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= = = **Causes of Vietnam War** =

=**Research Question:To what extent was the Cold war a cause of Vietnam War? **=

During the Cold war era, two wars have taken place in Asia: Korean war and Vietnam war. Both wars had US and USSR on their sides to support. However, US and USSR didn’t dare to risk a war against each other, but they were ready to enforce any country that were fighting over ideology. Like how US supported South Korea, they also supported South Vietnam as well. US didn’t wanted the domino theory (which is the spread of communism) to come true. However, US nor USSR never fought directly, mutually. Vietnam war was one of the example. When French colonialism was removed from Vietnam at 1954, Vietnam was divided over the 17th parallel with opposing ideology. Then North Vietnam attacked South Vietnam to conquer them and unify the government under one system. Right after the break of the Vietnam, US and China armed their fellow country by sending them troops. US's main aim was to stop the spread of communism without going into a hot war and USSR's aim was to spread communism to as many country as possible. So the only thing that both did was supporting. While USSR tried to communize near by countries, US desperately tried to stop the spread. However, the easy way to stop was to go into the direct war with USSR, but that require US to use nuclear weapons, which could bring cruelty and casualties to both sides. However, in order to fulfill their aim, they needed to fight without starting a war. So they used the fact of helping and they sent their military troops to countries that were undergoing a war and tried to achieve their aim through that. With that, Vietnam and Korea was supported for USSR and US to achieve what they want, so basically in conclusion US and USSR were having a mutual conflict, or cold war in Vietnam to achieve their aim.
 * Causes of Cold war in Vietnam **



The causes of Vietnam war takes the time back to 1950s when Vietnam gained its independence from France. After gaining their independence, international conference took place in Geneva. The result of the conference was the separation of Vietnam over 17th parallel, much like how Korea was divided into two separate country over 38th parallel.The nationalist and communist Ho Chi Minh ruled the North Vietnam, while Emperor Bao Dai ruled South of Vietnam until he was replaced by Ngo Dinh Diem. Diem was afraid that communists would take over Vietnam, so he canceled the election and declared Vietnam as an independent country. Even though the communist government in the North opposed to the non-communist government in south, they still wanted to unite. So, North Vietnam started to train the anti-government group in South Vietnam, which is known as Viet Cong and supported them at the same time. In the mid of 1950, North Vietnam sent a troop to infiltrate the South Vietnam. This have lead to the start of the clash between two sides. Both sides have received an aid from the same ideology country. US supported Diem’s government with the needs like money, military power and arms, while Communist country China and Russia supported Ho Chi Minh. The actual fighting began in August of 1964 at the Gulf of Tonkin. America’s plan to defend South Vietnam have changed to defeating the North Vietnam. By 1967, US troops have sent five hundred thousand of their soldiers to South Vietnam, but North didn’t had the intention to surrender. However, the tide of the war changed when North Vietnam made a surprise attack during the Vietnam New Year of 1968. Also, at the same time controversial problem have happened in America. The government have protested the involvement of US soldier in Vietnam war. This made the American leader to seek the end of the war. So on 1973, Paris peace accord made cease-fire treaty. This left the Vietnam a divided country like and Korea and all the US troops went back to their home. However, a month later the war broke out again. On April of 1975, without the support of US South Vietnam surrendered and Vietnam was united under Communism.
 * Causes of Vietnam war **




 * Compare and Contrast the causes of Korean war and Vietnam War. **

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Since Korean war and Vietnam war was the main war that occur during the cold war era, both has some similarities and differences. ======

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To compare both war, the main and evident start for both war is ideology conflict. North Vietnam and North Korea president during that time were Kim Il sung and Ho Chi Minh. Both were influential figure that changed the future of their country. They both were enthusiastic at communism. They desired their countries economy and society to turn how they think. However, in order for that desire to come true, they had to defeat their own country: South Korea and South Vietnam. South Korea and South Vietnam were both capitalist and had a big influence by the US. If Kim il sung and Ho Chi Minh wants to change the country to their ways then they needed to overwhelm the South part. So the war begin. The two brother like countries fought over ideology. Kim Il Sung and Ho Chi Minh's communist spirit have lead their country into a civil war. ======

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However, unlike Korean war Vietnam war wasn’t provoked nor used by other country. Korean war was expected from USSR when they made Kim Il Sung the leader of North Korea. USSR was trying to spread communism by making North Korea to attack South Korea.In order for that to occur, USSR needed a guy with high enthusiasm in communism : Kim Il Sung. So by making him the leader of North Korea, they knew that he would invade South Korea to infect them with communism. However, the cause of Vietnam war was not provoked by any foreign countries influence. The leader of North Vietnam Ho Chi Minh wasn’t used like Kim Il Sung. When he stayed in France for 6 years after his sailing, he got the opportunity to learn about the Socialist Economy and later went to Soviet Union to learn Marxism. With that learning he started to gain interested in unifying his country under communism and that mind lead the country into a civil war. The purpose behind the curtain that later caused the war was different. In conclusion, Kim Il Sung is most likely to be used to bring the war, while Ho Chi Minh brought the war by himself. ======

https://docs.google.com/a/gsiscommunity.kr/presentation/d/1HgWXdVunT0wqOmqtfWj4osH6oIjlAShF4iu-Vw6MBEM/edit#slide=id.g2873460_0_40
 * Additional Power Point**

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd8wKKfN7sM
 * Video**

"Vietnam War." American History Online. Facts On File, Inc. [|__http://www.fofweb.__] com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE52&iPin=AMHC0011&SingleRecord=True (accessed April 24, 2012).
 * Citations**

Perkins, Dorothy. "Vietnam War." Encyclopedia of China: The Essential Reference to China, Its History and Culture. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2000. Modern World History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE53&iPin=china02519&SingleRecord=True (accessed April 22, 2012).