Name: Madison Coleman
Assignment 4
Follow the Guidelines sheet that is posted on Blackboard.
“Berlin’s Bookends” – Edited by Roger Vance
1. What does Kennedy believe the Berlin Wall to be? [1]
- President Kenndey believes the Berlin Wall to be an obvious symbol of failure for the communist system. The
wall is an offense to history and humanity, since it divides the people and controls them.
2. Reagan mentions three examples of Glasnost or the new openness that Moscow allowed (even though he is dubious
they reflect true change). What are they? [1.5]
- President Reagan highlights three examples of Soviet change:
o East Berlin released some political prisoners.
o Moscow began allowing foreign broadcasts to not be jammed.
o The East permitted some economic enterprises to operate with freedom and not state control.
2. If Gorbachev really wants to advance freedom and peace, what does Reagan demand he do? [1]
- Reagan demands the Gorbachev open the gate and tear down the Berlin Wall.
“Why We Went to War in Vietnam” – Michael Lund
3. Summarize and list the three older interpretations or characterizations of the Vietnam War. Do not just copy the
whole paragraph. (FYI: Most scholars would agree that elements of all three are accurate; the debate is over
which one to focus on.) [3]
- There were three older interpretations of the Vietnam War:
o The first interpretation is that the Vietnam War was an unjust attempt at stopping a positive
Vietnamese uprising. An uprising that promoted Vietnamese liberation and had driven French
colonialism out of the country. It was seen as cruel and unjust, to promote that you support the people
only to crush their chance at freedom. Especially since the USA has a past in imperialism and
colonialism.
o The second interpretation describes the Vietnam War as a forfeit, a war lost by scared policymakers
and a one-sided media. The war was lost due to politicians bowing their heads to the anti-war
movement, since they were scared to lose power.
o A third interpretation is more for scholars and those who study foreign affairs. They view the
Vietnam War as a terrible mistake by those in power. Politicians exaggerated the influence of
communism. They were too absorbed with abolishing it to analyze if war was the right move. Those
in power underestimated the power of nationalism as well, as the Vietcong would not backdown and
would not lose their country.
4. “The emerging scholarly synthesis interprets the war in the global context of the Cold War... In this view,
Vietnam was neither a crime, a forfeit, nor a tragic mistake. It was a proxy conflict of the Cold War. [.5]
5. How was the Cold War different from the two World Wars? [1]
- The Cold War never had military conflict, or war, on either side. It was fought through economics, arm races,
propaganda, and proxy wars.
6. According the Johnson Administration memo, what was the important US objective in Vietnam? [1]
- In the memo, Assistant Secretary of Defense John McNaughton acknowledged that the most important
objective for the US was credibility. It was important to keep our reputation as the world’s police.
7. What did the assassination of Ngo Dinh Diem lead to for the US? [1]
- The assassination caused anarchy in Vietnam, which lead to US involvement. The US was responsible.
8. The Tet Offensive in ’68 was very frustrating to Americans, yet it was a major military setback for North
Vietnam. True or False? [.5]
- False, as the Tet Offensive was extremely detrimental to the North.
9. “Of the three great powers that intervened in IndoChina... the Soviet Union gained the most.” Explain what they
gained. [1.5]
- The Soviet Union gained many things. They gained an ally on China’s border and reinstated itself as a leader
of international Marxism-Leninism. The Soviet Union also gained a base former base at Cam Ranh Bay that
became the largest military installation outside of Eastern Europe.
10. The USSR soon had its own humiliating long conflict that it could not win; it took place in Afghanistan. [.5]
11. What are the three major “proxy wars” of the Cold War? [1.5]
- The three proxy wars of the Cold War were:
o The Vietnam War.
o The Soviet War in Afghanistan.
o The War in IndoChina.
o There were also proxy wars that began as civil wars. These took place in Vietnam, Laos, and
Cambodia.
12. What two major nations were supplying North Vietnam and helping them fight (such as proving pilots)? [1]
- The two major nations suppling Vietnam were China and the Soviet Union.
13. Why were American politicians holding the military back and not invading North Vietnam? [1]
- American politicians were concerned with Chinese and Soviet intervention if the US invaded.
“How the East was Won” – Dinesh D’Souza
14. The invasion of Grenada signaled the end of the Brezhnev Doctrine. What was this Doctrine? [1]
- The Doctrine was a declaration that if a country turns communist it would stay communist. This meant the
Soviets would not lose territory to the West.
15. Because the Socialist/Communist system was ultimately flawed economically and lead to internal weakness, the
USSR had to depend on their military for power. [.5]
16. What “weapon” did Reagan feel was the most powerful in America’s arsenal? [.5]
- Reagan believed that America’s men and women’s free will and courage was our greatest weapon.
17. What was Reagan’s goal when he started the largest-ever military buildup? [1]
- Reagan’s goal when starting the 1.5 trillion-dollar military buildup was to pull the Soviets into an arms race
they would not win.
18. What was the Reagan Doctrine? [1]
- The Reagan Doctrine permitted US military and material support be provided to foreign resistance
movements struggling to overthrow Soviet-funded tyrannies.
20. Even though criticized, why did Reagan support the SDI (Star Wars) Program? (Other than it contributing to
bankrupting the USSR). [1]
- Reagan defended the SDI program, as he stated he would no way not guarantee his people protection from
nuclear war.
21. According to Soviet politician Ilya Zaslavsky, who was the true originator of perestroika and glasnost? [.5]
- Illya Zaslavsky said the true originator was Ronald Reagan, and not Micheal Gorbachev.
22. What was the ultimate result from the reforms Gorbachev initiated to try and strengthen the Communist system? [.5]
- The ultimate result was that Gorbachev realized what he tried to eradicate was actually essential to Communism.
23. Why is the summit at Reykjavik considered the turning point in the Cold War? [1.5]
- The summit was the turn point for the Cold War because Gorbachev realized he only had two choices.
Gorbachev could continue an arms race he knows his nation could not win, or enable the Soviet economy to be
prosperous just as other countries were.
24. The INF Treaty was the first to eliminate a class of weapon, but it was also the “first stage in Gorbachev’s surrender in
the Cold War.” [.5]
25. Gorbachev’s greatest achievement was that he did not use force to prevent..... [1]
- Gorbachev’s greatest achievement was that he did not use force to prevent uprisings, protest, or revolutions
against him.