International Affairs Flashcards
(44 cards)
How did WWII change American foreign policy?
Moved away from isolationism, and toward armament as a way to prevent future war
Reason why Norway’s GDP exploded in 1970s
Hitting oil and then creating a public company instead of a private one
Australian wealth is built on:
Friendly immigration laws, mining, booming housing industry, mandatory untaxed retirement fund
Nazi-Soviet Pact / Hitler-Stalin Pact
1939 - non-aggression agreement between Germany and Soviet Union, and secretly agreed to split Poland between them
What set off WWII?
Germany attacked Poland and then France and Britain declared war on Germany
Manhattan Project
r&d program during WWII to make the first nuclear weapons | start of science and US govt working together
Fascism (3)
Rooted in supremacy belief, powerful leader, disregard for democracy
Why did Japan enter WWII?
Oil shortage, lacked its own resources, taking advantage of conflict in Europe
The Grand Alliance
US (FDR), Russia (Stalin), Britain (Churchill)
Churchill WWII philosophy
Minimize Britain casualties, maximize prestige
US WWII strategy
Isolationist, then send US navy to British water, then directly sending them goods, then negotiations with Japan, then attack from North Africa
Gestapo
secret police of Nazi Germany
Vichy France
French government that admitted defeat to Germany and then let its be used as a puppet
What happened to Italy in WWII?
Allies make their way up from North Africa, Italy opts out, allies topple Mussolini, allies agree to leave government still standing under Badoglio
US and Britain’s attitude toward Russia during WWII?
We don’t want them to spread communism all over the place but we really need them for their Red Army
Casablanca Conference
US and Britain secure North Africa, reassesses plans for next stage of the war
Total members of UN Security Council
15 total members, 5 who are permanent: US, China, Russia, UK, France
US and Chiang Kaishek’s relationship during WWII
Lots of funding so he wouldn’t take sides with Japan | you need to reform your corruption, markets, land | can you please reach some kind of agreement with Mao so you guys can fight Japan together? No.
Vietnam’s liberation movement WWII
Viět Minh (led by Hô Chí Minh) who cooperated with US. But because he was a communist leader, US still put Vietnam back into French hands after the war
What kept Japan from admitting defeat sooner in WWII?
Needed an honorable way to admit defeat since the culture was to fight to the end | also wanted to keep self-rule
Why drop the atomic bombs instead of letting Russia declare war on Japan first?
US wanted limited Russian influence in Asia since they were already the main power of Europe, Japan still had resistance and resources left, US public needed retribution
Why was US so respected in the 50s?
Tendency to take a bully down, ask for nothing in return, and then exit.
Obama hesitation for entering Syrian conflict
religious/ethnic splits, variety of external factions and funders, causing retaliation, getting sucked into the conflict, inconsistent bipartisan support
Why did Obama enter the Syrian conflict?
To uphold the international norm against chemical warfare
