US History I



US History II

Chapter 18: Cold War Conflicts (1945-1960)

Study Questions

Section 1: Origins of the Cold War

1. Identify 2 major differences between the governments of the U.S. and the Soviet Union. – The countries’ economic and political systems were incompatible. Communism vs. Capitalism, Democracy vs. Totalitarianism

2. What was the main reason that the U.S. distrusted the Soviet Union throughout WWII? – Mainly due to Stalin signing the Nonaggression Pact with Germany.

3. Identify 2 things that the Soviet Union disliked about the Allies throughout WWII? – The Allies not attacking the western front of Germany, and the United States keeping the atom bomb a secret.

4. What was the main purpose of the United Nations? How many countries were originally involved in it? – It was intended to promote peace through international cooperation. 50 countries originally met in San Francisco in 1945.

5. Why was President Truman seemingly unprepared to become President when Franklin Roosevelt died in April, 1945?  What were some of Truman's qualities as a leader? – He was largely kept out of the loop by FDR. He had no idea about negotiations taking place between FDR and others, and had no idea about the ATOM bomb until after he become president. He had only met with FDR twice in the 82 days he was vice president. Truman was a self-educated, plain-spoken Missourian. He was honest, self-confident, and willing to make tough decisions.

6. What was the Potsdam Conference about? What promise did Stalin make yet not fulfill that made President Truman distrust him even more? – Discussing what would be done the defeated German nation. Main topics included who and how to control Germany, war reparations from Germany, and self-determination vs. Soviet control for newly freed Eastern European nations. Stalin goes back on his promise from Yalta, of allowing free elections in newly freed Eastern European states.

7. What was Stalin's goal in supporting communist governments in Eastern Europe? – He wanted to create Satellite States, or friendly neighbor states that would insulate the Soviet Union from attack from the West. He also wanted to strip each country of its industrial assets to replace those lost in the war. He declared that communism and capitalism were incompatible and that another war was inevitable. The Soviet Union starts producing military goods rather than consumer goods. The United States interpreted this speech as a virtual declaration of war.

8. What was containment?  What were President Truman's goals in establishing this policy? – Containment is the effort to block the Soviets’ attempts to spread their influence by creating alliances and supporting weaker countries. Truman wanted to slow or stop the spread of communism by supporting countries that could fall under Soviet control.

9. Identify the main objectives of the Truman Doctrine.  What were the arguments against it? – Main objectives were: that the US should support free peoples throughout the world who were resisting takeovers by “armed minorities” or “outside pressures”. He would support them with economic assistance, as was the case with the $400 million lent to Turkey and Greece in 1947. Arguments against the Truman doctrine were: the United States is interfering with the internal affairs of others, that the US would be spread too thin fighting communism, and opposition to helping any dictator even if they were anti-communist.

10. What were the objectives of the Marshall Plan?  How effective was it in achieving these objectives? What 2 countries received the most aid? - Objective of the plan were to combat hunger, poverty, desperation and chaos in all European nations after WWII. In keeping with US economic goals, the nation’s receiving the aid had to remove trade barriers and to cooperate economically with one another. The 12.5 billion dollar plan was passed in 1948 shortly after the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia. Britain and France received the most aid, close to 5.2 billion. The plan was very effective and helped Western Europe rebound from the economic hardships of the war, and beat back any support for communism.

11. Why did the U. S. initiate the Berlin Airlift in 1948?  What were the effects of this move? – It was an attempt to break the blockade imposed by Stalin in order to stop the reunification efforts of Germany, and/or seize total control of Berlin. For 327 days, planes took off and landed every few minutes. 277,000 fights brought 2.3 million tons of supplies. West Berlin survives, and American prestige is boosted worldwide.

12. List the original members of N. A. T. O.  What was the purpose of this alliance? – USA, Canada, Belgium, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal all form the defensive military alliance called NATO (North Atlantice Treaty Organization). Purpose was to aid one another in the event of an attack. It was opposed by several Senators, since it would possibly cause and arms race, and massive military aid to Europe. This was the first military alliance that the USA had ever entered into during peacetime.

Section 2: The Cold War Heats Up

13. Who was Chiang Kai-shek? How did the American public view him? Why did the U. S. Government hold a different view of him? Why did they give him $3 billion? – He was the Nationalist President of China. Americans admired his bravery and determination when fighting against the Japanese. U.S. government felt his government was doctorial, inefficient, and hopelessly corrupt. The $3 billion was meant to help the Nationalists battle against the Japanese during WWII.

14. Who was Mao Zedong? What political party did he belong to? How do you think the American public and U.S. government viewed him? - He was the communist leader of the north. Answers can vary.

15. Which leader eventually won the Civil War in China? List 2 reasons why. - Mao eventually won the civil war in China, thereby making China a communist country. Two reasons: First was the communists were more skillful in winning support of the peasants. Second was the weak and corrupt military leadership of the Nationalists.

16. Why did the U. S. support South Korea in 1950? – It wanted to stop the spread of communism (North Korea) into the free South Korea. Truman did not want to let another Asian country fall to communist influence.

17. Which two major countries supported North Korea during the Korean War? – China and Soviet Union

18. What was General MacArthur's plan in 1951 to end the stalemate in Korea?  Why did President Truman object so strongly to his suggestions? – MacArthur wanted to blockage the Chinese coast, use Atomic bombs on China, and use Chiang Kai-shek’s troops to invade southern China. Truman wanted to avoid a major land battle in Asia with American troops. He also wanted to avoid starting WWIII.

19. Why did President Truman fire General MacArthur?  What was the initial reaction of most Americans to this decision? – MacArthur wanted to push for a larger scale war and invade China. He went above the President’s head, and started spoke and wrote to media outlets, and started dealing with Republican leaders to gain support for his ideas. Truman had no choice but to relieve him of his position in 1951. Most Americans were outraged initially, but eventually would side with Truman and a limited war.

20. How many Americans died in the Korean War? – 54000!!!!

21. What were the political, economic, and social costs of the Korean War for America? – cost $22 billion, democrats lose in 1952, 54000 Americans dead, and an increased fear of communist aggression which prompted a hunt for spies on whom to blame Communist gains.

Section 3: The Cold War at Home

22. Identify 3 reasons for the fear of communism in the U. S. that appeared following WWII?

23. Why did President Truman create the Loyalty Review Board in 1947? How successful do you think they were in achieving their goal?

24. Why was the House Un-American Activities Committee created?

25. What was the McCarran Act?

26. What was the Alger Hiss case about?

27. What was the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg case about? What happened to them?

28. What major charge did Senator Joseph McCarthy make?

29. Describe McCarthyism. How many names did he claim to have? Did he ever name anyone?

30. Why didn't the Republican Party stop Senator McCarthy?

31. How did McCarthyism impact state and local government laws?

32. How did McCarthyism effect the behavior of regular citizens? (chart at top of p. 621)

Section 4: Two Nations Live on the Edge

33. How was an H – bomb different than an atomic bomb? What country developed it first? When was the first one exploded?

34. What was the foreign policy of brinkmanship?  How was it different from our previous policy of containment? Which branch of the military expanded? Which branches became smaller?

35. What was the role of the CIA in Iran?  in Guatemala?

36. What was the Warsaw Pact and why was it formed?

37. What was President Eisenhower's proposal of "open skies”? Did this happen?

38. What led to the Suez War of 1956?  Which 3 countries led military action into the canal zone? Who stepped in to stop this conflict from escalating?

39. What was the Eisenhower Doctrine?

40. When was Israel created? Which organization created it? Which 2 states was it supposed to include? What did the U.S. and Soviets think about this plan?

41. How did Hungary become a Cold War trouble spot in 1956? What ended up happening there? What response did the U.S. have?

42. How was Nikita Khrushchev a different Soviet leader from Stalin?  How was he the same? 

43. Why did the launching of Sputnik I create such fear in the U. S.?  What did the American government do to respond to this Soviet technological achievement?

44. What was the purpose of a U-2 plane? What happened to the “last” U-2 flight? What impact did that flight have on U.S. – Soviet relations?

Chapter 18: Cold War Conflicts

Identifications

Section 1: Origins of the Cold War

1. United Nations

2. Potsdam Conference

3. Satellite Nations

4. Containment

5. Iron Curtain

6. Cold War

7. Truman Doctrine

8. Marshall Plan

9. Berlin Airlift

10. North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Section 2: The Cold War Heats Up

11. Chiang Kai-shek

12. Mao Zedong

13. Chinese Civil War

14. Taiwan

15. 38th Parallel

16. Syngman Rhee

17. Korean War

18. General Douglas MacArthur

19. Yalu River

Section 3: The Cold War at Home

20. HUAC

21. Hollywood Ten

22. Blacklist

23. Alger Hiss

24. Ethel and Julius Rosenberg

25. Joseph McCarthy

26. McCarthyism

Section 4: Two Nations Live on the Edge

27. H-Bomb

28. John Foster Dulles

29. Brinkmanship

30. CIA

31. Warsaw Pact

32. Eisenhower Doctrine

33. Nikita Khrushchev

34. Francis Gary Powers

35. U-2 Incident

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