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VUS.13 Questions
VUS.13 Essential Information on U.S. foreign policy since WWII
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| After WWII, which country occupied most of Eastern and Central Europe and the eastern portion of Germany? | The Soviet Union |
| Explain the partitioning of Germany. | Germany was partitioned into East and West Germany. West Germany = democratic and resumed self-government after a few years of American, British and French occupation. East Germany under the domination of the Soviet Union did not adopt democratic instit |
| What was the Allied policy in Japan after its defeat in WWII? | Japan was occupied by American forces. It soon adopted a democratic form of government, resumed self-government, and became a strong ally of the U.S. |
| What was the Marshall Plan? | The Marshall Plan provided massive financial aid to rebuild European economies and prevent the spread of communism. |
| What international organization was formed after WWII and what was its purpose? | The United Nations was formed near the end of WWII to create a body for the nations of the world to try to prevent future global wars. |
| What was the Cold War? | The Cold War was essentially a competition between two different ways of organizing government, society, economy: The American-led western nations’ belief in democracy, individual freedom and a market economy Soviet belief in a totalitarian state/socalism |
| How long did the Cold War last? | from the end of WWII until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 |
| What was the guiding principle of American foreign policy throughout the Cold War? | The Truman Doctrine of “containment of communism” |
| What was the policy of containment? | not to break up communism where it already existed, but to keep it from spreading (to resist communist aggression into other countries) |
| The U.S. government’s anti-communist strategy of containment in Asia led to which wars? | Vietnam and Korea |
| Which Asian war demonstrated the power of American public opinion in reversing foreign policy? | Vietnam |
| What were the results of the Vietnam War on American society? | It tested the democratic system to its limits, left scars on American society that have not yet been erased, and made many Americans deeply skeptical of future military or even peacekeeping interventions. |
| What is NATO and why was it formed? | The North Atlantic Treaty Organization which was formed as a defensive alliance among the United States and western European countries to prevent a Soviet invasion of Western Europe. |
| What was the Warsaw Pact? | The Soviet allies in eastern Europe formed the Warsaw Pact in response to NATO |
| What was the result of these two alliances? | both sides maintained large military forces facing each other in Europe |
| What increased American fears of communist domination of most of the world? | The communist takeover in China shortly after WWII |
| Were China and the Soviet Union allies? | No, they eventually became rivals for territory and diplomatic influence |
| What was a major threat during the Cold War? | Nuclear war which would destroy both the U.S. and the Soviet Union |
| What was Eisenhower’s policy regarding the nuclear threat? | “massive retaliation” to deter any nuclear strike by the Soviets |
| Which war in the early 1950s reflected the American policy of containment of communism? | Korea |
| What happened after communist North Korea invaded South Korea? | American military forces led a counterattack that drove deep into North Korea |
| Which side did China support? | Communist Chinese forces came into the war on the side of North Korea and the war threatened to widen |
| How did the Korean War end? | In a stalemate with Korea divided – South Korea is free of communist occupation and North Korea is communist |
| What caused the Vietnam War? | The North Vietnamese communist government tried to install through force a communist government in South Vietnam. |
| Which side did the U.S. help? | South Vietnam |
| When did the American military build up in Vietnam begin? | under President John F. Kennedy |
| What happened when Kennedy was assassinated? | President Lyndon Johnson intensified the build up |
| Were the American forces successful? | They defeated the North Vietnamese forces in the field but could not force an end to the war on favorable terms by fighting a limited war. |
| Did Americans support this war? | The country became bitterly divided. While there was support for the American military and conduct of the war among many Americans, others opposed the war and active opposition to the war mounted, especially on college campuses. |
| When Johnson decided not to seek re-election, who won? | Nixon on a pledge to bring the war to an honorable end |
| What is Vietnamization and who’s policy was it? | Nixon’s policy of withdrawing American troops and replacing them with South Vietnamese forces while maintaining military aid to the South Vietnamese. |
| Was Vietnamization successful? | No, it failed when South Vietnamese troops proved unable to resist invasion by the Soviet-supplied North Vietnamese Army and Pres. Nixon was forced from office due to the Watergate scandal. |
| What is the status of Vietnam today? | In 1975, both North and South Vietnam were merged under communist control |
| Who is Fidel Castro? | He led a communist revolution that took over Cuba in the late 1950s. |
| What was the “Bay of Pigs”? | An attempt to invade Cuba and overthrow Castro which failed. |
| What was the Cuban Missile Crisis? | 1962, Soviet Union stationed missiles in Cuba, instigating crisis. President Kennedy ordered Soviets to remove their missiles and for several days world was on brink of nuclear war. Eventually the Soviet leadership “blinked” and removed their missiles. |
| What two factors affected American life throughout the Cold War? | the fear of communism and the threat of nuclear war |
| How did schools and citizens respond to this threat? | Schools regularly held drills to train children what to do in case of a nuclear attack and American citizens were urged by the government to build bomb shelters in their own basements. |
| What events increased the domestic fears of communism? | Spying: the convictions of Alger Hiss and Julius and Ethel Rosenberg for spying for the Soviet Union and the construction of nuclear weapons by the Soviets using technical secrets obtained through spying. |
| Who played on American fears by recklessly accusing many American governmental officials and citizens of being communists? | Senator Joseph McCarthy |
| Did McCarthy have good evidence for this? | No, it was flimsy or no evidence at all |
| What does the term McCarthyism mean today? | The making of false accusations based on rumor or guilt by association |
| How did the Cold War affect presidential elections? | It made foreign policy a major issue in every presidential election during the period. |
| How did the Cold War affect Virginia’s economy? | heavy military expenditures throughout Cold War benefited VA’s economy more than any other state, especially in Hampton Roads, home to large naval and air bases, and Northern Virginia, home to Pentagon and numerous private companies contract w/ military |
| Whose inaugural address included these words: “pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” | John F. Kennedy |
| Which president said “Ask not what your country can do for you: ask what you can do for your country.” | John F. Kennedy |
| What was the key to America’s victory over the Soviet Union in the Cold War? | a strong military |
| What caused a period of internal strife and divisiveness in the 1960s? | assassination of John F. Kennedy and divisions over the U.S. involvement in Vietnam |
| How were the Vietnam veterans treated after the war? | The nation was not supportive and often they met with hostility from those opposed to the war. |
| Were the Vietnam vets ever recognized and honored for their service and sacrifices? | Yes, but it took many years for the wounds to heal in America |
| What caused the collapse of the Soviet Union? | Internal and external pressures |
| How did internal problems affect the collapse of the Soviet Union? | Increasing Soviet military expenses to compete with the U.S. Rising nationalism in Soviet republics Fast-paced reforms (ex. Market economy) Economic inefficiency Gorbachev’s glasnost and perestroika |
| What is glasnost? | openness |
| What is perestroika? | economic restructuring |
| What was President Ronald Reagan’s role in the collapse of the Soviet Union? | He challenged the moral legitimacy of the Soviet Union and increased U.S. military and economic pressure on the Soviet Union. |
| Who said “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” | Ronald Reagan |
Created by:
jfleming
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