Causes, impact and significance of the North Korean invasion of South Korea and the Berlin Wall

Please find a comprehensive comparison table here.

Collapse of USSR and end of Cold War

“Sudden collapse” December 1991 → Gorbachev resigns, ending the Cold War ⇒ USSR ceased to exist USSR was collection of different republics (not Russia) Nov 1989 → Berlin Wall fell down Eastern Europe → wave of popular protests Communist governments fell in Eastern Europe Role of Gorbachev Perestroika and Glasnost Glasnost: democracy, openness, (glass = …

Before the end of the Cold War

Reagan Reagan, anti-communist in 1980 (after Afghanistan) More aggressive policy “Vietnam Syndrome” - lost confidence of US people Increased defence spending (13% in 1982) “Peace through Strength” Nuclear weapons, stealth bombers, ICBMs to Europe 700 new ukes, 1.4TRILLION USD (de to Afghanistan, and Shah 1979) Reagan doctrine Speech, March 1983 ⇒ evil empire Soviets saw …

Detente (pt II); Reconciliation and confrontation

Origins   Vietnam war   China supported Vietnam with 50k troops and threatened to wage war if North Vietnam attacked USSR supported Vietnam with military aid (matching US involvement) Provided Air Defense system which could shoot down fighter planes Economy - 24.2 billion deficit of US ⇒ pressure on gold reserves, fueled inflation Lack of …

Sino-Soviet Relations in the Cold War

Causes for breakdown Political Russia seized Manchuria, 1900 2bn in equipment taken in 1920s Difference in ideology = Mao and Stalin differed over interpretation of revolution Stalin opposed Mao in CCP Khrushchev ‘peaceful coexistence’ policy → detracting from Stalin Mao believed that a war with capitalism ⇒ inevitable, but USSR did not want this after …

The Berlin Crisis, 1961

Importance WW3 could break out 1 year before cuban missile crisis Building the war actually reduced tensions! Good to evaluate for Crises part of the Cold War Causes Refugee problem (long-term cause) Berlin Blockade, 1948-1949: Germany officially divided into FGR and GDR Inner German border between countries (West and East) = sealed, but could go …

Extent of détente (pt I)

Background, America under Eisenhower Elected in 1952 Campaigned strongly anti-Communist message Secretary state = John Foster Dulles ^^ “New Look” new policy in October 1953, NSC 162 Instead of conventional military forces → air-atomic capability Bc needed to reduce unbearable economic disaster (12% of GDP, because of Korea) Massive retaliation, brinkmanship ‘53 ⛬ containment 2.0 …

Containment in Japan, Taiwan and Vietnam (extent of success)

Japan * more in the HL unit of Japan Initial policies MacArthur was appointed to control Japan in 1945 SCAP (Supreme Commander of Allied Powers) Power of dictator Sought to demilitarise Japanese society + weaken economy (Cold War changed this policy because of China’s communism) Dismantle imperial Japan War crimes trial, armed forces de-militarized New …

The Korean War

* this is useful for the crises part of the Cold War Causes 25 June 1950 : 90,000 soldiers in North Korea invade Failure to take action would undermine containment of USA Turning point of NSC-68, as they had to immediately send aid to South Korea UN was asked to sanction military action (passed in …

Beginning of Containment in Asia (1949-1950)

US Foreign Policy May 1949 - Berlin Blockade defeated, NATO created to ensure security for Western EU countries, FRG created Autumn 1949 - power dynamic changed, Mao won in October 1949, August - Atomic bomb Created a bipolar world No longer US could use its nuclear superiority as a threat Domino theory - CCP spread …