indochina.
- The actions of the USA in the neighbouring countries of Laos and Cambodia had helped to bring communist governments to power there too.
Loss of American prestige
Loss of American prestige
- The USA lost much prestige due to the war and spent one hundred billion dollars.
- Despite the USA’s superior military strength, it could not stop the spread of communism.
- Around 100,000 Americans left the USA to avoid conscription, 2.7 million served in the war and 58,000 Americans died during the war.
Loss of Vietnamese life
Loss of Vietnamese life
- For Vietnam, around 1.1 million Vietcong were killed.
- About 100,000 to 330,000 Southern Vietnamese were killed.
- Estimates for civilian casualties could be as high as 9 million.
Economic and environmental impact
Economic and environmental impact
- Vietnam found it difficult to recover from the war economically.
- The USA placed a trade embargo on Vietnam.
- Much of the Vietnamese land had been ruined due to heavy bombing and chemical weapons.
- 6 million acres of Vietnamese land was poisoned.
1Origins of the Cold War, 1945-9
1.1Events of 1945
1.2The Collapse of the Grand Alliance
1.3Developing Tensions
1.4US Involvement in Europe
2Widening of the Cold War
2.1US Containment in Asia
2.2The Korean War
2.3Increasing Cold War Tensions, 1949 -1953
3The Global War
3.2Cold War Rivalries
3.3Conflict in Asia
3.4Confrontation Between Superpowers
4Confrontation & Cooperation
4.2Cooperation
4.3Pressures on the USSR
5Brezhnev Era
5.1Detente
5.2Second Cold War
5.3Developments in Africa & Americas
6Ending of the Cold War
6.1Gorbachev
6.2Cooperation between US & USSR
6.3Collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe
6.4End of Tensions Across the World
Jump to other topics
1Origins of the Cold War, 1945-9
1.1Events of 1945
1.2The Collapse of the Grand Alliance
1.3Developing Tensions
1.4US Involvement in Europe
2Widening of the Cold War
2.1US Containment in Asia
2.2The Korean War
2.3Increasing Cold War Tensions, 1949 -1953
3The Global War
3.2Cold War Rivalries
3.3Conflict in Asia
3.4Confrontation Between Superpowers
4Confrontation & Cooperation
4.2Cooperation
4.3Pressures on the USSR
5Brezhnev Era
5.1Detente
5.2Second Cold War
5.3Developments in Africa & Americas
6Ending of the Cold War
6.1Gorbachev
6.2Cooperation between US & USSR
6.3Collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe
6.4End of Tensions Across the World
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