Lecture 6 - Cold War

Question 1

Which Causal factors had a generational element explaining the end of the Cold War?

Answer 1

Mikhael Gorbachev (precipitating), Soft Power / de-Stalinization experiences (Intermeditate)

Question 2

Who outlined the Containment principle?

Answer 2

George Kennan. ‘Mr X’

Question 3

What was a result of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

Answer 3

Fidel Castro, Cuban leader, was upset with resolution and became more internationally adventurous

Question 4

Why did Khrushchev put missiles in Cuba?

Answer 4

1. To defend Cuba and compensate for being inferior conventionally, with nukes just like US did in Europe
2. To catch up with missile gap, so that IRBMs became as useful as ICBM’s
3. As a response to Jupiter missiles in Turkey, which Khrushchev could ‘see’ looking across the Black Sea

Question 5

What are the three perspectives for who are responsible for the Cold War?

Answer 5

1. Traditionalists - Soviet ideology / Actions
2. Revisionist - US Nukes, Confronting Stalin, searching for Markets
3. Post-Revisionist - WWII leads to power vacuum

Question 6

What are the reasons that the US lost the Vietnam War?

Answer 6

1. Viet Cong Military (Guerilla warfare, trained bc of war against France)
2. Realist (Mistook Communist Revolution as nationalism)
3. Collapse in US domestic political will (peace movement showed disunity)
4. US conduct of war (Escalation, political decisions with civilians instead of Military)

Question 7

Why is Ronald Reagan an individual level factor in the cause for the end of the Cold War?

Answer 7

1. The US under his policies materially outspent the Soviets via an arms race and helped bankrupt them, causing the latter’s collapse
2. He used tough but also uplifting rhetoric which helped inspire the masses under Communist rule to ‘be free’, as demonstrated by the Berlin Wall speech

Question 8

Def - Truman Doctrine

Answer 8

The US provides resources to all democratic nations under threat from authoritarian regimes

Question 9

Def - Marshall Plan

Answer 9

Selling American goods to Europe, creates stable democratic governments in Western Europe

Question 10

Def - Detente

Answer 10

Easing of tensions, more peace. 1963-1979

Question 11

Def - nonaligned movement

Answer 11

Countries that sided with neither US or USSR

Question 12

What was Mueller’s critique of containment via indigestion?

Answer 12

Containment delayed the end of the Cold War and brought Commies to smaller countries, which became dissentious and violent economic/political areas.

Question 13

What are the two parts of Containment?

Answer 13

1. Restrain Soviets (place barriers to make sure they don’t spread communism/influence)
2. Self-restrain US (let USSR collapse by itself)

Question 14

What are the two problems with Containment

Answer 14

1. Ambiguous (Contain Soviets or Communism? How much to spend and where?)
2. Politically difficult to self-restrain (democracy makes it hard to justify not helping)