Unit 5- How far was the United States able to limit communist expansion Flashcards
What was the biggest threat after WW2?
Communism
Why was US scared? [3]
- went against US’s beliefs
- Communism started threatening US interests
- Asia started losing countries to communism
From when to when was Korea controlled by Japan?
1910-1945
Where was Korea divided
38th parallel
Republic of Korea (information) [2]
- President: Syngman Rhee
- Capital: Seoul
Democratic People’s republic of Korea (information) [2]
- President: Kim Il-Sung
- Capital at Pyongyang
Why did N. Korea invade S. Korea? (June 1950)
-Kim Il-sung wanted to unite it under communism
Why did Kim Il-Sung believe his invasion would work in 1950? [6]
- He had support from USSR and China
- his army was stronger than S. Korea’s
–> supported by USSR - Didn’t think USA would respond
–> USSR’s atomic bomb
–> Korea didn’t seem like their biggest priority
How did UN become involved in the War between the Koreas?
-UN very closely associated with the anti-communist gov of South Korea
UN action for the war between Koreas [7]
- Security council met same day of attack
- Resolution passed without presence of USSR (could’ve been vetoed)
- Second resolution passed (when N. Korea didn’t back down)
- Third resolution passed ten days later
- Troops from 15 countries assisted S. Korea
Why was US so determined to stop communist expansion? (Korean war) [3]
- world communism seen as a force from Moscow
- N. Korean attack seen as one from USSR
- If S. Korea went down, many others went down to communism
How was the UN action in the Korean War very American? [4]
- commanded by US generals
- Half the ground forces were American
- More than 90% air forces were American
- 85% Naval forces were American
What were the 6 phases of the Korean war? [6]
- Success for North Korea
- Success for the UN
- UN attempt to reunite Korea
- Chinese attack
- UN counter attack
- Stalemate, armistice
Phase 1 details- Success for North Korea [3]
- N. Korean troops overrun S. Korea
- Seoul captured
- troops confined around Pusan
Phase 2 details- Success for the UN [3]
- US + UN marines counter attack
- Seoul relieved
- North Korean troops sent behind 38th parallel
Phase 3 details- UN attempt to reunite Korea [4]
- UN force press across 38th parallel
- wanted United democratic gov for Korea
- N. Korean border captures
- US reached Chinese border
Phase 4 details- the Chinese attack [4]
- Chinese forces launch counter attack
- UN driven down
- Seoul captured again
- UN stabilized along 37th parallel
Phase 5 details- The UN counter attack [4]
- Forced China + N. Korean behind 38th parallel
- Seoul liberated
- Use of Nuclear weapon argued
–> Truman denied
Phase 6 details- Stalemate + Armistice [3]
- Negotiations lasted 2 years
- Fighting continued
- many fought over ridges, costed lives
What were the positive results of the Korean War for the UN? [2]
- UN actions showed it was stronger than LON
- Military sanctions supported by major powers
What were the negative results of the Korean War for the UN? [6]
- failed to unify Korea
- Misjudgments were made
- 4 million Koreans dead
- UN action only successful because USSR didn’t veto
- Military sanctions only possible because troops were still in Japan
- “US used UN as a tool against communism”
When did Cuba gain independence from Spain?
1898
Why was US allowed to intervene with Cuban affairs?
New constitution allowed it
How did the US influence Cuba? [7]
- forced Cuba to sell raw materials for low prices
- served as an economic purpose
- made sure Cuba bought American goods
- heavy influence on imports from the US to Cuba
- US invested heavily in Cuban economy
- US controlled railway, telephone system, tobacco and arable land
- US took Guantanamo Bay (US navy Base)
Why did Cuba become a holiday destination for Americans? [4]
They could do things that were illegal in the states
1. Drinking
2. Gambling
3. Prostitution
Wh
What did the US mafia do in Cuba? [4]
- controlled gambling
- controlled horse racing
- had hotels in Cuba
- had agreements with President of Cuba
How did tension develop between Cuba and the US? [2]
- Cuba went through a revolution (1959)
- Fidel Castro wanted to end US corruption
Fidel Castro’s Promises [2]
- give land back to the people
- defend the rights of the poor
Industrial changes under Fidel Castro in Cuba
key industries were made cheaper
Land changes under Fidel Castro in Cuba [2]
- redistributed to peasants
- rents cut up for low wage
Equality changes under Fidel Castro in Cuba
Separating facilities were abolished
Education changes under Fidel Castro in Cuba [2]
- Young students travelled to country side to teach
- Free education, available to all
What motto did Castro adopt for Education for all
“If you don’t know, learn, If you know, teach”
Healthcare changes under Fidel Castro in Cuba [5]
- doctors were redistributed- to rural places
(over half left Cuba) - three new training schools for doctors made
- Free healthcare introduced
- 1970- More doctors/ head in Cuba than US
Society changes under Fidel Castro in Cuba [2]
- Casinos + Hotels for US visitors shut
- Mafia forced to leave country
How much support did Castro have
90% of population
Repression changes under Fidel Castro in Cuba [2]
- People who disagreed with him could get imprisoned
- People he considered deviant also arrested
Alliances changes under Fidel Castro in Cuba
- made agreements with USSR + communist countries
- Exported sugar
- Imported weaponry and technology
How did US react to Cuban Revolution?
- US mainly concerned about expansion of communism
- President Eisenhower completely stopped trade
- Eisenhower approved a plan to remove Castro
The Bay of Pigs invasion preparations
- CIA trained a small army
- Exiled politicians lined to take over
What was the plan for the Bay of Pigs Invasion [8]
- Two air strikes to attack Cuban airbase
- Planes to be painted like Cuban planes
- Troops + exiled Cubans to land of ‘Bay of Pigs’
- Paratroopers to occupy other forces
- Smaller force to attack from East (confusion)
- 1400 troops to march to Havanna
–> Planned to gain support from Cubans on the street - Overthrow Castro
How did the Bay of Pigs invasion fail? [6]
- No secrecy: Castro knew about the plan
- Failed to control Air: Air strikes missed the target
- Failed to gain support: immediate heavy fire as soon as they landed. Very few Cubans supported
- Response: Castro had 20,000 troops + Controlled the skies
What was the aftermath of the ‘Bay of Pigs’ Invasion [4]
- Captured troops paraded + used as propaganda
- Popularity increased
- Us traded prisoners with goods
- Baby food + medicine $ 53 million
President Eisenhower Pre-political career [2]
- five start general
- led allied forces for victory
President Eisenhower Political career [2]
- entered against communism
- served two terms
President Eisenhower Character and Outlook [4]
- Fair and honest
- Favored Freedom
- Fear of communism (led to anti-Soviet policies)
President Kennedy Pre-political career
- wealthy and powerful
- served in military in WW2
President Kennedy Political career [4]
- Second youngest President
- combatted communism
- civil rights movement
- assassinated
President Kennedy Character and Outlook [3]
- charismatic, charming, glamourous
- first TV president
- drew fame + admirers
Che Guevara Pre-political career [2]
- Argentinian
- trained as a doctor
Che Guevara Political career [3]
- Joined Castro’s guerilla warfare
- Left Cuba to spread communism in Bolivia
- Assassinated
Che Guevara Character and Outlook [2[]
- Intellectual, prolific writer
- wanted South America under communism
What was the initial reason for missiles kept in Cuba?
to threaten US to not attack again
What led up to the Nuclear weapons being kept in Cuba?
- US imposed embargo on Cuba
- Us kept nukes in Turkey (near USSR)
- US began military camps
–> could’ve been for another invasion
Political reasons for Nukes in Cuba [2]
- Khrushchev to prove his power (after Stalin)
- Cuba an ally of USSR
Military reasons for nukes in Cuba [2]
- USSR didn’t have a close enough base to attack US
- US had placed nukes in Turkey (near USSR)
What options did Kennedy have in response to the Cuban Missile crisis? [6]
- no action
- diplomatic measures
- threaten Castro
- naval blockade
- air strikes
- full ground invasion
Timeline of How close Nuclear war was [7]
22 Oct- Kennedy tells public about missiles
23 Oct- kennedy prepares forces to attack
25 Oct- kennedy readies military
26 Oct- Khrushchev requests US to not invade
(promises to take away nukes)
27 Oct- U2 planes shot down over Cuba
28 Oct- Khrushchev announces return of missiles
(find out 25 years later that USA also took back nukes from turkey)
Who had Vietnam been ruled by [3]
- China
- France
- Japan
Who are the Vietminh?
Vietnamese army
How was USA involved with Vietnam before supporting S. Vietnam?
Supported France in colonizing Vietnam (Failed)
Who led the Vietminh
Ho Chi Minh
What happened in Geneva Conference (July 1954)?
France negotiated an agreement with army
- many countries got independence from France
What happened on 21 July 1954? [2]
- Vietnam partitioned
(meant to be temporary for free elections, but it never happened)
Who became government of N. Vietnam?
Vietminh (Vietnamese army)- Communist
Who became gov of S. Vietnam?
Bao Dai (former emperor) - Anti- communist, catholic
Domino theory (1954)
As one country falls to communism, the ones around it also do so
Who were the Vietcong?
Communist party in S. Vietnam
When did North start attacking S. Vietnam?
1959- brought full scale war close
Who (gov) supported the french, then S. Vietnamese
Eisenhower
What was the Eisenhower Doctrine? [3]
- US forces to protect states against aggressive communist nations
- encouraged economic aid to anti-communist countries
- directed to middle east
What steps did Kennedy take to support Vietnam? [3]
- Sent many advisors
- Increased size of army
- Sent money
What was the Strategic Hamlet Program (1962)? [2]
- limit influence of communism to peasants
- peasants moved to new, controlled villages
Why did the Strategic Hamlet Program not work? [4]
- Peasant didn’t want to move
- Working ground was too far away
- Religious reasons (wanted to stay where ancestors were buried)
- Vietcong had increased in 300% and controlled 20% of villages
Who was Thich Quang Duc?
- 66-year-old monk
- set himself on fire
- protested to show compassion to all religions
What was government’s reaction to Duc’s suicide?
arrested thousands of Buddhist monks
What did the government say about the different suicides?
“let them burn, we shall clap our hands”
What was Johnson’s first move as president?
immediately asked for a full scale war
What happened in the Gulf of Tonkin? [3]
- started real warfare between N. Vietnamese and US
- Two warships attacked by N. Vietnam
- bombing starts and US troops land in S. V.
What was the lottery style system?
young and physically able men picked at random
What was the Tet offensive [3]
- N.V. troops surprise attacked US targets + S.V cities
- No attacks succeeded
- Media made it look like US was defeated
What was the My Lai Massacre? [3]
- US’s soldiers’ response to Tet
- US soldiers killed hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese civilians
- Happened in My Lai
What was Nixon’s goal?
to pull out of the war peacefully but with honor
What was Vietnamization?
- S.V supported with money and material but not troops
- went from 350 000 to 40 000 in 2 years
What did Nixon do that was not peaceful? [3]
- bombed Vietnamese troops in Cambodia to force end of war
- bombing failed
- Nixon sent troops to complete the task
What happened at Kent University?
Protest led to 4 dead students
How did the Vietnamese war end? [4]
- Peace treaty signed in Paris
- Brief truce made
- Fighting broke out again
- N.V conquered S.V
Why did US withdraw from war? [2]
- Public opinion
- North Vietnamese troops had better tactics
How did N.V troops have better tactics? [3]
- Guerilla styled warfare
- Had better EQ
–> their people supported them
