4/28/2014
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1945: Indochinese Communist
Party (Vietminh) formed the
Democratic Republic Party of
Vietnam
– French forces w/ US aid
fight against Vietminh
•
Vietnam divided along
17th parallel
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– N. Vietnam= Communist
– S. Vietnam= pro-Western
gov.t
US moves deeper into Vietnam
conflict
– domino theory: if 1 S. east
Asian country falls to
communism, all will fall
1968: 500,000 US forces in
Vietnam
– Despite greater numbers &
better technology, US could not
defeat Communists
1973: US troops withdraw from
Vietnam during Nixon presidency
– 1975: S. Vietnam defeated by
Viet Cong & N. Vietnamese
– Vietnam united under
Communist rule
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2 million dead, 10 million refugees
Causes of the Vietnam War
• The Vietnam War affected
other areas in S.E. Asia
• Cambodia: became target of
American bombs during
Vietnam
– Khmer Rouge
(Cambodian communists)
killed more than 3 million
people
• Laos: fell under communist
control in 1975
• Thailand: stable monarchy
w/ power held by military
• Myanmar (Burma): strong
military dictatorship
• Indonesia, Malaysia,
Singapore, & the
Philippines win
independence after WW II
• Indonesia: anti-communist
gov.t
– 1990’s: moved toward
democracy
• Singapore: leading
international port &
commercial center
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