Cold War Policies - Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Reagan

Cold War

The state of Soviet American tensions after World War II which arose from both political and economic differences

"superpowers"

name given to the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II representing their dominance in world affairs

results of the Cold War competition between U.S. and U.S.S.R

- any nation that needed military support would align with one or the other superpowers in anticipation of help

- required a constant state of military preparedness which resulted in a massive arms race

The end of the Cold War was signaled by this event

the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989

Eastern European nations under Soviet control during the Cold War were called ...

- Soviet Satellite nations

- the Warsaw Pact

- Soviet Bloc countries

Differences between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R related to the treatment of the Axis nations after W.W.II

The United States wanted to rebuild the former Axis nations , while the Soviet Union wanted to keep them weak

President Truman

objected to the pro-Soviet governments installed in Eastern Europe without free elections

The General Assembly

the advisory body of the United Nations made up of all United Nations member nations that can recommend action to the Security Council but cannot enforce decisions it makes

The Security Council

is the peacekeeping body of the United Nations made up of only 15 member nations

including permanent membership by the United States and the Soviet Union

NATO

The military alliance between the United States, Canada and Western Europe formed in 1949 for the purpose do stopping the spread of communism in Europe

The term "Iron Curtain"

was used by Winston Churchill in a speech to describe an invisible dividing line between communist and non-communist Europe

U.S. policy of containing communism

- did not always mean supporting democracy

- was the rational behind US aid to the undemocratic government of Greece and Turkey in 1947

- sometimes resulted in the US propping up military dictatorships

The Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan

represented attempts by the United States to deal with the spread of communism

The Marshall Plan

- was a plan providing billions in aid to rebuild western Europe

- aimed at fighting communism by promoting economic growth

- was developed by Secretary of State George Marshall

creating the Marshall Plan

action was taken by the United States government to help Europe's economic recovery after World War II

This advice to President Harry Truman that influenced his decision to develop the Marshall Plan

"Many foreign peoples, in Europe at least, are . . . frightened by experiences of the past and are less interested in . . . freedom than in security. They are seeking guidance rather than responsibilities. We should be better able than the Russians to give them this. And unless we do, the Russians certainly will."

The Soviets blockaded West Berlin for this reason

the western Allies announced plans to form a democratic West Germany

British, French and United States response to the Berlin Blockade

was to air lift food and supplies into West Berlin

Berlin Airlift results

the formation of West and East Germany as separate and independent government

In 1949 a successful communist revolution in China

was led by Mao Zedong that forced nationalists led by Chiang Kai Shek to flee to the island of Taiwan

The Cold War event in 1949 that triggers a major arms race

the Soviet detonation of an atomic bomb

Eisenhower's 1953 "Atoms for Peace" speech

- was Eisenhower's proposal for international regulation of nuclear weapons and energy

- resulted in the creation of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) , an organization under the "aegis of the United Nations"

- reflected Eisenhower's fears that M.A.D. was not a sufficient safety against nuclear war

- a speech he delivered to the United Nations

the 1968 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)

- an international treaty to limit the spread of nuclear weapons

- most nations of the world are signatories (parties) of this treaty

- the United States is one of the five nations that are signatories of the treaty that have nuclear weapons

The event that caused the Korean War

North Korea invaded South Korea

The Korean War

- represented United Nations efforts to assist nations in repelling aggressors

a valid conclusion based on United States involvement in the Korean War

The U.S. policy of containment was applied in Asia as well as in Europe

main reason that President Harry Truman dismissed General Douglas MacArthur as commander of the United States troops during the Korean War

President Truman believed that General MacArthur's conduct threatened the concept of civilian control over the military

Truman's decision to fire General Douglas MacArthur was based on these reasons

- involved a challenge to the President's constitutional right to control the military and direct foreign policy

- MacArthur speaking out against Truman's policy of a limited war in Korea

- MacArthur threatening a nuclear war with China

The armistice that ended the Korean War resulted in

- a divided Korea at the same place it had been divided before the war

Results of The Red Scare of the late 1940s and early 1950s

- requiring government workers to take a loyalty oath

- trial and execution of some convicted communist subversives

- blacklisting of people working in the media

HUAC

The name of the group established by Congress in 1947 to investigate communists and other suspected subversives

The Hollywood Ten

Those arrested for refusing to answer the questions of HUAC as it investigated supposed communists in the movie industry

The Rosenberg Trial

- involved a charge of espionage in the midst of the "red scare"

- resulted in the execution of the Rosenberg's

- was controversial because of lingering doubts about their guilt due to prejudices and fears related to the "red scare"

McCarthyism

began when Senator Joseph McCarthy revealed a list , naming 205 communists he believed to be working the US state department with no evidence

McCarthyism

began when Senator Joseph McCarthy

a. went after communist subversives in the army

b. revealed a list , naming 205 communists he believed to be working the US state department

c. became a member of HUAC

d. prosecuted the Rosenbergs

HUAC

The name of the group established by Congress in 1947 to investigate communists and other suspected subversives was called

a.

b. Army-McCarthy Hearings

c. Mc Carren Commission

d. Loyalty Review Board

Lippmann critique

Analysis of Cold War, questioning its validity

America's interests

Money, Power

America's values

Democracy, Freedom

United Fruit Company

American banana company with significant Central American influence

Monopoly - Vertical integration

Control of all aspects of production within one industry

Jorge Ubico

Oppressive Guatemalan dictator supported by the US

Democratic movement in Guatemala

Revolution against oppressive regime, leading to democratic elections

Jacobo Arbenz

Successor of Arévalo, focused on progressive reforms in Guatemala

Decree 900

Confiscation of uncultivated land from UFCO for redistribution

Operation PBSUCCESS

CIA covert operation to overthrow Arbenz in Guatemala

Castillo Armas

President of Guatemala after successful coup supported by the US

Mayan Genocide

Massacre of Guatemalans by the government and military forces

Bay of Pigs Invasion

Failed CIA attack to overthrow Castro in Cuba

Cuban Missile Crisis

Standoff between US and USSR over nuclear missiles in Cuba

Mao Zedong

Leader of the Chinese Communist Party during the civil war

Chiang Kai-shek

Leader of the Kuomintang (Nationalists) during the Chinese civil war

KMT

Corrupt and unpopular party in China during the civil war

CCP

Chinese Communist Party, larger and stronger than KMT

Shanghai

City taken over by CCP within two days, showcasing their strength

Nanjing

City whose takeover led to complete communist control in China by Oct 1949

Taiwan

Island where Chiang Kai-shek fled, establishing the Republic of China

Sino-Soviet Treaty

1950 treaty aligning China and the Soviet Union as communist allies

Domino Theory

Belief that losing China to communism would lead to Korea and Vietnam falling next

People's Republic of China

Established in Oct 1949 with Mao Zedong as Chairman

Great Leap Forward

Mao's plan to transform China economically and socially, leading to millions of deaths

People's Communes

Collective farms under Great Leap Forward causing mass deaths

Cultural Revolution

Mao's movement to eliminate bourgeois elements, leading to violence and destruction

Red Guard

Paramilitary group enforcing Mao's Cultural Revolution

Korean War

Conflict between North and South Korea, involving US and USSR

38th parallel

Dividing line between North and South Korea

UN forces

Military coalition formed to fight against communism in Korea

Armistice

Agreement to stop fighting, not a peace treaty

DMZ

Demilitarized zone along the Korean border to prevent military actions

Vietnam War

Conflict between North and South Vietnam, involving US and France

Ho Chi Minh

Leader of Viet Minh, declared independence for Vietnam

Geneva Conference

1954 conference separating Vietnam at the 17th parallel

Ngo Dinh Diem

US-supported leader of South Vietnam post-Geneva Conference

Diem

US-backed dictator of South Vietnam who practiced nepotism and persecuted political opponents and Buddhists

Viet Cong

Communist guerrilla group in South Vietnam that grew due to Diem's incompetence

Operation Rolling Thunder

Three-year bombing campaign in North Vietnam approved by LBJ in 1965

Tet Offensive

Coordinated attacks by Viet Minh and Viet Cong against US and South Vietnamese military

Napalm

Jelly-like substance used in Vietnam War that burns up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit

Agent Orange

Toxic herbicide to destroy vegetation and contaminate food/water sources in Vietnam

My Lai Massacre

Small-scale invasion in South Vietnam resulting in destruction and civilian deaths

Pentagon Papers

Published documents revealing US government lies about the Vietnam War

Vietnamization

Nixon's policy to equip South Vietnamese forces and withdraw US troops

Paris Peace Accords

Agreement to end the Vietnam War signed by US, South Vietnam, Viet Minh, and Viet Cong

Ho Chi Minh City

Renamed Saigon after North Vietnam overran South Vietnam in 1975

Berlin Blockade

Berlin relied on western aid due to lack of supplies

Berlin Airlift

Western powers delivered vital supplies via plane

Care Packages

Supplies dropped during Berlin Airlift

Atomic Bombs on Japan

Ended WWII and kickstarted the Cold War

Stalin-Truman Tensions

Increased distrust between leaders

Stalin's View on US Possession of Atomic Bomb

Saw it as a threat to Soviet Union's post-war position

Nuclear Arms Race

Competition for nuclear weapon superiority between US and USSR

Manhattan Project

US project to develop nuclear weapons

Klaus Fuchs and Rosenberg Spies

Infamous spies during the Cold War

NATO Formation

Alliance to prevent Soviet expansion in Western Europe

Containment Policy

Strategy to prevent spread of communism

Truman Doctrine

US aid to democratic nations threatened by authoritarian forces

Marshall Plan

US aid program for post-WWII Western Europe

Warsaw Pact

Communist alliance in Eastern Europe in response to NATO

Soviet Expansion in Eastern Europe

Stalin's support for communist parties post-WWII

Arms Race

Military resource competition for superiority