Transcript At the end of World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union

Chapter
27
The
Cold
War
Era
“At the end of World War II, the United
States and the Soviet Union entered
into a bitter rivalry. Each side tried to
gain allies and prove that its systemdemocracy and free enterprise or
communism – was better.”
TAJ
Section 1
Cold War Origins
February 1945, the “Big Three” Allied leaders met at Yalta (a Soviet port on
the Black Sea)- to discuss the fate of the postwar world.
Franklin D.
Roosevelt
Winston Churchill
Joseph
Stalin
Yalta Agreement- Soviet Union agreed to enter the war against Japan. In
return, the Soviets received some territories in Asia.
Roosevelt and Churchill feared Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and the
Spread of communism. Stalin wanted to keep a large area of land between the
Soviet Union and its potential enemies to the west.
“They want to force us to accept their plans on Europe and the world.
Well, that’s not going to happen.” –Joseph Stalin to one of his aides
Allies agreed to divide Germany into four zones until elections
could be held to determine its future.
Britain
Soviet Union
Roosevelt and
Churchill were
encouraged- looking
toward a peaceful
postwar world.
France
Stalin agreed to allow free
elections in occupied
Eastern Europe and to
cooperate in planning for
the new international
organization proposed by
the U.S. and Britain.
Their hopes
went
unfulfilled.
United States
President died April 12, 1945- He was succeeded by Harry S. Truman
“When they told me yesterday [of
Roosevelt’s death], I felt like the moon,
the stars, and all the planets had fallen
on me.”
-Harry S. Truman
One of his first decisions as
President was to go on with the
meeting to form the new
international organization
discussed at Yalta.
June 26, 1945: San Francisco, CA-
50 nations- including the
Soviet Union- signed the
charter creating the United
Nations (UN)- formed to settle
disputes between nations and prevent
future wars.
Soviet Union leader Joseph Stalin- broke his promise of holding
free elections in Eastern Europe. Set up a communist
government and Soviet forces remained in the region.
Growing distrust between
Soviet Union and Western
nations.
Europe split into 2 camps-
Soviet-controlled Communist
governments of the East and the
capitalist democracies of the West.
Winston Churchill felt this was a permanent
division between the East and the West.
In a speech in Fulton, Missouri, he
said an “iron curtain” had descended
on Europe.
Civil War raged on in Greece as Communist rebels armed by the Soviet Union tried to
overthrow the Greek King and his pro-Western government. Pressure was put on
Turkey to give the Soviet Union naval bases leading to the Mediterranean Sea.
Policy of Containment
Truman Doctrine
George E. Kennan (American diplomat
and expert on Soviet culture)
U.S. would try to “contain” Soviet
expansion in areas that were of
strategic importance to the U.S.
(Western Europe and Japan- and later
other areas) through military and
Proposed by
President Truman
to help nations
threatened by
communism and
soviet expansion.
non-military means
“I believe that it must be the policy of
the United States to support free
peoples who are resisting attempted
subjugation [conquest] by armed
minorities of by outside pressures.”
Congress voted to give military and economic aid to Greece and Turkey to hold back
Soviet threat.
Truman Doctrine
Marshall Plan
George Marshall (U.S. Secretary
of State) proposed a plan to
provide “massive economic aid to
Europe.” He saw Western Europe
as an area that was strategically
important to the United States.
After Congress approved the
plan, it became a vital part of
the policy of containment.
Contributed almost $13 billion to
help rebuild the countries of
Western Europe.
Crisis in Berlin
German capital, Berlin
(located deep within
Soviet-controlled East
Germany) had been
divided among the 4
nations (U.S., France,
Britain and Soviet Union).
June 7, 1948;
U.S., Britain and
France united
their zones to
form a new West
German republic.
(Each of the nation’s
section of Berlin
would be included in
the republic.)
June 24, 1948- soviet troops
positioned themselves around
the edge of West Berlin.
Berlin Blockade
Stopped all traffic on all highway, railroad and
water routes through East Germany to West
Berlin. Its 2 million citizens were cut off from
needed supplies.
President Truman
organized an
airlift to save the
city, (American
and British planes
flew food, fuel and
other supplies to
West Berlin.)
Berlin Airlift
Airlift continued day and night for
more than 10 months.
Stalin realized that the Western
powers were not leaving the city and
ended the blockade.
In October 1949, the division of Germany became official:
The Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and
the German Democratic Republic (East Germany)
Crisis in Berlin showed the U.S. and the Soviet Union were
locked in a Cold War- where 2 enemies don’t actually fight,
but intimidate each other by building up military forces and
arms. European nations began to take sides.
The U.S. and Western European nations felt the Soviet Union
could best be contained through mutual defense.
North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO)
An agreement, signed between the United
States, Canada and 10 Western European
nations.
Stated that “an armed attack against one or
more of the member nations shall be
considered an attack against all.”
NATO countries created a large military
force.
Warsaw Pact
Mutual defense treaties
that established an
alliance between Soviet
Union and Communist
governments of Eastern
Europe. (Done in
response to NATO.)
Europe was divided into 2 armed
camps.
1950- The NSC (National Security Council) sent
out a report known as the NSC-68 that said the
United States must actively . . .
“foster the seeds of
destruction within the
Soviet Union.”
Fight communist movements wherever they
arose. The U.S. was committed to combat
the spread of communism throughout the
world.
As the cold War grew in Europe, nations in other parts of the world were
changing.
1946- Philippines gained
independence from the
U.S.
Late 1940’s- Asian
countries (India, Pakistan,
Burma) broke away from
the British Empire.
Jews and Arabs both
claimed Palestine (an area
that had been under British
control).
1947- United Nations proposed dividing Palestine into independent
Jewish and Arab states. Jews accepted the plan, Arabs didn’t. After
declaring its independence, the new Jewish state of Israel was created.
Arabs attacked Israel, in the first of 6 major battles between the Arabs and Israel.
The most threatening change
of the postwar period was in
China. Mao Zedong formed a
new Communist state, the
People’s Republic of China.
With communists
in control of
mainland China,
the Soviet Union
had a powerful
ally in Asia.
Section 2
Postwar
Politics
Nation’s economy had to adjust to
peacetime life. Industries shifting from war
goods back to consumer goods.
Truman’s Fair
Deal
Plan of domestic reforms that would: Raise
minimum wage, expand Social Security
benefits, increase federal spending to create
jobs, build public housing, create system of
national health insurance.
inflation
Did not pass congress
Workers seek
higher wages
Taft-Hartley Bill
Introduced by Congress to limit
actions workers could take against
their employers.
Union members and their leaders called it
a “slave labor bill”
Truman vetoed it, but Congress overrode his veto.
1944, congress passed the Servicemen’s
Readjustment Act- Better known as the GI Bill of
Rights.
Gave unemployment and health benefits for GI’s
Election of 1948
Truman appeared to be the
underdog.
Unpopular with many
Americans because of
economic problems and
lack of success in getting
passage of domestic
reforms.
Divisions within the
Democratic Party Southern
Democrats (State’s Rights
Democratic Party or
Dixiecrats) nominated
Strom Thurmond, liberal
Democrats (Progressive
Party) nominated Henry
Wallace.
Thomas Dewey was the
Republican nominee.
Some were so sure Truman would be defeated- a
Chicago newspaper printed the headline “Dewey
Defeats Truman” before all the votes were in.
Truman was victorious!
Truman reintroduced the Fair Deal legislation. Although congress defeated most
of the measures, they did raise minimum wage, expand Social Security
benefits for senior citizens and provided funds for housing for low-income
families.
President Truman took a stand on civil rights,
declaring:
“We shall not, however, finally
achieve the ideals for which this
nation was founded so long as any
American suffers discrimination as
a result of his race, or religion or
color, or the land of origin of his
forefathers.”
He ordered the armed forces to
desegregate.
“Every segment of our population
and every individual has a right to
expect from our government a fair
deal.”
Section 3
The Korean War
“Before June 1950, few Americans knew much
about Korea, a small east Asian country located on
the Korean Peninsula west of Japan. In 1945
Korea was a colony of Japan. At the end of World
War II, Japan was stripped of its territorial
possessions. The United States and the Soviet
Union both sent troops into Korea and agreed to
occupy it temporarily. They divided the peninsula
in half along the 38th parallel of latitude, with the
soviets controlling North Korea and the Americans
controlling south Korea.” TAJ
The two nations could never agree on how to unify
Korea. When they removed their troops the
country stayed divided. Tensions remained high.
“Mr. President, I have very serious news. The North
Koreans have invaded South Korea.” -Secretary of State
Dean Acheson in a phone call to President Truman (June 24, 1950)
North Korea was trying to unify
the country by force.
They crossed the 38th parallel
into south Korea.
Within days, Communist
forces had taken control
of Seoul, South Korea’s
capital city.
Truman called for “police action” to
carry out the American policy of
containment.
United Nations sent forces to help defend South Korea under
direction of the United States.
Truman appointed General Douglas MacArthur to command the
UN forces.
United State’s goal was to push the North Koreans back
over the 38th parallel.
Gen. MacArthur led American
troops in on June 30th. By
the end of 1950, other
countries were sending in
troops to help.
China intervened, the goal of
U.S. changed. Truman and
MacArthur clashed over
military strategy.
Seoul
By September 1950, North
Koreans had pushed all the
way to the southern tip of
the Korean Peninsula. Only a
small area around Pusan was
still controlled by the South
Korean Army.
UN forces pushed northward
from Pusan. North Koreans,
caught in the middle of UN forces
advancing from Seoul and Pusan,
were forced to retreat north
across the 38th parallel.
General MacArthur urged Truman to order an invasion of
North Korea. New goal was a “unified, independent and
democratic Korea.”
The Yalu River
forms the
border
between which
2 countries?
Who
controlled
Seoul in
January 1951?
When was
Pusan ever
under North
Korean control?
China warned that if the UN forces continued to invade North
Korea, China would intervene.
MacArthur thought it was a bluff
and continued.
Thousands of Chinese troops
came in and launched an attack
on the UN forces. UN forces
retreated back across the 38th
parallel. Communists
recaptured Seoul.
UN forces launched a counter
attack and recaptured Seoul.
The war became a stalemate
(lasted almost 2 years.)
American Leaders Clash
President Truman
wanted to negotiate an
end to fighting.
General MacArthur wanted UN forces to attack
China. (Invade the country or bomb troops
stationed in North Korea.)
MacArthur felt he was being kept from doing his job. He complained to
Congress, “We must win. There is no substitute for victory.”
Truman fired General MacArthur, stating: “If I allow him to defy the
civil authorities in this manner, I myself would be violating my oath
to uphold and defend the Constitution.”
Negotiations began in July 1951
Talks went on for 2 years before a ceasefire agreement signed July 27, 1953
(during presidency of Dwight D.
Eisenhower)
Agreement created a demilitarized zone*
between North and South Korea – about
1 ½ mile on either side of the 38th
parallel.
*A region where military forces could not enter
EFFECTS:
NO VICTORY
LITTLE CHANGE IN
TERRITORY
More than 54,000 Americans died in the
war (103,000 wounded)
Nearly 2 million Koreans and Chinese
died
North and South Korea devastated
GREAT LOSSES
The war sent the message to the Soviet Union that “The United States
was committed to fighting Communist expansion with money, arms, and
even lives.” -TAJ
Section 4
The Red
Scare
The Cold War
“intensified Americans’
fears of communist
subversion, or
sabotage.” -TAJ
Red Scare
Many worried that
Communist spies or their
“sympathizers”- those
friendly with Communists or
“Reds” had penetrated all
levels of American society
and were trying to weaken
the government.
This fear dominated politics
for years.
When Truman was
accused of being too
easy on Communists,
he ordered security
checks to check the
loyalty of millions of
government workers,
and FBI investigations
of thousands.
McCarran Act- Required all Communist organizations to
register with the government and provide a list of members.
The House Un-American
Activities Committee (HUAC)
investigated Communist
subversion.
Investigated the film industry
(several screenwriters and
directors went to jail for refusing
to answer questions about their
political beliefs.)
Film companies made blackliststhose whose loyalty were
suspicious- were barred from
Hollywood’s film industry.
“Are you now or have you ever
been a member of the
Communist Party?”
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
were the focus of the most
dramatic spy case to come
before the HUAC.
This couple, who were
members of the Communist
Party, were accused of passing
secret information about the
atomic bomb to the Soviet
Union.
Although they claimed their innocence until the
end- and said they were being persecuted
because of their political beliefs- they were
convicted and sentenced to death.
Senator Joseph McCarthy dominated
the hunt for Communists from 19501954.
Attacked many government workersaccusations- publicly alleged that they
were communists (declared without
proof).
McCarthyism: Ruined reputations of
many. Many lost their jobs.
McCarthy’s downfall came when he started investigating the
United States Army and these televised hearings were seen
by the public.
Joseph Welch, U.S. Army attorney said:
“Until this moment, Senator, I think I never really gauged
your cruelty or your recklessness. . . . Have you left no
sense of decency?”
“It’s okay – We’re
hunting communists.”
October 31, 1947
“You read books, eh?”
April 24, 1949