Brinkmanship Containment Name Event Year Policy HoW/Why? Detente Glasnost Revolution
Cuban Missile Crisis In October of 1962 the Soviet Union deployed nuclear missiles in Cuba. The United States blockaded Cuba and demanded that the missiles be withdrawn. For 13 tense days it looked like Pres. Kennedy was willing to go to war with the Soviets to get the missiles removed. The crisis was resolved when Russia blinked first and agreed to withdraw the missiles in exchange for lifting the blockade and America agreeing to withdraw missiles from Turkey. First Soviet Atomic Test The United States had possessed a monopoly in nuclear weapons for four years after the end of the Second World War. However, the Soviet Union s scientists were at work developing their own. In September 1949, Russia created its first nuclear device and successfully tested it. It showed that it was willing to use it as well thus beginning the nuclear stand-off which was to characterize the Cold War for the next 40 years. Berlin Wall Constructed By 1961 thousands of people were fleeing communist East Germany for the democratic West Berlin every day. America wanted to stop communism from spreading into West Germany but was not going to war to free East Germany and Berlin. To prevent people from fleeing into free West Berlin, in August 1961 the Soviets built a wall dividing the two halves of the Berlin and trapping the residents there. Berlin Wall Demolished With Soviet control over Eastern Europe breaking down, thousands began fleeing to the west through the newly opened border between Hungary and Austria. The East German Government was unable to stem the popular uprising and protests began all over East Germany and Berlin. A revolution began and within three weeks the Berlin Wall was destroyed in November 1989. The Korean War The Korean War began when the armed forces of communist North Korea invaded South Korea across the 38th parallel in June 1950. The Truman Doctrine stated that America would aid any area fighting to stop the spread of communism. America led a UN force to help South Korea. Three years later the war ended where it had begun after forces from the South Korea and the United States had fought North Korean and Chinese troops to a stalemate. The U 2 Incident In May of 1960 an American U 2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union. The U.S. denied the true purpose of the plane, but was forced to tell it when the U.S.S.R. produced the living pilot and the largely intact plane to corroborate their claim of being spied on aerially. The incident brought America and the Soviet Union closer to the brink of war and was a great embarrassment for the United States.
The Marshall Plan The Marshall Plan was America s plan to rebuild the allied countries of Europe, and repel communism after World War II. Named for Secretary of State George Marshall, the plan was in operation for four years beginning in July 1947. During that period $13 billion in assistance were given to help the recovery of the European countries but only if they rejected communism. Nixon Visits China In 1972, President Nixon made the first visit to China and was the first step in improving relations between the United States and the People's Republic of China. It also marked the first time a U.S. president had visited the China, which had considered the United States one of its biggest enemies. Richard Nixon traveled to Beijing, Hangzhou and Shanghai and helped ease Cold War tensions. Perestroika Perestroika is the Russian term for the economic reforms introduced in June 1985 by the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Its literal meaning is "restructuring", referring to the restructuring of the Soviet economy. It allowed more openness and freedoms, making the Soviet Union slightly more of a free market, capitalist economy. The Bay of Pigs Invasion In 1961, the United States planned and funded an unsuccessful invasion by armed Cuban exiles in southwest Cuba in an attempt to overthrow the government of Fidel Castro. This action accelerated a rapid deterioration in Cuban-American relations and showed that the US was willing to go to the brink of war to end communism.the invasion is named after the Bay of Pigs, where the landing took place. It is known in Cuba as Invasión de Bahía de Cochinos or Playa Girón. The Rosenberg Are Spies! Julius Rosenberg and Ethel Rosenberg were American Communists who received international attention when they were found guilty in 1950 of conspiracy to commit espionage for passing information on the American atomic bomb to the Soviet Union. America obviously wanted to keep its bomb making secrets from ever spreading out from the US, especially to the USSR. They were both executed in the electric chair on June 19, 1953. The SALT Treaties The Strategic Arms Limitation Treaties were talks and treaties between the Soviet Union and the United States on the issue of weapons control. There were two rounds of talks and agreements: SALT I and SALT II. In 1972, SALT I froze the number of strategic ballistic missile launchers at existing levels. SALT II was a second round of talks between the U.S. and the Soviet Union that lessened the manufacture of nuclear weapons. SALT II was the first nuclear arms treaty which resulted in reductions in weapons on both sides. It showed an easing of tensions between the 2 old enemies.
Name 1. Place the following events in correct order from first (1) to last (4). The Bay of Pigs Invasion The Rosenbergs are convicted of spying for the Soviet Union President Nixon visits China. An American U-2 spy plane is shot down over the Soviet Union. 2. Place the following events in the correct box based on whether it was good or bad for America: U-2 Incident Cuban Missile Crisis SALT Treaty Marshall Plan Bay of Pigs Invasion Soviet Atomic Test Successful for America Bad for America 3. For each event, give the name of the corresponding president above. He visited China. He guided America through the Cuban Missile Crisis His Doctrine was to contain communism. He was president when the Vietnam War ended. He was president during the Bay of Pigs invasion. He was gave money to Europe through the Marshall Plan.
Brinkmanship Containment Name Answer Key Event Year Policy HoW/Why? The Marshall Plan 1947 US gives financial aid to stop the spread of communism First Soviet Atomic Test 1949 America wanted to stop the Soviets from getting an atomic bomb, but this test proved that it had one. The Korean War 1950 The US went to war to stop communism from spreading into South Korea. The Rosenbergs are Spies The U-2 Incident Berlin Wall Constructed 1953 1960 1961 America wanted to contain its secrets from communism as well and the Rosenbergs were accused of leaking info to the Soviets. America was spying on the Soviet Union with U-2 planes, showing it was willing to go further than just contain communism. The Soviet Union installed a wall to keep people from fleeing into West Berlin, escalating the tension of the Cold War. Bay of Pigs Invasion 1961 Cuban Missile Crisis 1963 1972 Nixon visits China The SALT treaties 1972 Detente America showed it was willing to invade a country to end communism with this failed mission that brought us closer to war. The ultimate example of going to the brink of war when the US discovered the Soviets building nuclear missiles in Cuba. By visiting a communist country, Nixon shows that tension is lowered in the Cold War. Agreements to lessen the number of nuclear weapons show an easing of tensions. Perestroika 1985 Glasnost Economic reforms to help repair the Soviet economy showed more openness and freedom. Berlin Wall Demolished 1989 Revolution Soviet control of Eastern Europe was breaking down and people rebelled.
Name Answer Key 1. Place the following events in correct order from first (1) to last (4). 3 The Bay of Pigs Invasion 1 The Rosenbergs are convicted of spying for the Soviet Union 4 President Nixon visits China. 2 An American U-2 spy plane is shot down over the Soviet Union. 2. Place the following events in the correct box based on whether it was good or bad for America: U-2 Incident Cuban Missile Crisis SALT Treaty Marshall Plan Bay of Pigs Invasion Soviet Atomic Test Successful for America Bad for America Marshall Plan Cuban Missile Crisis SALT Treaty U-2 Incident Bay of Pigs Invasion Soviet Atomic Test 3. For each event, give the name of the corresponding president above. Nixon He visited China. Kennedy He guided America through the Cuban Missile Crisis Truman His Doctrine was to contain communism. Nixon He was president when the Vietnam War ended. Kennedy He was president during the Bay of Pigs invasion. Truman He was gave money to Europe through the Marshall Plan.