Transcript Chapter 19: Powerpoint

Cold War
1945-1989
Origins

Cold War arose from competing ideologies
and goals between the United States and
the Soviet Union following WWII.
United States
-Democracy
-Capitalism
-Self-Determination
VS.
Soviet Union
-Communism
-Socialism
-Domination of
Eastern Europe
1945
As WWII ended, U.S. tensions with the
Soviet Union increased.
 Although the two fought together, their
differences seemed irreconcilable.
 Additionally

– The U.S. was upset Stalin had signed nonaggression pact with Hitler.
– Soviets were bitter that they suffered most in
WWII.
Differences at Yalta
Tensions were evident at the Yalta Conference (FDR, Stalin, and
Churchill)
 Stalin wanted Germany to pay severe war damages; FDR refused.
 Stalin wanted to retain control of Poland.

At Yalta, Germany was partitioned into East and West Germany.
West Germany became democratic after a few years of U.S.,
British, and French occupation. East Germany remained under
the domination of the Soviet Union and did not adopt
democratic institutions.
United Nations
April 25, 1945
Created a body for
the Nations of the
World to try to
prevent future global
wars.
Truman takes Control
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When FDR died in 1945, Harry Truman was unprepared for
the Presidency.
FDR hadn’t involved Truman in foreign policy discussions.
Potsdam Conference
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Truman first met Stalin at the Potsdam Conference.
Stalin thought Truman weak and inexperienced.
Renewed his demand for war payments from Germany and
more control over Eastern Europe.
American Perspective of Europe
The United States wanted to avoid the way WWI
ended, with harsh punishment and economic
stagnation.
 Hoped Europe would be open to democracy and
economic opportunity.

Soviet View of Europe
The USSR hoped to establish satellite nations, countries
subject to Soviet domination, in Eastern Europe.
 Wanted to spread communism throughout the world,
opposed capitalism.
 Stalin installed or supported totalitarian Communist
governments throughout Eastern Europe.

Soviet Takeover of Eastern Europe

In the years immediately after WWII, the Soviet Union
took control over most of Eastern Europe.
– Albania and Bulgaria
– Czechoslovakia
– Hungary and Romania
– East Germany
– Finland and Yugoslavia
The Iron Curtain


Winston Churchill stated that “an iron curtain has descended across
the Continent”.
The “iron curtain” metaphor was used throughout the Cold War to
symbolize the global divide.
Containment
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The Cold War assumed that the communist Soviet Union and the
capitalist United States could not permanently coexist, one must
eventually give way to the other.
America adopted the policy of containment, containing the spread of
communism.
Some thought this too moderate and demanded action; taking back
Eastern Europe.
The Truman Doctrine
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In 1947, the U.S. stepped in to
support and financially assist
Greece and Turkey, who were
struggling against Soviet
control.
Truman stated, “it must be the
policy of the U.S. to support
free peoples who are resisting
attempted subjugation
(conquest)”.
Set a Cold War standard- The
U.S. wouldn’t directly fight the
USSR, but would aid countries
who were.
Section 2: Cold War Heats Up

As the Soviet Union acquired nuclear weapons and
gained increasing control in Eastern Europe, the tension
of the Cold War rose.
Marshall Plan
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The U.S. was worried that an
impoverished Europe would
turn toward the Soviet Union
and communism for help.
Passed the Marshall Plan,
giving Western Europe more
than $13 billion in aid, grants
and loans.
Truman wanted it named
after Secretary of State
George Marshall, a popular
man, so that Republicans
would agree to give the aid.
Marshall
Plan
Europe lay in
ruins. U.S.
launched the
Marshall Plan
which provided
massive financial
aid to rebuild
European
economies and
prevent the
spread of
communism.
Germany and Berlin
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In 1948, the Western Allies
combined their portion of
Germany into a single unit,
West Germany, a democracy.
East Germany then became
a communist state.
Berlin lay within the Soviet
zone.
Berlin was divided, East
Berlin belonged to East
Germany, West Berlin to
West Germany.
Berlin Airlift
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In 1948, Stalin placed a
blockade around West
Berlin, banning all Allied
access to West Berlin.
Opposed both to war and
giving up West Berlin,
Truman decided to
implement an airlift.
Flew supplies into West
Berlin for 15 months,
before the Soviets finally
gave up the blockade in
1949.
NATO
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The United Nations wasn’t fully effective because the
Soviet Union frequently vetoed all of its efforts.
In 1949, a new organization was formed to defend
Western Europe against Soviet attack, the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
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U.S.
Canada
Belgium
Britain
Denmark
France
Iceland
Italy
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Norway
Portugal
Warsaw Pact
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The Soviet’s response to NATO was to form their own
alliance, the Warsaw Pact.
An alliance with its satellite nations in Eastern Europe.
A World Divided: Map
Soviet Atomic Threat

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By 1949, the USSR had
developed their own atomic
weapon.
Truman supported the
creation of an even more
powerful weapon, the
hydrogen (thermonuclear)
bomb.
The U.S. tested the first
hydrogen bomb in 1952.
China Falls to Communism
WWII had forced Chinese
Communists (led by Mao
Zedong) to cooperate with
China’s national government
(Jiang Jieshi).
 After the war, Mao Zedong
turned on the government
and took control of China.
 In 1949, Mao proclaimed the
creation of a Communist
state, the People’s Republic
of China.

Cold War at Home


Fears of Communism
sparked a red scare, an
anti-Communist crusade
throughout American
society.
Accusations of being a
Communist, or
sympathizer, ran wild and
often violated Americans’
reputation and civil
liberties.
The Loyalty Program
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Truman started an
investigation of all of all
federal employees in
1947.
Those accused of
disloyalty were brought
before a Loyalty Review
Board.
Of several million
employees examined, only
a few hundred were
actually removed, yet the
accusations damaged
many reputations.
House of Un-American Activities
Committee: HUAC
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The HUAC was formed in 1938, before WWII, but began
a postwar investigation of Communist infiltration.
The HUAC attacked the Hollywood movie industry, which
was said to be sympathetic to Communism and the
USSR.
Hollywood Ten
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The HUAC called some of
Hollywood’s prolific writers,
directors, and actors to testify.
Asked if they were or had ever
been members of the
Communist Party, many tried
to make statements but were
denied permission.
On this denial of Constitutional
rights, ten of the accused
declined to answer questions.
They were held in contempt of
court and sentenced to six
months to a year in jail.
McCarran-Walter Act
Senator Pat McCarran believed most disloyal
Americans were immigrants.
 On his urging, Congress passed the McCarranWalter Act in 1952.
 Discriminated against regional immigrants.
 Truman vetoed it, calling it “one of the most unAmerican acts I have ever witnessed”

– Congress passed the bill over the President’s veto.
Alger Hiss
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Alger Hiss was a high-ranking State Department worker.
Accused of being a Soviet spy.
In 1950, he went on trial for espionage and was
convicted of lying to the jury.
– Went to prison for four years
– Case was controversial, and the publicity contributed to
widespread public suspicion.
The Rosenbergs
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Julius and Ethel
Rosenberg, a married
couple and members of
the Communist Party were
accused of passing atomic
secrets to the Soviets
during WWII.
Both were convicted of
espionage and executed in
1953.
Section 3: The Korean War

Often called America’s forgotten war, the Korean War was
the American support of South Korea in their war against
communist North Korea.
Dividing Korea

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During WWII, Korea was ruled
by Japan.
At the end of the war, the
Allies agreed on a temporary
solution for Korea…
– Soviet troops accepted Japanese
surrender north of the 38th
parallel.
– American troops accepted
Japanese surrender south of the
38th parallel.

The division was not meant to
be permanent, but temporarily
divided the country.
Division

Soon…
– A pro-American government formed in South
Korea.
– A communist regime was established in North
Korea.

Occupying forces, Soviets and Americans,
withdrew from the regions in 1948 and 49
Summer of 1950: N. Korea Invades
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Many Koreans wanted the
countries to be reunited.
In June 1950, North
Koreans crossed the 38th
parallel in hopes of
reuniting Korea by force.
The U.S. assumed this act
of aggression was
organized by the USSR
and feared the spreading
of communism,
particularly in the wake of
China’s fall to
communism.
UN Police Action
Truman went to the UN, where he gained
approval to define North Korea as an
aggressor and deploy UN troops to defend
South Korea.
 Truman immediately ordered troops into
action.
 Although the UN was the acting force in
the war, the U.S. made up 80% of the
troops.

General Douglas MacArthur
General Douglas MacArthur, leader of WWII’s Pacific
Theater, was placed in command in Korea.
 MacArthur assumed N. Korea’s quick advance had
stretched them too thin.
 He initially attacked at Inchon in northwestern S. Korea,
attacking enemy lines from behind.

Northern Advancement
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MacArthur’s strategy
worked, UN troops
pushed the N. Korean
forces back quickly.
UN troops began to claim
the reunification of Korea
was near.
China did not want a proWestern nation neighbor
and warned the UN
troops to stop advancing.
MacArthur ignored the
Chinese.
“Home by Christmas”
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In November, 1950,
MacArthur announced his
“Home by Christmas”
offensive.
He planned to drive enemy
troops across the North
Korean border into China at
the Yalu River and win the
war.
However, the Chinese
poured in by the masses to
stop the offensive and
pushed the UN forces all the
way back to S. Korea.
MacArthur Fired
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A stalemate occurred, neither side could advance.
MacArthur wanted to open a second front of war by attacking the
Chinese.
– Truman refused
– MacArthur criticized Truman
– Truman fired MacArthur
Welcomed home as a hero, told the crowd “old soldiers never die, they
just fade away.”
Stalemate/Conclusion

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Post-MacArthur, the war
continued to drag on for
another two years, into
Dwight Eisenhower’s
presidency.
Finally, in 1953, a truce
was signed, leaving Korea
divided at almost exactly
the same place as before
the war, the 38th parallel.
Effects of Korean War
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54,000 Americans were
killed and 103,000
wounded in Korea,
changing little or nothing.
This frustrated Americans,
who wondered what they
had fought for.
The era expanded the
military-industrial complex,
increased the number of
U.S. troops permanently
deployed throughout the
world.
Today
North and South Korea
remain divided today.
 North Korea is still
communist, led by Kim
Jong-il, and a perceived
enemy of the U.S.
 South Korea is a
democracy and an ally of
the U.S.
 Last year, N. Korea
attacked S. Korea in what
has been called one of
the worst clashes since
the Korean War.

Section 4: The Continuing Cold War
Joseph McCarthy
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U.S. Senator from
Wisconsin
Began a “witch hunt” of
Communists within the
government.
His style of false accusation
and smear tactics became
known as McCarthyism.
His reckless accusations
sparked national fear and
anti-Communist hysteria.
McCarthy’s Rise to Power
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First term in U.S. Senate was unremarkable.
He needed a platform to define himself for reelection; chose
to attack Communism.
In a famous speech he said, “I have here in my hand a list of 205
(people) who are known members of the Communist Party who are still working
and shaping policy at the State Department.”
– These inflammatory remarks earned him early support and
reelection.
McCarthy
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With new power, he became
chairman of an investigations
subcommittee.
Simply being accused by
McCarthy caused people to
lose their jobs and/or
reputations.
Other senators began to fear
that speaking out against
McCarthy’s unfounded
accusations might brand
them as a Communist
sympathizer.
Army-McCarthy
McCarthy’s early power made him increasingly reckless
in his accusations.
 In April 1954 he charged that even the U.S. Army itself
had been infiltrated by Communists.
 The Army-McCarthy hearings were televised intentionally
so that the public could witness McCarthy’s true colors.

McCarthy’s Fall
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The hearings lasted for
weeks, and the public was
shocked and upset with
McCarthy’s bullying tactics
and baseless accusations.
Losing almost all support, he
was censured by the Senate
later that year.
He died just 3 years later, in
1957, from liver failure due
to alcoholism.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Republican Dwight D.
Eisenhower became
President in 1953.
 Eisenhower generally
followed Truman’s policy
of containment.
 Wanted to avoid war with
USSR at all costs.
 When several Eastern
European countries
revolted in the 1950s,
Eisenhower looked on as
the USSR crushed the
rebellions.

Stalin’s Death
In 1953, Joseph Stalin died abruptly.
 Major Soviet leaders for the remainder of Cold War…
– Nikita Khrushchev (1953-64)
– Leonid Brezhnev (1964-82)
– Mikhail Gorbachev (1985-91)

Southeast Asia
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In 1953, Eisenhower
officially ended the Korean
War.
Meanwhile, the U.S. was
giving military aid to France
in order to retain control of
their colony, Vietnam.
An international conference
eventually divided Vietnam.
– Like Korea, the north became
Communist and the south antiCommunist.

The U.S. began giving aid to
South Vietnam.
The Middle East
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Prior and during WWII,
many had called for the
creation of a Jewish state
in Palestine, the Biblical
home of the Jews.
After WWII and the
holocaust, pressure for a
Jewish state intensified.
In 1948, the UN created
two states in the area,
one Jewish and one Arab.
Israel/Palestine
Arab’s also thought the land rightfully
theirs, and attacked Israel in 1948.
 The UN mediated new borders.
 The U.S. supported Israel and the Soviet
Union generally backed Arab interests.

Middle East Oil
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In 1956, Egypt sought Soviet
support so the U.S. and
Britain cut off their aid.
In response, Egypt seized the
British Suez Canal, a vital
waterway that allowed Europe
access to Middle East oil.
Britain and France attacked
Egypt but withdrew on
Eisenhower’s persuasion after
Soviet’s threatened
“dangerous consequences” for
the invasion.
Latin America
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In 1954, the CIA helped overthrow the government in
Guatemala thinking their leaders were radicals.
The takeover restored the United Fruit Company, which
had been seized by the Guatemalan government.
Nuclear Arms Race
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Soviet Union successfully
tests its own hydrogen
bomb.
Eisenhower adopted a policy
of deterrence, “deterring”
war by building up massive
amounts of nuclear weapons.
New hydrogen bombs were
750 times more powerful
than the bomb dropped on
Nagasaki.
Nuclear Arms Race
Brinkmanship

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Secretary of State, John Dulles, explained that America
must be willing to go to the “brink” of war to defend its
interests, without crossing into war.
“The ability to get to the verge without getting into war is the necessary art.” -Dulles
Sputnik
Americans used airplanes to
carry bombs, Soviets focused
on long-range rockets,
intercontinental ballistic
missiles, ICBMs.
 In 1957, The Soviets used a
rocket to launch Sputnik, the
first satellite to orbit the
Earth.
 This caused panic among
Americans that Soviets had
superior technology.

U-2 Incident

In 1960, the Soviets used a guided missile to shoot down
an American U-2 spy plane over Soviet territory.
Plane was 15 miles high, and assumed to be safe.

Event shattered U.S. confidence.
