APUSH QUESTIONS PERIOD 8 (1945-1980)
What was the purpose of the Truman Doctrine / What were the main impacts of the
Truman Doctrine
● Designed to contain communism and prevent it from spreading to new territories
● Made to support Greece and provide military and economic help during its civil war,
which served as a proxy war for the US
● Support Turkey in its resistance of the USSR and control the Dardanelles, which was a
strategic waterway
● Created to fill the support that Britain was no longer able to maintain
● Framed the Cold War as a choice b/w freedom and democracy and totalitarianism
● Officially ended isolationism and the Monroe Doctrine and Washington’s farewell
address
● Put the US in a position to be the international policeman which would affect its
involvement in proxy wars in Korea and Vietnam
● Hardened the Iron curtain b/w the USSR and the Rest of Europe
● Around $400 million sent out in financial aid to Greece and Turkey
● Served as a pathway to the formation of NATO
What was the purpose of the Marshall Plan / What were the main impacts of the Marshall
Plan
● Gave $13 billion to Europe as an aid to recover their infrastructure from WW2
● US leaders thought that poverty and hunger were the leading causes for communist
parties emerging in Italy and France
● Designed to Jump start the European economy so the US could resume exporting goods
● Encourage European nations to unite economically and help each other recover
● Expand US soft power and the US reputation as a benevolent nation rather than a
ruthless global police
● Industrial production in Europe rose by 35% by 1952 and Europe was growing faster
economically than ever before
● Communism declined as the economy improved
● The USSR and its satellite countries did not participate which solidified the Iron
Curtain
● Led to the spread of American culture and western organization throughout all of
Europe
● The USSR created COMECON in response to the Marshall plan
,What was the purpose of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO / What were the
main impacts of NATO
● Created a unified defense in that if one nation was attacked all members would be
considered attacked as stated in Article V
● Designed to discourage the USSR from invading Europe, essentially acting as a tripwire
● Extended Americas nuclear protection to all members of NATO
● Prevented the Remilitarization of West Germany, and slowly reshape them into a
controlled military
● Solidified the Alliance against the Eastern Block of Europe
● Created a clear separation b/w Eastern communism and Western Democracy
● The USSR created its own military alliance with its eastern European satellite nation
in the Warsaw Pact of 1955
● Opened the door for the US to build huge permanent military bases throughout Europe
● Created a standard for military equipment, ammunition and communication
● Forced smaller nations to pick a side which would set the stage for the cold war
What was the purpose of the Warsaw Pact / What were the main impacts of the Warsaw
Pact
● Triggered by the remilitarization of Germany and its membership into NATO in 1955
● Used NATO as a template, stating that an attack in one member is an attack on all
● Fueled the formation of the USSR into one single country
● Created a buffer zone in between Europe and the USSR
● Ensured all Eastern European armies were using standardized Soviet equipment
when it came to militaristic means
● Showed the world that the Soviet Socialists were in no way inferior to the Capitalist
Nato
● Worked alongside COMECON to utilize the economy for the Soviet’s needs
● Strengthened the Iron Curtain, now militarizing it
● Used its Military to often attack its own members as in the Prague Spring and
Hungarian Revolution in Czechoslovakia and Hungary respectively
● Escalated the arms race against NATO
● Wasn't fool proof as proved when Albania left the USSR b/c it wasn't communist
enough
Korean War
What is the significance of the 38th parallel
, ● Political and geographical barrier b/w the communist Soviet North and the
Democratic American South
● When North Korean Forces crossed this line, the Korean War officially began
● The Demilitarized zone (DMZ) is roughly on the line today
● Remains a symbol of the cold war and frozen conflict that still hasnt ended
Why does communist China secretly enter the Korean War
● China were afraid that South Korea would be a bridge for and American invasion of
China
● When MacArthur and the American forces neared the Yalu River, China felt that it
was territorially in danger
● Hid Volunteers in the mountains to surprise the UN
Why did President Harry Truman fire General Douglas MacArthur
● Violated the principle of civilian control over the military by publicly disagreeing
with the president's policies
● Truman was afraid that if MacArthur attacked China, than they would ally w/ the
USSR and start a global nuclear war
● MacArthur's statements made the US look divided and unstable to the rest of NATO
How did the Korean War end from the United States perspective
● Ended in the ceasefire and not a formal treaty
● Overshadowed by WW1 (Note: Likely intended WW2) and later the Vietnam War
● US maintained troops in the DMZ
The Vietnam War
Who is Ho Chi Minh (O Che Min)
● Vietnamese Nationalist who wanted independence from French rule
● Founded the French Communist Party and thought that communism was best to
achieve liberty
● Declared independence for Vietnam in 1945, quoting the US declaration of
Independence
What was the purpose of the Gulf of Tonkin resolution
● Vietnamese Torpedo boats attacked the USS Maddox on the Gulf of Tonkin
● Gave president Lyndon Johnson the authority to do anything necessary to repel any
attack directed at the at the US
What was the purpose of the Truman Doctrine / What were the main impacts of the
Truman Doctrine
● Designed to contain communism and prevent it from spreading to new territories
● Made to support Greece and provide military and economic help during its civil war,
which served as a proxy war for the US
● Support Turkey in its resistance of the USSR and control the Dardanelles, which was a
strategic waterway
● Created to fill the support that Britain was no longer able to maintain
● Framed the Cold War as a choice b/w freedom and democracy and totalitarianism
● Officially ended isolationism and the Monroe Doctrine and Washington’s farewell
address
● Put the US in a position to be the international policeman which would affect its
involvement in proxy wars in Korea and Vietnam
● Hardened the Iron curtain b/w the USSR and the Rest of Europe
● Around $400 million sent out in financial aid to Greece and Turkey
● Served as a pathway to the formation of NATO
What was the purpose of the Marshall Plan / What were the main impacts of the Marshall
Plan
● Gave $13 billion to Europe as an aid to recover their infrastructure from WW2
● US leaders thought that poverty and hunger were the leading causes for communist
parties emerging in Italy and France
● Designed to Jump start the European economy so the US could resume exporting goods
● Encourage European nations to unite economically and help each other recover
● Expand US soft power and the US reputation as a benevolent nation rather than a
ruthless global police
● Industrial production in Europe rose by 35% by 1952 and Europe was growing faster
economically than ever before
● Communism declined as the economy improved
● The USSR and its satellite countries did not participate which solidified the Iron
Curtain
● Led to the spread of American culture and western organization throughout all of
Europe
● The USSR created COMECON in response to the Marshall plan
,What was the purpose of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO / What were the
main impacts of NATO
● Created a unified defense in that if one nation was attacked all members would be
considered attacked as stated in Article V
● Designed to discourage the USSR from invading Europe, essentially acting as a tripwire
● Extended Americas nuclear protection to all members of NATO
● Prevented the Remilitarization of West Germany, and slowly reshape them into a
controlled military
● Solidified the Alliance against the Eastern Block of Europe
● Created a clear separation b/w Eastern communism and Western Democracy
● The USSR created its own military alliance with its eastern European satellite nation
in the Warsaw Pact of 1955
● Opened the door for the US to build huge permanent military bases throughout Europe
● Created a standard for military equipment, ammunition and communication
● Forced smaller nations to pick a side which would set the stage for the cold war
What was the purpose of the Warsaw Pact / What were the main impacts of the Warsaw
Pact
● Triggered by the remilitarization of Germany and its membership into NATO in 1955
● Used NATO as a template, stating that an attack in one member is an attack on all
● Fueled the formation of the USSR into one single country
● Created a buffer zone in between Europe and the USSR
● Ensured all Eastern European armies were using standardized Soviet equipment
when it came to militaristic means
● Showed the world that the Soviet Socialists were in no way inferior to the Capitalist
Nato
● Worked alongside COMECON to utilize the economy for the Soviet’s needs
● Strengthened the Iron Curtain, now militarizing it
● Used its Military to often attack its own members as in the Prague Spring and
Hungarian Revolution in Czechoslovakia and Hungary respectively
● Escalated the arms race against NATO
● Wasn't fool proof as proved when Albania left the USSR b/c it wasn't communist
enough
Korean War
What is the significance of the 38th parallel
, ● Political and geographical barrier b/w the communist Soviet North and the
Democratic American South
● When North Korean Forces crossed this line, the Korean War officially began
● The Demilitarized zone (DMZ) is roughly on the line today
● Remains a symbol of the cold war and frozen conflict that still hasnt ended
Why does communist China secretly enter the Korean War
● China were afraid that South Korea would be a bridge for and American invasion of
China
● When MacArthur and the American forces neared the Yalu River, China felt that it
was territorially in danger
● Hid Volunteers in the mountains to surprise the UN
Why did President Harry Truman fire General Douglas MacArthur
● Violated the principle of civilian control over the military by publicly disagreeing
with the president's policies
● Truman was afraid that if MacArthur attacked China, than they would ally w/ the
USSR and start a global nuclear war
● MacArthur's statements made the US look divided and unstable to the rest of NATO
How did the Korean War end from the United States perspective
● Ended in the ceasefire and not a formal treaty
● Overshadowed by WW1 (Note: Likely intended WW2) and later the Vietnam War
● US maintained troops in the DMZ
The Vietnam War
Who is Ho Chi Minh (O Che Min)
● Vietnamese Nationalist who wanted independence from French rule
● Founded the French Communist Party and thought that communism was best to
achieve liberty
● Declared independence for Vietnam in 1945, quoting the US declaration of
Independence
What was the purpose of the Gulf of Tonkin resolution
● Vietnamese Torpedo boats attacked the USS Maddox on the Gulf of Tonkin
● Gave president Lyndon Johnson the authority to do anything necessary to repel any
attack directed at the at the US
