The Cold War Presidents

http://www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/coldwar/coldwar.html

QCE1g Analyze the origins of the Cold War, foreign policy developments, and major events of the administrations from Truman to present.

Harry Truman

1. Years in Office – Critical Presidential Decisions a. What was the Berlin Blockade? What was Truman’s decision?

b. Where were North and South Korea divided? Who controlled the north? Who controlled the south? What did North Korea do to cause Truman to send troops? What was Truman able to do through the Korean War? Why did he say that it was the hardest decision that he made?

Dwight Eisenhower

2. Years in Office – a. Why did Eisenhower pursue a policy of nuclear deterrence rather than trying to match Soviets in conventional arms? What did the Eisenhower Doctrine give the president the power to do?

b. What was Alger Hiss convicted of?

c. What did Joseph McCarthy claim to have? What was McCarthyism?

d. What office did John Foster Dulles hold? How did he promise to meet Soviet aggression?

John Kennedy 3. Years in Office – a. Who did Fidel Castro support that upset the US? b. Who was Nikita Krushchev? What did he and Kennedy disagree over? What event did it lead to in 1962?

Critical Presidential Decisions c. Cuban Missile Crisis What did the CIA give Kennedy that caused concern? What did Kennedy decide to do? What did the Soviets do in response? Why did the ‘world hold its breath’?

Lyndon Johnson 4. Years in Office - a. Moreso than seeing Vietnam as a Civil War, Johnson saw Vietnam as what? Which side did the US support? b. Why did Johnson decide not to seek reelection?

Richard Nixon 5. Years in Office – a. Who was Nixon’s security advisor? What were 3 things they did to help the US in the Cold War? b. What did the policy of détente mean? Critical Presidential Decision c. What was Nixon’s first bold step to accomplish détente? d. What two things did Nixon hope to do at this meeting?

Gerald Ford

6. Years in Office –

Jimmy Carter

7. Years in Office – Ronald Regan 8. Years in Office - a. What did Regan think would reverse Soviet expansion? What were two things Regan did, despite considerable opposition? b. What did Regan and Gorbachev do at the Washington summit? What did Regan tell Gorbachev? Critical Presidential Decisions c. What did Regan promise to do in his 1980 campaign? What was SDI? How did the Soviets feel about it? What did Regan decide to do with it?