Key Individuals Flashcards
Who was Franklin D. Roosevelt?
32nd President of the United States from 1933 to 1945
One of the most popular presidents in US history
Led America through the Great Depression and WW2
Attended Tehran and Yalta
Began the ‘New Deal’ policy before his untimely death in April, 1945
Who was Harry S Truman?
33rd President of the United States from 1945 to 1952
Kickstarted American aggression towards communism through his doctrine and policy of ‘containment’
Widely unpopular by the end of his presidency (22% Approval rating)
Who was Winston Churchill?
Prime Minister of Britain during WW2
Attended Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam (briefly)
Replaced by Clement Atlee at Potsdam
Delivers the ‘Iron Curtain’ speech in 1946
Who was Joseph Stalin?
Premier of the Soviet Union from 1929 to 1953
Attended Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam
Enacts the Berlin Blockade in 1948
Who was Douglas MacArthur?
Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers
Oversaw Japan’s occupation (1945-52)
General of the UN forces in the Korean War until he was relieved of duty by Truman due to his suggestion of atomic warfare against China
Who was Hirohito?
Emperor of Imperial Japan
Allowed to keep his title after WW2, had no power within Japan during it’s American occupation
Who was George Kennan?
The US ambassador based in Moscow
Sent Truman the ‘Long Telegram’ (Feb, 1946) highlighting how the USSR are expansionist and wanting to spread communism however will back down if challenged
Who was Nikolai Novikov?
Soviet ambassador based in Washington
Sends the ‘Novikov Telegram’ to Stalin (Sept, 1946) highlighting US foreign policy’s end-goal being ‘world supremacy’
Who was Mao Zedong?
Communist Leader of China (1949-76)
Defeated Kai-Shek’s Nationalist forces ending the Chinese Civil War
Established China as the ‘People’s Republic of China’
Who was Chiang Kai-Shek?
Leader of the Chinese Nationalists
Supported by the USA in the Chinese Civil War ($2 billion given)
Once defeated by Mao, him and his forces fled to Taiwan
Who was Ho Chi Minh?
Formed the Indo-Chinese Communist Party (1930) to fight against French occupation in Vietnam
Fought guerrilla warfare against the Japanese in WW2 - expected US support after WW2
Truman refused to support Minh, instead covering 78% of France’s cost invading Indo-China
Viewed as a ‘puppet’ of Stalin by the USA
Who was Kim Il Sung?
Installed by the Soviets to rule North Korea (1948-94)
Who was Syngman Rhee?
Elected to rule South Korea (1948-60)
Who was Dwight Eisenhower?
General of the Army within Europe during WW2
Saw the bombings of Japan to be ‘completely unnecessary’
Declined both Republican and Democrat prepositions to run for President pre-1948
Who was Strom Thurmond?
Leader of the ‘Dixiecrat’ party which stemmed from Democrats who broke away from the party (1948)
Attempted to run for President in 1948