Explain in 8-10 sentences the causes and impacts of the proxy wars in Korea and Vietnam. Do one paragraph on Korea and one on Vietnam.
The proxy war in Korea was caused by the ideological divide between communism and capitalism, with the Soviet Union and China supporting North Korea and the United States supporting South Korea. The Korean War, which lasted from 1950 to 1953, resulted in massive casualties and destruction in both North and South Korea. The war ended in a stalemate, with the Korean peninsula remaining divided along the 38th parallel to this day. The impact of the Korean War was devastating, with millions of Korean civilians killed, injured, or displaced, and the country left in ruins. The war also heightened tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union, leading to increased militarization and the beginning of the Cold War.
The proxy war in Vietnam was a result of the Cold War rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, with North Vietnam being supported by communist powers and South Vietnam backed by the United States. The Vietnam War, which lasted from 1955 to 1975, saw heavy involvement of American troops and resulted in the deaths of over 58,000 American soldiers and an estimated 3 million Vietnamese civilians and soldiers. The war also led to widespread environmental destruction, social upheaval, and political destabilization in Vietnam. In 1975, North Vietnam's victory led to the unification of the country under communist rule, but the legacy of the war continues to impact Vietnam to this day, with millions of landmines still left uncleared and veterans suffering from the long-term effects of Agent Orange.