Cold War Essay

DBQ Outline Intro Paragraph · Background/Context: The Cold War was a state of political tension after World War II between the Eastern bloc countries and Western bloc countries. Cold War took a significant place in between 1947 to 1991 which the two most powerful countries, United States of America and Soviet Union, were competing with each other over spreading the rule and showing off their arms without killing people. After the World War II, people in different countries started to think about who bears more responsibility for starting the Cold War, United States or USSR. · Three-point thesis: The United States of America bears more responsibility for starting the Cold War because it built up military powers and prepared for

In June 1950, 90,000 soldiers from the communist Korean People’s Army crossed the 38th Parallel into South Korea. The most important reason for a military response from the US was the document NSC 68, which stated that they must meet communism wherever it arises. Due to this document, it was the US assumption that the invasion on South Korea was not a Civil War due to the events in Korea, and the permanent divide in 1948. However, there was also US domestic policies, and Truman’s fear of being accused of being ‘soft on communism,’ as well as the US based organisation, the UN, which was a new institution, which Truman had to support. Furthermore, containment in Europe and Asia and the

Offner, Arnold, "Provincialism and Confrontation: Truman’s Responsibility" in Major Problems in American Foreign Relations, Volume II.

Ethan David Cold War Responsibility During WWII, the Soviets crushed the Nazi’s leaving only the United States and Soviet Union as world powers. The US had also dropped weapons of mass destructions on Japan, leading to the withdrawal of Japan from WWII. Europe was also destroyed as a result of WWII, leading to the United States attempting a recovery plan, the Marshall Plan. The Soviet Union and its allies were more responsible than the United States for starting the Cold War because the Soviets threateningly attempted to convert many democratic countries into communist nations by the influence of such a large country (Russia), and the continued threat of attack by increasing weapon number and potential, also with mobilizing and building up

In 1961 President John F Kennedy put together a doctrine, which altered from President Eisenhower’s one. It was to “Respond flexibly to communist expansion, especially guerrilla warfare.” (Roskin & Berry, 2010, p. 58) It was a time when the Cold War was at its height and nuclear weapons a mass threat and source of power. This doctrine was aimed at using alternative means before opening into combat. This, in light of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, it succeeded in doing.

Efforts to unify Korea resulted in more than 100,000 deaths due to guerilla warfare. In April 1950, North Korean leader Kim II Sung persuaded Joseph Stalin to back an invasion of South Korea, convincing Stalin that the United States would not intervene. Stalin agreed to provide arms, equipment, and advisors to the North Koreans (“Korean War”). Kim II Sung did not stop there as he also persuaded the newly communist Chinese to aid the North Koreans. The Korean War, (June 25,1950 – July 27, 1953), occurred when over 75,000 North Korean Army invaded the land across of the 38th parallel. American president Harry Truman was feeling heat after “letting China fall”, so Truman ordered American troops into action on South July, the United Sates entered the conflict on South Korea’s behalf. The next three years would be the darkest and most horrific in Korean history. As seen in American reporter Bill Shinn’s account, “the North Koreans were gruesome…during the occupation of South Korea, they killed over 165,000 civilians. Also, I witnessed a South Korean mass execution of civilians suspected of having helped the communists. Korea was a mess” (“The Forgotten War Remembered: Korea, 1950-1953). This shows the depths of the horror that was perpetrated in Korea for three years.

This was known as the Truman Doctrine. This meant that if a Capitalist country (South Korea) was being attacked, it was America's duty to give military and economic aid. In addition, the United States would fear the “domino effect” this was where communism/USSR would take over one country after another. Also Mao had won the Chinese Civil War by 1949 and China had become communism. This led the people to believe that America was weak and could stop communism. This would of lead to America having to prove themselves by not only pushing back communism, but getting close to

Before the summer of 1950 could begin North Korea has aggressively defeated and man handled South Korea. The more and more these countries fought, the more tensions flared and the communist was getting better control. President Harry S. Truman didn’t like the fact that the Communist were acting out of order and wanted to put an end to this “New World Order.” President Truman made a public statement June 27, 1950, that the United States would enter the conflict to mitigate communist rule under the measures recommended by the United Nations.

Between the Cold War, North and South Korea’s desire to control their own land, and the threat of nuclear warfare, along with death rates plummeting and truces only resulting in endless attacks, the Korean War was inevitable.

During the period of the Cold War the United States became involved in global affairs to control areas that seemed dangerous by modernizing and providing economic aid with the hopes of containing communism. In 1947 the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan confirmed the US commitment to keeping Europe free from communism. Then the United States signed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization agreement in April 1949 confirming American willingness to go to war if necessary to protect democracy from communist challenges. The events of 1949, when the Chinese communists emerged victorious from their civil war and the Soviet Union detonated its first atomic bomb, seemed to confirm to the United States that communism was expansive and aggressive. By 1950, the Cold War had become pervasive both at home and abroad. In foreign policy terms the United States had proclaimed itself as the only major protection against communist expansion. In five short years the world had transformed dramatically. Harry S. Truman quickly made his mark as President and quickly turned cold warrior. President Truman proclaimed that the United States should act as the leader of an international moral crusade against an evil and aggressive foe, meaning the Soviet Union. Korea was not explicitly part of the United States sphere on interest. In the post-war era American policy makers saw the world as bi-polar with the ensuing Cold War becoming

According to Robert, without Korean War there would be a huge difference in the world’s history. In addition to that Robert also stated “the Korean war shaped the course of the cold war by both resolving the incoherence which characterized U.S. foreign and defense efforts in the period 1946-1950 and establishing important new lines of policy”(1980). The Korean War led to the changes of policy through three processes in changes on the domestic political situation, defense budget and NATO. The domestic policy changes let the leader of the country to do whatever they wanted to do before (Robert,

As the Second World War came to a close and American and Soviet forces marched into German territory, both states understood that shortly thereafter their common foe would be defeated and their relationship very well could deteriorate. Even prior to the United States’ entrance into the war, media companies and state officials themselves spoke out against the “evils” of communism, though that rhetoric was put on hold as the Soviet Union and America fought alongside one another against the Axis powers. As Rider points out, while “the U.S. propaganda apparatus was almost totally dismantled” at the war’s end, Truman still “wanted to ensure that ‘other peoples receive[d] a full and fair picture of American life,’” which became the basis for the substantial psychological war both the Soviets and Americans engaged in throughout the Cold War. While a considerable amount of attention in historical academia has been given to the proxy wars, space race, and arms build-up both states took part in, parallel to said competitions were those at the Olympics. Rider did an excellent job of exploring the role of sports, athletes, and particularly the media in the propagandist battle both states waged, discussing the numerous individuals, various committees, and notable confrontations between the USSR and the USA in the realm of sports.

Truman was also given an armed forces analysis report called NSC 68 on the the Soviet Union, the UN recommended the US to increase its military spending in order to keep up with the Soviet Union. Lastly, Soviet Union interference in Greece and Turkey made it impossible for Truman not to intervene with a “war torn” Europe. Truman knew he had to aid European countries in order to ward off the spread of communism. The Truman Administration was well aware that they were under an enormous amount of pressure not to appear weak when it came to communism. This is why when the opportunity arose and South Korea was being Invaded, Truman took action and declared that “the US would oppose Communist armed invasion and war.” Truman was determined not to lose another country to communism. On June 27th Truman gave a statement about his concerns with the spread of communism, In it he made it seem as though the Invasion of South Korea had been part of China and ultimately the Soviet Unions plan to spread communism throughout Asia . Though the US was going to make military action against the invasion of South Korea, Truman made sure to reiterate that the US was doing so under the decision of the

In the post World War II era, a war arose between the Soviet Union and the United States, but in reality there was never really any documented fighting between the two nations, thus spawning the catch phrase "Cold War." Even though both countries were ready to go to war at the blink of an eye and almost did, the powers-that-be never got the nerve to authorize a nuclear war that would have made World War II look like child's play. This was a war fought in the political ring, and was also a war that did not start at the end of World War II, this war started during the war against Hitler and lasted for forty more years before peace became predominant over the crumbling Soviet Union. Many events occurred in this political

The irrational fear of Soviet invasion gripped our country for over 35 years. That fear led to the upper echelons of authority making decisions, which would create a feeling of near hysteria throughout the public. Americans feared that the Soviets were planning some nuclear attacks on the States, and were frightened by the thought that the Soviets might have a lead in the arms race. The words “race” and “gap” came to be used everyday when referring to anything the Soviets created, and Americans felt that the “gap” which kept America on top of the arms “race” needed to remain a “gap”. With our submarines constantly finding new ways to tap into Soviet intelligence, it seemed that America did, in fact, have the upper hand.