How effectively did the USA contain the spread of Communism? Flashcards
Which Asian country became Communist in 1949 after a long civil war?
China
What had the USSR developed by 1949 which made ‘Containment’ a more pressing policy for the USA?
Their own atomic bomb
What network was Stalin using to help Communists win power in Malaya, Indonesia, Burma, the Philippines and Korea?
Cominform
What line of latitude divided the Soviet and American zones in Korea after the Japanese surrendered?
38th Parallel
Who was made the leader of the Republic of Korea (the South) in 1948?
Syngman Rhee
Who was made the leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (the North) in 1948?
Kim Il Sung
When did North Korea attack South Korea?
25 June 1950
What was the USA’s policy of ‘containment’?
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.
Give 4 reasons why the USA decided to get involved in Korea.
- They had been closely associated with the establishment of the Republic of Korea.
- They were following their policy of ‘containment’.
- 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.
- They suspected Soviet involvement.
Why were the Soviets not able to veto UN involvement in the Korean war?
They were boycotting the UN’s Security Council over the lack of representation for Communist China.
What was the name of the small corner of south-east Korea that remained under the South’s control in early September?
The area around Pusan
Where in Korea did the United Nations forces storm ashore on 15 September?
Inchon
Which city in Korea was the only communist capital city to fall to the West in the Cold War?
Pyongyang
What river marked the border between North Korea and China?
Yalu River
Who entered the Korean War in October 1950?
China
What sort of warfare defined the last stage of the Korean War between 1951 and 1953?
A war of ‘stalemate’
Who did President Truman sack on 11 April 1951.
General MacArthur
Which two changes of leadership helped to facilitate the end of the Korean war?
- Truman was replaced by Eisenhower.
2. Stalin died and was replaced by Khrushchev.
When did the Korean war end?
27 July 1953
Who was doing well in each of the 4 stages of the Korean war?
Stage 1 - North Korea.
Stage 2 - South Korea/ US/ UN.
Stage 3 - China/ North Korea.
Stage 4 - Stalemate.
Give 4 ways in which the USA changed its policy of ‘containment’ after Korea.
- Focused more on creating networks of anti-Communist alliances like SEATO and CENTO.
- 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).
- Increased propaganda e.g. US presidents talked about a ‘missile gap’.
- Increased spying, including the use of U2 spy planes which flew very high in the air and took detailed photos.
Give 4 ways in which the USA was involved in Cuba before the Cuban Revolution in 1959.
- Under Cuba’s constitution the USA had the right to intervene in Cuban affairs and to supervise its finances and foreign relations.
- 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.
- The USA took control of Guantanamo Bay.
- 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.
What was the name of the President of Cuba before the 1959 revolution?
President Batista
Who came to power in Cuba after the 1959 revolution?
Fidel Castro