starter activity

In October 1949, Mao Zedong declared the People’s Republic of China was established. Read about Mao’s life and highlight all the factors that would have increased US hostility towards China. Extension: Things the US would have liked?

Why did Cold Why did Cold War extend to War extend to the Far East?the Far East?To identify the reasons why Cold War To identify the reasons why Cold War

spread to the Far East (1949-53)spread to the Far East (1949-53)To explain the significance of NSC-68To explain the significance of NSC-68

To explain how the USA & China To explain how the USA & China became involved in Korea (1950-3)became involved in Korea (1950-3)

LOs

Why did the US become increasingly involved in the Far East? Read p. 35-9 and bullet point your ideas. You are going to take more details down later, so you should aim to

summarise each section in no more than 10 words.

Your taskYour task Read p.35-9 and complete the table your teacher Read p.35-9 and complete the table your teacher

provides. Which factor was the most important?provides. Which factor was the most important? Arrange the cards your teacher gives into the Arrange the cards your teacher gives into the

same categories.same categories. Which factor was the most important in Which factor was the most important in

explaining why the US became involved in the explaining why the US became involved in the Far EastFar East

Extension taskExtension task Produce a factoid on Senator Joe Produce a factoid on Senator Joe

McCarthy. Include these headings: McCarthy. Include these headings: earlier career, reasons for being so earlier career, reasons for being so suspicious of communism, famous suspicious of communism, famous suspectssuspects

The original, now

‘declassified’ document

In 1950 the National Security Council in the US produced a document for President Truman outlining how Americans could deal with the new threat posed by Communism world wide. Before you read this document complete the following task ….

Cold War role playCold War role play Divide the class into two. Side A are Divide the class into two. Side A are

‘warmongers’. How are you going to ‘warmongers’. How are you going to respond to the threat posed by respond to the threat posed by Communist expansion around the Communist expansion around the world? Side B are conciliators. What world? Side B are conciliators. What steps would you take to avoid increasing steps would you take to avoid increasing tensions between East and West? tensions between East and West? Create an action plan for the US in the Create an action plan for the US in the 1950s according to your view point.1950s according to your view point.

Your taskYour task Read p.40 and take notes on these areas:Read p.40 and take notes on these areas: Aims of the USSR according to NSC-68Aims of the USSR according to NSC-68 Reasons why US needs to change its Reasons why US needs to change its

policy towards the threat of communismpolicy towards the threat of communism Evidence from the report of a hardening Evidence from the report of a hardening

of US attitudesof US attitudes Extension. Read p.41 and explain how Extension. Read p.41 and explain how

Truman’s approach to the growth of Truman’s approach to the growth of Communism did changeCommunism did change

Aims of USSRAims of USSR ‘‘Impose its absolute authority over Impose its absolute authority over

the rest of the world’the rest of the world’ Development of new weapons on Development of new weapons on

mass destructionmass destruction

Reasons for policy reviewReasons for policy reviewNeed to …Need to … Improve defences against threat of all-out nuclear Improve defences against threat of all-out nuclear

warwar Reassure general publicReassure general public Provide rapid US military responseProvide rapid US military response Respond to threat of espionage & internal sabotageRespond to threat of espionage & internal sabotage Protect US economic interestsProtect US economic interests Strengthen foreign anti-Soviet alliesStrengthen foreign anti-Soviet allies Undermine links between USSR and satellite statesUndermine links between USSR and satellite states Raise public awareness of threat of CommunismRaise public awareness of threat of Communism

Evidence of hardening of Evidence of hardening of relationsrelations

World politics interpreted in ‘World politics interpreted in ‘bi polarbi polar’ terms’ terms Increased military spendingIncreased military spending Use of alarmism to promote fear of spread of Use of alarmism to promote fear of spread of

Communism abroad or at home, e.g. Communism abroad or at home, e.g. ‘McCarthyism’‘McCarthyism’

Move from Move from containmentcontainment to ‘ to ‘roll backroll back’ ’ actively undermining ‘relationships between actively undermining ‘relationships between Moscow and satellite countries’Moscow and satellite countries’

Widening terms of Truman doctrine to enlist Widening terms of Truman doctrine to enlist support of foreign countries with US securitysupport of foreign countries with US security

Your taskYour task Study the events of the Korean War. Study the events of the Korean War.

Sequence the maps your teacher Sequence the maps your teacher gives you and briefly explain what gives you and briefly explain what occurred at each stage of the occurred at each stage of the conflict.conflict.

General Douglas

MacArthur(1880-1964)

Border between North and South Korea. Can you work out which is which?

The conference table at Panmunjon where the two sides formally signed a peace treaty. The table is positioned so it lies precisely between North and South Korea.

Your taskYour task Lokk at your notes again and list the Lokk at your notes again and list the

reasons why the US & China became reasons why the US & China became involved in Korean War. involved in Korean War.

Note the reasons why the Korean Note the reasons why the Korean War was a such a key confrontation War was a such a key confrontation in the early Cold War.in the early Cold War.

US involvementUS involvement Response to recommendations of NSC-68 Response to recommendations of NSC-68

and growing fear of communist and growing fear of communist expansionismexpansionism

Growing need for US military support – Growing need for US military support – swift advance of North Korean troops into swift advance of North Korean troops into South KoreaSouth Korea

Aggressive military policy of General Aggressive military policy of General MacArthurMacArthur

Truman’s new policy of ‘rolling back’ Truman’s new policy of ‘rolling back’ CommunismCommunism

Chinese involvementChinese involvement Failure of Soviet aidFailure of Soviet aid Success of UN and US military Success of UN and US military

support for South Korean Armysupport for South Korean Army Threat of nuclear attackThreat of nuclear attack Support for fellow Communist stateSupport for fellow Communist state Fear of Western style government on Fear of Western style government on

borders of new Chinese Republicborders of new Chinese Republic

Importance of KoreaImportance of Korea Threat of use of nuclear weaponsThreat of use of nuclear weapons Extended theatre of Cold War to Far EastExtended theatre of Cold War to Far East Involved USA, USSR & ChinaInvolved USA, USSR & China Test of Truman’s new approach of ‘rolling Test of Truman’s new approach of ‘rolling

back’back’ 11stst open conflict between two ideologies and open conflict between two ideologies and

11stst major international conflict since WWII major international conflict since WWII 6 million US conscripts – foretaste of 6 million US conscripts – foretaste of

VietnamVietnam Showed how UN could be manipulatedShowed how UN could be manipulated

PlenaryPlenary Why were the US both in favour and Why were the US both in favour and

suspicious of Chairman Mao’s suspicious of Chairman Mao’s China?China?

What influence did NSC-68 have What influence did NSC-68 have upon US foreign policy?upon US foreign policy?

Why was Korea a turning point in Why was Korea a turning point in the Cold War?the Cold War?

ExtensionExtension Research the role of Ernest Bevin Research the role of Ernest Bevin

and Vyacheslav Molotov in the and Vyacheslav Molotov in the events of the Cold War. Include events of the Cold War. Include notes on their positions and the notes on their positions and the influence they had on their leaders.influence they had on their leaders.