World War Two

IRON CURTAIN SPEECH

Winston Churchill's "Sinews of Peace" address of 5 March 1946

The phrase "iron curtain" gained popularity as a short-hand reference to the division of Europe as the Cold War strengthened

Churchill talked about how wrong it was that the Russians were occupying European countries

He spoke of all the terrible things that were going on within these countries, and of the threats and dangers of Communism

Churchill also described an "Iron Curtain" which prevented all communication and connection between the Soviets and Europe and which hung around many European countries

The Sinews of Peace address was a speech which attracted a lot of attention from the media

It set the tone for the Cold War

BRETTON WOODS CONFERENCE

Where an agreement was made between 40 nations on July 1-22, 1944 in Bretton Woods in the US and it was about import duties, exchange rates, etc.

Sets rules between business between nations after world war two and how Americans did good after world war two

Significantly, it was a chance to create a stabilizing international currency and ensure financial stability once and for all

Represented nearly all the peoples of the world, has considered matters of international money and finance which are important for peace and prosperity

LYDON BAYNES JOHNSON

American president that comes to power after Kennedy

He was a democrat

Johnson increasingly focused on the American military effort in Vietnam. He firmly believed in the Domino Theory and that his containment policy required America to make a serious effort to stop all Communist expansion

Johnson expanded the numbers and roles of the American military following the Gulf of Tonkin Incident

It was his war between 1963-68 "the end justifies the means"

GEORGE KENNAN

Wrote "Sources of Soviet Conduct" because its the game plan for fighting the Cold War

American adviser, diplomat, political scientist and historian, best known as "the father of containment" and as a key figure in the emergence of the Cold War

He simply wanted to restore the balance of power between the United States and the Soviet Union

TRUMAN DOCTRINE

June 1947, was a program or policy that asked money from congress to help Greece and Turkey and if they don't the communists will get to them

Truman thinks that where ever there is danger of communism that USA will intervene

This doctrine contained communism

The Truman Doctrine signaled America's post war embrace of global leadership and ended its longstanding policy of isolationism

Involved sending $400 million in American money, but no military forces, to the region

The Doctrine was informally extended to become the basis of American Cold War policy

TIANANMEN SQUARE MASSACRE

On June 3 and 4 1989 where people went to tiananmen square to protest because they wanted political change

People's Liberation Army moved into Tiananmen Square on foot and in tanks, firing tear gas to disperse the demonstrators

It has great cultural significance as it was the site of several important events in Chinese history

Chinese troops fired on student demonstrators, killing an estimated 2,000 or more.

Goals: Social equality, economic reform accompanied by political reform, freedom of the press, freedom of speech

BATTLE OF DIEN BIEN PHU

When French are defeated by Vietnam

End of the french phase and beginning of American phase

The French surrendered on May 7th. French casualties totaled over 7,000 and a further 11,000 soldiers were taken prisoner. The following day the French government announced that it intended to withdraw from Vietnam.

For fifty-six days the Vietminh pushed the French forces back until they only occupied a small area of Dien Bien Phu

led to the Geneva Accords, which divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel into communist North Vietnam and pro-west South Vietnam.

GULF OF TONKIN RESOLUTION

March 1964 where American warships claimed that North Vietnam warships torpedoed them

After this, America went all out and attacked North Korea

Historical significance because it gave U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson authorization, without a formal declaration of war by Congress, for the use of "conventional'' military force in Southeast Asia

Used to commit America to war. Previously, America's support to South Vietnam had been in the form of aid and advisors.. Now, ground troops were deployed and air strikes against the North were conducted.

GREAT PROLETARIAN CULTURAL REVOLUTION

1966-76, attempt to get the state and society to work together

Destroys old china

Reorganized education, industry and agriculture

Mao talked about constant revolution

The principle audience was the youth encouraged their "socialist education"

Mao Zedong last attempt to reunify China into a socialist country

MY LAI MASSACRE

The Vietnam War mass murder of between 347 and 504 unarmed civilians in South Vietnam on March 16, 1968, by United States Army soldiers

My Lai was a village of about 700 inhabitants some 100 miles to the southeast of the US base

...