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


         

Iron Curtain Separates Europe

1. What is your overall impression of Source 26 (p. 70) and use extracts from the source to support your view. (No fence sitting; you must choose one but not both)      

• a reasonable assessment of Stalin’s aims based on the facts
• an overreaction to Stalin’s actions based on fear of and prejudice towards the USSR?                
My impression of Source 26 was that the British were very against Stalin and didn't want him to take over the world. They had a reasonable assessment of Stalin's aims based on the facts. They were taking everything very seriously and considered that there is a possibility that he could take over the world and he likely wants to.



  
2. Source 26 is a British source. Does it seem likely that similar documents were being produced by the American government?    
It seems very likely that documents similar to the British Source 26 were being produced by the American government. America was just as involved as the British and largely agreed upon most things, and it is very likely that they also feared that Stalin was a threat to civilization. 




3. Study Source 27 (p. 71) and make a list of three different actions that Communists took to achieve power in eastern Europe. AND Explain how each factor helped.  
1.) Killed/executed opposing politicians- without competition, they couldn't lose
2.) Take control of all countries that were their enemies in WWII- If they controlled them, they couldn't be opposed by them
3.) Become leader of a country, then make it exclusively communist- Communism was the only option and would last for a while



 

The Potsdam Conference

1. Read Source 17 (p 68). At Yalta, Churchill and Roosevelt had agreed with Stalin that eastern Europe would be a Soviet ‘sphere of influence’. Do you think Source 17 is what they had in mind?   
I do not think that Source 17 is what Churchill and Roosevelt had had in mind when they agreed with Stalin that Eastern Europe would be a Soviet "sphere of influence" because Stalin seems to think that he can do whatever he wants if he has the power to. 





2. Would they agree with Stalin’s views expressed in Sources 17 and 18? Explain your answer.       
They would not agree with Stalin's views because Stalin thinks that he can do anything his army has the power to do and also he didn't help with the formation of the Italian government.





3.  Explain how each of the three developments described in the text might affect relationships at Potsdam.
1.) This created tension and made America and Great Britain angry at Stalin for not listening to them and occupying much of Eastern Europe.
2.) Truman was much more anti-Communist than FDR was, so he didn't feel the need to compromise with Stalin as FDR did and was totally against him
3.) America having an atomic bomb allowed them to behave differently because they didn't need Stalin's help and didn't want it anymore, so they didn't have reason to be kind or compromising with him.

Nuclear Arms Race Since 1945 - part 2

1. Summarize the basic argument for and the basic argument against nuclear weapons.     
People who argue for Nuclear weapons argue that they are essential in order to protect the united States from aggression and countries wouldn't want to go to war so much knowing how badly things could end.

People who argue against nuclear weapons argue that they are simply too dangerous and destructive to exist, and that they could end all of humanity. They also argue that human error can cause some really bad accidents.
      

2. What is the difference between a strategic and a tactical nuclear weapon?       
Strategic nuclear weapons are long ranged and can hit a target six thousand miles away. Tactical nuclear weapons are short ranged and can fit inside a backpack, but actually have smaller explosions than some non-nuclear weapons. 
        

3. What is nuclear proliferation?       
Nuclear proliferation is the spread of nuclear weapons
       

4. What role has the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty played in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons?           
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is designed to limit the spread of nuclear weapons. It prevents countries that have had nuclear weapons before 1967 from giving away nuclear weapons or technology to states that don't have it, and to reduce their weapon stockpiles. It also made non-nuclear nations agree not to acquire or produce nuclear weapons, but they have the right to obtain knowledge, materials and equipment for peaceful purposes.


5. Explain Secretary of State Rice's high level of concern about the Russian nuclear arsenal. (See her quote on page 16 of your reading.)       
Secretary of State Rice was very concerned about the Russian nuclear arsenal. She worried that Russia's economic troubles weakened Moscow's control over it's nuclear program. Russia had tons of nuclear weapons and it was dangerous to have them all. 
    

6. How as the threat of terrorism changed thinking about nuclear weapons?      
Dealing with terrorists is much more difficult than dealing with a country, since terrorist organizations are hard to identify and can be mobile. Countries a=have to be careful not to allow terrorists to acquire nuclear weapons, because 9/11 would like like nothing compared to a nuclear attack. Also, deterrence wouldnt apply to terrorists because they dont have to worry about retaliation from who they attack.


    

Nuclear Arms Race Since 1945

1. Explain how Dragonfire's report on October 11, 2001 highlighted a new threat from nuclear weapons.                 
Dragonfire's report on October 11, 2001 highlighted a new threat for nuclear weapons. A nuclear weapon hadnt been used since World War II, but when dragonfire reported that a nuclear weapon was smuggled into New York, people realized just how dangerous these were and how destructive it could be and how many lives could be lost.



2. Why is proliferation such a strong concern for the United States?              
Proliferation was such a strong concern for the United States because they didn't want atomic bombs to spread because the more countries that had them, the more countries that could use them and potentially end humanity.


3. What is deterrence?                   
Deterrence is a plan to prevent nuclear war. If one side attacked another, they would respond with an even bigger attack. Them=n both sides would realize that they face certain destruction and will stop attacking.


4. Explain the importance of the Cuban Missile Crisis.                   
During the Cuban missile crisis, when America learned the soviets had nuclear missiles in Cuba, a nuclear war almost broke out. It ultimately didn't happen, but it showed how close things came and a deal was made to prevent it from happening again. After this, the tension between America and the Soviet Union lessened.


5. President John F. Kennedy worried that twenty-five nations would have nuclear weapons by the 1970s. Why do you think his worry did not come to pass?                           
Because negotiations were held and an international agreement was made to prevent countries from acquiring nuclear weapons (other than the five that already had them).


6. What was the Cold War? How long did it last?                  
The Cold War was the stand-off between the United States and the Soviet Union in which both nations attempted to acquire more nuclear weapons than the other to feel secure. Ultimately, there was no actual war or battles. The Cold War came to an end on December 25, 1991 after more than 40 years. (46 years, 1945-1991)