Great Leap Forward/Cultural Revolution
What year did the Great Leap Forward idea begin to be put into place and where did it take place? Next, what year and where did the Cultural Revolution begin?
The Great Leap Forward took place in 1958 in China. The Cultural Revolution began in 1966 in China.
What was the overarching goal of the protests and why did the protesters do it? What happened to the people who protested?
Over 10,000 Chinese students took place in a 7 week long, pro-democracy movement to protest against the then-current corrupt communist government. On June 4, 1989, the Chinese government had enough of this "call to democracy" movement and under the orders of Deng Xiaoping, soldiers and tanks were sent to the square and opened fire on the students that refused to leave.
When were the surrender papers against the US signed and where were they signed? (Also known as VJ Day)
The two sides signed formal surrender papers on the US battleship Missouri on September 2, 1945.
How did the Korean War start, and when was it officially started?
The Korean War started when North Korea, aided by the Soviet Union, sent soldiers to invade South Korea in 1950.
When did Ho Chi Minh declare who's independence from France? (Hint: It's part of Indochina)
On September 2, 1945, Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam's independence from France, although the French refused to give up control.
True or False: The U.S. was involved in and had a place in the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution
False
Where and when was the Tiananmen Square Massacre?
The event took place on June 4, 1989, and in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China.
What were the leading factors in Japan's surrender to the United States?
Japanese airplanes made a surprise attack on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, in Hawaii. In response, President of the United States, Harry Truman, made the difficult decision to use nuclear weapons against Japan. The US laid two atomic bombs, dropping on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, and threatened to drop a third, which they did not have. The after-effects of the bombings were devastating.
Why did the US along with other allied nations, get involved in the Korean War supporting South Korea?
The United States had to take a stand against communist aggression and was willing to go to war to keep communism from spreading. The United Nations saw North Korea's invasion as illegal and committed troops from 20 member nations to the area.
In the Vietnam War, the American and South Vietnamese troops had better training and more supplies, however, the North Vietnamese and Vietcong quickly overpowered the allied forces. Why was this the outcome?
The Vietcong and North Vietnamese made up for their weakness by engaging in guerrilla warfare. Small groups of Vietcong would surprise attack the US troops, and then quickly retreat back into the jungle before they had time to fight back. These attacks were brutally violent and went on for nearly a decade.
What caused the downfall of the Great Leap Forward and what was the outcome?
The goal of the Great Leap Forward was to have everyone work for the country, not themselves. Corrupt government officials kept more food than what was rationed to the workers and citizens. This caused one of the largest famines in history in China. After the Great Leap Forward had failed, the government had begun to launch its next idea. The Cultural Revolution promised its citizens restoration of Chinese Culture and the communistic spirit.
What was the impact on China after the Tiananmen Square Massacre received international recognition?
The Tiananmen Square Massacre raised international awareness of China's poor treatment of human rights.
How has Japan evolved from 1945 to now?
After substantial support from the US, it has now developed into one of the most powerful industrialized economies in the world. On April 28, 1952, Japan became a fully sovereign nation. The country has one of the most stable democratic governments in the world. To this day, Japan is the only country in the world that has been attacked by nuclear weapons.
What has the Korean Peninsula become?
The 38th Parallel remains the dividing border between North and South Korea. Today, South Korea has free elections and a democratic consitution. North Korea remains a communist country under the autocratic rule of Premiere Kim Jong-un.
How does Vietnam today differ from 1954?
The Vietnam War has since been ended after South Vietnam officially surrendered in April of 1975. North Vietnam took over South Vietnam soon after the surrender of the Vietnam War, and unified the country into the Republic of Vietnam, a communist state.
What was the impact on Chinese society during the Great Leap Forward plan?
From 1958-1960, one of the largest famines in history struck China. 20-30 million citizens died during this time. Basic human rights and freedoms also suffered and many people started to dislike the communist government. (Government has control over citizens)
What is China doing now after the publicity they got from the Tiananmen Square Massacre?
The international pressure put on China began to have some effect as the Chinese government began making some real reforms in human rights. Another thing to add is that the People's Republic of China continues its communist tradition, however, they are slowly moving towards capitalism.
Japan has one of the most powerful industrialized economies in the world even after the devastating atomic bomb attacks. Why did the United States save Japan from complete economic demolition?
The US had a plan to occupy and rebuild Japan in a way that would guarantee the country would not pose a military threat to others in the future. This plan forbade the Japanese to declare a war on another nation unless they had been attacked first, and forbid the Japanese from rebuilding their military in any way.
After the UN pushed too far back into North Korea, what communist government placed its troops to fight against the UN and pushed back into South Korea? What happened afterward?
Following the US going past the 38th Parallel, China launched its well-equipped and well-trained military against the allied nations which pushed them back to the 38th Parallel, bringing them to a stalemate. The United States is technically still at war with North Korea. (No winner)
How was the US involved with the Vietnam War?
The United States feared the spread of communism and felt obligated to support the democratic government of South Vietnam. The United States then sent troops to battle in the Vietnam War. Billions of dollars were spent and thousands of lives were lost amidst the warfare. At such a big cost, the pro-democracy forces (Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Philippines, and Thailand) were not making much progress in winning the war, so they pulled back.
What is the current situation of the Cultural Revolution?
Since 1969, Mao Zedong declared the Cultural Revolution complete bringing the ideas of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution to an end. As a result of this program, many people in China became more fearful and distrustful of the communist government.
How did foreign countries get involved with the Tiananmen Square Massacre and how did the world respond?
The publicity of this government's response to the peaceful protesters quickly spread like wildfire around the world. It gained foreign involvement and the countries that would be speaking out to China condemned its violence and began urging China to improve the human rights of its citizens.
General Douglas MacArthur oversaw the operation that took place from 1945 to 1952. MacArthur helped rebuild the infrastructure of the government, whilst keeping maintaining Japanese culture in mind. The US offered financial support to kickstart Japan's economy after WWII, and the money coupled with a strong Japanese work ethic leading to a boom in Japan's economy.
What was the buildup to the separation between North and South Korea?
In 1950, the North Korean government deployed its troops on the 38th Parallel to invade South Korea. This led to the United Nations seeing the act as illegal and placing its troops to help support South Korea. As the war went on, it ended in a stalemate and now, the 38th Parallel is considered the dividing line between Communist North and Democratic South Korea.
Why did the Vietnam War begin? How did it end?
Vietnamese nationalism rose under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh. He believed the communist party was the correct government they needed, and his views became popular among citizens. First, he fought against the French for independence. After their surrender, he wanted total Vietnamese unification towards communism, and from fear of spreading communism, the US fought with South Vietnam against North Vietnam along with its allies. Since the surrender of the United States, North Vietnam took over the country and unified it as a whole communist state.