5. How effectively did the USA contain the spread of Communism?

Question 1

Cuban Revolution

Answer 1

• under Batista, Cuba had been an American ally
• 1959: Castro overthrows Batista, establishing a Communist gvt.
• Relationships deteriorated between US and Cuba

April 1961: Bay of Pigs
1. Kennedy supplied arms and equipment to Cuban exiles in order to overthrow Castro
2. They landed at the Bay of Pigs, and were humiliated by Cuban forces - they were captured/killed within days
3. Kruschev (USSR pres.) saw Kennedy’s attempts at overthrowing Castro as weak

Question 2

Why did the USSR put nuclear weapons in Cuba?

Answer 2

• to use as a bargaining tool against the US
• to test the strength of Kennedy’s resolve (Khruschev saw him as a weak leader)
• to prevent US launching their weapons against USSR (US had nuclear weapons in Turkey)
• to defend the new communist regime in Cuba

Question 3

Cuban Missile Crisis

WITH DATES

Answer 3

• May 1962: USSR publicly announces it was supplying Cuba with arms
• Kennedy warned Khruschev: he wouldn’t tolerate nuclear weapons on Cuba
• 14 October 1962: American U2 spy planes saw evidence of nuclear missile sites being built in Cuba
• Kennedy’s military advisors want to launch full military invasion of Cuba
• 20 October 1962: Kennedy decides on a blockade, to prevent nuclear wepons reaching Cuba, threatens to fire on any Soviet ship breaking blockade
• 28 October 1962: Khruschev agrees to withdraw arms from Cuba, Kennedy agrees to not attack Cuba
• Result: relations improved between US and USSR, they both realised how close they’d come to starting nuclear war (MAD)

Question 4

What was the outcome of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

Answer 4

• Cuba remained Communist, without nuclear weapons
• both leaders emerged stronger - Kennedy seen as having stood up to Khruschev, Khruschev protected Communist regime in Cuba
• US-USSR relation began to thaw
• Possible dangers of containment seen, US public opinion changed: scared by prospect of nuclear attack

Question 5

What were the origins of conflict in Vietnam?

with dates

Answer 5

• 1946-1954 - French fighting to regain Vietnam against Communist Viet Minh
• Ho Chi Minh led Viet Minh, supported in war by Communist China
• US supported French claim: didn’t want communism spreading (China -> Vietnam)
• French defeated in 1954

Question 6

Geneva Peace Conference

what was decided?

Answer 6

• Vietnam divided along 17th parallel
• North Vietnam - led by Ho Chi Minh
• South Vietnam - remain non-Communist
• Elections to be held in 1956 to unite Vietnam under 1 govt.
• US feared Communist victory in elections, so prevented them from taking place
• US appointed Ngo Dinh Diem as puppet in South Vietnam
• Viet Cong established in order to retake South Vietnam for the Communists

Question 7

What is the ‘domino theory’?

Answer 7

An American developed theory, the idea that if one country fell to communism, others would follow like dominoes

Question 8

How was Korea split in 1945? How was this bound to change?

Answer 8

• 1945, split along 38th parallel: communist north, led by Kim Il Sung; non-communist south, led by Syngman Rhee
• Communism was growing in Far East - in 1949, Communists took power in China
• Americans developed the domino theory
• 1950: an American report (by American National Security Council) recommended that the US stop containment and start to roll back communism

Question 9

The Korean War

um very long flashcard com dates.

Answer 9

• 1950: Kim Il Sung invades SK after getting Russian + Chinese support
• North Korean People’s Army easily defeats Republic of Korea’s army
• by September 1950: NK had conquered almost the whole of SK
• USA went to UN, got them to send troops to defend SK
• Russians couldn’t veto this: were boycotting UN at the time
• September: UN troops (led by US General MacArthur) landed in Korea and drove NKPA back
• by October: UN forces had almost conquered all of NK
• Nov 1950: Chinese People’s Volunteers attacked, driving Americans back, recapturing NK and advancing into SK
• Americans landed more troops, driving Cinese back to 38th parallel
• Truman ordered General MacArthur to stop, sacked him when he disagreed
• War went on as border clashed until 1953: USA new pres. Eisenhower, offered peace, but threatened to use atomic bomb if China didn’t accept this

Question 10

What have historians recently discovered about the Korean crisis?

Answer 10

it almost let to 3rd world war: many US advisers wanted to use the atomic bomh