Cold War, USSR, China And Vietnam Flashcards
Development of the Cold War
1945
Yalta conference - divide Germany. USSR given half of Poland, plan for UN ratified
Roosevelt dies, Truman takes over
UN meets for 1 time
Germany surrenders.
Potsdam - Attlee replaces Churchill. Truman as leader of US.
- complete disarmament of Germany
- surrender of Jap
- war crime risks etc
Nuclear bomb on Jap
Shock
Meant USSR had to rely on German reparations
Create suspicion US might interfere in areas where USSR needed to feel secure
Vietnam declares independence
Development of Cold War and foreign policy
1946
Kennan’s telegraph on containment
-His long telegram alerts US of his fear of Russia’s expansionist tendencies and warns to prevent this by using containment
Churchill’s iron curtain speech condemned Soviet Unions policies in Europe.
Considered opening announcing beginning of Cold War
Philippines independent
Development of Cold War and foreign policy
1947
Truman Doctrine- ask for aid to Greece, as GB couldn’t support anti communists anymore, showed fear of success in Greece could lead to Middle East under threat.
- this exaggerated threat persuaded congress - approved $400m in aid. It ended post war cut backs and created a consensus
Marshal Aid- $12b over 4 years in 16 countries
USSR refuses to let Eastern Europe countries take it. Aid would be to help eco instability which would lead to communism
HUAC commences
Communists take Hungary
NSA creates presidential advisors, department of defence, CIA, national security council
Development of Cold War and foreign policy
1948
Berlin air lift
1948 USA BRI FRA fused their areas of Germany and Berlin into 1, becoming FRG in 1949
East became GDR. Fearing the impact the USSR imposed a blockage. The only was into west was by blockage
327 days- 2.3m tonnes of supplies
Successfully caused Soviet to surrender 1949 May
Communists take Czechoslovakia
Truman recognises Israel
Development of Cold War and foreign policy
1949
NATO created - military alliance of most western countries
Secretary of State said Wuropean Nations can’t pursue eco recovery if fear ofbattack
US provided 1.3bill of weaponary
NATO MARSHALL AID AND TRUMAN DOC
defending capitalism
USSR created own alliance w Warsaw Pact. Parallel .org formed SEATO (south east Asia) and CENTO (Middle East)
USSR explode atonic bomb - got knowledge through spying. Protest. Acheson told Truman more bombs, Kennan said no. US then made hydrogen bomb
Communists win China as US failed to negotiate peace- sent aid to nationalists who fled to Taiwan- making China communist
Traditionalist view of who was to blame for Cold War
Soviet
Stalins agressive Soviet expansionism
Revisionist views of who to blame for Cold War
America
What was the point in fighting it
Overview of Korean War
What happened
After WW2, Korea split along 38 parallel
North Japanese
South American
June 1950- NK crossed parallel and attacked
SK requester UN support
Truman sent American troops to SK and between Taiwan and Chinese
UN war but US =90% soldiers
MacArthur launched counter attack - drove NK back across 38 parallel
Chinese interfered and sent 300,000 troops in support of NK
Chinease captured SK capital of Seoul
MacArthur wanted to use nuclear weapons. Truman fires him
Truce begins in 51 but ends 53
Stalin died
Results of Korean War
Communist north and democratic south
+54000 us soldiers died
5m Korean and chinease died
NK suffered damage to crops, transport
USA failed to unify Korea in spite of military superiority
Impact of US fp
Cold War now global fight
Truman could argue USA won as stopped expansion of communism
Executive power increased as troops sent w out congress asked to declare war. Truman argues as commander in chief he was allowed
Policy of NSC 68 implemented with expansion of troop numbers in overseas postings
Truman’s threat to use nuclear weapons in 1952 led to world protest
1945
Weapon development
Building nuclear bombs m
Los Almos
Weapon development
1953
USA first detonated the hydrogen bomb
The USSR also tested them
Weapons development
1954
US test destroyed the Pacific Island of Bikini
7X as powerful as Hiroshima
Weapons development.
1957
USSR fired first ICBM to space
US reacted by created IR to be launched from Polaris subs
Nuclear stockpile of 5543 weapons in US
USSR 640
Weapons development
1958
US launched first satellite
NASA set up B52s long range bombers were available in USA
US IRBM’s in Europe were positioned to target USSR
War development
1960
USA ahead
Attempts to slow down race but neither side would agree to nuclear test ban treaty or checks for compliance
What is the concept on a MAD world
Mutually
Assured
Destruction
You drop a bomb on me, I’ll drop one on you
What is the concept of Brinkmanship
Developed under foreign policy
Idea US would go to the edge of all our war
Under policy, trimmed army and navy, expanded Air Force
Expanded nuclear development
1952 Hydrogen bomb
What were Eisenhower’s assumptions on the Cold War
The Soviet Union would pursue aggression
Aggression had to be met with aggression
Technology had an important role
Third world nationalism could be ignored
The federal budget should be balanced
The domino theory
Better to stop problem getting worse by limited means than ignoring it
Eisenhower’s Cold War Policy
More bang for buck - reliance on superior power in limited wars
Massive retaliation - nuclear destruction of USSR or China if aggression action. Presumed to deter USSR, Chinese less clear
CIA headed by Dulles - 1947-
Suez 1956
Kitchen debates
3rd world aid for eco development
Quemoy
Berlin
Hungary 1956
Eisenhower Doctrine 1957
MIC
Summit meetings - Geneva 1957
Arms control
Successful Eisenhower in cooking tensions in Cold War
Kitchen rebates Partially cooled Failure - wanted to promote US and better SOL - but Khrushchev - your capitalist attitude towards women doesn’t exist under communism Talking
Arms control
Open Skies 1955
USA and USSR would allow aerial surveillance to check disarmament
Dismissed by Krushchev as form of spying BUT 1958 both did suspend nuclear tests due to public concern
Failure Eisenhower in cooking tensions in Cold War
Massive retaliation
Raised tension
Meant Nuclea destruction of USSR or China if aggression action
Presumed to deter USSR, Chinease less clear
CIA headed by Dulles 1947
Anti communist operations
Secretly installed Shah or Iran (53) to give an ally against USSR
However this backfired and created hostility to US
ALSO supported coup in Guatemala (55) when United fruits control
Failed to overthrow Indonesian leader who was seen as soft on communism
Kennedy’s Cold War strategy
Success
Peace corps 1961
Young people volunteered to work in poor areas teaching, providing aid etc. The hope was to crated genorositu and practical involvement and thus would deter ommmunism
Ban on atmospheric testing 1961-3
JFK inc nuclear weapons
But
Set up Arms control and disarmament agency and signed a limited test ban treaty with USSR 63
Banned testing in atmosphere and under water and in space
Kennedy Cold War failure
Berlin Wall 61
61 USSR made a concrete wall to stop East Berliners leavin for the west for freedom
JFK asserted his freedom to visit the wall in 62 that the world should be free but he didn’t challenge Soviet’s further
Military build up
JFK promised a flexible response to any threat from nuclear to guerilla. Military budget increased 15% in 1961 and increased arms
CUBAS MISSLE CRISIS
JFK
What problem did JFK inherit from Eisenhower
Prior to 1959
Cuba was ruled by Bastia
Ally of US
Encouraged UD business
59
Nationalists led by Castro overthrew him
Eisenhower requested a CIA plan to overthrow Castro
This was illegal
How did JFK deal with the issue he inherited from Eisenhower
Approved plan which involved invasion by Cuban exiles
Took place 62
Failed
Made Castro look to USSR for aid
JFK created Operation Mongoose next - involved maximum disruption of Cuba’s trade, made more raid and another attempted assassination
Result nearly created nuclear war
What did JFK do after failed attempt of operation mongoose
EXCOM
EXCOM (military and advisors) met to consider tactics
Few days later JFK meets USSR foreign minister
Both sides argue
Missle site photos are being taken by U2 planes simultaneously
EXCOM recommends action but JFK fears retaliation on Berlin in a tit for tat reaction
What happened after EXCOM gave advice
Few days later
JFK broadcasts about Cuban missiles
HE imposes a blockade around Cuba and demands their withdrawal by USSR
Threat of war wages
JFK then forbid boarding of Soviet ships in international waters
Reports suggest midsized
Why was Cuba war so severe
The USA did not know that there were already missiles on Cuba being prepared for firing
-Evidence suggests that Cuba would have fires them had he USA invaded
The USA did not know the soviet commander in Cuba had been given the go ahead for a pre-emptive nuclear strike if USA invaded
Krushchev has little inside knowledge of US planning. He only knew about the US plans because a journalist was overheard in a Moscow bar. He did not realise the pressure JFK was under to invade
If nuclear weapons were used no one knew how the war they would create would end but everyone feared the worst
Was the world a safer place after the Cuban missive crisis
Misunderstanding led to ‘hotline’ being place so that confrontation could be less public
Compromise was more possible in private
Television had encouraged a crisis
It also created significant public protest at the weaponary
JFK was shot less than a month lager
How far could you say that the Cuban crisis had shown that the USA was successful in fighting the Cold War
Yes
-Krushchev agreed to remove missiles if US promised not to invade Cuba
Also a secret agreement that USA will remove missiles from Turkeys
JFK agrees and crisis over
-Hotline - less public confrontation
No
- Eisenhower CIA Plan = illegal
- JFK invasion on Cuba exciles 1961 failed
- operation Mongoose almost led to nuclear war
Causes of Cuban crisis
Castro in power
Invasion of Cuban exiles 1961
Operation mongoose
He imposed blockage around Cuba and demands withdrawal
Consequences of Cuban crisis
Hotline and talk w issue w out public
How did Truman escalate and involve the USA in south east Asia
Truman: 1950 $10 million offered and MAAG has been set up to assist in the training and provide bombers and weapons
Between 1950-1952 US spent $50m on economic and technical assistance to the Vietnam people. By 1954, investment reached US $3bill
US tried to win over peasants by providing seeds and fertiliser to increase agricultural production. They introduced health programmes aimed at reducing malaria. US insisted that aid should go directly to local hoc to show local pop the benefits of US involvement
How did Eisenhower escalate and involve the USA in south east Asia
The USA feared that as Ho Chi Minh was a communist he would naturally ally w USSR or China
Therefore US gave French aid, but refused to intervene
$7bill aid between 1955-61
In 1954 the Viet Minh sieged Dien Bien Phu and this led to Geneva accords which were drawn up 1954
This recognised French withdrawal, partitioned Vietnam’s, req feee elections and recognised Laos and Cambodia as neutral
But the USA was fighting the Cold War and determined to contain communism and to prevent Domino effect.
Eisenhower feared collapse of 1 Asia state would lead to another.
If Ho Chi Minh won the election in 1956, he would run it as a communist state so US decided to
-refuse to sign
-gave help to Diem, leader of south Vietnam
-agreed to postpone elections
-ignored persecutions of opponents
-set up 1000 advisors in Saigon
-this was unpopular and the situation JFK inherited
What was decided at Geneva
A cease fire and temporary division of the country into 2 military zones at 17th parallel
All Viet Minh forces were to withdraw north of that line
All French and associated state of Vietnam troops were to remain south of it
Permission was granted for refugees to move from one zone to the other during limited time period
An international commission was established, composed of Canadian, Polish, and indian members under an Indian chairman, to supervise the execution of the agreement
Elections, supervised by the commission, to be held throughout Vietnam in July 1956 in order to unify the country
What happened after Geneva
Vin Minh appeared certain to win these elections, and the US and the leaders in the south would not approve or sign the final declaration; elections were never held
With assistance from the USSR and China, the north embarked on an ambitious program of socialist industrialisation; they also began to collectivise agriculture in earnest in 1958
In the south, a new gov appointed by Dai began to build an new country. Diem a Roman Catholic, was named PM and succeeded with American support in stabilising the anti communist regime
He eliminated pro-French elements in the military
Diem then achieved full power removing Dai
Problem with Diem
Diem’s early success in consolidating power did not result in concrete political and economic achievements
Plans for land reform were sabotaged
With the financial backing of the US, the regime’s chief energies were directed toward building up the military to counter the still influential Viet Minh
Totalitarian methods were directed against all who were regarded as opponents, and the favouritism shown to Roman Catholics alienated the majority Buddhist population
Loyalty to the president and his family made a paramount duty, and Diem’s brother, NGO Dinh Nhu, founded an elitist underground organisation to spy on officials, army officers, and prominent local citizens
Diem was killed
With support from the north, communist-led-forces- popularly called the Viet Cong - launched an insurgency movement to seize power and reunify the country
The government that seized power after diem’s ouster, however, was no more effective than its predecessor
Unable to cope with Vietcong
No less than the oppressive nature of the Saigon regime was its inability to cope with the Viet Cong
The insurgent movement, aided by a steady infiltration of weapons and advisors from north, steadily built its fighting strength from about 30,000 men in 1963 to about 150,000 in 1965 when, in the opinion of many American intelligence analysts, the survival of the Saigon regime was seriously threatened
NLF
In addition
The political opp in the south to Saigon become much more organised
The national front for the liberation of the south, popularly called NLF had been organised in late 1960 and within 4 years had a huge following
US increased involvement with Saigon regime
Until 1960 US supported Saigon regime and its army only with military equipment, financial aid, and as permitted by Geneva Accords, 700 advisors for training the army
The number of advisors had increased to 17,000 by the end of 1963, and they were joined by an increasing number of American helicopter pilots.
All of this assistance, however, proved insufficient to halt the advance of of the Viet Cong
JFK pressure with involvement in South East Asia
Need to protect economic interests in Asia
Desire to appear credible after the challenge to Cuba
Desire to demonstrate us power and knowledge that greater nuclear balance restricted direct action
What did JFK decide with south east Asia
To create a more flexible policy using economic aid, encouraging nation building and backing this up with counter insurgency forces by using the Green Berets against guerilla tactics
Continue to support Diem and South Vietnam army by dollar and air
Send more military advisors and equipped under Project ‘Beef up’
Did JFK’s plan with Vietnam’s work
The Diem regime continued to be very corrupt and unpopular amongst landless peasants in particular
The Vietcong (a group of guerilla fighters continued to pursue their independence campaign, creating the national liberation front in south Vietnam m
The 15,000 advisors failed to improve the ARVN
The CIA have covert encouragement to the ARVN to get rid of Diem
Assassination of Diem and JFK
1963 Diem assassinated
JFK assassinated 3 weeks later
LBJ
What were his choices and what actions did he take in Vietnam
Situation after assassination was 16,000 advisors (inc soldiers) but none on active service
By end of his presidency in 1968, there was 500,000 soldiers and 6 months earlier he had turned down a request for 200,000 more
His choices were limited. He was inexperienced in foreign policy and relied on McNamara, his secretary of defence and George bundy his national security advisor
He was being urged that only full scale military force could stop the collapse of south Vietnamese government
What was the gulf of Tonkin
1964, American patrols in the Gulf of Tonkin off the Vietnamese coast claimed to have been fired on
LBJ went to Congress and they passed a resolution called the Gulf of Tonkin resolution
This gave President all necessary means to repel any armed attack and prevent further aggression
It meant that the president did not need further permission from congress
This was not revoked till 1970
Results of golf or Tonkin
1965 the joint chief of staffs asked for 100,000 soldiers to be sent to vietnam
They argued their attacks had been limited and force was needed
McNamara argued US credibility was at stake and said was committed to support South Vietnam
Protests came from politicians who questioned US motives
The presidents greatest interest was to work on great society
But in the end johnson thought if no alternative so be it
Escalation meant US was determined to contain communism
3 years that followed described as Americanisation of Vietnam
Strategy for Vietnam war
Direct bombing
Direct bombing: operation rolling thunder 1968
AIM- damage North Vietnam so much eco- negotiate peace
-attack Ho Chi Minh Trail of paths and tunnels and waterways used by Vietcong to move soldiers and equip and supplies
Method:
Million of tons of bombs dropped B52s at cost of $30,000 a sortie
-use of defolition to drop leaves - agent orange
-use of napalm to flush out Vietcong supporters and minimise support from villages
Result
Defolition using toxic chemicals such as Agent Orange caused long term sickness amongst civilians and soldiers and destruction of Vietnam’s agriculture and towns
-north Vietnamese rebuilt roads and bridges quicker than imagined
-intensified will to fight
-bombing continued- sig
Strategy for Vietnam war
Ground troops strategy
Aim: support bombing by capturing Vietnamese soldiers and damaging their support in countryside
Method:continued to inc number of troops 1956-68 almost doubled
Result:Tet offensive by north Vietnamese over vietnam new year proved neither bombing or ground troops ended ability or desire of Vietcong to continue war
- Vietcong attacked 5/6bmain cities and 3/4 provincial cities. Quickly pushed back from most, but the ancient and beautiful city of Hie was badly damaged. The Vietcong had successfully disproved American claims war nearly over
- anti war movement spurred by celebriti w like Muhammad Ali and MLK
How did get out of Vietnam
68 Nixon power
Nixon Doctrine: USA help nations willing to help selves - began vietnamization of war
By reducing troop numbers- 543,000 1969; reduced it by 20,000 1970, and reduced it to 24,000 1972
Bombing raids in Cambodia - destroy Ho chin Minh trail - failed - 73- Nixon sent ground troops into Cambodia - protests —> (w o congress)
Repeal of Gulf of Tonkin by congress
Paris peace talk - stalled since 1968 because of south vietnamise military weakness, restarted after more successful attacks on north. Ceasefire agreed 1972 but fighting restarted with south Vietnamese Christmas bombing campaign
27 Jan 1973- ceasefire
Vietnamese war lasted 2cmore years - 75- united
Military reasons why failed Vietnam war
US soldiers served 1 year tour inexperienced and young men - frightened and victim of vicious fighting and unpredictable behaviour
Full scare invasion on Vietnam was never possible because of threat of nuclear action
Determination and courage of Vietnamese
Political reasons why Vietnam failed
UEA never committed to total victory as might lead to soviet or Chinese’s intervention and nuclear war
American public opp
Mcarthyisn removed many Far East specialists
Anti war movement
1959 Student for a democratic society is found
1965 First draft riots occur on college campuses
1970-National guard kills 4 protestors at Kent state uni
Japan became keystone of containment in Asia
USA gave Jap $500m to rebuikd
Other asian countries who faced Jap in WW2 we’re angry at US policy
By 1960, Jap was eco competitive w US
Why didn’t US intervene in china
USA worried that association with the undemocratic and corrupt methods of Chiang Kai Shek would tarnish them
Chiang Wouldn’t modernise or support reform
Aid from USA had little effect
General Wesemeyer argued to send more troops to help Chiang Kai Shek. Truman refuses. Secretary of State said it would involve tgemcin war
Worst defeat or US
China
Affected Truman at hone
Mao tried to build relationship US- failed - soviet puppet state
US blocked China entry to UN
Continued to finance nationalists
Japan major ally
Korean War
Soviet backed North Korean people’s army invades South Korea
UN and US rush to South Korea’s defence
China, in support of communist north, retaliated when US UN and south Korean troops approach Chinese border
4 mill die in 3 year conflict until North Korea UN China blah sign armistice agreement 1953
August 1954 First Taiwan Strait crisis
Eisenhower lifted US navy blockade of Taiwan 1953 leading Chiang Kai Shek to deploy thousands of troops to the Quemoy and Matsu islands in the Taiwan Strait in Aug 1954
Mainland china’s People’s Liberation Army responded by shelling the islands.
The USA signed a mutual defence treaty with Chiang’s Natiobalists
In spring 1955, US threatened nuclear attack China
China agreed to negotiate claiming a limited victory after nationalists withdrawal from Dachen island
Crisis erupted again in 1956
