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A news reporter describing one of the crises during the Cold War, 1945-1963 (Berlin Blockade; Korean War; Cuban Missile Crisis). - Junior Cycle History - Question B (iii) - 2013
Question B (iii)
A news reporter describing one of the crises during the Cold War, 1945-1963 (Berlin Blockade; Korean War; Cuban Missile Crisis).
Worked Solution & Example Answer:A news reporter describing one of the crises during the Cold War, 1945-1963 (Berlin Blockade; Korean War; Cuban Missile Crisis). - Junior Cycle History - Question B (iii) - 2013
Step 1
Berlin Blockade: Treat all material up to, and including, the dividing of Berlin into 4 zones in 1945 as 'background'.
Answer
The Berlin Blockade, which lasted from June 1948 to May 1949, was one of the first major crises of the Cold War. After World War II, Germany was divided into four occupation zones controlled by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and the Soviet Union. In 1949, the Soviets blocked all ground routes into West Berlin in an attempt to gain control over the entire city. The Western Allies responded with the Berlin Airlift, a massive operation that supplied food and fuel to West Berlin via air transport. This event heightened tensions between the East and West, solidifying the division of Berlin and marking a significant moment in the early Cold War.
Step 2
Korean War: Treat all material up to, and including, the division of Korea in 1945 as 'background'.
Answer
The Korean War (1950-1953) was a conflict between North Korea, supported by China and the Soviet Union, and South Korea, backed by United Nations forces mainly from the United States. Following Japan's defeat in World War II, Korea was divided at the 38th parallel into two separate governments. In June 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea, prompting a military response from the UN. The war resulted in significant loss of life and the eventual establishment of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which still exists today, symbolizing the division that the Cold War had imposed on the Korean Peninsula.
Step 3
Cuban Missile Crisis: Treat all material up to, and including, the Bay of Pigs Invasion in 1961 as 'background'.
Answer
The Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 was a 13-day confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union over the presence of Soviet ballistic missiles in Cuba. This crisis was rooted in earlier events, such as the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion in April 1961, where U.S.-backed Cuban exiles attempted to overthrow Fidel Castro's regime. The crisis reached its peak when U.S. naval forces blockaded Cuba to prevent further Soviet shipments of military equipment. Ultimately, the crisis was resolved when the U.S. agreed not to invade Cuba and secretly removed its missiles from Turkey, demonstrating the extreme tension and potential for nuclear conflict that characterized the Cold War era.