Preview

Cold War

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1837 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Cold War
The Cold War, 1949-1963

25.1 American Commitment to Cold War: National Security Council Document 68
1. How NSC-68 influenced America's response to Communist North Korea's invasion of South Korea in June 1950 and to Communist expansion in Southeast Asia in the 1960s. The NSC-68 called for military assistance programs that would meet the requirements of our allies. Since South Korea was an ally, we assisted them in repelling the invasion of another communist nation. This help for South Korea meant that a communist nation would be weakened and therefore possibly cripple a potential ally for the Soviet Union. Also, South Korea would then respond to a call for aid if the Soviet Union ever attacked America.

2. The implications of NSC-68 for military spending by the United States and its allies. The NSC-68 stated that "budgetary considerations will need to be subordinated to the stark fact that our very independence as a nation may be at stake." This meant that no matter how much it cost to build up our military, it would be done in order to protect our nation. Also, the rebuilding of European economies and defenses in order to try and contain Russian expansion without armed conflict, lead to the help of European powers having to return the favor of having their economies rebuilt with helping the United States in the Cold War.

3. The implications of the call for "covert actions" in NSC-68. Covert actions in the NSC-68 implies that the United States was not ready for another war so soon after World War II. Also, the Soviet Union had developed atomic weapons, which meant that the Soviet Union could cause mass destruction in the United States. However, America was unwilling to allow the communist nation of the Soviet Union to expand and gain enough power to crush the United States. So the government decided to use covert operations which would hurt their economy and cause unrest in the Soviet Union.

25.2 American Public Opinion and the Korean War,

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The NSC concluded that a substantial increase in military funding was necessary and that funds would come from an increase in taxes and reduced funding in other areas. The declaration of defensive nuclear arms should not be made until it was absolutely sure that the objective of the US and its allies could be attained without war (NSC-68). The initial reaction to NSC-68 was one of strong opposition. Many US officials disagreed with the recommendations made in NSC-68. The opposition was lead by Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson, and Soviet expert George Keenan (History).…

    • 1319 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In 1950 the United States entered a new type of conflict. Fearing the influence of Communism was spreading out of control following the end of World War II the United States determined to follow a policy of containment. The United States felt it was important to limit communism to the areas that it had already affected and not allow it to spread. When North Korea with the approval of the Soviet Union invaded South Korea to reunite the country under Communism the United Nations decided to step in with the United States acting as the major contributor of military force. President Truman did not ask for a declaration of war from Congress, only the authority to intervene and limit the spread of Communism.…

    • 279 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    No longer possessing an edge over the Soviet’s, Truman ordered a reexamination of US foreign policy and objectives by the Departments of State and Defense. The National Security Council also began an assessment of the global threat with the intention of updating NSC-20, a series of reports regarding containment overseen by Kennan. Eventually the two groups merged with Nitze chairing the review, and the resulting report was NSC-68. (Nitze & Drew, 1994)…

    • 1726 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Cold War Fears DBQ Essay

    • 1227 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Harry S. Truman has now his terms as president. A new president has stepped up to the plate, President Dwight D. Eisenhower. However, Eisenhower needs to pick up where Truman had left off. He has to keep the country stable and deal with foreign policies. But, Eisenhower needs to face another issue at hand. With the Cold War going on, Americans are starting to fear the aftermath of the Second World War. From things like the Red Scare to the spread of communism in weak, poor countries, Eisenhower has a big responsibility that he must handle. With current situations, if Eisenhower does not respond to the fears of the American people, he will have difficulties with internal affairs rather than external affairs. The aftermath of the Second World War made Americans shiver because of the fear of a frontal assault, communism, and arms race. President Eisenhower had a mixed levels of responses to each individual fear.…

    • 1227 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    1945-1960 Dbq Essay

    • 772 Words
    • 4 Pages

    During the cold war from 1945 to 1960, America’s role in the world and identity changed as the United States grew into a world power and became increasingly involved in foreign affairs in order to contain the spread of communism. Spending on the military and defense also increased as America began sending aid to non-communist countries which had a large impact on the US economy. The US was fearful of a communist conspiracy like that of the first red scare after world war one and as the arms race intensified because of soviet developments such as the atomic bomb and Sputnik, more funding went towards developing superior weapons and technology including NASA and the hydrogen bomb. The United States was leaving the old policy of isolationism behind…

    • 772 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    APUSH DBQ S Since 1995 1

    • 529 Words
    • 3 Pages

    2001 – What were the Cold War fears of the American people in the aftermath of the Second World War? How successfully did the administration of President Eisenhower address these fears? 1948-1961…

    • 529 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    had embargoed Japan and cut off their oil supply even though the U.S. could have profited greatly from those sales, further adding to the bias of the United States towards the Allied Powers in Europe. These American-supported wars on different continents continued after World War 2 into the Cold War. After the end of World War 2, Korea was split into North Korea supported by the Soviet Union, and South Korea by America. The U.S. had created NSC 68 to bolster its defenses and curb Soviet expansion. Outlined in this plan was the “ attempt, and accept the risks inherent in it, to bring about order and justice by means consistent with the principles of freedom and democracy.”…

    • 1083 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    When the Cold War was brought into an election, naturally it was discussed in terms of America. Sometimes foreign policy issues were decisive factors in the outcome of the vote, showing their relevance in American lives. Even so, this did not always mean these issues directly related to the rest of the world. The quoted interpretation is strong in its recognition of the America-centric view in translating domestic policy into foreign policy. However, this does not mean America had an inaccurate perception of the Cold War. On the contrary, the Cold War ultimately was defined by the United States’ perspective on the war, and more specifically, the issues on which its…

    • 982 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    After WWII the main country that the United States had to be watchful of was the Soviet Union. If President Truman did not implement the containment policy the Soviet Union could have spread all over Europe. The U.S .knew that they could not trust the Soviet Union. We can see this today with the events unfolding in Ukraine. This containment policy was criticized by the press but it was needed. Although it caused a lot of weapons being developed on both sides and stockpiles as well it caused a boomtown in defense businesses. Since this time in history we have seen time and time again that Soviet Union will try to arise and take over a country and the Unites States and Europe have to stand up against the Russians.…

    • 358 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    cold war

    • 1737 Words
    • 7 Pages

    -Few had thought of the downside costs. Enormous V8 engines needed lots of fuel, which…

    • 1737 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The Truman administration introduced the policy of containment, based on the work of George F, Keenan. Within his Anonymous - X article Kennan suggested three policies the U.S. should adopt in order to accomplish the 'containment' of the Soviet Union. Kennan recommended that the first goal should be the restoration of the balance of power within Europe. According to Kennan, the ultimate goal of U.S. foreign policy should not be the division of the World into Soviet and American Spheres of influence. Instead, U.S. foreign policy should aid the establishment of independent centres of power in Europe and Asia and also encourage self - confidence in nations threatened by soviet expansion through economic and military aid.…

    • 1803 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Cold War

    • 1066 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Between 1941 and 1949, the Soviet Union and the United States, capitalists and communists had a major disagreement about political affairs. From the Red Scare, to the Bolsheviks Revolution, communism fright has spread around the US. The United States wanted to spread capitalism and decrease communism, while the Soviet Union wanted the opposite. Both sides used several methods and/or tactics to stop the spread of the opposite political view. These methods used by the United States and Soviet Union increased tension and suspicion between the two countries. Creations and arrangements of many conferences and actions taken by either side led to the Russian and American alliance to be broken and suspicion and tension led to a long lasting Cold War.…

    • 1066 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    the cold war

    • 1073 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Between 1910 and 1969 church membership in the United States increased from including 43% of the population to 69%. During these decades the United States faced many issues a whole, most notably the Cold War. In the chapter four of the Culture of the Cold War, Stephen J. Townsend portrays the significance Communism played in the incredibly fast spread of religion during the Cold War, creating a country united through belief in a higher power. This unity was shown through the actions of Billy Graham, Francis Cardinal Spellman, and President Eisenhower during the Cold War.…

    • 1073 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    cold war

    • 1675 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The growing fear of the spread of communism throughout the World during the Cold War era resulted in the United States making brash and misguided decisions stemming from the values of the containment policy. This era was marked by concern that other nations, especially those in the Western Hemisphere, would fall to Soviet influence, and additionally, that there were communist supporters within the United States, potentially in government offices. Americans became increasingly suspicious of anyone with communist ties or interests, past or present, and the government began to take further involvement in the affairs in other nations that seemed at risk to leftist revolts. This compromised the rights and privacy of many innocent Americans, and crossed into the sovereignty of other nations. During the Cold War, America compromised it’s fundamental values and at the expense of it’s own citizens and in the affairs of other nations to increase tension in this era.…

    • 1675 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Cold War and Communism

    • 435 Words
    • 2 Pages

    References: Archer Productions, Inc. (2001, March 10). Duck and Cover (1951) [Video file]. Retrieved from archive.org website: http://archive.org/details/DuckandC1951…

    • 435 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays