Alliances and Shifts Flashcards
What different values did Eisenhower have to Truman?
He placed a greater importance on alliances than Truman ever did. He wanted to encircle the USSR and China with pro-US allies.
A disadvantage of this was that the US forces would be replaced by forces of the US allies which would, for example reduce the US military presence in Western Europe.
What and when was SEATO?
South East Asia Treaty Organisation, 1954
Seemed to be a response to the Sino-Soviet alliance 1950, which was strengthened in 1953. Many members were not part of Southeast Asia. The countries were spread out over a wide area e.g France, US, Thailand, Australia. Some countries deemed to be in need of protection were not part of it, e.g South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.
What and when was the Warsaw Pact?
The Warsaw Pact, 1955
A response to the West’s decision to allow West Germany to rearm and join NATO. The organisation was seen by the USSR as legitimising it’s control over EE, like NATO was for USA and Britain.
East Germany, Poland, Hungary, Czech
It was presented as a collective security strategy, a non-threatening alliance, but it also consolidated political and economic relationship between USSR and Satellites- there was a joint command for armed forces.
What and when was the ‘New Look’ Policy?
One difference between Eisenhower and Truman was that Eisenhower believed that containment was ineffective and so the ‘New Look’ policy was unveiled in 1953.
Dulles wanted to roll back communism and Moscow’s power, this approach was important to Eisenhower’s New Look policy, but he insisted that this could only occur through peace.
Eisenhower saw the need for a global reaction if there was any communist expansion and relied a lot more on nuclear weaponry- he saw it as a way to win the Cold War.
What was Brinkmanship?
What Dulles called for using nuclear weaponry to force agreements from communist opponents and they would be scared of nuclear war.
What was Indochina?
Cambodia, Loas, North and South Vietnam. French Colonies.
What happened with France and Indochina?
France was fighting a War to keep hold of Vietnam (1947, Loas and Cambodia were granted automony). By 1952, France had suffered 90,000 casualties.
By 1954, the US was paying 75% of the costs of the War. Eisenhower, concious of not committing Vietnam to an unwinnable conflict, wanted a diplomatic solution but it needed to protect Vietnam from communist control.
What was happening with the War with France and Indochina by April 1954?
France were on point of defeat at Dien Bien Phu, and it was at this point that negotiations were convened in Geneva.
What and when was the Geneva Conference?
The Geneva Conference, July 1954.
It was agreed that 2 zones would be created, divided on the 17th parallel. It was not intended to be permanent, and elections were to be held in 2 years.
The South was the USA’s part, and controlled by Diem, and the North was the USSR’s part, controlled by Ho Chi Minh.
