Containing Communism - The Berlin and Cuban Crises and Vietnam
We Answered the Call
President Harry S. Truman established a policy of containing Communism that was followed by succeeding presidents until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Beatrice's residents served in Germany, protected the U.S. borders, and fought in the jungles of Vietnam during this period.
The most serious challenge to this policy came when Communist Ho Chi Minh tried to overtake the Republic of Vietnam. In his 1960 inaugural address, President John Kennedy pledged to pay any price...in order to assure the survival and success of liberty.
In 1965 President Lyndon B. Johnson sent U.S. Marines to South Vietnam. An international conflict resulted. Increasing casualties and mounting costs resulted in protests at home. Anti-war protests split the country and returned soldiers experienced the effect of this unrest.
In 1972, in response to a major invasion of South Vietnam by the North, President Nixon ordered renewed bombing of North Vietnam. The high costs of this led to peace negotiations. A cease-fire agreement was signed in Paris on January 27, 1973. All U.S. and allied troops were withdrawn.
2,700,000 - Americans fought in Vietnam
58,000 - Americans killed
1,000,000+ - South Vietnamese killed
500,000 to 1 million - North Vietnamese killed
10 million - South Vietnamese refugees
unknown - Civilians killed
365,000 - Americans wounded
Cost to the U.S. - $150 billion
Courtesy hmdb.org
