The USA and the international relations 1960-75 Flashcards
1
Q
When and what the Berlin Wall Crisis?
A
- 1961
- Khrushchev remained determined to force West out of Berlin
- 1961: gave US ultimatum: something had to be done about Berlin by Dec 1961 or Khrushchev would hand over the Berlin access routes to East Germany
- Aug 1961: K ordered construction of wall to separate east and west Berlin
- 27 oct: US and Soviet tanks faced each other in intense stand-off, after 18 hours US tanks pulled back
2
Q
Why was the Berlin Wall Crisis significant?
A
- Brought some stability to Germany and Berlin, finally sealed off 2 Berlins
- increased cold war tensions; nuclear testing resumed
- Soviet propaganda claimed that the Wall was a success for Russia as USA unable to prevent construction
- West saw it as triumph: east wall its people in
- some historians believe it encouraged the Cuban Missile Crisis
3
Q
When was the Cuban Missile Crisis?
A
1962
4
Q
What caused the Cuban Missile Crisis?
A
- Castro, cuban president, ejected all US businesses and investment
- in retaliation US refused to buy Cuban sugar
- soviet union offered to buy it; keen to extend influence in Caribbean
- Bay of Pigs invasion
5
Q
What was the Bay of Pigs?
A
- 1961: Kennedy sanctioned an invasion of Cuba by exiles who had left Cuba in 1959
- to land in the Bay of Pigs, create a national uprising and overthrow Castro
- disastrous failure due to poor planning and lack of Cuban support: Castro popular
- further strengthened his position and drew Cuba closer to SU
- end of 1961: Castro announced his conversion to communism
6
Q
What was the Cuban Missile Crisis?
A
- Khrushchev concerned about US missile bases in Italy and Turkey
- thus wanted to establish soviet bases in Cuba
- Sep1962: began to install ballistic missiles in Cuba
- 14th Oct: American U2 spy plane took photographs of Cuba which revealed this
- posed threat to americae
7
Q
What were the key events of the crisis?
A
- 20th: Kennedy imposed naval blockade around Cuba
- 23rd: Khrushchev insisted soviet ships would force way through blockade
- 25: Kennedy asked K to withdraw missiles from Cuba
- 26: Said he would if USA promised not to invade Cuba and withdrew missiles from Turkey
- 27: Kennedy agreed as long as secret
8
Q
What were the results of the CMC?
A
- Americans felt they won some kind of victory
- this led to overconfidence esp in Vietnam
- almost gone to war
- relief and reduction of tension
- furthered with hotline telephone link established between countries
- Partial Test Ban Treaty signed 1963: both countries agreed to stop testing nuclear weapons in atmosphere
9
Q
Why had relations which china deteriorated? recap
A
- since Chinese Civil War 1945-49
- when USA provided aid to Mao’s opponent Chiang
- worsened during Korean war
- after this put trade embargo on china
- then establishes bases on Taiwan - infuriated Mao
- nevertheless, one of Nixon’s greatest achievements in china
10
Q
Why were there improved relations with China?
A
- 1971: USA lifted its 21-year old trade embargo with China
- relations between China and USSR had worsened in late 60s; esp after chinese denouncement of soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968; Nixon exploited this
- Nixon hoped closer relations with China might help end Vietnam war; China close allies with V
- Mao believed China needed detente, esp the potential stimulus to Chinese trade and industry; also convinces Nixon would withdraw from Asia, esp Vietnam
11
Q
What was ‘Ping-pong’ diplomacy?
A
- began at World Table Tennis Championship in 1971
- Chinese ping pong team formally invited US team to play in their country on an all-expenses paid trip
- When American player missed team bus after practice, offered ride by chinese player
- publicised and later that day American team formally invited into china
- among first group of US citizens permitted to visit china in 1949
12
Q
After US lifted trade embargo what happened?
A
- lifted in 1971
- talks began to facilitate meeting between leaders
13
Q
Why was ping pong diplomacy important?
A
- led to restoration of sino-us relations
- triggered series of other events
- inc restoration of China’s legitimate rights into United Nations + establishment of diplomatic relations between china and other countries
14
Q
Why did detente begin?
A
- threat of nuclear war during CMS sobering effect
- both USA and USSR keen on arms limitations to reduce their defence spending + fearful of growing military strength of USSR
- Vietnam War - not going well - by 1968 seeked to end; hoped Brezhnev might persuade V to negotiate end of war
- Soviet leader Brezhev keen on not seeing a Chinese-US alliance develop; keen to access US tech and further grain sales
15
Q
who was nixon’s FP advisor?
A
- henry kissinger
- important role
16
Q
What was the SALT 1?
A
- Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty signed 1972
- talks in Helsinki and Vienna over ~3 years
- imposed limits on the nuclear capability of US and USSR
- significant because first agreement that successfully limited nuclear weapons they held
17
Q
What were the Helsinki Agreements?
A
- 1975
- the USA, USSR along with 33 other nations made declarations about 3 distinct international issues:
- West recognised current national boundaries in Eastern Europe and SU accepted existence of West Germany
- agreed to respect human rights and basic freedoms from unfair arrest
- call for closer economic, scientific and cultural link
18
Q
Why did the US get involved in the Vietnam war?
A
- part of containment
- fundamental reason: domino theory
- USA convinced that if Vietnam fell to communism would be followed by neighbours esp Laos and Cambodia
19
Q
Who led south and north vietnam?
A
- North: Ho Chi Minh
- South: Ngo Dinh Diem
20
Q
Describe early situation in vietnam?
A
- 1956 election US determined to prop up South Vietnam and prevent reunification
- USA prevented election knew Communists would win
- South Vietnam ruled by Diem who was corrupt and unpopular
- 1959: Ho Chi Minh issued Vietminh (later Vietcong) to begin terror campaign against South
- 1963: Diem overthrown and replaced by series of short-lived weak gov’s
21
Q
What was the Strategic Hamlet policy?
A
- Vietcong became popular in south
- Kennedy: USA tried to reduce communist influence
- involved moving peasants into fortified villages guarded by troops
- did not stop Communists and unpopular with peasants
22
Q
What was the Gulf of Tonkin?
A
- 1964: Johnson wanted excuse for military involvement
- US destroyer Maddox was fired at by North Vietnamese patrol boats in the Gulf of Tonkin
- 2nd alleged attack; evidence showed this didn’t happen
- Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution that gave Johnson power to take military measures to defend South Vietnam
- 85% people supported policy
23
Q
What was the Ho Chi Minh Trail?
A
- supply line from North of Vietnam to the Vietcong in South
- ran through Laos and Cambodia in attempt to avoid US bombing raids
- key to success of Vietcong
24
Q
The US lost the Vietnam War
How did the strengths of the Communists contribute to the loss of the Vietnam War?
- North Vietnamese morale
A
- NV fighting for a cause; refused to surrender
- prepared to accept heavy casualties
25
The US lost the Vietnam War
How did the strengths of the Communists contribute to the loss of the Vietnam War?
- guerrilla techniques
- NV army played significant role in the Tet Offensive of 1968
- Vietcong used guerrilla tactics reduced effectiveness of "high-tech" methods and superior weaponry of the USA
- suited for the jungle terrain of South Vietnam
26
The US lost the Vietnam War
How did the strengths of the Communists contribute to the loss of the Vietnam War?
- tunnels
- Vietcong feared US bombing raids
- communist forces dug deep tunnels and used them as air-raid shelters
- tunnels around Saigon ran for 320km
- these were self-contained and booby-trapped + provided not only refuge from the bombing + safe haven for the guerrilla fighters, but were also a death trap for the US forces and south virtnam forces
27
The US lost the Vietnam War
How did the strengths of the Communists contribute to the loss of the Vietnam War?
support of Vietnamese people + other countries
- Many people living in the South supported the North and the Vietcong
- support made guerilla tactics more effective
- both the Soviet Union and China supported reunification of Vietnam under the Communist North
- supplied the North and Vietcong with rockets, tanks and fighter planes
28
How did the weaknesses of the USA contribute to the loss of the Vietnam War?
- Many US troops young, inexperienced and unable to cope with guerrilla warfare + didn't know why they were fighting thus low morale
- opposition at home: due to failure to achieve quick victory: casualty rate with total 58,000 deaths
- US army failed to develop effective response to guerrilla tactics; tactics of search and destroy and chemical warfare encouraged peasant support
- Tet Offensive 1968
29
Describe The Tet Offensive
- disastrous effect on public opinion in USA
- 1968: Vietcong and North Vietnamese Army launched massive attack on over 100 cities and towns in South Vietnam
- turning point: proved Vietcong could strike at heart of American held territory
- esp after capture of US embassy in Saigon
- further loss to US military morale
30
What was the My Lai massacre?
-1968
- US patrol carrying our a "Search and Destroy" during Tet Offensive
- Lieutenant Calley and platoon wiped out village of My Lai killing, 347 men, women, children
- some women raped first
- US tried to kept quiet; press heart shocked US
31
What were the US methods of warfare in Vietnam?
ORT
- 'Operation Rolling Thunder': US bombing campaign in NV
- 1965-1968
- hoped to destroy Vietcong supply routes to South
- US also used chemical warfare e.g napalm and defoliants to destroy jungle cover such as 'Agent Orange' - highly toxic weed killer
32
What were the US methods of warfare in Vietnam?
'Search and Destroy'
- introduced by US commander Westmoreland
- Method of using helicopters to descend on a village suspected of assisting Vietcong forces and destroying it
33
What was the impact of the media on the Vietnam war?
- first television war
- By mid-60s TV most important source of news
- By 1966, 93% of homes had TV and estimated daily audience of 50 mill
- By 1967: 90% of evening news devoted to war
- clearly saw every mistake and defeat
34
What was the media coverage of the Tet offensive and other shocking events?
- 1965-1967 - TV generally supportive of war
- changed during Tet offensive 1968
- TV portrayed as brutal defeat for US; media confirmed perception US was unable to win the war
- followed by My Lai massacre and execution on street in Saigon in 1968
35
Why did the US withdraw from Vietnam?
- obvious could not win
- 1969: Nixon promised withdrawal if elected
- protests in every major city
- by end of 1960s war was unpopular
- by 1968 36,000 members of US military killed
- expensive: By 1968 cost $26.5 billion
- main cause of gov budget deficit and rising inflation of 1968
36
Describe Nixon's plan to end war that didn't work
- Nixon tried plan known as Vietnamisation
- idea was that South Vietnamese soldiers trained and equipped to take place of US troops
- strategy did not work: no match for communist forces
37
Nixon's plan didn't work: Describe *finally* the end of the Vietnam War?
- talks began in 1968 - no progress
- 1972 Nixon's visit to China: Chinese encouraged more cooperation from Gov of NV
- 1973: ceasefire signed in Paris: followed by formal peace treaty
- USA promised withdraw troops + Vietcong could hold on to all captured areas of South Vietnam
- within 2 years communist reunification of Vietnam
38
What were the effects of the Vietnam War?
- USA spent ~30 billion each year on war; undermined Johnson's great society and made him unpopular
- inability to win pushed Nixon to consider diplomatic strategies that affected Cold War
- Nixon Doctrine: stated that USA expected its allies to take care of own military defence
- human loss: 50,000 American deaths in Vietnam and further 300,000 wounded
