IB History Paper 2

Cold war parts focus on the Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam War, Eisenhower, Kruschev.

Why did both parties want Eisenhower to run for them?

He was a war hero during both wars, and after retiring from the army in 1948, became the first SACEUR for NATO

SACEUR

Supreme Allied Commander Europe

Eisenhower's The New Look

Eisenhower's change in Cold War policy from Truman. Sustainable policy, against high taxes, defence spending, and military capacity.

What did Eisenhower's New Look focus on?

Building nuclear power and the belief that he would use them. Covert operations to undermine threats. Building alliances.

Massive Retaliation/Brinkmanship

Doctrine of immediately retaliating to conflict on their own terms, escalating immediately to deter the USSR from making a threat at all.

First-strike

The idea that Eisenhower would make it clear he WOULD strike first, preventing the USSR from being too reckless.

Military-Industrial Complex

The arms industry benefiting from increased need for spending on the armed forces.

Four-Power Summit (1955)

Held in Geneva to discuss the Berlin situation.

Open Skies

Eisenhower's idea allowing both US and USSR to keep an eye on each other's nuclear arms production, some control on the arms race.

North American Defense Agreement (NORAD) (1957)

An agreement between Canada and the US to provide mutual protection of the airspace. Both Air forces were stationed in Colorado and responded to a joint command. Canada had to upgrade military resources and technology. Canada placed US anti-aircraft missiles in Quebec and Ontario, making Canada a first line of defence against Soviet attacks.

The thaw

The easing of tensions and restrictions following Stalin's death. Release of prisoners, relaxation of censorship.

Who took power after Stalin died?

The government was meant to be a "collective leadership." Power was split between Malenkov (Premier 53-5), Molotov, Bulganin (Premier 55-8).

The Secret Report (1956)

A report from Khrushchev to the Twentieth Congress of the CPSU attacking Stalin's career and exposing his errors and crimes against the party.

De-Stalinization

Khrushchev's attempt to steer the USSR and communism away from Stalinism. Justify the introduction of more progressive economic measures. Make coexistence with the West easier. Absolve himself and other leaders from complicity in Stalin's errors.

Was De-Stalinization Liberalisation?

No. It was only gestured to maintain the reputation and authority of the party, mainly.

Khrushchev foreign policy failures

In Germany, not getting West acknowledgement and then undermining East Germany; in Cuba, being caught in their plan and backing out; with China, hating Mao and being criticized relentlessly

What did the USSR say Khrushchev's faults were?

Cult of personality, public style, decentralisation, de-Stalinization, decline in military support, foreign policy failures, economic failures.

Ho Chi Minh

A Vietnam nationalist leader who returned to Vietnam from Moscow (1930) and co-founded the Vietnamese Communist party. Encouraged peasant revolts against French oppression. A symbol of nationalism.

Vietminh

A resistance movement originally formed against the Japanese in WWII (support from US) and later against the French, then the Americans.

Arguments against US military intervention in Vietnam

Vietnam was a small country, the US should support instead, the Korean war did NOT go well

Arguments for US military intervention in Vietnam

Policy of massive retaliation and the domino effect/theory.

How did Eisenhower support Vietnam?

Sending millions in arms and equipment against the Vietminh and providing technicians and bomber planes. Later, providing billions in Aide to the Republic of Vietnam and 100 Americans as military advisors.

The Vietcong

The National Liberation Army. Ho Chi Minh's supported in South Vietnam.

ARVN

Army of the Republic of Vietnam

How did Kennedy support Vietnam?

More initiative, increasing military advisors ten fold and starting counter-insurgency against the Vietcong.

Operation Rolling Thunder

Sustained campaign of bombing in North Vietnam.

Napalm

Mixture of gasoline and a gelling agent, highly inflammable and can be used as an incendiary or to burn people's skin.

What tactic gave the Vietminh advantage against the French and then the US?

Geurilla tactics. Used knowledge of the geography to use the jungles and mountains to their advantage. Allowed them to do ambushes and run, levelling the playing field a bit from the other side's really good weapons. Allowed them to weaken opponent until they could use more traditional warfare.

The Tet Offfensive (January 30, 1968)

A surprise attack from the Communists during Vietnamese New Year (Tet), attacking >100 cities. Many were destroyed and thousands of civilians were killed as the US and ARVN attempted to regain control. Made the US anti-war movement even stronger.

How did Nixon influence the Vietnam war?

Wanted honourable peace. Pressured Hanoi into peace agreements during a bombing campaign along the Ho Chi Minh Trail and forces moving into Cambodia… didn't work in forcing them. Pursued Detente more to get the USSR to help them.

Vietnamization

A policy of gradual withdrawal of US troops and handing the war to the South Vietnamese gov't.

Nixon Doctrine

A move away from Truman's Asian policies, saying nations were responsible for their own defence.

Economic effects of Vietnam War on US

US was spending 2 billion a month on the war, inflation rose, and the US deficit tripled.

Economic effects of Vietnam War on Vietnam

South Vietnam became heavily economically dependent on the US and their citizens, and so struggled greatly with unemployment when the US started pulling out.

Vietnam Veterans Against the War (1967)

A US group formed to oppose the war, holding a huge march from the Pentagon.

Vietnam war impact on Canada-US relations

Many within Canada were anti-war, despite supporting the war with volunteers, supplies, and intelligence. Pierre Trudeau also refused to send draft dodgers back to the States. Canada wanted to act as peace-maker, making them seem anti-American. Increased tensions.

Vietnam war impact on Latin America-US relations

They viewed US involvement in Vietnam as imperialism similar to what they experienced. Brazil only sent medical supplies and coffee; Cuba actively opposed the US and provided aide to Vietnam post-war; Puerto Rico had many protests.

A Cuban Committee of Solidarity With Vietnam (1963)

Established by Castro, stating they would devote anything for Vietnam.

The Grand Alliance

An alliance between Britain, the USA, and Russia, starting when the former sent aid to Russia during Operation Barbosa.

The Big Three (original)

Stalin, Roosevelt, Churchill.

Operation Overload

Allied invasion of northern France, beginning with D-Day

Three Big Three conferences

Tehran (43), Yalta (45), Potsdam (45)

Changes from Yalta to Potsdam conference

Roosevelt -> Truman. Germany surrendered. Churchill -> Atlee. Soviet Red Army occupied Germany. US successfully tested its first atomic bomb during Potsdam.

Declaration for Liberated Europe

An agreement from the Big Three pledging support for democratic governments based on free elections across all of Europe.

Kennan's Long Telegram (February 1946)

Telegram sent from Kennan to the U.S. State Department. Viewed the union to be a threat and that the strategy of detent was not aggressive enough. USSR view of the world was based on insecurity. Soviet wanted to advance Muscovite Stalinist ideology. Soviet was cruel, repressive, and perceived the outside world as wholly evil.

Iron Curtain Speech (1946)

Churchill warned that communism was a new danger in Europe. The iron curtain was the line that split Europe, behind which "lie in the Soviet sphere".

The Truman Doctrine (March 1947)

Truman's speech about the US obligation to "support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures." Influenced by: Issues in Turkey and Greece, where the British could no longer assist against the attempted Communist uprisings and they worried the Soviet Union would achieve influence there (including access to the Straits.) Churchill's Iron Curtain speech. The Long Telegram

Marshall Plan (July 1947)

Economic extension of the Truman Doctrine. Revive European working economies for stability. Safeguard the future of the U.S. economy. Initiative had to come from European countries to join the plan.

Molotov Plan

Bilateral trade agreements to tie Eastern European economeis to the USSR, against the Marshall plan.

COMECON

Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, a centralized agency supporting economic development and collectivization.

Cominform

Communist Informtion Bureau, created to increase Stalin's control over other Communist parties.

Two Camps Doctrine

Stalin's idea of Europe as divided into Soviets (new democracies, Eastern Europe and places like Vietnam) and anti-Soviets (Western Europe, South America). Cemented by the Iron Curtain speech.

KPD

Communist German Party

SED

Socialist Unity Party (Germany)

Warsaw Pact

A pact uniting Eastern European states into a single military command. Little organization as it was more political, but Europe was now militarily, economically, and politically divided.

Joseph R. McCarthy

US Senator absolutely OBSESSED with getting rid of any Communist sympathizers in the US. Even to the point of accusing ALL American liberals of being comsymps.

Capitalist focuses

Competition, minimal state interference, as much money as wished, individual reward for individual work

Communist economic focuses

Businesses and farms owned by the state on behalf of the people, distribution, no class divides

Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)

The idea that if nuclear war broke out, each side would cause as many casualties as possible. If both would be destroyed, they would not go to war.

Massive Retaliation

Eisenhower's idea of fighting with every weapon at its disposal if attacked.

Strategic Arms Limitation Interim Agreement (SALT I) (1972)

Restricted the number of land and sea-based ballistic missiles one could possess. Three baskets for Anti-Ballistic missiles, ICDMs and SLBMs, and conduct.

Agreement on the Prevention of Nuclear War (1973)

Agreed that if nuclear war looked imminent, both the USSR and USA would consult each other like woaaah how do we pump the breaks.

Salt II (1979)

Began negotiations in 1974. The most extensive and complicated arms agreement negotiated.

Geneva Accords (1954) Vietnam

A series of agreements which decided: The French would withdraw from Indochina. Vietnam would be temporarily divided at the 17th parallel. Free elections in 1956 to unite Vietnam. No foreign bases. Laos and Cambodia would be recognized as independent

Republic of Vietnam

South Vietnam. USA influence, not communist.

Failure of Geneva Accords

US did not believe in this and didn't trust North Vietnamese Commies (didn't allow free elections). RV turned to a familial dictatorship, who was killed, but worsened anyway. South Vietnam struggled bad.

Gulf of Tonkin incident (August 2, 1964)

US naval destroyer was fired on by North Vietnamese patrol boats, then two days later, two more were fired on (according to radar, but there was no damage??)

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Authorized the US president to take all measures against Vietnam. The war began with bombings and ground forces to defend an American airbase there.

Paris Peace Accords (January 27, 1973)

From the Paris Peace Talks that had been ongoing for the past year (almost). All American troops would withdraw and North and South Vietnam would respect the 17th parallel as the dividing line.

The Fall of Saigon (April 1975)

North Vietnam went against the accords and took Saigon, ending the war. Renamed to Chi Minh City. Vietnam was reunited as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. By the end of the year, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos were all communist.

Fidel Castro political leaning

Was socialist, not communist, until the US antagonized them too much and they were like well screw u. We WILL be commies. USSSSSRRRR

US reaction to Fidel Castro

Places an embargo on all imports. Got Cuba closer to USSR.

Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961)

Where the CIA attempted to overthrow Castro's government, especially through training Cuban refugees. 1214 out of 1400 invaders were captured, later released in return for $43 million worth of food and machines.

Who was at fault for Bay of Pigs Invasion failure?

CIA for underestimating support for Castro, providing too little ammunition and air cover, and not accounting for Castro's effective airforce.

Consequences of Bay of Pigs Invasion

Made the US seem very colonialist, imperialist and against Latin America. Strengthened Cuba-USSR ties and led to Castro being openly and proudly Marxist-Leninist.

Operation Mongoose

Post-Bay of Pigs Invasion CIA attempt to reverse the Cuban revolution by sabotaging economic targets and attempting assassinations. Castro survived every attempt.

Cuban Missile Crisis

When the USSR put missiles in Cuba and the US found out. The USSR was trying to protect Cuba without full war, wanted missiles close to US (like TUrkey), and needed a bargaining chip.

The Thirteen Days

An attempt for Kennedy to resolve the Cuban missile crisis. Ordered a naval blockade to prevent delivery of nuclear warheads, but Soviet ships did not care… but then turned around anyway.

U-2 Incident

US U-2 plane spying on the USSR missiles was shot down over Cuba (unrelated to the USSR).

Resolution of Cuban Missile Crisis

They agreed that Khruschev would remove missiles if Kennedy assured they would not invade Cuba. Secretly, they also agreed to remove missiles from Turkey (not made public to save face).

Detente

The period from 1968-1980 where the USA and USSR attempted to establish a more stable/co-operative relationship.

Perestroika

Aimed at restructuring the economy

Glasnot

Principle that every area should be open to the public to see and criticize.

Geneva Summit (1985)

Agreed that no nuclear war could be won and so should not be fought.

End of Cold War

USSR republics wanted independence. Coups were attempted. Gorbachov survived but stepped down. Berlin wall fell.