KQ5: How effectively did the USA contain the spread of Communism? Flashcards
What was the significance of the Korean War 1950-53?
-First hotspot of Cold War
-First real test for UN. Determined to show itself stronger then LoN
-First time Cold War had spread out of Europe. Previous conflicts in Berlin and EE
What was the 38th Parallel in relation to the Korean War?
-Line of latitude separating NK and SK.
-Boundary of Communist North and Capitalist South
-Chosen as frontier between American and Soviet sectors of Korea in 1945. Intended as temporary dividing line.
-Marks approximate start of the two sides in KW - crossing of this boundary resulted in UN action
-Finishing position of the two sides at end of KW
Why did North Korea invade South Korea in June 1950?
-South- Democratic, Syngman Rhee
-North- Communist, Kim Il Sung
-1949- USA/USSR pull out troops creating instability. China falls to communists under Mao Zedong
-Kim Il Sung wanted to unite Korea under Communist rule. Thought this possible due to support of Stalin and Mao Zedong and thought it unlikely that the USA would respond
-NK thought it was legitimate government of K
-NK armed forces stronger than SK
-1950- Syngman Rhee threatens NK. N invades S
Why did the UN become involved in Korean War?
-UN involved in establishing anti-Communist SK government
-Both Communist NK and anti-Communist SK claimed to be legitimate K government
-If UN failed to oppose NK actions, USA would have
-Truman put enormous pressure on UN Security Council to condemn NK actions
-When resolution passed, USSR not represented at meeting to use its veto, so UN committed itself to using members armies
What was the response of UN to events in Korea in June 1950?
-Meeting of Security Council called immediately. Decided that NK had broken world peace, so passed a resolution calling on NK to withdraw their armed forces
-UN called on NK to withdraw to 38th Parallel
-Second resolution called in June- asked UN members to help SK. US asked to take command of operation. UN organised troops from US and 15 other countries
Why did USA oppose North Korean invasion of South Korea?
-Believed successful conquest would encourage Chinese attack on Formosa. If both SK and F fall to communists, Japan could be threatened. This could mean major shift in power balance between Communist and Capitalist world
-Truman concerned about Domino Effect in Far East
-Undermine Communism - in Apr 1950 the American National Security Council issued a report (NSC 68) recommending America abandon ‘containment’ and start ‘rolling back’ Communism
-Cold War - Truman realised USA and USSR were competing for world domination. By supporting SK, USA were able to fight Communism without directly attacking USSR
How was the USSR involved?
-Stalin also involved in the Far East
-In 1949, Kim Il Sung convinced Stalin he could conquer SK. Stalin didn’t think America would get involved so he agreed
-Stalin saw this as a chance to continue Cold War, and discomfort America but ‘at arms length’ without directly confronting Americans.
What was the trigger for war?
-1950- Syngman Rhee boasted that he was going to attack NK.
-Good enough excuse- NK invades SK
Why did the US provide most of the forces resisting NK invasion?
-Containment- wanted to stop further Communist expansion
-Domino effect spreading to Far East
-US’s internationally accepted position as SK protector (after involvement in establishing Republic of Korea) was challenged.
-Thought NK actions part of Soviet plan to test US
-US appealed to UN for use of military force, so felt they should provide so the numbers of forces to help
How did the Korean war unfold?
-June-Sept 1950: NK attacked 25th June, and were very successful. North Korean Peoples Army easily beat Republic of Koreas army, capturing most of SK. This worried USA, so June 27th they persuaded UN to pass resolution supporting SK. US then sent troops to support SK at Pusan
-Sept-Nov 1950: 15th Sept, Gen. MacArthur led UN landing at Inchon behind NKPA. (260,000/300,000 of the troops were American). NKPA forced to retreat - UN drove them back and recaptured SK. 7th Oct, MacArthur invaded NK, getting as far as the Chinese border
-Nov 1950-Feb 1951: Chinese alarmed- 25th Nov 200,000 Chinese troops attack MacArthur. Had modern weapons from USSR and hatred of USA. 31st Dec 500,000 more Chinese troops enter war. Drive Americans back, recapturing NK and advancing into SK
-Feb-Mar 1951: America lands more troops, pushing back the Chinese. MacArthur reaches 38th Parallel
-Mar 1951-1953: Truman told MacArthur to stop. MacArthur sacked when he publicly criticised this. 1953, Eisenhower becomes president. Americans threaten atomic bomb if China doesn’t stop fighting. Chinese agree to truce, signed 27th Jul 1953
Why did the Korean War end in stalemate?
-Fighting in war had been fierce. MacArthur shocked at strength of Chinese forces. If USA were unwilling to use atomic bomb, there was likely to be very heavy casualties to defeat NK and C
-UN had shown it could reverse an act of aggression. However, concerned that by the time of ceasefire, 4 million Koreans were dead and 5 million homeless. Time to end fighting and create 2 Koreas
How successful was the USA’s policy of containment in Korea?
-Showed USA had will and means to contain Communism. USA contributed 50% of ground forces, 90% of air force and 85% of naval forces
-USA used UN to reinforce foreign policy of containment. USA determined to end NK aggression. But didn’t unite K under Syngman Rhee, pushed back Communists to 38th P
-Containment policy had limitations: highlighted tensions between American leaders- hardliners (like MA) wanted to go beyond and push back Communism- thought Truman showed weakness not going for outright victory
-Unified, independent Korea not achieved. ~4 million Koreans killed
-US needed to use UN to reinforce containment
-America accused of being expansionist (going into NK) and missing an opportunity to destroy communism in China
Did events in Korea demonstrate that the UN was effective in peacekeeping?
-UN took decisive action to stop attack on SK. After bitter fighting, UN able to preserve frontier between the two
-But, UN’s policy was that K should become one country with free elections supervised by UN. War did not achieve this as K remained divided. Peace achieved by both sides still hostile towards each other
How great a threat was the Korean War to world peace?
-Some American units reached Yalu River on China-Korea border. Chinese launched large scale counter offensive. If war moved to mainland China, Sino-Soviet Mutual Alliance would mean that Soviets would enter war, threatening world peace
-USSR gave arms to NK and Gen. MA thought nuclear weapons should be used
-But, UN stood up to NK act of aggression that was supported by two major nations. UN moved quickly to respond and many member nations offered troops and military and Elric’s equipment in assistance.
-Invasion ultimately unsuccessful
-Truman did not want war to move to mainland China and MA dismissed
-1951, US, USSR and C started negotiations to end war
What was the background to the Cuban Missile Crisis?
-Cuba large island 160km from Florida
-Ally of the USA for a long time
-Americans owned most Cuban businesses
-USA had large naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
-Pre-1959, Cuba governed by President Batista, an American backed dictator
-In 1959, after 3 year guerrilla campaign, Fidel Castro overthrew Batista and set up a pro-communist government
How successful was US containment in Cuba 1959-1961?
-Frosty relationship, but no direct confrontation. Castro nationalised US businesses but allowed USA to keep its naval base and assured Americans living in Cuba that they were safe
-BUT Cuba importing arms from USSR - American spies knew this
-Jan 1961: US broke off diplomatic relations. Signal that it wouldn’t tolerate a Soviet satellite in US sphere of influence
-Apr 1961: Bay of Pigs disaster
What happened at the Bay of Pigs, April 1961?
-Kennedy supplied arms, equipment and transport for 1400 Cuban exiles to invade Cuba and overthrow Castro
-Invasion was a disaster, Castro and Khrushchev scornful of this pathetic attempt to remove Communism
-C and K took this as evidence that USA wouldn’t get directly involved in Cuba
What interest did the USSR take in Cuba after the Bay of Pigs?
-Soviet arms flooded into Cuba
-May 1962: USSR announced publicly this was going on
-Jul 1962: Cuba had best-equipped army in Latin America
-Sep 1962: Cubans had Soviet missiles, patrol boats, tanks, radar vans, missile erectors, jet bombers and fighters, and help of 5000 Soviet technicians
How did USA respond to Soviet military assistance for Cuba?
-Alarmed, especially by possibility of Soviet nuclear weapons on Cuba
-Sep 1962: CIA told Kennedy that USSR would not send nuclear weapons to Cuba - too risky and had not done this with other satellite states
-Kennedy warned USSR that he would prevent ‘by whatever means necessary’ Cuba becoming a nuclear missile base
-USSR assured USA they would not put nuclear missiles on Cuba
What did U2 photographs show in Oct 1962?
-U2 spy plane photographed Cuban missile bases, showing that USSR was building nuclear missile sites
-Some sites nearly finished, others being built
-Some sites already had missiles, others awaiting delivery
-Experts said most developed sites could be ready to launch in 7 days
-Also showed 20 Soviet ships on the way to Cuba with missiles
-Kennedy informed on 16th Oct. Formed a special team of advisers called Ex. Comm
Why did USSR place nuclear missiles on Cuba?
-Risky strategy as they did not disguise what they were doing - transported on open deck and sites not camouflaged
-Several ideas about what he was trying to do:
1. Bargain with USA? Could agree to remove in return for concessions from USA
2. Test USA? Wanted to see how determined US was - would Kennedy back down or face up to USSR?
3. Trap USA? Wanted USA to find them and get drawn into nuclear war?
4. Get upper hand in arms race? Wanted to close missile gap - missiles on Cuba made it unlikely USA would launch first strike
5. Defend Cuba? Missiles genuinely there to defend Cuba?
What were Kennedy’s options on Oct 1962?
-Ex. Comm presented Kennedy with several options:
1. Do nothing - USA still had vastly greater nuclear arsenal than USSR, so Soviet’s would not dare use their missiles as they knew they’d be destroyed. BUT, USSR lied about missiles and Kennedy had warned them. Doing nothing looked weak
2. ‘Surgical’ Air Strike to destroy missile bases - get rid of them before they’re ready. BUT, destruction of all sites could not be guaranteed, even one undestroyed site could launch counter-attack; Soviet soldiers might be killed and USSR might retaliate; to attack without warning might be seen as immoral by international community
3. Invade Cuba by land and sea - could get rid of Castro aswell as missiles. BUT, Soviets would probably respond, to protect Cuba or taking equivalent action in their own sphere of influence (e.g: taking over West Berlin)
4. Apply diplomatic pressure - get UN to intervene. Avoids conflict, but USA would look weak if forced to back down
5. Impose naval blockade of Cuba - stop Soviet ships bringing any more military supplies into Cuba and call for them to withdraw what was already there. Not a direct act of war but shows the US is serious and puts onus on Khrushchev to make the next move. BUT, didn’t solve the problem as there were already missiles on Cuba that could be used within a week, and also USSR could respond by blockading Berlin
What did Kennedy decide to do in response to Soviet missiles on Cuba?
Blockade of Cuba
How was Cuban Missile Crisis resolved?
-22 Oct 1962: Kennedy announced blockade. Called on USSR to withdraw missiles
-23: Khrushchev sent Kennedy a letter, saying he did not admit to presence of nuclear missiles on Cuba and wouldn’t observe the blockade
-24: first Soviet ships approached blockade but turned back
-25: work on Cuban missile bases continues rapidly
-26: Khrushchev sent another letter to Kennedy saying missile bases were purely defensive (first time admitting to them), but if USA lift blockade and do not attack Cuba, missiles could be removed or destroyed
-27: Khrushchev sent another letter with revised proposals: missiles would be removed from Cuba if USA remove missiles from Turkey. Kennedy does not accept
-27: US pilot killed when U2 plane shot down over Cuba. Kennedy advised to launch immediate attack on Cuba, but delayed. Told Khrushchev he would accept his original terms but if USSR did not withdraw, an attack would follow
-28: Khrushchev agrees to withdraw
