Thesis statement: My set of events were the Korean War, Vietnam War, and the Turmoil of the Pol Pot Regime in Cambodia, which all ultimately resulted in victory for the USSR, for each of these events lead to the spread of communism though powerful leaders, as well as the loss of many US troops.The Korean War ( June 25, 1950- July 27, 1953) was a war between the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea). These two nations were at war due to the political division at the 38th parallel by the United States that came out of WWII. The north was communist, where the south was a democracy. After many skirmishes broke out between the north and the south, the north then formally invaded the south with 75,000 troops. After about a month of fighting, the United Stated entered the war on the side of South Korea. After around a year of fighting, the war ended in stalemate as a ceasefire was called. After two years of negotiation, a new boundary was drawn that gave S. Korea 1,500 more miles and created a 2 mile demilitarized zone

Harry Truman: The US president at the time who decided to send US troops top help support S. Korea. Opposed war with China.

Douglass MacArthur: A US general who was in charge of the Korean War. He decided to make the Korean War an offensive war to liberate communists. He wanted to have a full war with China.

Mao Zedong: As the US approached the Yalu River on the boarder between N. Korea and China, Mao sent troops to the boarder to warn US against fighting.

Syngman Rhee: He is the first president of South Korea and is an anti-communist.

Kim Il-sung: He was the leader of the Democratic Republic of Korea and was a supporter of communism.

Although very far away, the United States entered the Korean War to stop communism. People feared that the invasion of South Korea was more than a boarder dispute. They believed that this was the first step of worldwide communism. Although short, this war was very bloody. 5 million people were dead at the end, mostly civilians. Ultimately, this war did not change the map of communism very much, and lead to the loss of many troops. However, this war prevented S. Korea from becoming communist.

The Vietnam War occurred from December 1956- April 30, 1975. It was fought between the South Vietnamese government working with the US, and the Viet Cong of South Vietnam working with The People’s Army of Vietnam or North Vietnam. The fighting of Vietnam was the first time in history where guerrilla warfare dominated over conventional war. US troops began to escalate in numbers with the Gulf of Tonkin incident (an incident in which a US destroyer crashed with a N. Vietnamese attack craft). US combat units began to be deployed in 1965. In 1968, N. Vietnam launches the Tet

Viet Cong: A group of S. Vietnamese rebels who fought on the side of the North. They supported communism and used guerrilla warfare.

John F. Kennedy: One of the US presidents who increased involvement in Vietnam.

Lyndon Johnson: President after Kennedy who believed firmly in the Vietnam War. He was the one who truly escalated the war.

Richard Nixon: Although initially escalating the war and bombing Cambodia as well, this president ended

The United States had a domino theory that stated that if one nation in an area became communist, so to would the countries around it. This was one of the main reasons the US went into Vietnam to fight the Viet Cong and communist north. Furthermore, many US citizens dispised the US involvement in Vietnam. There were many protests and anti-war demonstrations, mostly lead by the US

Korean War, Vietnam War, Turmoil in Cambodia- The Pol Pot Regime (1950-1975)

Offensive, which was a campaign of surprise attacks against the military and civilians of S. Vietnam and the US. This is when the US decided to back out of the war. In 1973, the US passes the Case-Church Amendment, which gets them out of the war. In April of 1975, N. Vietnam captures Saigon, marking the end of the Vietnam War.

US involvement in Vietnam

Ngo Diem: President of South Vietnam who believed in democracy and feared communism. Was assassinated in a coup d’état that destroyed his government in 1963

Ho Chi Minh: This is the communist leader of North Vietnam who was at war against

counterculture, that put pressure on our government to pull out of the war.

Before the rule of communist leader Pol Pot, the Vietnamese joined forces with the Cambodians to fight against the government. His troops, called the Khmer Rouge, was a communist supporting group of people who stemmed from the Viet Cong. After obtaining power in 1975, Pol Pot began the Cambodian Genocide. 1.5-3 millions people were killed. Anti-communists were killed as well as any outside influences (ie not pure Cambodians).

Pol Pot: Communist revolutionary of Cambodia who lead the Khmer Rouge

The US began to back out of Cambodia when Pol Po came in. This regime, however, spread communism and killed many people.

Overall, the USSR came out on top with the events of these three wars. Although the US did not lose the Korean War (and ultimately stopped the spread of communism into S. Korea) , they were not able to eradicate communism from North Korea. Furthermore, the US was not able to invade China, as MacArthur wanted to, and thus did not stop Mao’s communist regime. Furthermore, the Vietnam war was a loss to the United States, for the entirety of Vietnam became communist with the Viet Cong’s capture of Saigon. Finally, though the regime of Pol Pot, many innocent people were executed and Communism grew within another nation.