USA Topic 6

Question 1

Why did the US get involved in the Cold War

Answer 1

Fear of spread of communism
Soviet expansion in Eastern Europe
Truman’s distrust of Stalin(thought he wanted to take over all of Europe)

Question 2

What happened at the Potsdam Conference

Answer 2

Truman had tested an atomic bomb and he told Stalin this at the conference. Stalin was angry he hadn’t been informed beforehand

Question 3

What was agreed at the Yalta conference

Answer 3

Germany and Berlin would be divided into 4 zones

Question 4

What was disagreed at the Potsdam conference

Answer 4

Reparations that Germany should pay. Stalin wanted them to pay more as the USSR had lost a lot, Truman disagreed. He wanted free elections in the Eastern European countries that the USSR was occupying. Stalin refused.

Question 5

What was agreed at the Potsdam Conference

Answer 5

,Germany would be demilitarised, democracy would be re-established and the Nazi party would be banned

Question 6

What was the Truman Doctrine

Answer 6

Truman’s policy of containment - he would save other countries from invasion or enslavement

Question 7

What were the consequences of the Truman Doctrine

Answer 7

The Greek government could defeat the communists, the rivalry with the USSR increased
The Marshall Plan was introduced

Question 8

What was the Marshall Plan

Answer 8

Truman offering economic aid across Europe to try to stop spread of communism

Question 9

What were the ‘corridors’ that Stalin provided

Answer 9

As Berlin was in the middle of the Soviet zone, Stalin gave the Allies corridors in through canal, road, rail and air.

Question 10

Why did Stalin close down most of the corridors

Answer 10

Because the Allies announced a new currency, established democracy and planned to make West Germany a new state

Question 11

Why couldn’t Stalin close down the air corridor

Answer 11

Because this would mean shooting a plane out of the sky which was an act of war

Question 12

What were the events of the Berlin Crisis

Answer 12

Truman wanted to stand up to Stalin. The allies airlifted supplies from their bases - 13000 tonnes of supplies were delivered in 24 hours at the peak of the Berlin Airlift. Stalin called off the blockade.

Question 13

When was the North Atlantic Treaty signed and what did it establish

Answer 13

April 1949 - established NATO which was meant to prevent soviet expansion

Question 14

What was the USSRs rival group to NATO

Answer 14

The Warsaw Pact - designed to counter the threat of NATO

Question 15

What did Krushchev do in 1961 and why

Answer 15

He built the Berlin Wall to stop all the refugees coming in and to try and bully the inexperienced new USA president

Question 16

What was the second flashpoint of Berlin

Answer 16

USA and USSR tanks were at a standoff for 18 hours until the USA eventually backed down

Question 17

What was the USAs relationship with Cuba

Answer 17

They bought Cubas sugar and propped up the military dictatorship there. In return it was ‘Americas playground’- businessmen used it for holidays.

Question 18

What caused the Cuban Missile Crisis

Answer 18

A new leader, Fidel Castro , a communist, came to power. He rejected all US investments and businesses and so the US refused to buy their sugar. The USSR offered to buy their sugar instead.

Question 19

How did the USAs invasion of the Bay of Pigs go

Answer 19

It failed, it was an embarrassment and drew Castro and the USSR closer

Question 20

What did Krushchev do in Cuba which concerned the US

Answer 20

He built missile bases in Cuba which could hit almost all US cities

Question 21

What did Kennedy do as a result of Krushchevs bases

Answer 21

Imposed a naval blockade. Krushchev sent a letter telling him that he would force through the blockade. Kennedy asked him to withdraw the missiles and he agreed if Kennedy would remove his missiles from Turkey and not invade Cuba. Both agreed to keep it secret

Question 22

When was the Partial Test Ban Treaty signed and what was it

Answer 22

1963 - stopped testing of new nuclear bombs

Question 23

Why did the US get involved in the Vietnam war

Answer 23

Fear of communism and the Domino theory that if one country became communist others around it would follow

Question 24

Who was North Vietnam led by

Answer 24

Ho Chi Min (communist) and the Vietcong

Question 25

Who was South Vietnam led by

Answer 25

Ngo Dinh Diem (not communist)

Question 26

What happened when the US boat was fired on by North Vietnamese patrol boats

Answer 26

Johnson used this to convince Congress to support more US involvement

Question 27

What was Operation Rolling Thunder

Answer 27

US random bombing campaign to try and stop the supplies of the Vietcong from the South. Lots of civilians were killed as a result and this increased support of the Vietcong

Question 28

What chemical warfare was used in Vietnam

Answer 28

Agent Orange, a highly toxic weed killer was used to destroy the jungle. 82 million litres was sprayed on the jungle. Napalm was also used which explodes and showers anyone near with burning petroleum jelly which sticks to the skin and burns at 800 degrees through skin and flesh to the bone

Question 29

What was ‘search and destroy’

Answer 29

US and south Vietnam forces landed in villages using helicopters suspected of helping the Vietcong and destroy it. Innocent villages were often destroyed and not many Vietcong were killed.

Question 30

What were the strengths of the Vietnam communists

Answer 30

They were fighting for a cause, they used successful guerilla tactics, USSR and China supported them and they had tunnels

Question 31

What were US weaknesses

Answer 31

Many of the soldiers were young and inexperienced and they didn’t even know why they were fighting. There was high opposition back home and the US tactics failed

Question 32

What was Vietnamisation

Answer 32

Withdrawal of troops from Vietnam 1969

Question 33

What were the effects of the Vietnam war

Answer 33

It was expensive, a propaganda nightmare and lost Johnson a lot of popularity in his own country and around the world

Question 34

When did the turning point come in peace negotiations

Answer 34

Nixons visit to China