The Korean and Vietnam Wars Comparison (Essay Sample)

THE KOREAN AND VIETNAM WARS COMPARISON Student Name Course Name Date The Korean and Vietnam Wars Comparison The Korean War and the Vietnam War were two major wars in the middle of the twentieth century. In contrast to the brief three years of the Korean War (1950–1953), the Vietnam War extended from 1955–1975. Consequences from both conflicts are still being felt decades after they ended. This essay will compare and contrast the causes, developments, and ends of the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Cause The Korean War and Vietnam War shaped the 20th century. The Cold War, communism, and other circumstances caused both fights. North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950, starting the Korean War. North-South hostilities have increased since World War II partitioned the Korean peninsula. North Korea became communist in 1948, while the US and other Western nations supported South Korea. North Korea invaded South Korea unexpectedly, escalating tensions. The US led a UN army to defend South Korea. Three years they were passed without a resolution after China supported North Korea. The 38th parallel divided North and South Korea after the 1953 armistice.[Corbett, P. Scott , Volker Janssen, John M. Lund, Todd Pfannestiel, Sylvie Waskiewicz, and Paul Vickery. 2014. “US History.” Openstax.org. 2014. https://openstax.org/details/books/us-history.] Vietnam's war was more complex. Ho Chi Minh ruled the communist North, and Ngo Dinh Diem, backed by the US, the South after WWII. In the early 1950s, North Vietnam launched a guerrilla war against South Vietnam, sending U.S. soldiers to Southeast Asia. The US considered Vietnam a critical battleground to stop communism in Southeast Asia. The battle became a proxy war between the US and the USSR, which supported South Vietnam and North Vietnam, respectively. Vietnam War causes included the Cold War. The US feared communism would spread worldwide and lead to Soviet Union control. The Domino Theory, which projected that losing one country to communism would lead to the loss of others in the region, also influenced the US involvement in the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War escalated due to South Vietnam's unpopularity and corruption. Ngo Dinh Diem was accused of political repression and human rights abuses. Communist troops were preferred over the unpopular South Vietnamese government. Cold War and communism caused the Korean and Vietnam wars. North-South Korea and North-South Vietnam wars were caused by tensions. To combat communism and protect its regional interests, the US intervened in both battles.[Ibid] Course Due to competing military strategies, the Korean and Vietnam Wars had distinct outcomes. The US-led UN forces and North Korea waged a conventional fight in the Korean battle. Both sides lost heavily in the war. The Korean War began in 1950 when North Korea attacked South Korea. The US-led UN forces counter-attacked after intervening in South Korea. Fighting erupted across the Korean peninsula as the crisis progressed. The US sent many troops and military equipment to battle the North Korean army. Tanks, artillery, and infantry fought in the fight. The US bombed North Korea more than during World War II's Pacific theater. The Korean War ended in 1953 with an armistice. Located at the 38th parallel, a demilitarized zone separated North and South Korea. The Korean Peninsula was divided into two political and economic regimes after the Korean War. Asymmetrical tactics and guerrilla warfare typified the Vietnam War. The Viet Cong used ambushes, booby traps, and hit-and-run tactics. The US sent in many troops, helicopters, and military gear, but the Viet Cong prevailed. 1955–1975 marked the Vietnam War. In the 1960s, the US sent approximately 500,000 troops to Vietnam. During the war, many Americans protested against it. The jungle setting of the Vietnam War made standard US tactics impractical. The US had trouble finding and engaging the North Vietnamese army because they used hit-and-run tactics and ambushes. US forces were also heavily injured by booby traps and landmines. The US struggled to defeat the Viet Cong, and domestic support for the war waned. In 1975, the North Vietnamese army took over South Vietnam's capital, Saigon. The Vietnam War questioned American ideals and international policy.[Ibid] Outcomes The Korean War established a demilitarized zone and normalized relations between China and the US, unlike the Vietnam War, which had significant geopolitical effects on American society and foreign policy. Armistices ended the Korean War in 1953. The armistice created the North-South Korean demilitarized zone. Conflict transformed the Korean peninsula and killed millions. The battle improved US-China...