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wwI
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The Cold War 1950-1973 Did the USA manage to contain the spread of Communism? Anti-Communism in the USA After World War I, America had adopted a policy of isolationism. However, they later felt guilty as they claimed that if they hadn’t followed that policy, W W II could have been avoided. Therefore, from the 1950s to the 1970s American foreign policy was directed to contain the spread of Communism. There was a strong anti-Communist and anti-Russian feeling in the country. The Senator Mc Carthy believed Communists had infiltrarted American society. The Korean War By the 1950s Communism was getting stronger around the world. China had become a Communist state and Stalin was helping other Communist countries to win power. Background Korea had been first ruled by Japan. Once WW II ended, the country was devided into two: the North inhabited by Soviet troops (Communist) and the South liberated by Americans (anti-Communist). In 1950 North Korean troops invaded South Korea and within few months, most South Korea was under Communist control. It was now time for America to take action. President Truman sent advisers, supplies and warships to the waters around Korea and put enormous pressure to the UN Security Council to condemn north Korea’s action. As USSR, which was the only country which had the right of veto, had walked out of the UN, America’s wish was put into practice. Troops and support was sent to north Korea under General Mac Arthur and immediately achieved the UN objective. However, American’s ambition grew: they now wanted to remove Communism from the whole of Korea. China joined Korea against Americans. Their army was much better than what USA had expected. Consequently, UN forces were pushed back into South Korea. However they later recovered and the fighting reached a stalemate. Mac Arthur now wanted to invade China while Truman felt saving the South was good. Despite the UN’s determination about not invade China, Mac Arthur openly threatened an attack on China. Truman was therefore removed from his position. In 1952, fighting between the north and the south during Eisenhower’s presidency, finally ended. Relations between China and Korea became more distant since Stalin’s death. Was containment the right policy? As, for Americans, Communism was becoming a threaten to world peace, it had to be contained. Anti-Communist alliances were set-up around the world. The USSR saw the alliances as having an aggressive purpose and accused USA of closing up the Communist world. Co-existance The new Soviet leader was Khruschev who, unlike Stalin, adopted an open attitude towards the world. The USA and USSR met in 1955 and 1960. Although it had some approach as it helped to ease tensions, they did not get into an agreement. The arms race The USA and USSR engaged into an arms race. The Americans dropped their first atomic bomb in 1945. And despite being allied to the USSR, they wasn’t consulted. This is a very important episode as it may be considered at the starting point of this Cold War. Consequently, the USSR began to work on its own nuclear weapons and by 1961, they had both become equally powerful. The only difference was that USA had space to place their missiles while the USSR didn’t. The Cuban missile crisis, 1962: case were the Cold War came into it most dangerous point. Background Cuba had depend on the USA until 1959 when Fidel Castro overthrew the American-backed dictator Batista. Between 1959 and 1961 relations between both countries were frosty but with no confrontation. Castro took over the American-owned business but let Americans keep their naval base. However in 1960, Cuba started receiving help from the Soviet Union and, consequently, one year later, America broke-off relations with Cuba and soon President Kennedy supplied arms, equipment and transport for some anti-Castro exiles to invade Cuba. However, the invasion at the Bay of Pigs failed disastrously. This event was seen as an absolutely humiliating defeat for the USA and on the one hand, it suggested to the USSR that Kennedy was weak and , on the other, it made Castro and Khruschev very suspicious of American policy. They wondered why didn’t Kennedy land a full-scale military attack against Cuba. Soviet arms flooded into Cuba . By 1962, Cuba had the best equipped army in Latin America. Americans believe Russians would not dare to put nuclear missiles on Cuba and warned them he would prevent by all necessary means Cuba becoming an offensive military base. However, the USSR said they no intention to do it. In October 1962 American photographs of Cuba confirmed there were missile sites being built by the Soviets. Kennedy’s options about what to do with Cuba when he was informed of the discovery: Ø Do nothing? Americans still had a greater nuclear power and could destroy the Soviet Union but the USSR would never use these missiles which would mean a very big danger to world peace. However, doing nothing would be another sign of weakness. Ø Surgical air attack? Although it would destroy missiles before being used, it would not guarantees the destruction of all sites, it would kill Soviet soldiers. Moreover, the country would be seen as immoral for not attacking with warning advance. Ø Diplomatic pressure? Although the intervention of the UN or other would avoid conflict, it would be seen as another sign of weakness of the USA. Ø Invasion? An invasion could get rid, not only of missiles, but also of Castro. But, at the same time, it would guarantee a Soviet response either to protect Cuba or within the Soviet sphere of influence. However, what he done when he was informed was the following. Firstly, he decided on a blockade of Cuba and ordered Soviets to withdraw their missiles. Although Khrushev, at first, denied having missiles he later admitted the presence of them. Khrushev finally yielded to America’s demand and dismantled. In return America promised not to attack them again. Explanations suggested by historians at why Khruschev made a terribly risky attempt and placed nuclear missiles on Cuba: Ø He would have some advantage from Americans. He could agree to remove missile sin return for some American concessions. Ø To see how strong Americans were, he wanted to test out Kennedy. Ø Wanted the Americans to be drawn into a nuclear war Ø He wanted to “close” the gap between the USSR and the USA The outcome l Although missiles were withdrawn from Cuba, it stayed Communist and highly armed. l Kennedy’s reputation was improved in his own country and throughout the west. At the Soviets the fact that Khruschev had avoided war, he was seen as a hero. l Cold relations between both countries thaw. They were now more prepared to take steps to reduce the risk of nuclear war.
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Paper Information
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Title: wwI
Words: 5577
Rating: None
Pages: 22.3
submitted by: Vicogueva
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