C O M M U N I S T S T A K E P O W E R I N C H I N AW A R S I N K O R E A A N D V I E T N A M
T H E C O L D W A R D I V I D E S T H E W O R L D
THE COLD WAR
COMMUNISTS TAKE POWER IN CHINA
COMMUNISTS VS NATIONALISTS
• Nationalists & Communists fought for control in China during 1930s
• Joined forces to fight Japan during WWII• After WWII, fighting continued,1946-1949
Communists Nationalists
Mao Zedong Jiang Jieshi
Northwest China Southwest China
Soviet supported US supported
COMMUNISTS VS NATIONALISTS
• Communists well trained in guerilla war• Communists promised land to peasants• 1949, Communists won the civil war• Nationalists fled to Taiwan
COMMUNISTS VS NATIONALISTS
• 1. What two groups fought the civil war?
• 2. Who led them?
• 3. Who won the civil war and why?
THE TWO CHINAS AFFECT THE COLD WAR
• US helped Nationalists create new government• “Republic of China”
• Soviets helped Mao Zedong & his government• “People’s Republic of China”
• Communist China tried to expand power• Invaded Mongolia, Tibet and India
THE TWO CHINAS AFFECT THE COLD WAR
• 4. How did the superpowers take sides with the two Chinas?
• 5. Which side did each superpower support?
THE COMMUNISTS TRANSFORM CHINA
• Mao Zedong plans to rebuild China• Seized land from landowners, gave to
peasants • Created collective farms, communes• Land belonged to the group (no private
property)
• Took control of China’s industries• Increased production of industrial goods• Coal, cement, steel, electricity
THE COMMUNISTS TRANSFORM CHINA
• “Great Leap Forward”• Create larger, more productive farms• Take• Plan failed
• 1958-1961: famine killed millions
THE COMMUNISTS TRANSFORM CHINA
• Mao tried to revive revolution, “Cultural Revolution”• Goal: society of peasants & workers in which all were
equal
• “Red Guards,” militia of student-soldiers (teenagers)• “learn revolution by making revolution”• Shut down schools• Killed thousands that resisted• mostly intellectuals that were against revolution
• China in chaos• Factories shut down• Farm production dropped
• End of “Cultural Revolution”
THE COMMUNISTS TRANSFORM CHINA
• 6. What are changes that Mao made to China?
• 7. Why do you think the Revolution failed?
WARS IN KOREA AND VIETNAM
WAR IN KOREA
• Korea divided into 2 nations after WWII• North of 38th parallel, Japan surrendered to Soviets• South of 38th parallel, Japan surrendered to Allies
WAR IN KOREA
• 1950 North Korea invaded South Korea• US & other UN nations sent troops to help
South Korea• General Douglas MacArthur led the attack on
North Korea
• 1953: cease-fire• 38th parallel remains dividing line
WAR IN KOREA
• North Korea: Communist government• Strong army, tight gov’t control• Economic problems
• South Korea: dictators• US aid: helped economy grow• 1987 began elections
WAR IN KOREA
• 8. Describe the division of Korea?
• BrainPop: Korean War
WAR BREAKS OUT IN VIETNAM
• France had control of Vietnam for ~100yrs• Nationalist leader, Ho Chi Minh, defeated French
after WWII• Ho Chi Minh received aid from Communists• US fearful of domino theory: if one country falls to
communism, surrounding countries will, too• Vietnam was split in two
WAR BREAKS OUT IN VIETNAM
North Vietnam South Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh Ngo Dinh Diem
Communist, Non-Communist
Vietcong: rebel fighters
Support from China & Soviet Union
Support from US & Allies
WAR BREAKS OUT IN VIETNAM
• US sent troops to help Vietnam to prevent entire country from becoming communist• Many Americans opposed the war• Vietnamization:• US pulls out of the war, 1973
• North Vietnam overran the South• Vietnam still Communist today
WAR BREAKS OUT IN VIETNAM
• 9. What is the domino theory?
• 10. What happened in Vietnam after the United States withdrew?
• BrainPop Vietnam War
THE COLD WAR DIVIDES THE WORLD
FIGHTING FOR THE THIRD WORLD
• After WWII, world is grouped into THREE “worlds”• First World: United States & Allies• Second World: Soviet Union & Communist Nations• Third World: developing nations of Africa, Asia &
Latin America
FIGHTING FOR THE THIRD WORLD
• Third World nations: serious problems from colonialism• Political unrest• Poverty• Lack of education• Limited or no technology
• Many tried to remain non-aligned, to stay out of Cold War
FIGHTING FOR THE THIRD WORLD
• 11. What problems did Third World nations face?
FIGHTING FOR THE THIRD WORLD
• Fidel Castro, a revolutionary overthrew Cuban government• Social reforms, ended elections, jailed/executed
opponents, censorship• Nationalized economy (took away private ownership)• US began trade embargo
• Gained economic support from Soviet Union• Soviets placed nuclear missiles in Cuba• US & Soviet Union ALMOST went to war
FIGHTING FOR THE THIRD WORLD
• US supported dictator in Nicaragua• Government fell to Communist rebels• Led by Daniel Ortega
• Nicaragua began to support Communist rebels in El Salvador• US began to aid Nicaraguan rebels fighting
against communist• Civil war continued for 10 years
THE COLD WAR DIVIDES THE WORLD
