1. Who was Chiang Kai-shek?
Chiang Kia- shek was the leader of the nationalist party in China, who was trying to fight the communist party. The United States supported the nationalist government but the US officials that worked with him thought that his ideas were inefficient and hopelessly corrupt.
2. Who was Mao Zedong?
Mao Zedong was the leader of the communist party in China.
3. How were the Communist able to take over China?
The Communists were able to take over China by getting the support of the peasants. They did this by encouraging them to learn how to read they helped them to improve their food productions. After World War II ended the fighting between the nationalists and the communist broke up. The poor favored the Communist party and the nationalist had a weak military power and they were corrupt; therefore the communists won.
4. How did the State Department respond to critics that Truman's "Containment" policy didn't extend to Asia?
The State Department was questioning why containment of the Communists party wasn't as important in Europe as it was in Asia. They believed that they should have given more aid to Chiang Kai-shek and helped him keep his supporters. If the United States gave more aid it would have causes a war that the United States was not prepared to fight; the State Department thought that was a lame excuse.
5. How did Korea become a divided nation after World War II?
At the end of World War II the Japanese troops in North Korea surrendered to the Soviet Union, while the Japanese troops in Southern Korea surrendered to the United States therefore North Korea turned communist and south Korea turned democratic.
6. What is the importance of the Yalu River and what prompted the Chinese to enter the Korean War?
The Yalu River was the river that divided Korea from China. the Chinese entered the Korean War because they wanted to keep North Korea communist so that there was a buffer zone between China and the democratic Southern Korea. Another reason that they fought back was becasue they felt threatened by the American fleet that was right off their coast.
7. Who is General Douglas MacArthur and what did he want to do against China?
General Douglas MacArthur was the one who controlled the combined troops who were fighting with South Korea, and he was a World War II hero in the Pacific. MacArthur wanted to invade China and thought that it was necessary to drop a nuclear weapon on the Chinese capital.
8. Why did Truman relieve MacArthur from duty?
Truman relieved MacArthur from duty because MacArthur felt too strongly about invading China and would not listen to Truman. Instead MacArthur went behind the presidents back and tried to promote the invasion of China therefore he relieved him from duty.
9. How did the war end?
The war ended by the Soviet Union ceasing fire unexpectedly on June 23rd 1951. Truce talks started in July 1951 and they decided on a few things, which includes the location of the cease fire line at the existing battle line and a demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. For the next couple of year the countries were negotiating on exchanging prisoners and in July 1953 the two sides signed an armistice which officially ended the war.
10. He is the current leader of North Korea and was also named the "Sexiest Man Alive" in 2012.
Kim Dae-jung.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Origins of the Cold War Outline
Thesis: The United State's policies were responsible for the outbreak of the cold war because of the Potsdam Conference, the different aims between the United States and the Soviet Union, Truman's Doctrine and the Policy of Containment, the Marshall Plan and the formation of the NATO alliance; some people believe that Berlin Blockade was the leading cause of the Cold War.
Main Point 1: Potsdam Conference
- Truman was the new President of the United States since Roosevelt died, and Truman was more of an anti-communist than Roosevelt meaning there was even more tension between Stalin and Truman. Truman was suspicious of Stalin and thought that Stalin's presence in Eastern Europe was his way of preparing to take over the rest of Europe
- The Potsdam conference was the day after the first atomic bomb was tested as a success, which meant that the United States no longer needed the Soviet Union's help in the war against Japan
- The Soviet Union's army was occupying Eastern Europe and would not leave even though Churchill and Truman did not want them in Eastern Europe in fear of communist take over, but Stalin persisted it was to prevent there from being another attack against the Soviet Union
Main Point 2: The different aims between the United States and the Soviet Union
- Germany:
- The Soviet Union wanted to crush Germany so that they would stay weak and never be a threat to the Soviet Union again. In order to do this the Stalin wanted to keep Germany into four sections
- The United States wanted to help rebuild Germany so that they were benefiting to Europe and make Germany more successful
- Truman wanted to spread democracy and create more free trade between Europe and the United States, and Stalin wanted to close the trading and spread communism
- Truman also wanted there to be more free trade with all of Europe in order to boost the United States' economy, while Stalin wanted to keep control of Eastern Europe to balance out the United States' influence in Western Europe
Main Point 3: Truman's Doctrine and the Policy of Containment
- $400 million dollars was given to Greece and Turkey to help them economically and militarily in order to keep out communism and keep the communist party contained, which angered Stalin even more and made the relationship between Stalin and Truman worse.
- The United State's sent money, equipment, and advice to countries that threatened to have a communist takeover
- The point of the Truman Doctrine was to keep the Soviet influence from spreading
- Stalin was not pleased because he believed that the United States had no business in Europe because they were not a country in or near Europe. Stalin also believed that he had the right to have influence in Europe because the Soviet Union had borders with countries in Europe
Main Point 4: Marshall Plan
- the intention was to give aid to European countries that needed it
- over four years 13 billion dollars of aid was given to 16 European countries
- The Marshall Plan gave the United States more alliances because of their help, and it also helped get rid of the communist parties in those countries
Main Point 5: NATO alliance
- The NATO alliance was the first alliance which the United States had joined during the time of peace
- There was 12 countries that pledged military alliance if one of the countries was attacked
- The reason for the formation of this alliance was because after the Berlin blockade they feared even more that the Soviet Union would get more aggressive
- The NATO alliance kept a standing military of more than 500,000 troops along with planes and other supplied.
- The Cold War and the NATO alliance made it so there was no hope of the United States to return to isolationism
D/I Berlin Blockade
- Stalin was not pleased that the United States, Great Britain, and France combined their three zones of Germany to create Western Germany in order to help Germany in recovering
- The USSR's zone included Berlin so Stalin stopped all goods from coming into part of Berlin so that Berlin would be completely dependent of the USSR. He did this by cutting off all roads and highways
- The United States was not pleased with this and tried to use break through the blockade, which they did by the Berlin Airlift which flew in supplied to Berlin, Stalin thought of this as an act of war against the USSR
Main Point 1: Potsdam Conference
- Truman was the new President of the United States since Roosevelt died, and Truman was more of an anti-communist than Roosevelt meaning there was even more tension between Stalin and Truman. Truman was suspicious of Stalin and thought that Stalin's presence in Eastern Europe was his way of preparing to take over the rest of Europe
- The Potsdam conference was the day after the first atomic bomb was tested as a success, which meant that the United States no longer needed the Soviet Union's help in the war against Japan
- The Soviet Union's army was occupying Eastern Europe and would not leave even though Churchill and Truman did not want them in Eastern Europe in fear of communist take over, but Stalin persisted it was to prevent there from being another attack against the Soviet Union
Main Point 2: The different aims between the United States and the Soviet Union
- Germany:
- The Soviet Union wanted to crush Germany so that they would stay weak and never be a threat to the Soviet Union again. In order to do this the Stalin wanted to keep Germany into four sections
- The United States wanted to help rebuild Germany so that they were benefiting to Europe and make Germany more successful
- Truman wanted to spread democracy and create more free trade between Europe and the United States, and Stalin wanted to close the trading and spread communism
- Truman also wanted there to be more free trade with all of Europe in order to boost the United States' economy, while Stalin wanted to keep control of Eastern Europe to balance out the United States' influence in Western Europe
Main Point 3: Truman's Doctrine and the Policy of Containment
- $400 million dollars was given to Greece and Turkey to help them economically and militarily in order to keep out communism and keep the communist party contained, which angered Stalin even more and made the relationship between Stalin and Truman worse.
- The United State's sent money, equipment, and advice to countries that threatened to have a communist takeover
- The point of the Truman Doctrine was to keep the Soviet influence from spreading
- Stalin was not pleased because he believed that the United States had no business in Europe because they were not a country in or near Europe. Stalin also believed that he had the right to have influence in Europe because the Soviet Union had borders with countries in Europe
Main Point 4: Marshall Plan
- the intention was to give aid to European countries that needed it
- over four years 13 billion dollars of aid was given to 16 European countries
- The Marshall Plan gave the United States more alliances because of their help, and it also helped get rid of the communist parties in those countries
Main Point 5: NATO alliance
- The NATO alliance was the first alliance which the United States had joined during the time of peace
- There was 12 countries that pledged military alliance if one of the countries was attacked
- The reason for the formation of this alliance was because after the Berlin blockade they feared even more that the Soviet Union would get more aggressive
- The NATO alliance kept a standing military of more than 500,000 troops along with planes and other supplied.
- The Cold War and the NATO alliance made it so there was no hope of the United States to return to isolationism
D/I Berlin Blockade
- Stalin was not pleased that the United States, Great Britain, and France combined their three zones of Germany to create Western Germany in order to help Germany in recovering
- The USSR's zone included Berlin so Stalin stopped all goods from coming into part of Berlin so that Berlin would be completely dependent of the USSR. He did this by cutting off all roads and highways
- The United States was not pleased with this and tried to use break through the blockade, which they did by the Berlin Airlift which flew in supplied to Berlin, Stalin thought of this as an act of war against the USSR
Friday, February 1, 2013
The Berlin Blockade and Airlift
1. What is Source 37 (p. 75) saying about Josip Tito, leader of Yugoslavia?
Source 37 is saying that Josip Tito is betraying the communist government by accepting money from America, who at that time was the enemy to the Soviet Union and the communist party. It shows Tito looking like a poor guilty man, meaning that he knows what he is doing is wrong and he shouldn't be betraying the Soviet Union but he is for his own benefit.
2. Why do you think Stalin was so hostile to Tito?
Stalin was so hostile to Tito because not only is he going against the communist government and the influence that the Soviet Union has on Yugoslavia, but he is getting help from Stalin's number one enemy which is the United States. Yugoslavia is supposed to be apart of the Soviet Union's sphere of influence but instead the United States has penetrated the sphere of influence and got Tito to accept money from the United States and therefore Stalin is taking out his anger toward the United States on Tito.
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?
Stalin did not take any direct action against Tito because Yugoslavia does not have a border with the Soviet Union, and it is just apart of the sphere of influence. Stalin would have to bring the troops through other countries in order to get to Yugoslavia which would cause conflict in the countries which there no conflict in.
4. Read Source 40 (p. 77). What reasons did the Soviet Union give for cutting off West Berlin?
The Soviet Union's reason for cutting off West Berlin was that there was a shortage of coal, and therefore they cut off electricity from West Berlin. The Soviet Union's reason for stopping all traffic into West Berlin was that there were technical difficulties.
5. Why do you think the USA did not believe these were genuine reasons?
The USA did not believe that the Soviet Union had genuine reasons. The reason for that is that the United State's knew that the Soviet Union should not be trusted because over the years the Soviet Union would say one thing and then do the opposite. Also by this point the Soviet Union was an enemy to the United State's therefore they could not be trusted, especially since the Soviet Union is known for doing things that only benefit themselves.
6. How do Sources 41–43 differ in their interpretation of the blockade?
Source 41 claims that there was nothing gained nor lost in the Berlin blockade and all it did was make the United State's and Soviet Union more stubborn to their ways. Source 42, is a speech from President Truman, saying that there was nothing lost but it was a test to the United State's on whether they had the will to stay in Berlin, and that the United State's will not back down from helping the Europeans from having their power. Lastly, Source 43, written by someone in the Soviet Union, had a very different interpretation of the Berlin blockade. The source said that it was an act of war from the United State's and that in the process of the Berlin blockade all the United State's was doing was hurting the innocent people in Berlin and it caused them to starve. In the end the United State's act of war failed and they had to yield. This interpretation was very different from the ones in source 41 and 42.
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 source 41 was not written at the time of the blockade and it does not seem to favor one side or the other, therefore it is most likely more accurate. Source 42 and 43 are also valuable because it was written from the point of views that the American's had during the time of the blockade, and the Soviet Union's point of view of the blockade after it happened.
8. Which source do you think gives the most reliable view of the blockade?
Source 41 gives the most reliable point of view of the blockade. Source 43 is in favor of the Soviet Union because it was still during the Cold War, and therefore the Soviet who wrote it would want the Soviet Union to seem like the better country. Source 42 is not as reliable because it is President Truman talking after the Berlin blockade, meaning he would want to glorify his actions that he made in the Berlin blockade and give a morale boost to the people.
Source 37 is saying that Josip Tito is betraying the communist government by accepting money from America, who at that time was the enemy to the Soviet Union and the communist party. It shows Tito looking like a poor guilty man, meaning that he knows what he is doing is wrong and he shouldn't be betraying the Soviet Union but he is for his own benefit.
2. Why do you think Stalin was so hostile to Tito?
Stalin was so hostile to Tito because not only is he going against the communist government and the influence that the Soviet Union has on Yugoslavia, but he is getting help from Stalin's number one enemy which is the United States. Yugoslavia is supposed to be apart of the Soviet Union's sphere of influence but instead the United States has penetrated the sphere of influence and got Tito to accept money from the United States and therefore Stalin is taking out his anger toward the United States on Tito.
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?
Stalin did not take any direct action against Tito because Yugoslavia does not have a border with the Soviet Union, and it is just apart of the sphere of influence. Stalin would have to bring the troops through other countries in order to get to Yugoslavia which would cause conflict in the countries which there no conflict in.
4. Read Source 40 (p. 77). What reasons did the Soviet Union give for cutting off West Berlin?
The Soviet Union's reason for cutting off West Berlin was that there was a shortage of coal, and therefore they cut off electricity from West Berlin. The Soviet Union's reason for stopping all traffic into West Berlin was that there were technical difficulties.
5. Why do you think the USA did not believe these were genuine reasons?
The USA did not believe that the Soviet Union had genuine reasons. The reason for that is that the United State's knew that the Soviet Union should not be trusted because over the years the Soviet Union would say one thing and then do the opposite. Also by this point the Soviet Union was an enemy to the United State's therefore they could not be trusted, especially since the Soviet Union is known for doing things that only benefit themselves.
6. How do Sources 41–43 differ in their interpretation of the blockade?
Source 41 claims that there was nothing gained nor lost in the Berlin blockade and all it did was make the United State's and Soviet Union more stubborn to their ways. Source 42, is a speech from President Truman, saying that there was nothing lost but it was a test to the United State's on whether they had the will to stay in Berlin, and that the United State's will not back down from helping the Europeans from having their power. Lastly, Source 43, written by someone in the Soviet Union, had a very different interpretation of the Berlin blockade. The source said that it was an act of war from the United State's and that in the process of the Berlin blockade all the United State's was doing was hurting the innocent people in Berlin and it caused them to starve. In the end the United State's act of war failed and they had to yield. This interpretation was very different from the ones in source 41 and 42.
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 source 41 was not written at the time of the blockade and it does not seem to favor one side or the other, therefore it is most likely more accurate. Source 42 and 43 are also valuable because it was written from the point of views that the American's had during the time of the blockade, and the Soviet Union's point of view of the blockade after it happened.
8. Which source do you think gives the most reliable view of the blockade?
Source 41 gives the most reliable point of view of the blockade. Source 43 is in favor of the Soviet Union because it was still during the Cold War, and therefore the Soviet who wrote it would want the Soviet Union to seem like the better country. Source 42 is not as reliable because it is President Truman talking after the Berlin blockade, meaning he would want to glorify his actions that he made in the Berlin blockade and give a morale boost to the people.
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