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Cold war/ Briana Bunsee (Vietnam War (In 1965, U.S. forces took the lead…
Cold war/ Briana Bunsee
The space race
The Soviet Union and the United States also raced to go into space. Space was the new frontier in the Cold War.
The Soviets were the first to cross that frontier.In October 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik
many Americans were terrified that Sputnik, or a satellite of its kind, would drop bombs on U.S. cities. More realistically, they feared that if the Soviets could launch a rocket into space, they could also build a rocket that could carry a nuclear missile to North America.
In July 1958, Congress created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA. The legislation specified that the head of NASA must be a civilian and that space flight should be for peaceful purposes.
Cold War
By the time of the Potsdam Conference, Harry S. Truman had replaced Roosevelt as U.S. president and the war had ended. Now, the leaders of the three countries met to discuss postwar peace. However, each came to the conference intent on fulfilling his own personal goals instead of working for the good of the group.
Soviet Union invaded and established communist governments in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. These countries became satellite states, or countries that are officially independent but under political control of an outside government.
The Cold War was a decades-long conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. During the Cold War, both superpowers competed to expand their influence throughout the rest of the world. It was called a “cold” war because the two countries did not fight each other on a battlefield or attack each other with nuclear missiles. They fought in other ways.
For example, both countries spied on each other. They spent massive amounts of money to build their military capabilities. They used threats, offered rewards, and competed economically. They stirred up wars and revolutions in countries that were friendly to their rival. They argued whenever the occasion arose, defending their way of life and criticizing the other’s way of life. They used propaganda and disinformation to influence public opinion about each other.
Korean War
After President Truman decided to take action and help South Korea, the United States appealed to the United Nations, which called for an international force to stop the North Korean offensive. Much of the defending UN force was composed of U.S. troops. They were commanded by Douglas MacArthur, a U.S. Army general who had become famous during World War II. By the time the UN force became effective, the North Korean invaders had conquered almost 90 percent of the Korean Peninsula.
Truman ordered MacArthur to contain fighting below the 38th parallel in South Korea in an effort to prevent North Korean forces from conquering the country.
In October 1950, the UN forces pushed the North Koreans back. Their success continued. With this success, U.S. and UN officials debated their goals for the war.
Cuban Missile Crisis
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Shipments of cargo from the Soviet Union to Cuba increased dramatically through the year, from an average of 14 per month to 28 per month in August and then to 46 per month in September. The CIA suspected these shipments included weapons.
By October 15, 1962, the administration knew with certainty that Cuba had the missiles and the launching capacity to attack the United States. However, it was unknown if or when an attack might occur.
Vietnam War
In 1965, U.S. forces took the lead in the conflict. The United States worked closely with the South Vietnamese army to try combat the communist insurgency, but the Viet Cong had the upper hand.
avoiding large-scale battles in which they would be overpowered. They used well-concealed traps and quick ambushes to inflict heavy losses on enemy troops without being detected. When not in battle, Viet Cong fighters could blend in with the local population. As the conflict continued, they developed an elaborate network of paths and underground tunnels that allowed the movement of troops and supplies.
In 1961, U.S. forces began to help their South Vietnamese allies by using helicopters to spray Vietnamese jungles with a leaf- and-plant-killing chemical called Agent Orange. Agent Orange was used to destroy the dense forests where the Viet Cong hid their bases and supply trails. Agent Orange was successful at clearing trees and helping U.S. troops to avoid ambushes and surprise attacks. However, the chemicals in Agent Orange are also hazardous to humans. Many U.S. veterans of Vietnam, Viet Cong and South Vietnamese civilians developed serious medical conditions thought to be caused by exposure to Agent Orange.
U.S. forces also extensively used napalm. Initially developed for flamethrowers, napalm was adapted for use in bombs dropped by U.S. planes and helicopters. Napalm is a jelly that sticks to its target and burns at incredibly high temperatures. Napalm attacks, carried out on suspected Viet Cong troops or positions often injured or killed South Vietnamese civilians.
These countries were officially neutral, which meant that invading or bombing those countries would be illegal. Nonetheless, beginning in 1964, U.S. forces secretly bombed Viet Cong sanctuaries and supply routes in Laos and Cambodia.
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