US foreign policy 1945-61

Question 1

cold war origins

Answer 1

France + Britain in decline post WW2 + colonies revolting.
Chinese civil war - Mao
USSR + US opposites in every way
USSR actively spreading communism + didn’t care about Western opinions

Question 2

Truman doctrine

Answer 2

US would aid other countries to fight against communism

Question 3

Marshall plan

Answer 3

$15 bill in aid to rebuild Europe - economic stability made communism less attractive

Question 4

NATO

Answer 4

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation - mutual defence for US, Canada + much of West Europe

Question 5

Berlin Blockade - Lead up

Answer 5

Germany split under UK, US, France + USSR. Truman thought the poverty would cause extreme politics - wanted to use Marshal aid, Stalin said no. Trizonia wanted to replace Reichsmark with Deutschmark, Stalin said no but was ignored

Question 6

Berlin Blockade - Events

Answer 6

June 1948 Stalin closed all land access to West Berlin to starve out the Western allies. Western powers responded with operation Vittles to air drop supplies. By April 1989 more food was entering Berlin than pre-blockade

Question 7

Operation Vittles

Answer 7

Massive airlift - 200 flights supplied 4,700 tonnes of supplies for 462 days. Led to Stalin calling off the blockade in May 1949

Question 8

Berlin Blockade results

Answer 8

Soviets increased nuke development
US got confident

Question 9

Berlin Wall

Answer 9

Kennedy had west Berlin completely sealed off, anyone who tried to flee from the East was shot. Berlin Wall decreased conflict as no more arguments about people fleeing from the East

Question 10

Korean war - pre US

Answer 10

Split - Communist USSR North , Capitalist US south with sympathetic govs. North Korea under Kim Il Sung invaded the south w USSR arms. South Korea pushed to small pocket along Southern coast.

Question 11

Korean war - US enters

Answer 11

US afraid of Domino affect - US + UN forces under General Douglas MacArthur push North back to original boundary line, but MacArthur decided to keep pushing past original goal

Question 12

Korean War - China enters

Answer 12

Communist China just above Communist North Korea - Feared they would be invaded too if the US+UN forces don’t stop pushing. MacArthur’s forces pushed to Yalu river - Mao sent 200,000 troops to push UN back to original border

Question 13

Korean War - Stalemate

Answer 13

China pushed UN + US back to original border -> stalemate. MacArthur criticised Truman -> got fired. Eisenhower replaced Truman. Stalin died. Armistice signed 1953