The Cold War
Where was Germany divided after WWII?
The Berlin Wall
After the Potsdam conference, Germany was divided into four occupied zones: Great Britain in the northwest, France in the southwest, the United States in the south and the Soviet Union in the east. Germany became a focus of Cold War politics and as divisions between East and West became more pronounced, so too did the division of Germany.
Which country fell to communism that led us to begin intervening in foreign conflicts?
China
Today, the existing communist states in the world are in China, Cuba, Laos and Vietnam. These communist states often do not claim to have achieved socialism or communism in their countries but to be building and working toward the establishment of socialism in their countries.
Was the Korean War an official war declared by Congress?
No, it was a UN declaration.
The war reached international proportions in June 1950 when North Korea, supplied and advised by the Soviet Union, invaded the South. The United Nations, with the United States as the principal participant, joined the war on the side of the South Koreans, and the People's Republic of China came to North Korea's aid.
What term describes the stockpiling of Nuclear Weapons by the US and the Soviets.
Arms Race
An arms race occurs when two or more groups compete in increases in military personnel and material.
When was the armistice signed for the Korean War.
July 27,1953
This armistice signed on July 27, 1953, formally ended the war in Korea. North and South Korea remain separate and occupy almost the same territory they had when the war began
____ are countries controlled by the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
Satellite States
A satellite state is a country that is formally independent in the world, but under heavy political, economic and military influence or control from another country.
As used for Central and Eastern European countries it implies that the countries in question were "satellites" under the hegemony of the Soviet Union.
Where was the line drawn to separate North and South Korea after World War II.
38th parallel
popular name given to latitude 38 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. The line was chosen by U.S. military planners at the Potsdam Conference (July 1945) near the end of World War II as an army boundary
Who became the leader of the Soviet Union after the death of Joseph Stalin?
Nikita Kruschev
He became the dominant Soviet leader after Stalin's death in 1953.
What type of bomb did Truman want the US to create that was 1,000 times stronger than the atomic bomb?
Hydrogen Bomb
Truman announced that the United States would develop a hydrogen bomb. Two-and-a-half years later, the United States tested its first hydrogen bomb at Eniwetok Atoll in the South Pacific. The blast proved about 1,000 times stronger than the two atomic bombs dropped on Japan during World War II
Key differences between the US and the Soviet Union.
Capitalism vs. Communism. We want a free market where businesses operate with little Gov't interference (people choose their own path).
Communism the Gov't controls all aspects of life and everyone is considered equal (classless society). Essentially we were polar opposites.
Military alliance to counter Soviet expansion.
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was created in 1949 by the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union. NATO was the first peacetime military alliance the United States entered into outside of the Western Hemisphere.
Why did the people blame Truman for communism in China?
They felt he didn't do enough, and his lack of action caused communism to prevail.
Which country intervened after we decided to advance after our successful surprise attack?
China, hundreds of thousands of troops drove us back into South Korea.
A military strategy in which both the US and Soviets had so many nuclear weapons that neither would ever use them on one another.
Mutually Assured Destruction
Mutually assured destruction is based on the principle that if a particular weapon is used in an attack, the nation being attacked will be able to retaliate with equal force and destruction
A conference between major world powers to discuss free elections in Europe.
Potsdam
The Potsdam Conference was held in Potsdam, Germany, from July 17 to August 2, 1945. The participants were the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States, which were represented respectively by Premier Joseph Stalin, Prime Ministers Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee, and President Harry S. Truman
US sent $13 billion in aid to countries to attempt to keep them away from Communist influence, what was this plan called?
Marshall Plan
In 1947, President Harry S. Truman pledged that the United States would help any nation resist communism in order to prevent its spread. ... To help rebuild after the war, the United States pledged $13 billion of aid to Europe in the Marshall Plan.
When did North Korea invade South Korea?
The war broke out on June 25, 1950 when North Korean troops crossed the 38th parallel, invading South Korea. North Korean leader Kim Il-sung launched the attack once he had received a promise of support from Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.
Where did the line get drawn after the cease fire?
Where it started-38th parallel.
How did Eisenhower's foreign policy differ from Truman's?
Truman got us into a series of small conflicts. Eisenhower wanted Massive Retaliation to any communist threats. (Full use of military force)
If we did not intervene, would Korea have been united?
Yes, North Korea had almost completely invaded South Korea before we got involved.
What did President Harry S. Truman put in place to aid countries who were struggling to prevent them from falling to Communism.
Truman Doctrine
With the Truman Doctrine, President Harry S. Truman established that the United States would provide political, military and economic assistance to all democratic nations under threat from external or internal authoritarian forces
What was General MacArthur's plan to push North Korean troops back?
A surprise attack behind enemy lines.
He wanted to get military forces behind the North Koreans retreating from the Pusan Perimeter through the central mountains and up the east coast. MacArthur reasoned that a landing on the northeast coast might accomplish this.
Describe the differences in Truman and MacArthur's ideas for what to do with China.
MacArthur said we needed to invade to achieve total victory. Truman wanted limited war because he was afraid of starting World War III.
In other words, Truman wanted to end the war as quickly as possible and stop the fighting while MacArthur wanted to continue the fighting and invade China.
List the four long term effects of the Korean War.
Military Spending Increases
Military commitments increase worldwide
Relations with Japan improve
Presidents send military into combat without Congressional approval
Should we have gotten involved in Korea?
Yes, the threat of communism at this point in time was too great-if we let them go unchecked all our allies could have fallen to communism and eventually the US.
No, we had over 100,000 soldiers killed our injured for a war that ended where it started. It is not our job to be the world police for every conflict and risk American lives for someone else's cause.