Korean War 1950-53
What is the popular name given to
the circle of latitude in the northern hemisphere that separates North Korea from South Korea?
38th parallel line
Who was Fidel Castro?
Castro was the leader / prime minster of Cuba.
Castro was president of Cuba
He was a lawyer.
He campaigned against the Batista regime in Cuba.
In 1959, he overthrew the Batista regime.
Who was the leader of the USSR during the crisis?
Nikita Khrushchev
What military tactics were used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War?
Guerilla warfare
Support from peasants
Tunnel system and traps
Foreign support (USSR and China)
Who led the US military force in the Korean War?
Gen. Doughlas MacArthur
Name the leaders of the North and South Korea during the conflict.
South Korea - Syngman Rhee
North Korea - Kim Il Sung
What was Che Guevarra's role in the Cuban Revolution?
He served as a military commander and a political advisor to Fidel Castro.
How many days did the crisis last?
13 days (October 16 through October 28) the United States and the Soviet Union stood on the brink of nuclear war
What is the Operation Rolling Thunder?
The Amercians bombed strategic targets in North Vietnam to stop the supply of troops and weapons to the South. There were not many industrial targets in the North so this was ineffective - bombs often missed targets and hit schools and hospitals.
Why did the United States object to the Soviet Union placing nuclear missiles on Cuba?
The US objected to missiles being placed on Cuba by the USSR because they were close to the US.
Most cities in the United States would be in range of these missiles should they have become operational.
If they were used there would be massive civilian casualties and much of the US could have been destroyed.
Describe events in Korea between June and September 1950.
The North crossed the 38th Parallel on 25 June after a series of border clashes.
The North made rapid progress and Seoul fell to it. • US troops arrived in July.
The North defeated the Americans in the battle of Osan and pushed the Americans south.
By September, UN forces were hemmed into a small corner of south-east Korea.
UN forces recaptured Seoul and the North was retreating.
Describe what happened at the Bay of Pigs in 1961.
Kennedy gave arms and equipment to the Cuban exiles.
The CIA set up training camps for Cuban exiles.
It started with US air strikes.
Many of the US air strikes missed their targets.
The Cubans knew about US plans and were ready for the attack.
The invading forces were trapped on the beaches and most were killed or captured.
Why did Khrushchev put nuclear missiles in Cuba?
To defend Cuba: Castro had allied Cuba with the communist USSR. Khrushchev wanted to ensure Cuba could defend itself against a US invasion after the Bay of Pigs.
To close the missile gap: Cuba was in ‘Uncle Sam’s backyard’. If Khrushchev put nuclear missiles in Cuba, they would be in range for a ‘first strike’ against the USA. This would close the missile gap as the USA had nuclear missiles in Turkey on the Soviet border.
To strengthen his position: Some in the Soviet Communist Party felt Khrushchev was not aggressive enough towards the USA. Placing missiles in Cuba as a deterrent would be a show of strength by the Soviet leader.
To bargain: Khrushchev thought Kennedy was weak after his failed Bay of Pigs invasion. He wanted to take advantage of this and force the USA to make concessions.
Why did the American policy of ‘search and destroy’ in Vietnam create problems?
‘The policy of ‘search and destroy’ was the American way of trying to deal with the Vietcong’s guerrilla tactics.
American soldiers would raid Vietnamese villages trying to find enemy weapons, stores and fighters.
In doing this they often turned villages upside down, destroying much of the village.
They would punish any villagers found to be helping the Vietcong.
This upset the villagers who turned against the Americans.’
How was the Korean War considered a proxy war between the US and the Soviet Union?
The Korean War saw the Cold War spread beyond the confines of Europe. The USA was prepared to commit itself to a policy of containment and use force to try to stop the spread of communism.
While the USSR supported the communist government all over the world from the capitalist threat.
How can the Korean War be described as a draw? Explain your answer.
The USA showed it was willing to use force to oppose the communists and South Korea was protected – a success for containment.
The UN had shown that it was more successful than the League of Nations had ever been when faced with an aggressive nation.
BUT ...
North Korea remained under communist control with Chinese support. The USA strengthened its alliance with Japan and the Cold War was now in East Asia as well as Europe
What changes did Castro implement in Cuba that angered the Americans?
He seized many American-owned businesses in Cuba and nationalized them.
He refused to pay America any compensation, meaning that America lost out on products and profits from these businesses.
Upon learning of the construction of the Soviet Missile sites in Cuba, what options were considered by US President Kennedy in addressing the situation?
An airstrike on the sites to wipe out the missile bases. Kennedy’s advisors warned there was no guarantee that the bases would all be destroyed.
An invasion of Cuba. This would mean the missile bases could be removed, but the missiles could be launched before then.
A naval blockade. This would avoid direct conflict and might stop further nuclear material from being delivered to Cuba. It involved stopping and searching every ship heading towards Cuba. It would be turned around if it contained material that could be used to build missiles.
Do nothing. This would mean any potential nuclear war against Cuba and the Soviet Union would be avoided, but Kennedy had promised he would be tough on communism. Allowing missiles in Cuba to go unacknowledged was not appealing.
Why was the impact of the Tet Offensive disastrous for the United States?
The impact of the Tet Offensive was disastrous for the United States because a small group of US soldiers attacked a village called My Lai in retaliation for the attacks on US bases by North Vietnamese troops. Hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese civilians were killed. There was a public outcry in the US against this action and it was one of the main reasons why President Johnson decided not to stand for re-election.
How did the United Nations involve itself in the Korean War?
Truman pressured the UN Security Council to act against the aggression of North Korea.
Resolution 84 was passed, and the UN used armed forces to stop the invasion. Eighteen member states provided troops or military support including Britain, France, Australia, and South Africa.
The USA made up the largest part of the UN force and contributed more to the United Nations (UN) budget than any other country. , Truman used this to pressure the UN Security Council to act against the aggression of North Korea.
Which was more successful in the Korean War: North Korea or the USA? Explain your answer.
North Korea was quite successful in the war. At one point the UN and US forces were close to taking North Korea and creating a united and democratic Korea. This was the aim of the UN forces. This would have been a defeat for the North Koreans. However, helped by China, they managed to push the UN and US troops back and a communist North Korea was saved. Also, they had gained powerful allies in the form of China and the Soviet Union.
OR
In some ways it was a success for the USA. Early in the war North Korea had nearly overrun the whole of South Korea even capturing the capital Seoul. It looked as if the whole of Korea would become communist. However, UN and US troops then forced the North Koreans back to the 38th Parallel. The war ended with both sides where they had started at the 38th Parallel. Truman wanted to contain communism and this is what he achieved.
Describe how Eisenhower reacted to the Cuban revolution of 1959
President Eisenhower imposed economic sanctions against Cuba and refused to buy Cuban products like sugar.’
‘He announced the USA would not buy oil from Cuba.’
‘He was very concerned because Castro was getting closer to the USSR and becoming a threat to the USA.’
‘He agreed to support an invasion of Cuba by Cuban exiles.’
‘He planned to replace Castro with a new President who was a Cuban exile.’
Why was the Cuban Missile Crisis resolved peacefully?
The Crisis was resolved peacefully because Kennedy did not take the advice from his military chiefs. They advised that he attack Cuba to get rid of the missiles and possibly Castro. Kennedy realized this would lead to war, possible nuclear war which would be disastrous. Instead, Kennedy and Khrushchev avoided war by agreeing that the US would not invade Cuba if the Soviets dismantled the missiles and took them back to Russia.’
How successful were Nixon’s policies in Vietnam? Explain your answer.
Nixon’s policies in Vietnam were a terrible failure. His policy of Vietnamisation did not work. It was a plan to get the South Vietnamese forces to take over the fight against the communists. This meant training them so that they could fight much better and not rely on the American troops. This policy failed. The South Vietnamese army failed to stop Saigon from falling to the communists, who went on to win and unify North and South Vietnam under a communist regime. This was not the ‘peace with honor’ that Nixon had promised.
OR
Nixon’s policies were a success. When he became President, it was clear that the US had to find a way of achieving a peace settlement. From that time, he and Kissinger had regular meetings with the communists to try and reach a peace settlement. At the same time, Nixon was able to withdraw 400,000 US troops from Vietnam, which was a great success. Finally, in 1973, Nixon was able to sign a peace agreement in Paris with North Vietnam and all US troops left Vietnam. This was a great success for Nixon.
Why was General MacArthur dismissed from command of the UN forces in Korea?
MacArthur wanted to keep fighting and even invade China.
MacArthur wanted to use nuclear weapons against China.
Truman was worried that attacking China was too dangerous and might bring the Soviet Union into the war.
MacArthur ignored Truman and threatened to attack China.
Truman wanted to follow a policy of containment and not take aggressive action against the North.