Lecture #4: WWII & the Cold War Flashcards
1
Q
Why did WWII begin?
A
- unresolved conflicts from WWI
- Germany attacked Poland in blitzkrieg on sept 1st 1939, going against the Munich agreement (and appeasement)
- France and Britain declare war on Germany on Sept 3 (2 days later)
- largest war in history
- Poland surrenders Sept 27
- Germany attacks Soviet Union (AFTER the non-aggression pact)
- Germany keeps bombing Britain and USA is asked to help
2
Q
How/why did USA join WWII?
A
- Germany defeats France in 1940
- if Britain lost, US would have no friends in Europe
- Pearl Harbor, December 7th 1941
- Germany declares war on USA (the only declaration of war)
3
Q
What is the legacy of USA in WII?
A
- atomic bombs development (Manhattan Project in Chicago)
- Hiroshima (Aug 6) and Nagasaki (Aug 9)
- Emperor Hirohito surrenders Aug 15, 1945
- for a few years, only USA had access to nuclear weapons
- USA emerges as the most dominant world power
4
Q
What led to the Holocaust?
A
- Hitler and the “Final Solution” (aka genocide)
- anti-Semitism in Europe
- many Jews in Europe after being driven out of their homeland in the Middle East during the Diaspora
5
Q
What is the ICC?
A
International Criminal Court
- deals with 4 extreme world crimes:
- genocide, war crimes
- crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing
6
Q
Who is Chiang Kai-shek?
A
- Leader of Republic of China
- Taiwan’s China (of the 2 China’s)
- invited to Cairo Conference during WWII
- exile in Taiwan, lost civil war to Mao Zedong
7
Q
Who is Mao Zedong?
A
- founder of People’s Republic of China (communist ideals)
8
Q
How did the Cold War begin?
A
- emergence of Soviet Union as world power replacing Germany
- communism vs. liberal democracy
9
Q
What was Harry Truman’s Cold War strategy?
A
- policy of USA to support free peoples resisting subjugation by armed minorities
- NATO in 1949
- Marshall Plan
- National Security Act
10
Q
What is the Marshall Plan?
A
- Secretary of State George c Marshall’s plan to rebuild Europe after WWII
- spent $13 billion on reconstruction projects
11
Q
What is the National Security Act (1947)?
A
- Created Department of Defense
- established National Security Council, CIA, Joint Chiefs of Staff
12
Q
Who is George Kennan?
A
- served as deputy head of USA missions in Moscow
- sent telegram Feb 22, 1946 outlining new strategy for Soviet Union
13
Q
What was Kennan’s Long Telegram?
A
- new strategy against Soviet
- argued Stalin needed hostile world to legitimize his autocratic rule
- solution: strengthen Western institutions to render them invulnerable to Soviet challenge
14
Q
What was the Truman Doctrine?
A
- March 12, 1947
- containment policy: contain Soviet geopolitical expansion
- aid to support economies and militaries under Soviet threat (Greece and Turkey)
- leads to formation of NATO
15
Q
What is NSC-68?
A
- National security council report 68 (1950)
- military build up program
- budget increase to $50 billion
- development a hydrogen bomb
