The USA as a superpower Truman Flashcards
Who were responsible with coming up with the ideas of containment?
Harry Truman
George Kennan
Why did the US believe so heavily in containment?
They feel that communism inspires a lack of freedoms and they must do what they can to stop it.
If communism spread across Europe they would have way less trade
Just the normal clash between two superpowers to see who is stronger
What did the USSR call the Marshall Plan?
Dollar Imperialism - America were using their financial aid to gain influence and power in countries
What are salami tactics
Ideas and tactics that take control bit by bit of a country… like slicing salami
Why was it easier for the USSR to spread communism in Eastern Europe?
- Red Army liberated and were still in Eastern Europe
- No tradition of democracy in Eastern Europe
Why did the USSR wanting to have a buffer zone seem reasonable after WW2?
WW2 had costed them 27 million lives and they wanted to ensure that Germany could never invade again
What was the objective of containment?
To halt the spread of communism beyond those areas where it already existed
Who first said the term containment and when?
George Kennan in 1947 in the “X” Article
Who wrote the Long Telegram and when was it sent?
George Kennan, 1946
Why was the Long Telegram significant?
- It fitted in with Truman’s attitudes
- It was acted upon
- Led to a “get tough” policy
- Came from Moscow
Why was it important that Turkey didnt fall to communism?
It is in a geographically valuable spot, if the USSR gained turkey then they had access to the Mediterranean and the Middle East
Who was the Secretary of State that stepped down in 1947?
James Byrne
Who becomes the new Sec of State in 1947?
George Marshall
Where was Churchill’s Iron Curtain speech said?
Truman’s home state - Missouri
What did the Berlin Blockade show about the policy of containment?
- USA are not prepared to enter conflict to contain communism
- The US would go beyond using economic means to support containment (US air force)
- Containing communism needed long-term defensive support for Europe - reason to join NATO
Where were US priorities mainly after WW2?
Europe
What priorities did the US have in Asia after WW2?
- Make Japan a satellite state
-Extend non-communist aid to forces in China and Indochina - Establish a defensive ring of offshore Pacific islands as a barrier
Who did the Republicans blame for the loss of china?
The Democrats for not spending enough
Name 4 impacts of the loss of china?
- NSC-68
-McCarthyism - Drove China exports from the state department
- US have stronger desire to make Japan a strong country
- Pushed Truman onto defensive
Who led North Korea?
Kim il Sung
Who led South Korea?
Syngman Rhee
When did North Korea invade the South?
25th June 1950
What was the USA trying to present itself as in the Korean war?
Global Policeman/ peacekeeper
Who was the man responsible for a daring amphibious launch at Inchon?
General Douglas MacArthur
What was it called when America pushed past the 38th Parallel to get rid of communism from Korea entirely?
Rollback
Which country entered the Korean War after America had pushed past the 38th Parallel and turned the tides of the war?
China
When and Why was General MacArthur sacked?
He criticized Truman for pursuing a limited war and wanted to use nuclear weapons, he was sacked in 1951
What was Truman’s approval rating in 1952?
22%
What did Eisenhower hint that he would use in 1953?
The atomic bomb
When was an Armistice signed?
July 1953
Why did the US feel that they had to get involved with Korea?
- They believed it was their role to “preserve international peace”
- The general threat of an aggressor attacking another country?
What did Truman say in his memoirs on why the US needed to get involved with Korea?
Truman saw from previous mistakes that if a powerful country invades a weaker one with no drawback they will only be encouraged to attack more. He thought that the short-term impacts of standing up were worth it for the long term goal that it would encourage small nations to resist threats
In Trumans memoirs, communism sounds like it is a country. Why is this significant?
Truman believes in international communism where it is one entity and is connected and commands one army
What percentage of UN troops were american?
70
What did NSC-68 tell Truman to do?
Increase military and nuclear spending
What could we learn about containment from the Korean War?
- Containment works
- Rollback fails
- America are prepared to fight for containment
What could we learn about containment from the Korean War?
- Containment works
- Rollback fails
- America are prepared to fight for containment
What did the USSR call the Marshall Plan?
Dollar Imperialism - America were using their financial aid to gain influence and power in countries
What was the ultimate factor for why the USSR started the blockade of Berlin?
Trizonia introducing a new currency called the Deutschmark
What did the US and UK forces quickly introduce in response to the Berlin Blockade?
A counter-blockade which stopped all rail traffic into East Germany from British/American zones
By what month had the allies realized that the airlift would be successful and could be continued?
October
When did Stalin lift the Berlin blockade?
May 1948
Why was the blockade good for the West?
It was a huge propaganda victory and proved they had superior technology compared to the Soviets
What major organization was formed during the Berlin Blockade?
NATO
Why did the US feel it was necessary to have an organization like NATO because of the blockade?
They needed to make a commitment to support and protect Europe
What were consequences of the blockade for the soviets?
- Huge propaganda loss
- Shown they were willing to risk 2 million lives
- Stalin invested heavily into the nuclear programme
What did Britain and America introduce into their zones that prompted Stalin to blockade Berlin?
A new currency - the Deutschmark
When did FDR die?
April 1945
In what ways was Truman disadvantaged when becoming President?
- Roosevelt had excluded Truman from discussions of military and foreign affairs, making it difficult for Truman to follow a long-serving, knowledgable President and made Truman feel he had to prove himself
- Truman was more combative than Roosevelt
Why did America fear communism?
They were scared of Communist expansionism and that they might be left destablised and short of alles and trading partners
Why were there major tensions between the USA and the USSR even when they were allies in WW2?
- Both countries promoted their own political and economic system in the countries that they librerated. eg the Soviets promoted Communism in Europe
- Soviet-American mistrust was demonstrated when the Americans tried to keep the development of the atomic bomb secret from Stalin
What were the two great areas of tension at Potsdam?
- They disagreed over Poland’s political system, Roosevelt and Churchill demanded free elections but Stalin made sure Poland had a Communist government
- The US atomic bomb was tested showing that the US did not need Soveit help to defeat Japan. Stalin recognised that it dramatically changed the balance of power in the world in America’s favour
Why weere there no post-war peace traties even though the Council of Foreig Ministers met four times in the two years after the war?
Could not agree on a peace treaty for divided Germny because of the developing Cold War
What landmarks in 1946 signalled the beginning of the Cold War?
- Stalin made a speech on the inevitable Communist-capitalist conflict in February
- There were fierce Soviet-American disagreements over Germany
- US diplomat George Kennan’s Long Telegram
What did Truman do in March 1947?
Requested $400 million to assist Greece and Turkey
What was the policy of giving money to assist Greece and Turkey caalled?
the Truman Doctrine
Why was the Truman Doctrine significant?
- It was a virtual American declaration of the Cold War
- aroused minimal opposition
- demonstrated that gaining public support often required excessive simplicity
- dominated US foreign policy for 50 years
When was the Marhsall Plan?
June 1947
How much aid was given to America’s important trading partners under the Marshall Plan?
$13bn
What did Stalin do in June 1948?
Blocked Western access to Berlin
When was the Berling Blockade ended?
May 1949
What were the consequences of the Berlin Blockade?
- a triumph for America and Truman
- Hastened the establishment of an American-led Western defensive military alliance (NATO) in April 1949
- Also hastened establishment of a West German state in May 1949
What Cold War event happened in autumn 1949?
China became a Communist nation under Mao Zedong
What did the Republicans claim Truman had done after China became Communist?
Truman and the Democrats had “lost China” because they had not given enough aid to Mao’s opposition: Chiang Kai Shek
What were the consequences of the ‘Loss of China’ for Truman?
He was encouraged to extened his containment policy to Asia. In 1950 he offered the French financial aid in their struggle against Communist nationalists in Vietnam
What happened in June 1950?
Kim Il Sung’s Comunist North Korea staged a full-scale attack on Syngman Rhee’s pro-American South Korea
Why were there major tensions in the Second World War between the USA and USSR even though they were allies?
They both promoted their own political and economic systems in the countries that they liberated.
Neither side trusted each other as shown by USA keeping atom bomb a ‘secret’ from Stalin
Give an example of somewhere which caused tension between the USA and USSR in WW2?
Poland, Churchill and Roosevelt demanded free elections but Stalin made sure it was a Communist govt
How was the end of the Second World War different to the First?
There was no post-war treaties. The Council of Foreign Ministers of the Big Four met four times in two years but could not agree on a peace treaty for defeated Germany because of the Cold War
