What you'll learn
How Cold War tensions led to conflict in Korea and Vietnam.
The Korean War (1950–53)
- Containment in action; UN and US forces vs North Korea and China.
- Stalemate near the 38th parallel and armistice.
The Vietnam War
- Causes: containment, the domino theory, and civil war in Vietnam.
- Guerrilla warfare by the Viet Cong; US tactics (search and destroy, bombing, Agent Orange, napalm).
- The Tet Offensive (1968) shifted US opinion.
Opposition and withdrawal
- Growing anti-war protest; Vietnamisation; US withdrawal and fall of Saigon (1975).
Exam tips
- Contrast US and Viet Cong tactics.
- Explain why the USA failed despite superior resources.
Common mistakes
- Ignoring the role of the Tet Offensive.
- Treating Korea and Vietnam as identical.