APUSH (1)
Cold War 1945-1960
Demek
Steve Kim

Was the Cold War inevitable?
- Following World War 2, the Cold War started in the late 1945's. The Cold War was inevitable due to the tension between the two nations, USA and the USSR. The two super powers of the world following the end of the Second World War. Both the USA and the USSR came out of the war with minimal damage compared to the other world power. Great Britain, France, Italy, and Germany were destroyed and very poor, while USA and USSR still had manufacturing and military capabilities. With that in mind the super powers of the world had opposing ideals. At the end of the war they both had different goals and plan in mind. This conflict elevated and soon the east part of Germany; the side controlled by the Stalin put a wall down, known as the Berlin wall. In the end, Berlin wall falls and the Cold War ends when Germany reunites, but the Cold War was inevitable. USA hated Communism and tension between the Russians and the Americans date back to the Bolsheviks Revolution in 1917 when Russia became a Communist nation. The United States did not recognized the Communist government.

Was containment an effective policy to thwart Communist expansions?
- During the Cold War, President Truman adopted a policy known as the containment policy. In 1947 President Truman went before congress with an American diplomat George F. Kennan's ideal as a basis and asked to pass the containment act. Congress approved and gave Truman 400 million to help countries fighting against communism. This new United States policy became known as, Truman Doctrine. America's goal with the new policy was to halt USSR influence around the world. USSR had east part of Europe under their control and the United States wanted the western part of the world communist free. The containment was effective but it was not a 100 percent successful. Vietnam fell to communism and so did Cuba. Part of Korea fell too but, the United States did aid many countries resisting communism.

Should the United States have fought “limited wars” to contain communism?
- Yes the United States fighting and getting involved in wars around the world to stop communism was necessary. A prime example would have been the Korean War in 1950, which was fought to keep communism out. The Korean Peninsula was split between the north and south. The north was supported by the Chinese communism part and the south were anti-communism. Communism was winning the first part of the war until, the United States supported the southern Korean government. If the United States had not supported the south, Korea would be one country and it would be communism. Other wars United States joined to stop the spread of communism was important because of the impact the United States had.

Should the United States have feared internal Communist subversion in the 1950s?
- During the 1950s the United States government was scared of internal Communist subversion, yet the number of American citizens in a communist party was less than 10 percent of the population. In the 1950s, there was 50 thousand American citizens in a communist party out of the 150 million American population. The United States government over reacted and during this era and discriminated many