Widening of the Cold War (1949-55)

Question 1

What happened to China from 1949? Which party became the leader?

• Why was this a threat to the USA’s foreign policy?
• What made communist China a big threat to the West?

Answer 1

• communist revolution; People’s Republic of China (PRC)
• influence of communism was beginning to spread in Asia
• Threats:
  • Military alliance with USSR in Feb. 1950
  • communist North Korea invaded South Korea - Korean War begins

Question 2

What did Japan accept following the Potsdam Declaration in Aug. 1945?

• What were the USA aims carried out in Japan?
• How could the USA achieve these aims?

Answer 2

• full occupation by the USA and its allies
• Aims:
  
  • demilitarisation and democratisation of Japan to neutralise them as an aggressor/imperial power
  • prevent USSR from expanding - policy of containment in Asia
• economic and political reform in Japan

Question 3

• What methods did the USA use to ensure political and economical reform in Japan?
• What peace treaty was signed? When? Why was it significant?
• What were the main terms within the treaty? (claims, sovereignty)

Answer 3

• Political:
  
  • new Liberal constitution
  • rehabilitation of Japanese right-wing politicians
    Economical:
  • Taxation, regulation of trade, wages
  • Membership in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT): multinational agreement in 1947 - minimise tariffs and maximise international trade
• San Francisco Treaty; September 1951; significant = US can contain communism
• Terms:
  
  • Japan renounced claims on Korea and Taiwan
  • Allies recognised the full sovereignty of Japanese people

Question 4

• In return of the San Francisco Treaty, what treaty was Japan required to sign? When?
• What did this give the USA? (military control?)
• From 1954, how many self defence forces were dispatched into Japan following its rearmament? Why?

Answer 4

• US-Japan Security Treaty Act; 1951
• gave the USA:
  
  • unrestricted use of military bases in Japan
  • can veto Japanese offers of military bases to other countries
  • use of military force to intervene in internal affairs in Japan
• 140,000; Japanese military feared communist expansion that had already happened in North Korea - containment was crucial

Question 5

• Following the Chinese Civil War, who fled to Taiwan? Which leader did the USA support? Who was he the leader of?
• Why did the USA support them in secret?

Answer 5

• Guomindang (nationalists); USA supported Jiang Jieshi - who was leader of Guomindang (nationalists)
• to prevent the communist Sino-Soviet alliance from expanding

Question 6

• What was announced in Jan. 1950? Led by who?
• What was it? What was the significance of it?
• Why was it criticised?

Answer 6

• Defensive Perimeter Speech; Acheson (Secretary of State)
• a military defence for Japan from the Aleutian Islands to the Philippines; built a wall against communism
• omitted Korea

Question 7

• What was NSC-68?

What were its main objectives?

• Why was NSC-68 launched? When?

Answer 7

• document that laid out an American national security strategy
• Objectives:
  
  • Higher tax to fund larger military
  • Reject isolation - so Europe and Asia weren’t left vulnerable to Soviet expansion
  • Build up of US nuclear weapons
• September 1949; reviewed the USA’s strategic objectives following USSR testing their atomic bombs ending US nuclear monopoly and Truman’s ‘loss of China’

Question 8

• Why was Kennan against NSC-68?
• When did the Korean War begin? What was it caused by?
• What were the goals of both North and South Korea? How did they believe they could achieve this?

Answer 8

• He believed NSC-68 was the cause of the Korean War in June 1950
• 22nd June 1950; conflicting ideologies between North + South Korea
• South:
  
  • Unite Korea under capitalist leadership
• Achieved by:
  
  • Strong capitalist economy
  • support of USA + appeal to democracy
• North:
  
  • United Korea under communist leadership
• Achieved by:
  
  • Support from USSR and China
  • Strong North Korean military

Question 9

• Who was the leader in North Korea? What was the leader in South Korea?
• What triggered the outbreak of the Korean War?

Answer 9

• North: Kim Il Sung; South: Syngman Rhee
• North Korea invading the South and advancing to Seoul in 22nd June 1950

Question 10

• What did Kim Il Sung ask for Stalin in March 1949? What was Stalin’s response?
• What was Stalin willing to provide? What made him unprepared?
• Why did he fear engagement with the USA?

Answer 10

• asked Stalin for Soviet support; Stain refuses initially - 1950: provides limited materials (aircraft, artillery) but not Soviet troops
• indirect military support; unprepared for direct military confrontation with the USA
• worried it’d result in a nuclear war

Question 11

• Who was the head of the leading government in China? What were his initial views on Korea? How did this change?
• What does he respond by providing in Nov. 1950?
• What did Mao consider so he could act in Korea? (nuclear, establish, zone)

Answer 11

• Mao; initially uninterested; the USA got closer to the Yalu River - Korean border with China
• military assistance to North Korea
• Considerations:
  • believed that the US wouldn’t risk nuclear war
  • wanted to establish China as leader of the communist world
  • interested in using neighbouring communist states as a buffer zone for anti-Communist threats

Question 12

• What was the USA’s main priority until 1949?
• What triggered the USA into defending South Korea?
• What was the main goal of the USA during the Korean War? (policy, Taiwan, South Korea)

Answer 12

• strengthening and protecting Japan
• North Korea’s invasion of South Korea in June 22 1950
• Goals:
  • Stability + containment in Asia
  • Protect Taiwan from Chinese communists
  • Protect South Korea from northern military aggressors

Question 13

• What did the USA request after North Korea invaded the South?
• What did the council do? What was the impact of the Soviet boycotting the UN?
• What was the outcome of UN intervention of the Korean War?

Answer 13

• session of the UN security council
• UN demanded a ceasefire; Soviets weren’t present to veto
• ceasefire passed - international troops sent to South Korea under US command

Question 14

• How long was Phase 1? What military movement occurred? How does the UN take action? (how many countries willing to assist)
• How long was Phase 2? What military movement occurred? How does the USSR + China take action? (Stalin request, Mao response)

Answer 14

• June-Sept. 1950; North Korea invaded the South after reaching Seoul; 29 countries committed to provide assistance to South Korea
• Sept-Nov. 1950; North Korea forced back to the 38th parallel
  • USSR: Stalin requests China to send troops to assist North Korea
  • China: Mao sends 300,000 Chinese troops across the Yalu River to support North Korea

Question 15

• How long was Phase 3? What military movement occurred? How does the China + USA take action? (China: cross + capture, USA: demand = dismissal)
• How long was Phase 4? What military movement occurred? How does the USSR + USA take action?

Answer 15

• Dec. 1950 - June 1951; Chinese forces push North Korea beyond 38th parallel
  
  • China: cross 38th parallel and capture Seoul (Jan. 1951)
  • USA: MacArthur demands nuclear weapon usage - resulted in his dismissal in Apr. 1951
• June 1951 - July 1953; no significant military offensives (stalemate)
  
  • USSR: Stalin dies in March 1953; USSR negotiated for peace
  • USA: agreed to ceasefire

Question 16

• When was the armistice agreed? What did it mark?
• What was the armistice called? What were the terms included in it?

Answer 16

• July 1953; return to pre-war status quo
• Panmunjon Armistice Agreement; Terms:
  • military demarcation line at the 38th parallel
  • all military forces withdrew their respective territories
  • repatriation of prisoners of war

Question 17

• What was the impact of the Korean War? (long term(s), influence, military)

Answer 17

• Impact:
  
  • Long term security of North and South Korea
  • USA issue guarantee long term security of Taiwan - prevent communist Chinese invasion attempts
  • USA commit to further protect East Asia from spread of communism
  • Military resources in Western Europe strengthened - West Germany allowed to rearm

Question 18

• Why had Cold War tensions increased by 1953?
• Why was there ‘Red Scare’ in the USA?
• Where was the speech McCarthy made? When was it? What was its significance?

Answer 18

• Increased Tensions:
  
  • Communists won Chinese Civil War in 1949
  • Outbreak of Korean War
  • USSR test atomic bombs in 1949
• fear of communist subversion in America
• West Virginia; February 1950; set out the agenda of ‘McCarthyism’

Question 19

• What McCarthy’s main claims?
• Why did some critique McCarthy? What did this lead to in 1954?

Answer 19

• Claims:
  
  • Global communist plot that threatened the USA
  • Truman administration was soft on communism
  • Communists had infiltrated US State Department + armed forces
• McCarthy claims lacked evidence; discredited in 1954

Question 20

• How did McCarthyism influence American foreign policy? (shift, containment - security?)
• Who did McCarthy blame following the Korean War? Why?
• How did McCarthyism influence Britain? (spending, destabilisation)

Answer 20

• American’s foreign policy shifted from Europe to East Asia + McCarthy argued containment was secure in Europe but weak in Asia
• Truman’s attempts to resolve the Chinese Civil War through diplomatic and not intervene made him vulnerable - too ‘soft on communism’
• Britain felt they needed to increase defensive spending and establish stronger presence in Europe + McCarthy argued that Europe could be destabilised with inaction in Asia

Question 21

• When was the UN established? How many members by 1950? What was the majority of their ideologies?
• Why was the USA widely regarded as ‘the world’s policeman’?
• How influential was the USA over world trade?
• How were the USSR able to keep the USA ‘in check’? (veto power 1946-55)

Answer 21

• Oct. 1945; 60 members by 1950; mainly pro-Western & pro-capitalist
• military superpower - believed the US was capable of leading the ‘defence of the free world’
• highly influencial - All Western European countries received aid through the Marshall Plan except Spain
• USSR’s ability to veto meant USA couldn’t pass through any decisions - 1946-55: USSR veto’d 75 times

Question 22

• How did the USA ensure Mao + China couldn’t expand communism in Asia?
• How long did Communist China remain isolated from the West?
• True/False: China was excluded from the UN

Answer 22

• US had a strong military presence in Europe with occupation in Japan in tact
• 1970s
• True: it had only established an alliance with the USSR in 1950

Question 23

• Who became the new President of the USA in 1953 January? What happens in March 1953?
• What system is fully integrated for the defence of Western Europe? What happened by 1955?
• How did the Soviets respond to this?

Answer 23

• Eisenhower; death of Stalin
• NATO; West Germany became a member of NATO
• Warsaw Pact was formed under the military command led by the USSR

Question 24

• Why was the Eisenhower’s ‘New Look Policy’ carried out? Who carried it out?
• How was Eisenhower’s New Look Policy different to Truman’s foreign policy?
• What were the key factors in his New Look Policy? Why were they signficant?

Answer 24

• communist expansion could only the deterred by increase threat of force; Dulles (Secretary of State)
• Truman wanted to contain communism whilst Eisenhower wanted to remove it completely
• Massive retaliation:
  
  • responding to attacks by conventional force with nuclear weapons
• Brinkmanship
  
  • willingness go to the ‘brink of war’ in confronting Soviet threats
• Strengthening global alliances
  
  • involved pro US-allies in Western Europe to hold back the USSR as well as in Asia to keep China in check

Question 25

• When was SEATO created? Who created? What was it in response to?
• What was the purpose of SEATO?
• True/False: SEATO protected its members from communism

Answer 25

• September 1954; Dulles (Secretary of State); responsed to the strengthening of the Sino-Soviet alliance
• SEATO aimed to contain communism in Asia
• False: SEATO protected non-SEATO members in Asia - South Vietnam + Cambodia

Question 26

• How did the ‘domino theory’ influence US policy in 1950s + 60s? (what speech was set out, when)
• What did the speech reflect?
• Why did this theory make Eisenhower concerned by France?

Answer 26

• set out by Eisenhower’s April 1954 speech about Indochina
• belief that any one state in Asia fell to communism, more would fall after another
• He believed they were losing grip on Indochina

Question 27

• What conference does the ‘domino theory’ lead to? When?
• What agreements were made in the conference? (division, withdrawal, election)
• Who refused to sign the conference, whom the USA supported? Why?

Answer 27

• Geneva Conference; July 1954
• Agreements:
  
  • temporary division of Vietnam on the 17th parallel
  • withdrawal from the North and South by French and nationalist forces respectively
  • national election in 2 years
• Ngo Dinh Diem (South Vietnam President); he was determined to control his people rather than the USA’s influence