Watergate Key Player- Sam Ervin

        Sam Ervin was a very important person in the Watergate scandal. He played a crucial role in it. Samuel J. Ervin was born on September 27th, 1896. he joined the US Senate in 1954. Ervin was a Conservative Democrat and a World War I veteran, as well as an expert on the Constitution and has been described as "a formidable power on Capitol Hill" (All The President's Men, 247). He agreed to preside over a thorough investigation of Watergate and the 1972 election at the request of Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield. He admitted to knowing very little about the Watergate scandal at the start of it, but stated the following: "But I know the people around Nixon, and that's enough. They're thugs." (All The President's Men, 247) As the leader of the Senate Watergate Committee, Ervin looked into the conspiracy and helped bring out the truth. His strong leadership led to the exposure of the scandal and the resignation of President Nixon.


Bibliography:

• Campbell, Karl E. Senator Sam Ervin, Last of the Founding Fathers. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina, 2007. Questia School. Web. 20 May 2013.
• Genovese, Michael A. The Watergate Crisis. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1999. Questia School. Web. 20 May 2013.
• Bernstein, Carl, and Bob Woodward. All the President's Men. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1974. Print.

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America Enters the Vietnam Conflict

1. What European country controlled (ruled) Vietnam before, during and immediately following World War II?      
The country that controlled Vietnam before World War II was France.
The country that controlled Vietnam during World War II was Japan
The country that controlled Vietnam immediately following World War II was China through the Viet Minh


2. Who led the Viet Minh (anti-Japanese resistance group)?       
The Viet Minh, an anti-Japanese resistance group, was lead by Communist Ho Chi Minh


3. Which country helped France keep Vietnam and why?       
The country that helped France keep Vietnam was the United States of America because they saw the Viet Minh as puppets controlled by Mao and the Chinese Communists.


4. What is the Domino Theory?       
The Domino Theory was a theory that China and the USSR were trying to turn all of Asia into communists and if they made Vietnam Communist, then other Asian countries near it would fall to Communist just like a row of dominoes.



5. In 1955 the United States installed this man as the leader of the Republic of South Vietnam. Who was he and why was he placed into power?           
In 1955, the Unites States installed Ngo Dinh Diem as the leader of the Republic of South Vietnam. He was extremely anti-Communism and the Americans wanted to stop the spread of Communism.


6. What was the Ho Chi Minh Trail? How was it used?           
The Ho Chi Minh Trail was a trail that spanned both  North and South Korea and was used by the Viet Cong to send supplies and reinforcements to guerrilla fighters.  



7. What was the Tonkin Gulf Resolution? What powers did it give President Johnson? 
The Tonking Gulf Resolution was a resolution that was passed after North Korean opened fire on American ships in the Gulf of Tonkin in, August 1964. The resolution gave President Johnson the power to do whatever it takes to achieve peace and prevent further aggression, which would enable him to quickly enter a full scale war.


8. Look at the timeline on page 256. Why is 1965 considered a "turning point" year for American involvement in Vietnam?               
The year 1965 is considered a turning point year for American involvement in Vietnam because the Americans started actually getting in on the action. They heavily bombed the North Koreans and had actual troops enter. 


9. Why, according to Source 3 on page 255, were U.S. troops put into a difficult position in Vietnam?        
The source says that U.S. troops were put in a difficult position in Vietnam because the peasants were becoming Viet Cong sympathizers because they were angry with corrupt officials so they were working without pay to set up traps.

Second Communist System

 NORTH KOREA
          North Korea is the prime example of an unstable country, they're spending millions on bombs while their people starve on the streets. North Korea wasn't always this crazy, it used to be friends with South Korea and they were one big happy country. They founded the Communist Party of Korea in 1925, bad that ended at the end of the very same year it started due to constant feuding. Before World War II, Japan was in control of Korea, but that changed after the Japanese surrendered at the end of World War II. Korea was split into two at the 38th parallel. The Soviets occupied the North and the US occupied the South. In 1945, the Soviets were governing North Korea until a USSR-friendly domestic regime would be established. The Provincial People's Committee for North Korea was established. The Soviets left in 1948, which is when North Korea became a Communist Nation, which it still is today.

Communism in China

    With over 1.3 billion people there, China, or, officially, The People's Republic of China, is the most populous  country on Earth. China become a Communist nation on October 1, 1949 when Mao Zedong gained control. This happened because the leader of the Nationalist party needed help when japan invaded, so he asked for Mao to step in. Mao did, and after beating the Japanese, he turned on the Nationalists, and the Chinese Communist Party seized power. 

        Shortly after China became Communist, they punished landlords for the crimes which they had committed against their peasants. Somewhere between one million and two million landlords were executed between 1949 and 1953. This allowed the peasants-who made up the largest section of society- to be rewarded for supporting communism while eliminating the potential threat of the landlords.

         Many changes occurred when China became Communist. Divorce was easier to get, forced marriages, polygamy, killing unwanted female babies and selling woman into prostitution were all banned. Private banks were shut down and a new state bank was established. 

         There were many Communist nations during World War II, but many of them later returned to their old governments. Today, there are only five communist nations, and China is one of them. Mao died in 1976, Deng Xiaoping seized power before Hua Guofeng could. He led China to economic reforms and lessened the governments control over people's personal lives. China went from being a planned economy to a mixed economy. On December 4, 1982, China adopted the constitution which it is still using today. 

Cold War Heats up in Asia

1. Who was Chiang Kai-shek?         
Chiang Kai-shek was the Nationalistic leader of China for two decades. He ruled in Southern and Eastern China and relied heavily on aid from the United States. He struggled with inflation and a failing economy and suffered from weak leadership and poor morale.

2. Who was Mao Zedong?      
Mao Zedong was the Communist leader in China. He ruled in Northern China and relied on financial aid from the Soviet Union. He attracted peasants with the promises of land reform and he benefited from highly motivated leadership.


3. How were the Communist able to take over China?     
America played as peacemaker between the Communists and Nationalists but supported the Nationalists, but America failed to negotiate peace. Truman refused to commit US soldiers to help the Nationalists. The US did give them $2 billion worth of military supplies and equipment, but that was not enough. The Nationalists' weak military leadership and corrupt, abusive practices drove the peasants to the Communists.


4. How did the State Department respond to critics that Truman's "Containment" policy didn't extend to Asia?               
The State Department responded to critics that Truman's "Containment" policy had failed because it didn't extend to Asia by saying that what happened in China was due to internal forces and the US had failed to influence the internal forces


5. How did Korea become a divided nation after World War II?      
As World War II ended, Korean troops north of the 38th parallel surrendered to the Soviets, while those South of it surrendered to the Americans, dividing the country into two. 


6. What is the importance of the Yalu River and what prompted the Chinese to enter the Korean War?     
The Yalu River was the Chinese border and the Chinese didn't want the Americans to come to it. The Chinese joined the war to help the North Koreans because they wanted them as a buffer state to protect Manchuria, and they felt threatened by the American fleet. 


7. Who is General Douglas MacArthur and what did he want to do against China?     
General Douglas MacArthur was in charge of the army against North Korea and he was a former war hero. He wanted to drop nuclear weapons on Chinese cities. 


8. Why did Truman relieve MacArthur from duty?       
Truman relieved MacArthur from duty because they did not get along very well and MacArthur tried going over Truman's head and criticized him a lot.


9. How did the war end?       
Unexpectedly, the Soviet-Union recommended a cease-fire. The opposing signs argued over the exchange of prisoners for about a year and then an armistice was signed in July, 1953. 


10. He is the current leader of North Korea and was also named the "Sexiest Man Alive" in 2012.      

Kim Jong-Un 

Origins of the Cold War Outline

Thesis: While both The Soviet Union and The United States of America contributed to the start of the Cold War, the Soviet Union was more at fault.

Main Point 1: Stalin's actions and demands at Yalta and Potsdam
                      -Uncompromising
                      -Wanted to completely crush Germany
                      -Wanted to control Eastern European countries


Main Point 2: Berlin Blockade and Berlin Airlift
                     -Stalin was testing USA
                     -Wanted US to knock down wall so he could declare war
                     -Cut off West Berlin

Main Point 3: USA drops bombs on Japan
                     -Didn't want Soviet help
                     -Trying to prove that they're better than the Soviets
                     -Now Soviets will want atomic bombs

Main Point 4: Truman was very anti-Communist
                     -Wouldn't compromise with Stalin like FDR did
                     -Wanted to spread democracy
                     -Truman Doctrine tried to contain communism

Different Interpretation: All US's fault
                    -Didn't want to make compromises
                    -Capitalism and Communism could never mix
                    -Marshall Plan- America also has to get involved



REVISION



 Thesis: While the USSR did have some influence to the start of the cold war, it was mostly the USA's fault.


Main Point 1: The US dropped bombs on Japan

• Did this to keep Soviets out of Japan
• Showed that they are better than the Soviets
• Now Soviets will want bombs to keep up with America- America created competition

Main Point 2: Truman Doctrine and Policy of Containment

• Truman was very anti-Communism
• Tried to contain Soviet influence in Greece and Turkey
• Gave $400 million in military and economic aid to them
• Said they had to do that to protect free people from Soviet takeover 

Main Point 3: Marshall Plan

• Western Europe was in chaos
• US gave about $13 billion to countries to "help fight hunger/poverty"
• This resulted in the Western European countries thriving
• Communism lost much appeal to voters

Main Point 4: US had selfish aims

• Rebuild Europe to be able to trade with them
• Gain access to raw materials and markets
• Spread capitalism

Main Point 5: NATO

• America teamed up with 11 other countries
• All were willing to fight USSR
• Teamed up on Soviets, ready to fight

D/I: Stalin was uncompromising at Yalta and Potsdam

• Wanted to completely crush Germany
• Unwilling to compromise with anybody
• Wanted control over Eastern European countries 

D/I 2: Berlin Blockade

• Stalin was testing US
• Wanted US to knock down wall so he could declare war
• Cut off West Berlin

The Berlin Blockade and Airlift

1. What is Source 37 (p. 75) saying about Josip Tito, leader of Yugoslavia?     
Source 37 is showing that Josip Tito, the leader of Yugoslavia, is accepting money from America, which shows that he is in need of help and he is relying on America for help and he betrayed his country, which is shown by his cloak saying "the betrayer". 


2. Why do you think Stalin was so hostile to Tito?        
Stalin was so hostile to Tito because Tito was a betrayer and he was relying on Americans for help and Stalin didnt like America. Also Tito wanted to spread Communism in his own way


3. Look back at the map in Source 27 on page 71. How does the geographical position of Yugoslavia help to explain why Stalin did not take any direct action (such as sending in troops) against Tito?     
It would have been difficult for Stalin to take direct action against Tito due to the geographical position of Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia was surrounded by Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, all of which were enemies of the Soviet Union during WWII so it would have been hard for Stalin to attack Tito


4. Read Source 40 (p. 77). What reasons did the Soviet Union give for cutting off West Berlin?       
The Soviets claimed that they cut off West Berlin because of "technical difficulties" and they cut off electricity because of coal 


5. Why do you think the USA did not believe these were genuine reasons?           
The USA did not believe these were genuine reasons because they thought that the USSR was trying to test them and if they tried to ram the road blocks, Stalin could see it as an act of war. 


6. How do Sources 41–43 differ in their interpretation of the blockade?            
Source 41 sees the blockade as pointless and it didn't accomplish anything and neither side benefited- but they both became more stubborn.
Source 42 saw the blockade was a threat to freedom  and a test for America
Source 43 is saying that the blockade was made by America as a way to encourage people to dislike communists


7.  Which do you think is the most useful source for a historian studying the Berlin Blockade?       
The most useful source for a historian studying the Berlin Blockade would be Source 41 because it was written by a historian and is not biased.



8.  Which source do you think gives the most reliable view of the blockade?      
The source that gives the most reliable view of the blockade is Source 42 because it is the president and he is telling Americans what is going on and it is all true