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