Foreign policy in Asia

Question 1

What 4 areas of Asia are ‘part’ of Truman’s foreign policy ?

Answer 1

1) Japan

2) China

3) Indo China

4) Korean War

Question 2

When was the Japanese surrender ?

Answer 2

14th August 1945

Question 3

Who announced the Japanese surrender on radio ?

Answer 3

Emperor Hirohito

Question 4

What US military intervention followed the Japanese surrender ?

Answer 4

350,000 US troops entered mainland Japan and General MacArthur was given complete autonomy over how the country was to be ran.

Question 5

As part of General MacArthur’s control over how the country was ran, what mission was he tasked with ?

Answer 5

He was charged with turning China into a democratic state

Question 6

What 4 changes were made to China during 1949-1952 under the control of the US with general MacArthur ?

Answer 6

1) communists were banned from government posts (positions)

2) Article 9 of the newly introduced constitution in China renounced (gave up) war as a policy.

3) A democratically elected govt. with votes for women

4) Making of the emperor as a figurehead, rather than someone with political power

Question 7

What did China turning communist mean for America’s control of Japan ?

Answer 7

America recognized that a powerful Japan was needed to balance out the large communist danger that China now posed in Asia.

Question 8

Give three examples of how America was successful in dealing with the economy in Japan with its control from 1949-1952

Answer 8

1) tax reforms to help deal with inflation

2) When the Korean war broke out, the US used China as a military base massively boosting the economy

3) e.g the economy grew an average of 7.1% annually between 1945-56

Question 9

What were the two main political parties in China before and after WW2 ?

Answer 9

communists

nationalists

Question 10

Who was the leader of the communist forces in China ?

Answer 10

Mao Tse Tung

Question 11

Who was the leader of the nationalist forces in China ?

Answer 11

Jiang Jieshi

Question 12

What were the hopes for relations between the communist forces and nationalist forces in China after WW2 had ended ?

Answer 12

Hopes that the leader of the communists, Mao Tse Tung and the leader of the nationalists, Jian Jieshi would be able to work together.

Question 13

How were the hopes of the nationalists and communists being able to work together in China after WW2 had ended a failure ?

Answer 13

This is because, talks fell apart and, in 1946 a civil war broke out

Question 14

From 1945 onwards, how much was America giving to Jiang Jieshi and the nationalist forces in China to help them come out on top over the communist forces led by Mao Tse Tung in the civil war ?

Answer 14

$2 billion of military aid a year

Question 15

Who provided support for the communist forces in China during the outbreak of the civil war ?

Answer 15

USSR (Stalin)

Question 16

What weakened the resolve (determination) of Jiang’s nationalist supporters as the Civil War developed ?

Answer 16

corruption and massive inflation

Question 17

How did the 1946 civil war in China end ?

Answer 17

Using captured Japanese weapons, Mao’s communist army slowly won the upper hand over Jiang’s nationalist forces. Ultimately, Jiang fled to Taiwan and in October 1949, Mao proclaimed the creation People’s republic of China.

The Largest country by size, and with the biggest population was now communist.

Question 18

Other than the loss of China being a disaster for the US due to them now being communist, why else was this loss a devastation for America ?

Answer 18

US policy makers had seen Jiang Jieshi’s China as a major player and as one of the ‘big 5’ members in the United nations security council.

Question 19

Why did America decide to intervene in Indochina and help the French regain their colony ?

Answer 19

This is because Truman was fearful of the spread of communism despite their beliefs of self determination.

Question 20

How much of the French’s costs in Indochina was America covering by 1954 ?

Answer 20

78%

Question 21

By 1953, how much military aid had Truman given to France in Indochina ?

Answer 21

$785 million

Question 22

What was noted at the time of America’s high military aid and financial support to France and IndoChina ?

Answer 22

It was noted at the time that America risked becoming overcommitted to Indochina.

Question 23

BY 1951, how much military aid had Truman given to France in Indochina ?

Answer 23

£450 million

Question 24

Give an example of covert action that the CIA were undertaking in indochina in aid of France

Answer 24

carried out 700 supply drops to French troops at Dien Bien Phu (1954)

Question 25

By what line was Korea divided by after WW2 ?

Answer 25

38th Parallel

Question 26

How many North Korean troops invaded South Korea on the 25th June 1950 ?

Answer 26

100,000

Question 27

By the end of August, what progress had the UN forces made that was led by General MacArthur in pushing back North Korean soldiers ?

Answer 27

Little progress had been made as the South Korean troops had been pushed down to Pusan

Question 28

What amphibious attack did the UN forces launch on the 15th September 1950 and how was it successful ?

Answer 28

Inchon Landings - Recaptured capital of South Korea: Seoul

Question 29

Why did the Chinese get involved in the Korean war ?

Answer 29

This is because the UN forces crossed the 38th parallel into N.Korea

Question 30

How did China get involved in the Korean war ?

Answer 30

Crossed the Yalu River in October 1950 sending in 200,000 soldiers

Question 31

When was General MacArthur fired ?

Answer 31

April 1951

Question 32

How much of America’s GDP did the Korean war cost ?

Answer 32

14.2%

Question 33

how many American soldiers were left dead or injured from the Korean war ?

Answer 33

138,000