KQ5 Containment of Communism Flashcards
When and on what parallel was Korea divided on
Divided in 1945 on the 38th Parallel
Who led North Korea and who was he backed by
Kim Il Sung and was backed by communist USSR
What army did Kim Il Sung create
The People’s army
They were a large army of skilled soldiers which were supported by the USSR
What were Kim Il Sung’s ideals
He was communist and a nationalist (wanted a united north and south Korea)
Who led South Korea and who was he backed by
Syngman Rhee, backed by capitalist USA
When did the leaders of North and South Korea official become leaders
1948
Sung declared himself leader
Rhee was elected
What were Syngman Rhee’s ideals
capitalist, strict anti-communist, nationalist
Why didn’t the USA send weapons to South Korea at first
They wanted to maintain peace
How many people did Rhee have in prison by 1950
30,000 suspected communists
When did China become communist
1949
Who was the leader of communist china
Mao Zedong
When did North Korea invade the South
25th June 1950
When did the Korean People’s army take Seoul and what was the only part of South Korea which wasn’t taken
27th June 1950
Pusan Perimeter
Who ruled Korea until 1945
Japan
Who was the US president at the start of the Korean war
Truman
What did the USA do to support South Korea at the start of the Korean War
The spoke to the UN (which condemned North Korea)
They sent advisors, supplies and warships
Why wasn’t Russia able to Veto the UNs involvement in the Korean War
They were boycotting the UN due to a disagreement over who should represent China in the Security Council
What was resolution 84?
it committed UN members to help drive North Korean Soldiers out of South Korea
18 states (including Britain) provided troops but the majority was from USA
Who was the Commander of the UN Korean war troops
General MacArthur - american
What happened in September 1950 (Korean War)
UN forces stormed Incheon, they drove the North Korean’s past their original border and the UN approved a plan to advance into North Korea
What happened in October 1950 (Korean War)
UN forces reached the Yalu river (on border with China)
In late October, China entered the war
Who were the People’s volunteers
200,000 Chinese troops who were committed to communism and hated the US
They were equipped with planes and tanks by the USSR
What happened in Jan 1951 (Korea)
UN troops pushed back and the US were divided on what to do
What did MacArthur and Truman want to do in the Korean War
MacArthur - continue the war by invading China and using nuclear weapons if necessary
Truman - only wanted to save South Korea
What happened in March 1951 (Korean War)
MacArthur ignored UN instruction to stop fighting and negotiate an agreement
He openly threatened an attack on China
What happened in April 1951 (Korean War)
MacArthur was sacked
When did Stalin die
March 1953
When was Truman replaced by Eisenhower
1952
When did peace talks begin and when was the armistice (Korean War)
June 1951 - peace talks began
July 1953 - armistice signed
Who was John F. Kennedy
President of the USA (1961/63)
Who was Fidel Castro
Cuban leader since 1959
Who was Nikita Khrushchev
Premier of the USSR
When did Castro come to power
1959
Why was the US unhappy that Castro took over?
Castro nationalised US businesses and was a communist
What support did the USSR give Cuba in 1960
Gave Cuba $100 mill in economic aid
agreed to buy Cuban sugar
What was the Bay of Pigs
An american operation. Supplied 1,400 Cuban Exiles with arms to reinvade Cuba in 1961. It was a failure and damaged relations
When was the bay of pigs invasion
April 1961
How much did the Bay of Pigs invasion cost the US
$53 Million
Why did Khrushchev help Castro
USSR could get on an even weapons playing field (counter Turkey missiles)
When were missiles sent to Cuba
1962
What happened in 1962 (Cuba)
11 September - JFK + congress issued warnings to USSR
15 Oct - U2 spy planes took photos of the construction of long range soviet missile launching sites, Soviet ships were seen travelling with long range nuclear weapons to Cuba
What were the options of responses to the USSR giving Cuba missiles
Invasion, Airstrike, Diplomatic pressure, blockade
what happened Oct 16-22 1962 (Cuba)
Secret deliberations on what should be done
What happened Oct 22 1962 (Cuba)
JFK announces naval blockade
What happened Oct 23 1962 (Cuba)
Khrushchev explains that the missiles are solely to defend Cuba in case there’s an aggressor
What happened Oct 24 1962 (Cuba)
20 Russian ships head for Cuba, they are told to ignore the blockade
What happened Oct 25 1962 (Cuba)
First Russian ship reaches Blockade, its only carrying oil so it’s let through. The rest turn back
What happened Oct 26 1962 (Cuba)
JFK gets a telegram from Khrushchev:
USSR will dismantle the sites if US lifts blockade and doesnt invade Cuba
When does Kennedy’s brother make a secret deal with the USSR’s ambassador
27th Oct 1962 - both the Cuban and the Turkish missile bases will be disarmed
when does the Cuban missile crisis end
28th Oct 1962
Why Could the cuban missile crisis be counted as a win for US/USSR
US: JKF’s personal prestige was enhanced, Khrushchev’s rep was worsened, China-USSR relations worsened, Critics of the policy of containment were quietened
USSR: Cuba stayed communist and continued to rely on USSR (but chose to follow an independent foreign policy), European allies were upset about how littler they were consulted
What were the positive/negative results of the Cuban Missile Crisis
+ : hotline between US + USSR was established, two superpowers avoided direct hostility again, 1963 Nuclear Test Ban treaty
- : the arms race intensified
Who led the Vietminh
Ho Chi Minh
When and where were the French defeated in Vietnam
1954 at Dien Bien Phu
When and along which parallel was Vietnam divided along
17th parallel - 1954
Who was the president of South Vietnam
Diem
What was the Vietminh
Communist Vietnamese group
Why did the USA get involved in the Vietnamese civil war
they wanted to stop the spread of communism, domino theory
What was JFK’s policy on the Vietnamese war
Didnt want the US to get too involved, sent military advisors
What happened in 1964 in Vietnam
August 1964 - US ships were reportedly attacked by the North Vietnamese, Gulf of Tonkin resolution passed
When were US troops committed to the Vietnamese war
1965
What was Rolling Thunder
a bombing campaign,
What did the US do in Vietnam
put the Vietnamese in strategic hamlets, went on search and destroy missions
What was the Vietcong tunnel system like
Sophisticated, had storage rooms, dormitories and meeting rooms. Allowed ambushes on US troops. Can’t be seen from above
What was US tech like during the Vietnamese war
Used M16 Guns - modern, light and quick firing but flimsy
Tank warfare had little success
Used Napalm bombs and agent orange
B52 Bombers
What was Viet Cong tech like
Used AK47 - older but sturdier and simple to use (50% of US deaths caused by small arms)
Soviet anti aircraft guns (caused 80 % of aircraft casualties)
B40 rocket launchers
low tech traps and equipment
US tactics during the Vietnamese war
Napalm + agent orange to destroy tree cover and Ho Chi Minh trail
Search and destroy (lots of civilian casualties)
Viet Cong tacticts
treated locals with respect and gained their trust (made booby traps with peasants to raise morale)
guerrilla tactics (hit and run, no uniforms)
large tunnel system
What was the Ho Chi Minh trail
1000 miles, made up of multiple trails
Got supplies from north to south
Viet Cong VS US motivation
Viet Cong described as “one minded”, refused to give up. Women could be soldiers and were treated equally
US started off motivated and then decreased considerably. PTSD and conscription had to be introduced
when did the US withdraw from vietnam
1973
when did Vietnam become fully communist
1975
When and what happened with the Tet offensive
Jan 1968 - north Vietnamese attack all over the country. 50,000 communist troops dead
turned US citizens against the war
How many US and Vietnamese soldiers were killed during the Vietnamese war
50,000 Americans
2 mill Vietnamese
Why did Kennedy choose to place a blockade on Cuba
Would Show the US strength without causing a direct act of war
Why did the US leave the Vietnamese war
Large Public backlash
Vietcong dedication
Foreign Support (China + USSR)
Vietnamese Soldiers were on familiar land
