How effectively did the USA contain the spread of Communism? Flashcards

1
Q

Which Asian country became Communist in 1949 after a long civil war?

A

China

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2
Q

What had the USSR developed by 1949 which made ‘Containment’ a more pressing policy for the USA?

A

Their own atomic bomb

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3
Q

What network was Stalin using to help Communists win power in Malaya, Indonesia, Burma, the Philippines and Korea?

A

Cominform

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4
Q

What line of latitude divided the Soviet and American zones in Korea after the Japanese surrendered?

A

38th Parallel

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5
Q

Who was made the leader of the Republic of Korea (the South) in 1948?

A

Syngman Rhee

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6
Q

Who was made the leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (the North) in 1948?

A

Kim Il Sung

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7
Q

When did North Korea attack South Korea?

A

25 June 1950

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8
Q

What was the USA’s policy of ‘containment’?

A

A geopolitical strategy to stop the expansion of an enemy. It is best known as a Cold War foreign policy of the United States and its allies to prevent the spread of communism.

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9
Q

Give 4 reasons why the USA decided to get involved in Korea.

A
  1. They had been closely associated with the establishment of the Republic of Korea.
  2. They were following their policy of ‘containment’.
  3. The USA thought that a successful conquest of South Korea would encourage a Chinese attack on Formosa and potentially Japan. Japan was of key importance to the USA.
  4. They suspected Soviet involvement.
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10
Q

Why were the Soviets not able to veto UN involvement in the Korean war?

A

They were boycotting the UN’s Security Council over the lack of representation for Communist China.

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11
Q

What was the name of the small corner of south-east Korea that remained under the South’s control in early September?

A

The area around Pusan

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12
Q

Where in Korea did the United Nations forces storm ashore on 15 September?

A

Inchon

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13
Q

Which city in Korea was the only communist capital city to fall to the West in the Cold War?

A

Pyongyang

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14
Q

What river marked the border between North Korea and China?

A

Yalu River

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15
Q

Who entered the Korean War in October 1950?

A

China

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16
Q

What sort of warfare defined the last stage of the Korean War between 1951 and 1953?

A

A war of ‘stalemate’

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17
Q

Who did President Truman sack on 11 April 1951.

A

General MacArthur

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18
Q

Which two changes of leadership helped to facilitate the end of the Korean war?

A
  1. Truman was replaced by Eisenhower.

2. Stalin died and was replaced by Khrushchev.

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19
Q

When did the Korean war end?

A

27 July 1953

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20
Q

Who was doing well in each of the 4 stages of the Korean war?

A

Stage 1 - North Korea.
Stage 2 - South Korea/ US/ UN.
Stage 3 - China/ North Korea.
Stage 4 - Stalemate.

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21
Q

Give 4 ways in which the USA changed its policy of ‘containment’ after Korea.

A
  1. Focused more on creating networks of anti-Communist alliances like SEATO and CENTO.
  2. Engaged in an ‘arms race’ developing ever bigger, more deadly and more flexible weapons. Having more nuclear weapons was meant to deter the other from attack first (Mutually Assured Destruction).
  3. Increased propaganda e.g. US presidents talked about a ‘missile gap’.
  4. Increased spying, including the use of U2 spy planes which flew very high in the air and took detailed photos.
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22
Q

Give 4 ways in which the USA was involved in Cuba before the Cuban Revolution in 1959.

A
  1. Under Cuba’s constitution the USA had the right to intervene in Cuban affairs and to supervise its finances and foreign relations.
  2. The USA forced the Cubans to sell them raw materials for low prices and to buy American manufactured goods. The railway industry, telephone system and tobacco plantations were all controlled by the USA.
  3. The USA took control of Guantanamo Bay.
  4. No Cuban government would be elected unless they were willing to implement policies favourable to the USA. Ministers in Cuba received payments from American businessmen.
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23
Q

What was the name of the President of Cuba before the 1959 revolution?

A

President Batista

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24
Q

Who came to power in Cuba after the 1959 revolution?

A

Fidel Castro

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25
Q

What did Castro’s government do with American property and companies in Cuba after the revolution?

A

American property was taken over by the Communist government and American companies were kicked out of the country.

26
Q

How did President Eisenhower initially respond to Castro’s nationalisation of industry?

A

He began economic sanctions. The USA stopped trading with Cuba and refused to buy Cuban raw materials and sugar. This was intended to undermine the Castro regime, or at least force change in economic policies.

27
Q

Describe 4 aspects of the ‘Bay of Pigs’ invasion in April 1961.

A
  1. It was organised by the CIA.
  2. Kennedy supplied arms, equipment and transport for 1400 anti-Castro exiles to invade Cuba and overthrow Castro.
  3. US planes, painted to look like Cuban air force planes, attacked Cuban airbases and were meant to protect the landing troops.
  4. 20,000 Cuban troops, armed with tanks and modern weapons, crushed the invaders.
28
Q

Give 4 reasons why the Bay of Pigs invasion failed.

A
  1. Poor secrecy. The plan became common knowledge among Cuban exiles in Miami.
  2. Failure to control the air. The air strikes missed many of their targets.
  3. Failure to gain support. Very few, if any, of the Cuban population joined the invaders.
  4. Response. Castro ordered 20,000 troops to crush the invasion.
29
Q

How did the Soviet Union respond to the Bay of Pigs invasion?

A

The supplied Cuba with arms.

30
Q

What happened on Sunday 14 October 1962 which triggered a response from Kennedy?

A

An American spy plane flew over Cuba and took detailed photographs of missile sites in Cuba.

31
Q

Give 5 options Kennedy had in responding to the discovery of nuclear missile sites in Cuba.

A
  1. No action.
  2. Diplomatic measures.
  3. Naval blockade.
  4. Air attacks.
  5. Invasion.
32
Q

How did Kennedy decided to respond to the discovery of nuclear missiles in Cuba?

A

He decided on a naval blockade.

33
Q

What happened at 10.32am on 24 October 1962?

A

The 20 Soviet ships closest to the blockade zone around Cuba stopped or turned around.

34
Q

What did each of Khrushchev’s letters to Kennedy on 26 and 27 October 1962 say?

A

The first admitted the presence of missiles and said missile sites would be removed if the blockade was ended. The second revised the proposals and added that the USA also had to withdraw its missiles from Turkey.

35
Q

What did Khrushchev do with the Cuban missile sites after 28 October 1962?

A

He dismantled them.

36
Q

What did Kennedy secretly agree to remove, in order to solve the Cuban Missile Crisis?

A

US missiles in Turkey.

37
Q

Did the Cuban Missile Crisis help to thaw Cold War relations?

A

Yes. A permanent ‘hot line’ phone link from the White House to the Kremlin was set up. In 1963 a Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was signed.

38
Q

Who founded the Indochinese Communist Party in 1930?

A

Ho Chi Minh

39
Q

Which colonial power tried to prevent Vietnamese Communists from gaining control after the Second World War?

A

The French

40
Q

How did Truman help the French in their war with the Vietnamese Communists?

A

He provided $2billion for the French war effort and established the Military Assistant Advisory Group to advise French troops. But he did not send troops.

41
Q

What sort of military tactics did the Viet Minh and Viet Cong use against their enemies?

A

Guerrilla tactics

42
Q

What decisive battle led to the French leaving Vietnam?

A

Dien Bien Phu, 1954

43
Q

As part of the July 1954 Geneva Peace Accord, Vietnam was “temporarily” partitioned into North and South Vietnam along which line of latitude?

A

17th Parallel

44
Q

Who led South Vietnam from 1955 until his assassination in 1963?

A

Ngo Dinh Diem

45
Q

What was ‘Domino Theory’?

A

President Eisenhower’s theory that as one country fell to communism it would be more likely that surrounding ones would be affected. Just like dominoes toppling into each other.

46
Q

Why was Diem’s leadership questionable?

A

He treated Buddhists badly and was corrupt (he appointed members of his family to positions of power and refused to hold elections).

47
Q

Along which route did the Viet Minh supply the Viet Cong?

A

The Ho Chi Minh trail

48
Q

Give 4 things Kennedy did in Vietnam.

A
  1. Sent funds.
  2. Strategic Hamlet Program.
  3. Sent military advisors.
  4. Supported a coup to overthrow President Diem.
49
Q

Which incident did Johnson use as an excuse to escalate US involvement in Vietnam?

A

The Gulf of Tonkin Incident

50
Q

What was ‘Operation Rolling Thunder’?

A

US air bombing of Vietnam.

51
Q

Name 2 chemical weapons used by the USA in Vietnam.

A

Napalm and Agent Orange.

52
Q

What was the Tet Offensive?

A

During the New Year holiday Viet Cong fighters attached over 100 cities and other military targets. It showed to the US public that the war in Vietnam was going to be a long one.

53
Q

What happened at My Lai village?

A

A massacre of Vietnamese citizens by US troops.

54
Q

At which US university were there protests in May 1970 which left 4 students dead?

A

Kent State University

55
Q

What was the policy of Vietnamisation?

A

Nixon’s plan that South Vietnamese soldiers would be trained and equipped to take the place of US troops.

56
Q

Where did the Vietnam war spread to beyond Vietnam?

A

Cambodia and Laos

57
Q

Where was the 23 January 1973 ceasefire signed?

A

Paris

58
Q

Who was President in the USA when they left the Vietnam War?

A

Richard Nixon

59
Q

Who was Nixon’s National Security Advisor?

A

Henry Kissinger

60
Q

What happened in Vietnam in March 1973?

A

The ceasefire collapsed.