What was NSC-68?
- Recommendations for direction of US foreign policy, emphasis on ‘roll back’ rather than containment. Suggested that all communist activity could be traced back to Moscow and was a result of strength and influence of the USSR.
What happened in February 1950?
The Sino-Soviet alliance was signed (China and the USSR)
What happened in June 1950?
Korean War. Communist North invaded capitalist South. China sent substantial military aid to North Koera. SK managed to push the NK back to the 38th parallel in 3 months and liberated it from communism (General Macarthur believed in the rollback policy).
What had happened by November 1950?
UN forces (led by Macarthur) had gone as far back as the border of China. China felt threatened, they sent military aid to North Korea. Peace talks started in 1951 and ended in 1953 when the US started to put pressure of an atomic bomb on China.
Which bomb did the US develop in 1952?
The Hydrogen bomb. This meant that they were now ahead in the arms race.
What happened to Japan in 1952?
Independent. US stopped occupying Japan and this, along with the Treaty of San Fran (1951) left Japan a strong US ally. The US needed a strong, anti-communist ally in South-East Asia to counter-balance the People’s Republic of China.
When did Stalin die?
March 1953.
