what the ‘Red witch hunt’ was in the US;
when the Korean War broke out and how it proceeded;
what the Cuban Missile CrisisCuban Missile Crisis was, and why it is said that in 1962 the world was on the brink of nuclear war.
The post‑World War II division of the world into two blocs – the Western centered around the United States, and the Eastern of the Soviet Union – began a period called the Cold WarCold War. At that time, both blocks developed their military potentials and enlarged their arsenals (arms racearms race). Communist countries spread propagandapropaganda everywhere, informing about their peaceful intentions and the threats from American imperialism. In the US, on the other hand, there was a widespread fear of an invasion by communists and a conviction of their influence on many areas of life. The whole society began to look for real as well as imaginary enemies and spies. The period of the so‑called ‘Red witch hunt’ began, whose victims were often innocent people.
The first area of clashes between the East and the West was the war in Korea in 1950–1953. One side was the army of communist North Korea supported by ‘Chinese volunteers’ (actually the regular Chinese army) as well as equipment and advisors from the USSR. The other was the army of South Korea supported by the UNUN forces or, in reality, by the American army under the command of Gen. MacArthur. Despite its brutal course and numerous offensivesoffensives, the war did not provide any solutions, leaving the Korean Peninsula divided along the 38th parallel.
Another ‘hot’ conflict of the Cold War was the so‑called Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. Cuba, control over which was assumed by the communists in 1959, underwent radical reforms which led to breaking off relations with the United States and rapprochement with the USSR and China. American attempts to overthrow Fidel Castro, Cuba’s dictator, failed. He began to develop the country’s military potential by placing, in its territory, Soviet ballistic missiles capable of reaching the US. This led to the blockage of the island and the threat of a global conflict. The world stood on the brink of nuclear war. Eventually, the crisis was solved and the war was averted. As a result, Leonid Brezhnev replaced Nikita Khrushchev, who had been considered to be too ‘soft’.
Explain why the phenomenon of seeking communist influence in entertainment and public life was defined as „the hunt for the red witches”.
Match the terms to the definitions.
the common name for the tension that overtook the world after the end of World War II as well as the division of the world into spheres of influence and their rivalry, an international organization, successor to the League of Nations, the political crisis between the US and USSR of 1962 caused by the deployment of ballistic missiles by the Russians in Cuba, which could threaten the American territory, intentional actions supposed to lead to specific behaviors and views, a violent attack on an opponent in order to breach their defenses and penetrate into their army or territory, a common term for the events of the post-war period, in which the United States and the USSR competed with each other in military development and expansion of arsenal, a term for the system prevailing in the countries of the Eastern bloc dependent on the USSR, in which the real power of the people was to reign
Cold War | |
Propaganda | |
UN | |
Offensive | |
People’s democracy | |
Arms race | |
Cuban Missile Crisis |
Explain why the takeover of the capital city by the enemy is an important element of fighting.
Recall who general Douglas MacArthur was.
Keywords
Cold War, propaganda, UN, arms race
Glossary
Zimna wojna – potoczna nazwa napięcia jakie zapanowało na świecie po zakończeniu II wojny światowej (1947‑1991) oraz podziału świata na strefy wpływów i ich politycznej, militarnej i ideologicznej rywalizacji. Trwała do momentu rozpadu ZSRS w 1991 r.
Propaganda – celowe działania, które mają doprowadzić do określonych zachować i poglądów. Służy ona do upowszechnienia dogodnych informacji dla nadawcy. W języku potocznym synonim kłamstwa i manipulacji.
ONZ – Organizacja Narodów Zjednoczonych – organizacja międzynarodowa, następczyni Ligii Narodów, powstała w październiku 1945 r. Jej głównymi celami są zapewnienie pokoju i bezpieczeństwa międzynarodowego, rozwój współpracy między narodami oraz promocja przestrzegania praw człowieka.
Ofensywa – gwałtowne uderzenie w przeciwnika, mające na celu przełamanie jego obrony i wdarcie się w głąb jego wojska lub terenu.
Demokracja ludowa – określenie ustroju panującego w krajach bloku wschodniego zależnego od ZSRS, w którym miała panować rzeczywista władza ludu.
Wyścig zbrojeń – potoczne określnie dla wydarzeń okresu powojennego, w którym Stany Zjednoczone i ZSRS konkurowały ze sobą na polu rozwoju militarnego i powiększaniu arsenału zbrojnego.
Kryzys kubański – kryzys polityczny między USA a ZSRS z 1962 r. spowodowany rozmieszczeniem przez Rosjan na Kubie pocisków balistycznych mogących zagrozić terytorium amerykańskiemu.
Radio Wolna Europa – rozgłośnia radiowa utworzona w 1949 r., z siedzibą w Monachium i finansowana przez Kongres Stanów Zjednoczonych. Jego misją było promowanie wartości demokratycznych oraz dostarczanie prawdziwych i rzetelnych informacji do krajów za żelazną kurtyną.