McCarthyism and the Korean War Quiz

Senator McCarthy was a politician who led the 'Red Scare', a period of intense fear of communism in the United States, from 1950 to 1954.

The domino theory was the belief that if one nation fell to communism, then others in the region would also fall, like dominoes.

The USA provided $2 million to fund the Nationalists.

<p>North Korea invaded South Korea because of the bitter hostility between Kim Il-Sung of North Korea and Syngman Rhee of South Korea, and their desire to reunite the country.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The USA got involved in the Korean War to contain communism, protect Japan, and demonstrate its commitment to stopping the spread of communism.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>NK troops took over the majority of SK. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>NK forces fought back against UN forces and regained NK. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>MacArthur ignored UN instructions and openly threatened China. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Stalin died - Chinese and NK felt less confident. (B), Truman was replaced by Eisenhower. (C), Armistice was signed and the border was pretty much the same. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Co-existence was Khrushchev's idea to ease tension with the USA and to co-exist with the West instead of continuing the conflict. He met with Western leaders in 1955 and 1960 to discuss this strategy.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Krushev's attempt to co-exist with the USA failed because he was forced out of power in 1964 by his enemies inside the USSR who had been trying to push him from power for some time.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Deterrence was the idea that the threat of retaliation with nuclear weapons, even the possibility of mutual destruction, would prevent either side from actually using them.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>MAD, Mutually Assured Destruction, was the idea that the two superpowers, the USA and the USSR, had enough nuclear weapons to destroy each other and that this threat of mutual destruction would deter either side from attacking the other.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Fidel Castro was the leader of Cuba from 1959. He led the Cuban Revolution, overthrew the Batista regime, and established a communist government in 1961.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Bay of Pigs invasion was unsuccessful because it was poorly planned, lacked adequate support from within Cuba, and met strong resistance from Castro's forces.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Bay of Pigs Invasion made Castro and Khrushchev suspicious of US policy. It also led to a trade embargo against Cuba and the placement of nuclear missiles in Turkey, intensifying the Cold War and culminating in the Cuban Missile Crisis.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The U2 spy plane was instrumental in discovering the presence of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis because it could fly high enough to take clear photos of the missile sites.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Soviet missiles in Cuba could reach up to 2,000 miles in 20 minutes, covering major US cities.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>After the discovery of the missiles, the US enacted a naval blockade of Cuba, put 146 ICBMs on combat readiness, and moved troops south. These actions brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Kennedy was successful in the Cuban Missile Crisis because he was able to negotiate the removal of Soviet missiles from Cuba, improve his reputation, and resist hardliners in government.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Khrushchev was successful because he kept Cuba safe from American attack and made the US remove missiles from Turkey, which he considered a significant victory for the USSR.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Castro was successful because he maintained control over Cuba's economy and resources, kept Cuba armed and communist, and remained politically powerful for decades.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Kennedy was unsuccessful because he had to remove US missiles from Turkey and accept that Cuba would remain a communist state.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Khrushchev was unsuccessful because he was forced to back down and remove the missiles, a humiliating defeat, he was forced out of power by his enemies inside the USSR, and the USSR still lagged behind in the arms race.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Cuban Missile Crisis had a thawing effect on Cold War relations, resulting in increased efforts to reduce the risk of nuclear war. This included the establishment of a direct hotline between the White House and the Kremlin, and the signing of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963.</p> Signup and view all the answers

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Senator Joseph McCarthy led the 'Red Scare' in the United States from 1950 to 1954, a period of intense fear and suspicion of communist influence. He used unsubstantiated accusations to target individuals and organizations, creating a climate of paranoia and repression.

The domino theory was the belief that if one nation fell to communism, neighboring nations would inevitably follow suit. This theory was fueled by the fall of China to communism in 1949 and was used to justify American intervention in Korea.

The United States provided $2 million to fund the Nationalist forces in China, hoping to prevent the country from falling to communism. However, the communist forces led by Mao Zedong prevailed.

North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950 due to deep hostility between their leaders, Kim Il-sung (North) and Syngman Rhee (South), and a desire to reunite the country. This led to the Korean War.

The United States intervened in the Korean War because President Truman believed in containing communism and preventing its spread. Additionally, the US wanted to protect its interests in Japan and reinforce its stance against the Soviet Union.

The United Nations intervened in the Korean War at the request of President Truman. Truman used his influence to pass a resolution condemning North Korea's actions and committing UN forces to the conflict. This decision was also driven by economic benefits for the United States.

The Korean War began in 1950 with the invasion of South Korea by North Korea. The UN intervened to push back the North Korean forces, reaching the Yalu River border with China. In November 1950, China joined the conflict, leading to a stalemate and peace talks. Fighting continued until an armistice was signed in 1953, leaving the Korean peninsula largely divided.

After Stalin's death, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev sought to ease tensions with the United States, advocating for peaceful coexistence instead of constant conflict. He met with Western leaders in 1955 and 1960 to discuss this approach.

Deterrence was a key strategy during the Cold War. The threat of retaliation with nuclear weapons, especially through the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), discouraged both the US and USSR from initiating a nuclear attack.

Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) was a doctrine that emerged during the Cold War. It meant that if either the US or the USSR launched a nuclear attack, the other would retaliate, leading to the destruction of both countries. This concept created a sense of security by establishing a balance of terror, where the risk of retaliation prevented an attack.

Fidel Castro became the leader of Cuba in 1959, establishing a communist regime in 1961. He took measures to improve the lives of the poor and nationalized American-owned businesses, provoking strong reactions from the United States.

Nikita Khrushchev, leader of the Soviet Union after Stalin, advocated for de-Stalinization and the concept of peaceful coexistence. He sought to reduce tensions with the West, but remained committed to promoting communist ideology.

The Cuban Revolution, led by Fidel Castro, began in 1953 and culminated in 1959 with the overthrow of the dictator Fulgencio Batista. After the takeover, Castro implemented communist policies, nationalized American businesses, and created a crackdown on political opponents, leading to a strained relationship with the United States.

The United States responded to Castro's communist regime in Cuba with various strategies. In 1960, President Eisenhower authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to investigate ways to overthrow Castro, including economic sabotage and propaganda efforts. The US also heavily criticized Castro through the American media.

The Bay of Pigs invasion, a failed attempt by US-backed Cuban exiles to overthrow Fidel Castro in April 1961, was a major setback for the US. Inadequate planning, lack of Cuban support, and Castro's strong military response led to the defeat of the invasion force.

The Bay of Pigs invasion had significant consequences. It demonstrated the US's reluctance to directly confront Castro, fueling suspicion between the US and Cuba. It also emboldened Castro and Khrushchev, leading to the placement of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba.

The U2 spy plane, capable of reaching high altitudes and taking aerial photographs, played a crucial role in the Cuban Missile Crisis. It allowed the US to discover and track Soviet missiles being shipped to Cuba, providing crucial intelligence for the US government.

The Soviet missiles placed in Cuba had a range of up to 2,000 miles, capable of reaching major US cities within 20 minutes. These missiles posed a significant threat to the US and heightened tensions during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

After the discovery of Soviet missiles in Cuba, the US initiated a series of actions, including a naval blockade of Cuba, putting nuclear forces on high alert, and deploying troops to the south. These actions intensified the crisis and brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.

The Cuban Missile Crisis ended with a diplomatic resolution. Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles from Cuba in exchange for the US lifting the blockade and promising not to invade Cuba again. The US also secretly agreed to remove missiles from Turkey. This agreement eased tensions and prevented a potential nuclear war.

President Kennedy's actions during the Cuban Missile Crisis enhanced his reputation. He showed strong leadership by resisting pressure from hardliners in the US government and ultimately reached a peaceful agreement with the Soviets. He also secretly agreed to remove US missiles from Turkey.

Khrushchev was seen as a responsible peacemaker for agreeing to remove the missiles and averting a nuclear war. He also successfully protected Cuba from a potential US invasion and maintained Cuba as a valuable communist ally. Additionally, he secured the removal of US missiles from Turkey.

Castro remained in control of Cuba and continued to control the American companies and resources he seized during the revolution. Cuba continued to serve as a communist base of operations, remaining politically powerful and armed. Castro managed to maintain his political power and solidify his communist regime.

Kennedy, despite averting a nuclear war, faced setbacks during the crisis. He had to agree to remove US missiles from Turkey and accept Cuba's continued status as a communist state. This demonstrated the limits of the containment policy and its inability to fully address the threat of communism.

While Khrushchev avoided a nuclear war and protected Cuba, he was forced to back down and remove the missiles, a humiliating defeat. The USSR remained behind the US in the arms race, and Khrushchev was eventually overthrown in 1964 due to internal power struggles within the Soviet Union.

The Cuban Missile Crisis had several consequences for the Cold War. It led to a thaw in relations between the US and the USSR, with both sides becoming more cautious and willing to take steps to reduce the risk of nuclear war. This resulted in the establishment of a hotline between the White House and the Kremlin and the signing of the nuclear Test Ban treaty in 1963. This crisis also highlighted the Soviet nuclear arsenal's threat to the US, leading to a shift in the Cold War approach where both sides sought to work through proxies instead of direct confrontations.