MP3 Quiz #1: Containment + the early Cold War

What is the status of Europe post WW2?

extremely battered: loss of government, people, + cities

What power has a massive influence on Eastern Europe after the war?

The Soviet Union

Why does the US choose to continue to involve itself in Europe after the war?

1. Soviet Imperialism + communism threat

2. Opportunity to spread democracy + fight back against dictatorship

3. Isolationism

What happened at Yalta w/ the Soviet Union?

• Stalin agrees to representative governments (lie)

• agrees on the formation of the United Nations

What was the purpose of Potsdam in 1945?

to figure out what to do w/ Germany post war

• determined winners would occupy losers (preventative)

Germany is split between the U.S. + Soviet Union. What is the issue here?

Berlin: capitol of Germany + has big effect on future government of Germany

What is the solution to the Berlin issue?

the U.S. constructs railroads + bridges to connect western Germany w/ western Berlin

What is the political climate of Eastern Europe?

communism + dictatorship: all overseen by Stalin (leaders appointed + elections rigged)

• countries are independent but also closely aligned w/ Stalin

What does Eastern Europe become known as?

soviet block, satellite states, sphere of influence

How does Stalin justify the dominance of Communism + Dictatorship in Eastern Europe?

says the people wanted this: elections (rigged)

• also says Eastern Europe is a defense mechanism if Germany were to gain power again

What was the Long Telegram, who wrote it, and what were the 3 Key Points?

a letter written by GEORGE KENNAN (Soviet expert) to Harry Truman w/ an analysis of the SU

Key points:

1. The SU intends to spread its influence (communism) into Western Europe

2. They respect power/defiance + will back down if confronted.

3. U.S. is the only one w/ the power to contain the SU and must do so to prevent the spread of Communism.

What is the basic definition of the containment policy?

to prohibit the Soviet Union from gaining any more land / influence in Europe/anywhere else in the world

What was Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech?

ex leader of Britain (widely respected) preaching containment to US citizens.

How does APAG describe Truman?

average + uneducated

According to APAG, why was Stalin mistrustful of the US? (5)

1. differing ideologies (Democracy vs communism)

2. US refused to recognize the SU until 1933

3. delayed joining WW1 resulting in heavy Soviet casualties

4. excluded soviets from atomic bomb research

5. halted lend lease w/ soviets in 1945 while continuing w/ Britain + Moscow

What is Stalin’s main goal?

to protect the Soviet Union from future German attack

What was the Truman Doctrine?

US declaration to aggressively defend wherever Democracy is threatened globally after Greece + Turkey were threatened by the Soviets

What was NATO?

military alliance between US, Canada, + 10 western Europe nations against SU to enforce containment

The Marshall Plan

involved providing massive financial aid to Western European countries for Reconstruction in exchange for democratic governments

National Security Act

created CIA (spies), reorganized military into 1 unit, constructed Pentagon (military base) with the intention of permanently being ready for war

What happens in this reorganization of the military?

all branches are under 1 roof: army, navy, air, marines, in the pentagon

what was the national security agency

force to deal w/ domestic spies

What was the Berlin crisis/Airlift?

• stalin gets word that US planned to unify 3 zones of Western Germany + militarize it

• creates military blockade over bridges/railroads to cut off access to Berlin

• Truman decides to fly over Soviet blockade + deliver supplies out of loyalty to containment

• after 11 months of air lifts, Stalin removes blockade

1949 Events

1. soviets successfully test 1st atomic bomb: causes US to research + create bigger weapon (H-Bomb)

2. Chinese Revolution: communism takes over

What is the relationship between the fall of China to Communism + Harry Truman?

• greatly blamed for providing minimal aid

What was happening in terms of nuclear warfare between the two countries?

each strived to produce a more deadly weapon

• soviets created their own atomic bomb and later their own h-bomb while the US attempted to do the same

What happens to Korea?

splits in half; North + South

North: led by Kim Il Sung, closely allied w/ the Soviet Union

South: led by Syngman Ree, closely allied w/ the U.S.

What happens in 1950 + what does the US do?

North Korea Invades South Korea

• involves the United Nations + sends troops to help defend

What does the United Nations do in response to the conflict in Korea?

creates an international military: mainly composed of US soldiers + supplies

Who was Douglas MacArthur?

famously successful WW2 general + leader of UN forces in Korea

Why did Truman say that his decision to send troops to Korea was the toughest decision he’s ever had to make? What does this conflict with?

• sending troops meant purposefully sending American people to die for a foreign conflict

• statement about it being his toughest decision makes no sense b/c atomic bomb

What happened w/ Macarthur in Korea?

1. surrounds NK forces in SK + eliminates threat by entering through Inchon (NW SK)

2. crosses border to pursue NK retreat

3. Chinese intervention + gruesome Battle resulting in stalemate