While both the Korean War (1950-53) and the Vietnam War (1962-75) played significant roles in the duration of the Cold War, the Korean War’s effects contributed to the causes and early development of the Cold War, whereas the Vietnam War’s role was more concerned with the latter stages of the development and the path towards the end of the Cold War.
The Korean War and the Vietnam War were similar in the sense that they both directly influenced the Cold War. With both of these regions being split in two due to WWII, there were also strong communist sides in both of these wars. This strong communist presence in both of these wars was pivotal for the United States due to them centering their foreign policy on the containment of communism …show more content…
On the other hand, the Vietnamese war led to the latter stages and eventual end of the Cold War. John F. Kennedy was in office when the Vietnam War broke out and the US containment policy was one of the driving factors for his decision to enter the war. The war was seen as a fail and often blamed on Kennedy’s decision to enter the war. Many Americans died and the US failed to bring the North Vietnam forces down as both North and South Vietnam were eventually merged under communist rule. This would prolong tensions of the Cold War between the USA and USSR as the USA continued its crusade against communism and it led to the beginning of the end of the Cold War.
Due to the occurrence of the Korean War in between two wars, it is not an error to have it referenced as the Forgotten War—while it contributed much to the causes of the Cold War and the early parts of its development, it did not play any major roles in the end. The Vietnam War, on the other hand, had a much more lasting effect, and not just because it was crucial in the development and the beginning of the end of the Cold War. Its effects can still be seen today, in the veterans of the unsuccessful US forage into Vietnamese affairs, and the influence it plays in popular media and pop
The Korean War and the Vietnam War were similar in the sense that they both directly influenced the Cold War. With both of these regions being split in two due to WWII, there were also strong communist sides in both of these wars. This strong communist presence in both of these wars was pivotal for the United States due to them centering their foreign policy on the containment of communism …show more content…
On the other hand, the Vietnamese war led to the latter stages and eventual end of the Cold War. John F. Kennedy was in office when the Vietnam War broke out and the US containment policy was one of the driving factors for his decision to enter the war. The war was seen as a fail and often blamed on Kennedy’s decision to enter the war. Many Americans died and the US failed to bring the North Vietnam forces down as both North and South Vietnam were eventually merged under communist rule. This would prolong tensions of the Cold War between the USA and USSR as the USA continued its crusade against communism and it led to the beginning of the end of the Cold War.
Due to the occurrence of the Korean War in between two wars, it is not an error to have it referenced as the Forgotten War—while it contributed much to the causes of the Cold War and the early parts of its development, it did not play any major roles in the end. The Vietnam War, on the other hand, had a much more lasting effect, and not just because it was crucial in the development and the beginning of the end of the Cold War. Its effects can still be seen today, in the veterans of the unsuccessful US forage into Vietnamese affairs, and the influence it plays in popular media and pop