Flashpoints Outside Europe And The Impact On International Relations Flashcards
What happened in China in October 1949?
Maos communists won control, established people’s republic of China
What happened in 1950 in China?
Stalin agreed treaty of friendship - USSR supports china’s economic technological and military development
Why did Truman feel that the USA had to stand up to communism in Asia?
China was vast and influential with large population and lots of resources
USA (wrongly) suspected the fall of China was part of Stalin’s scheme to spread communism - domino theory
China’s fall came directly after USSR successfully exploded first atomic bomb
Where was north and South Korea divided?
38th parallel of latitude
What did the USA and USSR think about what type of country Korea should become?
USSR - election of government sympathetic to communism
USA - regime that would ensure the introduction of a capitalist democracy
What year was Korea freed from the Japanese
1945
When did the Soviet and US forces leave Korea and what was established in the two separate countries?
1949
North - communist regime - Kim Il Sung - Korean People’s Democratic Republic
South - capitalist dictatorship - Syngman Rhee - Republic of Korea
Describe the invasion of Korea
Both states sought reunification if the country, but it was Kim Il Sung that acted
after support of Mao and Stalin, he invaded S Korea on 25th June 1950
What was the USA’s reaction to the Invasion of South Korea?
thought Stalin encouraged Invasion, feared the domino effect
USA changed policy of containment to rollback - belief communism should be attacked/pushed back
In fact, Kim was the driving force behind the Invasion - believed rhee was unpopular due to dictatorial manner - believed North Koreans would be welcomed
What happened on 25th June 1950?
North Korea invaded South Korea
What happened on 15th Sept 1950
UN landed at Inchon
What happened on 9th Oct 1950
UN crossed 38th parallel and reached Yalu river (N Korea border with China)
What happened in November 1950
25,000 Chinese ‘volunteers’ invaded N Korea
What happened in Mid 1951
War in the skies (lasted 2 years)
What happened in June 1951?
Peace talks began
What happened in July 1953?
Ceasefire agreed at Panmunjom
describe UN’s role in the Korean War
USA got UN support fro fighting as UN agreed with US interpretation, and first condemned the attack, then began to put forward a military force to stop the Invasion
USSR was unable to object as was boycotting UN in protest of USA’s refusal to allow communist China to sit at the UN Security Council
What was the USSR’s role in the Korean War?
USSR didn’t enter war directly to avoid provoking world war, but secretly helped North Koreans and Chinese by providing ‘advisers’, weapons, doctors and fighter planes with Chinese markings driven by soviet pilots dressed in Chinese uniform
Who was general Douglas macarthur and describe what his role was in Korea
American leader of the UN force
Aim for him for the Korean War was to reunite the whole country
He pleased with Truman to allow an attack that would lead to the destruction of communism in China, urged the use of the atomic bomb
He also believed that Asia was where communists were planning to begin global conquest
When and why was MacArthur sacked?
April 1951 after he openly criticised the presidents policies
Aims between them differed as macarthur wanted rollback and a bomb while Truman wanted containment
Why did the USA, USSR and China decide to end the Korean War in 1953?
New leaders in USA and USSR - president Eisenhower succeeded Truman and Stalin died, leaving Khrushchev in control. New leaders sought peace and ceasefire agreed at Panmunjom jul 1953
US threat to China - Eisenhower’s threat to use nuclear weapons against China possibly assisted the conclusion of negotiations
How did the Korean War impact the Cold War?
Decline in relations between China and the USA
Tense relations between north and South Korea
New American alliances with Far East countries eg japan
Extension of NATO to a full military alliance
Describe the state of Indochina before WWII
indochina had been a French colony. French attempted to establish its empire after the war had been defeated by the Vietminh - guerilla forces led by Vietnamese communist revolutionary Ho Chi Minh
When and what was the treaty of Geneva?
1954
Divided Vietnam alone the 17th parallel of latitude - the northern part under Vietminh control while the anti communist Ngo Dinh Diem controlled the south
describe US involvement in Vietnam
like Korea, US saw the possibility of domino theory in Vietnam
as a result, Eisenhower provided support for the south Vietnamese government in the form of money, weapons and military advisers. The aim was to contin the spread of communism
Eisenhower’s successor, JFK, increased levels of aid. All this came at a time of increasing guerilla attacks against the south’s army by the Vietcong. This group had been set up in S a Vietnam in 1960 to reunite the country under communist control. It was supported by the Ho Chi Minh
What was the view towards Ngo Dinh Diem?
He wasn’t popular - corrupt and brutal regime, gov mainly catholic landowners, out of touch with population that were majority Buddhist peasants. Vietcong gained support
In November 1963, Diem was overthrown and assassinated. Shortly after, Kennedy was killed. By then there were 16000 US military advisers in Vietnam
How did the USA enter the Vietnam War?
North Vietnamese attached US destroyer in gulf of tonkin August 1964
President LBJ succeeded Kennedy and believed the attack provided the excuse for massive American involvement in Vietnam, US congress agreed and passed the Tonkin Resolution - allowing president to fight the war as he saw fit
What was Operation rolling thunder?
US air force launched repeated bombing raids against Vietcong
describe the chemical warfare that the USA used against the Vietnamese
Napalm (petroleum jelly) and agent orange (dioxin, damage brain and CNS)
Napalm burned civilians and agent orange cleaned forests of greenery
Give reasons why the USA was unable to win the Vietnam War
Criticism within the USA - War shown on TV and Americans horrified at US soldiers’ actions. American soldiers were killed and cost of war rose. Anti war campaigns started
Use of conscripts - inexperienced conscript soldiers might have been fighting their first foreign war and didn’t speak the language, while Vietcong used guerilla tactics, dressed in the same way as the Vietnamese peasantry and knew the country well
American atrocities eg Mai Lai Massacre - march 1968 when nearly 350 Vietnamese villagers were killed in the company of US troops. US leader Lieutenant William Calley, was imprisoned for life but later pardoned by Nixon
Low Morale among US troops - many troops ran away, went AWOL, took drugs to cope with stress of fighting an unwinnable war. In contrast the Vietcong, believed they were fighting a patriotic war of liberation
Incidents of friendly fire and use of chemical weapons - US tactics sometimes misfired, eg US bombers dropping napalm on ‘Friendly’ (not communist) villages by mistake
Poor American tactics - US generals’ ‘search and destroy’ tactics focused on statistics - the body county (no of enemy soldiers kills) and the kill ratio (kills per American death). They weren’t focused on actually defeating the enemy
Vietcong’s superior knowledge of the country, climate, people and use of the Ho Chi Minh trail
How did Nixon hope to remove the USA from Vietnam?
Elected as president in 196
Increased levels of bombing against N Vietnam and its capital Hanoi
Ordered secret bombing raise against neighbouring Cambodia and Laos in 1970 as they were being used as supply routes by the Vietcong (Ho Chi Minh Trail)
Introduced policy of Vietnamisation from 1969 - US troops would be withdrawn and S Vietnamese forces would do the fighting
How did the Vietnam War end?
In 1973, a peace treaty was signed in Paris which agreed withdrawal of US forces and return of US POWs. Allowed Vietcong to remain in south and out off decision on political future
In 1975, North Vietnam defeated South Vietnam and reunified the country as a communist state.
How did the Vietnam war weaken the USA?
Economically - USA spent at least $120 billion on the war
Politically - aid sent to other countries with nothing in return
Internationally - containment has failed and their defeat was humiliating
Many US veterans suffered severe psychological damage and injuries
Huge military and civilian losses
How did the Vietnam War impact the Cold War?
USA didn’t contain communism spread in Asia - Cambodia and Laos became communist
USSR and communism weren’t strengthened by the result of the war - War didn’t increase soviet power in Asia although USSR signed a treaty of friendship in 1978, it supplied it with huge amounts of military and economic aid
Who overthrew Fulgencio Batista in Cuba, when, and what were their beliefs?
Fidel Castro in 1959
He wasn’t communist at fist but was a nationalist who wanted to ensure Cuba’s independence from other countries.
How did Fidel Castro become a communist?
He began to nationalise industries (mainly US) which upset Americans. As hostility grew, trade declines and Castro looked elsewhere. In 1960 USSR and Cuba agreed to trade oil and sugar. USSR became Cuba’s main trading partner. In 1961 Castro announced that he had become a communist.
When and what was the bay of pigs incident?
April 1961
JFK was in office
CIA told JFK they were planning a Cuban Invasion, with assistance of anti-Castro Cuban excites (aim to kill Castro) - Kennedy approved it. Known as the bay of pigs disaster as it’s where 1500 invaders landed.
They largely overestimated the amount of support that they would receive form Cubans when they arrived. Castro became a hero, Kennedy looked inexperienced.
What happened in August 1962 in the Cuban missile crisis?
Arrival of equipment required to establish nuclear missile bases in Cuba.
What happened on 14th October 1962 in the Cuban missile crisis?
US intelligence services obtained convincing proof of the missile bases. Also revealed that soviet ships were en route to Cuba with further supplies.
What was ExComm?
Committee of national security council high advised Kennedy during the crisis. Key member was Robert Kennedy (brother)
What were the options that excomm considered for Kennedy?
Invasion of Cuba
Naval blockade of Cuba
Nuclear attack on Cuba
Allowing the missile bases to be erected
What happened on the 22nd October 1962 in the Cuban missile crisis?
Kennedy decided on naval blockade of Cuba. On the same day he revealed the unfolding crisis in a tv broadcast.
What happened on 23rd October in the Cuban missile crisis?
UUSR condemned USA’s blockade
What happened on 24th October in the Cuban missile crisis?
US naval blockade started
What happened on 26th October in the Cuban missile crisis?
Khrushchev’s first telegram to JFK - agreed to remove missiles if America ends blockade and doesn’t invade Cuba
What happened on 27th October in the Cuban missile crisis?
JFK accepts offer and ignored second telegram which demands USA removes missiles from Turkey. Later JFK would secretly agree and remove them.
What happened on 28th October in the Cuban missile crisis?
Khrushchev accepts JFK’s offer
What steps did the two leaders take after the Cuban missile crisis to avoid coming as close to a hot war again?
Both sides agree such a confrontation should be avoided in the future
Telephone hotline between Moscow and Washington set up
Agreed to begin talks to reduce the number of nuclear weapons each side had - partial test ban treaty signed in 1963
What and when was detente? Give examples of it
Decade between 1969 and 1979 where relationships improve between USA and USSR/China
President Nixon visits China in 1972
SALT 1 agreement 1972, SALT 2 1979 - limited missiles
What brought an end to detente?
Afghanistan War - Russia’s Vietnam
Why was Brezhnev concerned about the developments in Afghanistan in 1979?
Economic - poor country, had valuable gas fields which USSR could exploit
Political - might unsettle Muslim populations in USSR
When did USSR invade Afghanistan?
25th December 1979
Killed Amin, put a ‘puppet ruler’ Babrak Karmal in his place
What was the reaction to the USSR invasion of Afghanistan?
Condemned by UN, USA and China - carter said it could jeopardise US-soviet relations
To show opposition, USA funded Operation Cyclone between 1981 and 1987, supply of $3.2 billion of guns, missiles and money to Mujahideen
Who were the mujahideen?
Afghan fighters, waged guerilla warfare against soviet invaders. Many mujahideen were jihadists - extremists who believe religion requires them to go to war for Islam
Why was the USSR unable to win the Afghanistan war?
Guerilla warfare from mujahideen - ambushes, shot down helicopters, hid in mountains/Pakistan, looked like civilians
Resembled USA as both militarised superpowers struggled in fighting against guerilla warfare
1982, major soviet campaign in panshar Valley was defeated by guerillas
How did the Afghanistan war end?
1988, new soviet leader Gorbachev decided USSR was never going to win the war. He began the process of withdrawal and in 1989 the last soviet troops left Afghanistan
How did the Afghanistan war impact the USSR?
Economic - sheer cost of war bankrupted the USSR, leading to collapse and Berlin Wall fell in 1989 (perestroika)
Political. - people within USSR spoke out for the first time against soviet government (glasnost)
How did American actions in the Afghanistan war endanger world security?
By mobilising fundamentalist jihadist groups to support mujahideen - help to create the international terrorism that came to dominate early 21st Century - led to formation of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda
How did the Afghanistan War impact the Cold War?
Detente ended and relations were tense
SALT2- carter didn’t ratify it - USA didn’t trust USSR or want to reduce its missiles
1980 Moscow olympics - US boycott
1983 - Reagan’s description of USSR as ‘empire of evil’
1983 SDI Star Wars programme - Gorbachev worries and knew USSR couldn’t afford such a system
1984 - LA olympics - soviet boycott
