The widening of the Cold War: alliances and shifts -> The New Look in practice

Question 1

What assumptions underpinned Eisenhower’s foreign policy?

Answer 1

• belief in the inherent superiority of Anglo-Saxon civilisation
• commitment to capitalism -> hostile to Soviet-style command economics and the protectionism of radical nationalist regimes in the third world
• problems in the Third World could be explained by the expansionism of the USSR, PRC, or both (domino theory)
• liberal democracy was superior to all other forms of gov
• the protection/extension of US business interests abroad was a legitimate aim of foreign policy
• the USA was the world’s policeman
• a commitment to rolling back communism and to use nuclear weapons to achieve this (NSC 162/2)
• the primary of domestic politics

Question 2

What did Eisenhower believe about America?

Answer 2

America was the pinnacle of human achievement and was thus hostile to communism and Third World nationalism

Question 3

Who was the Prime Minister of Iran in August 1953?

Answer 3

Mohammad Mosaddegh

Question 4

Was Mosaddegh communist?

Answer 4

No, he was a democratic, anti-communist nationalist

Question 5

When was Mosaddegh overthorwn?

Answer 5

By a CIA-led coup on 19th August 1953

Question 6

Outline the case of Iran in August 1953:

Answer 6

• Iran dominated by a British Company: the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (BP) since 1890s
• Thus, Iran was poor since its most important industry was controlled by the British
• They wanted to nationalise the oil industry which horrified the British who presented Mosaddegh as effeminate and mentally unstable that communists could take over

Question 7

What did the British ask the US to do to Mossadegh in august 1953?

Answer 7

To overthrow Mosaddegh

Question 8

How does Eisenhower respond to the request to overthrow Mosaddegh?

Answer 8

He agrees

Question 9

Why did Eisenhower agree to back the British gov and the AOIC?

Answer 9

• it saw the Anglo-iranian crisis as a potentially destabilising force in Iran that could help the Iranian communists into power, and allow for Soviet expansion into the oil-rich Middle East (bordered the Soviet Union)
• It was felt that Soviet control of Iranian territory would make the defence of Greece and Turkey impossible

Question 10

Who replaced Mosaddegh?

Answer 10

Mohammed Shah Pahlavi who had been exiled in Rome

Question 11

Who was Patrice Lumumba?

Answer 11

The democratically elected leader of CONGO

Question 12

Who ruled Congo up until 1960?

Answer 12

Belgium but Congo was about to leave it rule

Question 13

Who was opposed to Congo’s independence?

Answer 13

French and Belgium companies that profited from Congo was against this

Question 14

Who did Congo ask for help?

Answer 14

• Asked the UN for help but refused so turned to the Soviet Union to buy weapons, logistical and material support: around 1000 Soviet military advisers soon landed in the Congo

Question 15

What did the US do in response?

Answer 15

The moment Lumumba took Soviet weaponry, he was marked by the CIA

Question 16

How much had the US spent to overthrow Lumumba?

Answer 16

• Eisenhower spent an estimated $100,000 to pay for his overthrow and execution
• The CIA was in touch with the coup plotters and assassins on the day he was killed

Question 17

What was Eisenhower’s position towards French Vietnam?

Answer 17

Eisenhower was committed to supporting the French in Vietnam as Southeast Asia was seen as a region that was particularly vulnerable to the spread of communism

Question 18

Who was Ho Chi Minh?

Answer 18

A staunch communist and nationalist who founded the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945 and led the Vietnminh against the French at Dien Bien Phu

Question 19

Who was Ngo Dinh Diem?

Answer 19

An anti-communist, unrepresentative

Question 20

Who was Ngo Dinh Diem referred to as?

Answer 20

the ‘Winston Churchill of Asia’

Question 21

What wider Southeast Asia strategy was the USA’s commitment to Vietnam about?

Answer 21

Based on containing communism by defending Japan, South Korea and Taiwan

Question 22

Why was Vietnam important to the US?

Answer 22

It was geostrategically important within the context of Southeast Asia and it was a useful market plce for Japanese goods

Question 23

How much was the USA paying for the costs of the French war with Vietnam by 1954?

Answer 23

75% of the costs

Question 24

What did General Matthew Ridgeway convince Eisenhower of?

Answer 24

“war in Indochina would absorb our troops by divisions”
- a diplomatic solution was preferrable

Question 25

What did Eisenhower refuse to commit the US to?

Answer 25

A unilateral military action so he was left with little alternative other than to accept a diplomatic solution

Question 26

When were the French on the point of military defeat by the Vietnminh?

Answer 26

By April 1954 at Dien Bien Phu, convening negotiations at Geneva

Question 27

When was the Geneva Conference?

Answer 27

May-July 1954

Question 28

Why was the Geneva Conference held?

Answer 28

Following the French defeat by the communist-led Viet Minh at Dien Bien Phu

Question 29

What agreement was reached at Geneva?

Answer 29

Temporarily separated Vietnam along the 17th parallel into two zones, a northern communist zone and a southern capitalist zone

Question 30

What did the conference final declaration provide?

Answer 30

A general election to be held by July 1956 to create a unified Vietnamese state

Question 31

What would become a scene for further conflict?

Answer 31

The agreements were not directly signed nor accepted by delegates of both the State of Vietnam and the US

Question 32

How was the French isolated from this agreement?

Answer 32

At the time of the conference, it was expected that the South would continue to be a French dependency
- However, South Vietnamese Premier Ngo Dinh Diem, who preferred American sponsorship to French, rejected the agreement

Question 33

What did John Foster Dulles do in august 1954?

Answer 33

Dulles sent a letter to the American Defence Secretary, stating that “one of the most efficient means of enabling the [south] vietnamese government to become strong” was to build an army to support it

Question 34

What programme was approved in October 1954?

Answer 34

A military programme costing several hundred million dollars was approved in October 1954 and provided to aid Diem in destroying the remaining Viet Minh organisations around the South and ensure obedience to Diem’s gov based in Saigon

Question 35

When did Diem hold a referedum?

Answer 35

On 23rd October 1955 to determine the future of Vietnam

Question 36

What did Diem introduce in 1955?

Answer 36

The Communist Denunciation Campaign
- involves 90% of communists in the South being killed
- 75% f survivors so badly hurt by torture, they never work again

Question 37

How many votes did Diem receive in the October 1955 poll?

Answer 37

98% of the votes - there were more votes in his favour than there were registered votes (rigged)

Question 38

What example is there of Diem’s election being rigged?

Answer 38

In Saigon, 133% of the registered population reportedly voted for Diem, even though his American advisors had recommended a more modest winning margin of ‘60 to 70 percent’

Question 39

What did Diem view the election as?

Answer 39

A test of his authority and the USA would continue to back him until November 1963 when the fact of his unpopularity forced it to back a military coup to remove him from power

Question 40

What did the situation in Vietnam signify Eisenhower practicing?

Answer 40

Containment rather than rollback due to viewing Ho Chi Minh as Mao’s proxy and puppet

Question 41

How many people die between 1965-75 due to the Indo-China war?

Answer 41

4.5 million