Communism's rise in China reshaped East Asia. Mao Zedong's Communist Party triumphed in the Chinese Civil War, establishing the People's Republic in 1949. This victory set the stage for communist expansion in the region.

The Korean War and Vietnam War followed, with communist forces battling U.S.-backed governments. These conflicts highlighted the Cold War struggle between communism and capitalism, leaving lasting impacts on the nations involved and global politics.

The Rise of Communism in China and its Spread to Korea and Vietnam

Chinese Communist Party's Rise to Power

• The Chinese Civil War (1927-1949) pitted the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) led by Chiang Kai-shek against the Communist Party led by Mao Zedong, with the Communists gaining support from peasants through promises of land reform and their use of guerrilla warfare tactics
• The Long March (1934-1935) was a strategic retreat by the Communist Party to evade Nationalist forces, which helped them gain more support and regroup for future conflicts
• During World War II, the Nationalist and Communist parties formed the Second United Front, temporarily allying against the Japanese invasion, allowing the Communist Party to expand its influence in rural areas
• After the war, the Chinese Civil War resumed (1945-1949), with the Communists' successful use of guerrilla warfare and peasant support, while the Nationalists faced corruption, economic problems, and loss of U.S. support
• On October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong proclaimed the establishment of the People's Republic of China in Beijing, while the Nationalists retreated to Taiwan

Korean War

• Division of Korea post-World War II: Soviet Union in the north, United States in the south, leading to the establishment of the communist Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the capitalist Republic of Korea (South Korea)
• Outbreak of the Korean War (June 25, 1950): North Korea invaded South Korea with support from the Soviet Union and China, prompting the United States and United Nations to intervene on behalf of South Korea
• Key battles and events:
  1. Inchon Landing (September 1950): U.S.-led U.N. forces launched a successful amphibious assault, turning the tide of the war
  2. Chinese intervention (October 1950): China sent troops to support North Korea, pushing U.N. forces back to the 38th parallel
• Stalemate and armistice (1951-1953): Peace talks began in July 1951, but fighting continued until the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed on July 27, 1953, ending active hostilities
• Consequences: Korea remained divided at the 38th parallel with a demilitarized zone, millions of casualties and widespread destruction, heightened Cold War tensions, and solidified U.S.-South Korea alliance

U.S. Involvement in Vietnam War

• First Indochina War (1946-1954): Viet Minh, led by Ho Chi Minh, fought for independence from French colonial rule, with the U.S. supporting France to prevent the spread of communism in Southeast Asia
• Division of Vietnam and rise of the Viet Cong: Geneva Accords (1954) divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel into communist North and U.S.-backed South, with the Viet Cong forming as a communist guerrilla force in South Vietnam to overthrow the government
• Domino Theory and U.S. involvement: U.S. believed that if Vietnam fell to communism, other countries in the region would follow (like dominoes), leading to increased military advisors and support for the South Vietnamese government
• Gulf of Tonkin Incident (August 1964): Alleged North Vietnamese attacks on U.S. ships led to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, granting President Lyndon B. Johnson authority to escalate U.S. involvement
• Escalation of U.S. military presence in the 1960s:
  1. Operation Rolling Thunder (1965-1968): Sustained bombing campaign against North Vietnam
  2. U.S. troop levels increased from 23,000 in 1964 to over 500,000 by 1968
  3. Tet Offensive (1968): Major North Vietnamese and Viet Cong attack on South Vietnamese cities and U.S. bases, turning American public opinion against the war