1. Many neutral observers in Vietnam were critical of US policy. Explain why.
This is because the Us suppoered the anti-communist governments established in the south, even though they were extreamily currupt.
2. Explain how US politicians would have defended their policies.
They would have argued that if Vietnam fell to communism, many other countries in the region would follow suit. It was necessary to stop a communist takeover of an entire contenent.
3. The following events are not listed in correct date order. Place them in the correct chronological order. (Write the year inside the parenthesis, i.e. (1965). Then note the reason for each U.S. action, and how it brought the U.S. into deeper involvement in Vietnam.
The reasons you can choose from are: No direct involvement; financial support; political involvement; military involvement. Also, note what events triggered the increased involvement.
( 8 ) Assassination of JFK - Johnson becomes president
( 2 ) Formation of South Vietnam
( 9 ) Gulf of Tonkin Incident
( 7 ) Number of 'advisers' reaches over 11,500- military involvement. This brought the US more into the conflict because this highly increased the US presence in South Vietnam.
( 6 ) JFK sends military advisers- military invlovement. This brought the US more into the conflict because it created a US military presence in the conflict that was going on between North and South Vietnamise forces.
( 10 ) U.S. Marines land at Da Nang- military involvement. This brought the US more into the conflict because this officially started war between North Vietnam and the US
( 1 ) U.S. stops elections in Vietnam- political involvement. This brought the US more into the conflict because It angered many who supported an Communist Vietnam and was looked upon as a lack of principlas on behalf of the US, which condemned Stalin for takeing similar actions in the USSR.
( 3 ) U.S. supports South Vietnam government after army overthrow Diem- political involvement- This brought the US more into the conflict because this was their way of keeping communism from spreading throughout the entire region. They believed that if it can be stopped in Vietnam, it won't spread further.
( 5 ) Viet Cong attacks on U.S. and South Vietnam bases
( 4 ) Viet Cong formed
4. Choose two events that you think were critical in getting the U.S. involved in a war in Vietnam. Explain
your choice.
I think the forming of Viet Cong and the attack at the Gulf of Tonkin were the most curtial events. This is because they really forced the US's hand in Vietnam. Vite Cong symbolized the communist sprit which many rallied around. It grew at a rate that the US could not ignore because it had alot of power to spread communism which would be dangerous to the US. The attack at the Gulf of Tonkin forced the US to retaliate. It showed that the communist threat was not only strong but viloent and letting it continue without interfearing would be dangerous.
Showing posts with label Cold_War. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cold_War. Show all posts
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
The Cuban Missile Crisis
1. Kennedy described Wednesday, Oct. 24 and Saturday, Oct. 27 as the darkest days of the crisis. Use the information on page 350 to explain why.
These two days, being the days when there was a faceoff at the American blocade of Cuba and when there was an incident whihc involved an American plane beiong shot down, were the days when conflicts caused war to be as realistic of a possability as it ever was.
2. Do you think that nuclear war was ever a possibility in this crisis?
I think it was a very valid possability. Both countrys had the ability to devistate eachother, and tentions between the two were just about as high as possible without full scale war breaking out.
3. Is Source 26 a Soviet or an American cartoon? Explain your answer by referring to the details in the cartoon.
I would think that the cartoon was an American one, because the Soviet leader is depicted as sweating heavily, whale JFK looks calm and collected.
4. Using Source 27 list any evidence you can find for and against each of the explanations.
Why did the Soviet Union place nuclear missiles on Cuba?
To bargain with the USA
This is a likely reason, because it happened.
To test the USA
This is likely because at the time the US was not in very good standing with the world stage.
To trap the USA
This suggests that the USSR was trying to start a nuclear war, but because this never actually happened, it is unlikely this is a valid reason.
To get the upper hand in the arms race
This is a very likely reason because with the missles so close to the US it would be very easy for the USSR to launch an attack.
To defend Cuba
It is unlikely this was the reason because the USSR was makeing such a public deal about the missles being there. They were makeing a statement of somemkind.
5. Choose the explanation(s) that you think best fit what you have found out about the crisis. Explain your choice.
I feel it was a mixture of trying to gain the upper hand in the arms race and to bargin with the US. They did even the score of the arms race by haveing ready to launch missles in such close geographical proximity to the US. Also, they could use this as a way to bargin the US into removeing some of their missles, which would also be helpful in the arms race between the two superpowers.
These two days, being the days when there was a faceoff at the American blocade of Cuba and when there was an incident whihc involved an American plane beiong shot down, were the days when conflicts caused war to be as realistic of a possability as it ever was.
2. Do you think that nuclear war was ever a possibility in this crisis?
I think it was a very valid possability. Both countrys had the ability to devistate eachother, and tentions between the two were just about as high as possible without full scale war breaking out.
3. Is Source 26 a Soviet or an American cartoon? Explain your answer by referring to the details in the cartoon.
I would think that the cartoon was an American one, because the Soviet leader is depicted as sweating heavily, whale JFK looks calm and collected.
4. Using Source 27 list any evidence you can find for and against each of the explanations.
Why did the Soviet Union place nuclear missiles on Cuba?
To bargain with the USA
This is a likely reason, because it happened.
To test the USA
This is likely because at the time the US was not in very good standing with the world stage.
To trap the USA
This suggests that the USSR was trying to start a nuclear war, but because this never actually happened, it is unlikely this is a valid reason.
To get the upper hand in the arms race
This is a very likely reason because with the missles so close to the US it would be very easy for the USSR to launch an attack.
To defend Cuba
It is unlikely this was the reason because the USSR was makeing such a public deal about the missles being there. They were makeing a statement of somemkind.
5. Choose the explanation(s) that you think best fit what you have found out about the crisis. Explain your choice.
I feel it was a mixture of trying to gain the upper hand in the arms race and to bargin with the US. They did even the score of the arms race by haveing ready to launch missles in such close geographical proximity to the US. Also, they could use this as a way to bargin the US into removeing some of their missles, which would also be helpful in the arms race between the two superpowers.
Monday, April 26, 2010
The U.S. Attempts to Contain Cuba
1. Why was Cuba so important to the United States?
Cuba was important to America because of its closeness to the US both economically and geographically. Its importance grograpahically was important because of a military base the US had on the island.
2. Why do you think the Americans chose to equip Cuban exiles rather than invading themselves?
It was too dangerous to directly invade the USSR friendly Cuban nation because this could have been taken as an act of war by the Soviet Union, which could have caused a nuclear war.
3. Why did the invasion fail?
The invasion failed because the US did not provide the necessary air support to the Cuban rebels. Tey were outnumbered and faceing a much stronger, better equipped, and better trained adversary without the help they depended on.
4. Compare Source 17 on page 345 (in the Arms Race.pdf reading) with Source 24 on page 348. Describe how the Soviet Union missiles on Cuba changed the Cold War balance of power.
The USSR's ability to have missles in Cuba took away the US advantage of stratigic missle location. Before this point, the US had missles that could strike the Soviet Union in a very short amount of time, but after this the USSR had missles that could be equally quick and devistateing if ever used.
Cuba was important to America because of its closeness to the US both economically and geographically. Its importance grograpahically was important because of a military base the US had on the island.
2. Why do you think the Americans chose to equip Cuban exiles rather than invading themselves?
It was too dangerous to directly invade the USSR friendly Cuban nation because this could have been taken as an act of war by the Soviet Union, which could have caused a nuclear war.
3. Why did the invasion fail?
The invasion failed because the US did not provide the necessary air support to the Cuban rebels. Tey were outnumbered and faceing a much stronger, better equipped, and better trained adversary without the help they depended on.
4. Compare Source 17 on page 345 (in the Arms Race.pdf reading) with Source 24 on page 348. Describe how the Soviet Union missiles on Cuba changed the Cold War balance of power.
The USSR's ability to have missles in Cuba took away the US advantage of stratigic missle location. Before this point, the US had missles that could strike the Soviet Union in a very short amount of time, but after this the USSR had missles that could be equally quick and devistateing if ever used.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Eisenhower & The Cold War
1. The Soviet Union exploded its first atomic bomb in 1949.
After the USSR exploded their first atomic bomb, the US made sure they were prepared, both how to minimize casualitys and to retaliate. They developed and successfuly tested the first H-bomb.
2. In 1951, the Iranian prime minister placed the oil industry in Iran under the Iranian government’s control.
The CIA saw to it that the pro-American Shah of Iran regained power in Iran so that the country, which was struggling economically, wouldn't turn to the USSR for help.
3. The Guatemalan head of government gave American-owned land in Guatemala to peasants.
The CIA invaded the country and overtook the government to stop communist actions that were being taken by the government.
4. In 1956, Britain, France, and Israel invaded Egypt and occupied the Suez Canal.
The UN stopped the fighting, but did not syntaphise with any of the three invadeing countries at all, and rather let Egypt keep control of the land. After this the US released a doctrine saying that the US would not hesitate to defend the middle east against any communist country.
5. Soviet tanks invaded Hungary and fired on protesters in 1956.
The US did nothing. It was appearent that Esienhower was not going to enforce the policy of containment in the sattalite nations.
6. In 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik.
The US was shocked at the Soviets' scientific superitority. US scientists frantically worked to put up their own sattalite, and eventually did.
7. In 1960, the Soviet Union brought down an American U-2 piloted by Francis Gary Powers.
President Eisenhower did admit to the flights spying on the USSR, and promised to discontinue them, but would not appoligize. This caused the 60s to begin with a great tention between the two superpowers.
After the USSR exploded their first atomic bomb, the US made sure they were prepared, both how to minimize casualitys and to retaliate. They developed and successfuly tested the first H-bomb.
2. In 1951, the Iranian prime minister placed the oil industry in Iran under the Iranian government’s control.
The CIA saw to it that the pro-American Shah of Iran regained power in Iran so that the country, which was struggling economically, wouldn't turn to the USSR for help.
3. The Guatemalan head of government gave American-owned land in Guatemala to peasants.
The CIA invaded the country and overtook the government to stop communist actions that were being taken by the government.
4. In 1956, Britain, France, and Israel invaded Egypt and occupied the Suez Canal.
The UN stopped the fighting, but did not syntaphise with any of the three invadeing countries at all, and rather let Egypt keep control of the land. After this the US released a doctrine saying that the US would not hesitate to defend the middle east against any communist country.
5. Soviet tanks invaded Hungary and fired on protesters in 1956.
The US did nothing. It was appearent that Esienhower was not going to enforce the policy of containment in the sattalite nations.
6. In 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik.
The US was shocked at the Soviets' scientific superitority. US scientists frantically worked to put up their own sattalite, and eventually did.
7. In 1960, the Soviet Union brought down an American U-2 piloted by Francis Gary Powers.
President Eisenhower did admit to the flights spying on the USSR, and promised to discontinue them, but would not appoligize. This caused the 60s to begin with a great tention between the two superpowers.
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