The Cold War

APUSH: Chapter 36: The Cold War Begins

What Is The Cold War?

 Intense rivalry between the U.S. & Soviet Union

Essential Question  1. What were the origins and developments of the cold war?

Origins of The Cold War:  1. Ideological Differences: Communism vs. Capitalism  (economic, political, philosophical disputes)  2. Competition for global power & Influence  3. Mutual Distrust  4. Atomic Weapons – “Arms Race”

American Presidents – Cold War  1. Harry Truman 1948-1952  2. Dwight D. Eisenhower 1952-1960  3. John F. Kennedy 1960-

Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union)_

United Nations     

Charter of United Nations (1945) 1. “maintenance of international peace and security

” 2. 5 permanent members U.S., Soviet Union, Britain, France, China 3. 15 members in total

Origins of Cold War (after WWII)  1. Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union)  Established Spheres of Influence  In Eastern Europe

Origins of Cold War  2. Eastern European nations Became Soviet

“satellites” (1946-1948)

 3. Soviets refused to sign plan eliminating atomic weapons

Origins of Cold War  4. Soviets refused to allow free elections in Eastern Europe  5. Stalin hoped to establish

“communist block”

 clear violation of war conference agreements

Winston Churchill :  “

An iron curtain has descended across Europe” - 1946

Policy of Containment  President Truman interested in

“containing communism from spreading”

 Possible Soviet domination a threat to U.S.



Truman Doctrine (1947):

funding to assist countries in repelling a possible communist take over

Marshall Plan  A Plan to re-build war torn Western Europe  $3 billion over 4 yr period  Proposed by: George Marshall, U.S. Secretary of State

Berlin Airlift, 1948  Joseph Stalin  Cut off city of Berlin from Western contact  Blocked all routes into Berlin with Soviet troops  Why?

 tired of U.S. intrusion in European affairs

Berlin Blockade, 1948

Berlin Airlift, 1948  American planes delivered supplies to city  For 11 months

Berlin Airlift- American “Candy Bombers”  American servicemen  Flew over Berlin and dropped candy for city’s children

Alliances…   President Truman joined alliance with W. European countries, Canada, Iceland

NATO –North Atlantic treaty organization

Alliances…  Stalin’s response: 

Warsaw Pact

1955 –  Communist Eastern European military alliance 

Once a member, a nation can NEVER leave!

The Atomic Race Begins  Superior large scale weapons  Soviet Union exploded first A- Bomb 1949   1952 U.S. developed Hydrogen bomb 1,000 X’s stronger than A-bomb

U.S. Domestic Policy 

1. National Security Act (1947)-

created the Department of Defense, the National Security Council, and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)  2.

NSC-68-

secret document discussed Soviet plans for world domination, encouraged U.S. to build up military

Containment in Asia  China “fell” to communism 1949  1950 Mao Tse- Tung and Joseph Stalin signed pact  2 large nations = “communist block”

Korean War   1945 Allies divided Korea Border between North & South 38 th Parallel   North Korea = communist China and Soviet Union supplied weapons

Korean War  N. Korea invaded South Korea, June 1950  U.S. authorized “police action” of military force to

liberate

South Korea  Conflict ended in “stalemate”

Dwight D. Eisenhower  Became President, 1952  American foreign policy : He would support nations who sought liberation from communism

Eisenhower’s Policies  1. “brinkmanship” – U.S. would push aggressor nation to the “brink “of nuclear war, forcing them to back down  2. “massive retaliation” – U.S. would release arsenal of nuclear weapons on any threat

Geneva Convention, 1954     French lost colonies in Indochina

Geneva Convention

agreed to split up territory: Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia

Divided Vietnam

into communist north, anti communist south

Eisenhower Doctrine, 1957  Policy designed to counter Soviet influence in the Middle East by offering military aid to those countries seeking help from resisting Communist aggression

Joseph Stalin died, 1953  Nikita Krushchev took over Soviet Union  1958 demanded removal of westerners from Berlin  Eisenhower called meeting…

Tense Times…  Soviets discovered American U-2 spy plane  And it was shot down 2 weeks before meeting…

John F. Kennedy  Elected President 1960  Defeated Richard Nixon

Berlin Wall  Soviets began construction, 1961  To prevent East Berliners from escaping to West

President Kennedy  Traveled to Berlin, 1963  Did not stop construction  Proclaimed support for people in Berlin "Ich bin ein Berliner."

Castro Communizes Cuba  Dictator Batista overthrown by Fidel Castro 1959   Established communist state Asked Soviets for Help  U.S. cut off diplomatic relations w/ Castro

Bay of Pigs  April 1961  U.S. planned Invasion of Cuba  Attempt to overthrow Castro  Failure  Embarrassment to President Kennedy

Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962  Fidel Castro & Khrushchev joined forces  U.S. spy plane discovered  Building of nuclear missile sites in Cuba

Kennedy Ordered …  Removal of missiles  U.S. enacted naval blockade against Cuba  Khrushchev agreed to remove missiles

if

…  U.S. agreed never to invade Cuba again , and

remove their missiles from Tu

rkey

American Espionage “ Red Scare”  Fear of spies in the U.S.



Julius and Ethel Rosenberg

– accused of delivering atomic secrets to Soviets  Convicted of treason & espionage 1951  Sentenced to death

Senator Joseph McCarthy 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Wanted to uncover & prosecute American Communists Used media to his advantage His accusations mostly false Hearings televised Modern day “witch hunt” .

Living in Fear…  Threat of nuclear war  Bomb shelters   People purchased canned goods/water “duck and cover” drills in schools

Living In Fear…  The National Highway Act 1956  Created interstate freeway system  42,000 miles of road

Interstate Highways…  Meant to provide : quick evacuation , emergency landing of planes, transport of missiles

Space Race  1. Russian Space Satellite

Sputnik

launched

1957



2. U.S. created National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 1958

 Congress allocated millions to better prepare students in math, science, foreign languages

Cause of Cold WAR?

 View #1: Stalin wanted world domination, U.S. had no choice but to defend democratic, capitalist values.

 View #2: Truman adopted an aggressive foreign policy, and sought to create American spheres of influence throughout world

Chapter 37: The Eisenhower Era 1952-1960

Popular Culture & American Society in the 1950’s

1950’s Popular Culture

Servicemen’s Re-adjustment Act, 1944  Also known as the “G.I.” Bill  Huge impact on American society & economy in the 1950’s  Opportunities for WWII Veterans

G.I. Bill Offered…  1. University education  2. Vocational Training  3. Small business loans  3. Home loans

Universities  Award 2x’s as many degrees in 1950 as opposed to 1940  8 million vets used G.I. funds to attend Colleges &Universities

1950’s Prosperity  Credit Cards: Diner’s Club, American Express, 1958  Low interest home loans

Who is the 1950’s The Middle Class?

      1. At least some college education 2. Men work – white collar jobs, or blue collar management 3. Own 2 cars 4. Own suburban home 5. Stay at home wife, 2 kids 6. mostly white

“Auto Mania”  Cars Facilitate movement  85% of homes built in 1950’s built in the suburbs.

Growth of Suburbs   Tract homes built

en masse

in the 1950’s  “

Levittowns

” emerged (planned communities in suburbs) Levitt Construction company- east coast

Growth of Suburbs  Average home price 1950’s:  $11,500 - $14,500

Lakewood, Ca- 1 st Planned Community in L.A.

 STEP 1  STEP 2

Lakewood, Ca- 1 st Planned Community in L.A.

 STEP 3  STEP 4

“White Flight”  White, middle class Moved to suburbs  Loans denied to minorities  60% of Americans owned homes by end of 50’s

National Highway Act 1956  “Interstate” Highways unified nation  $40 billion  41,000 mile construction project

Popular Culture Along Highways  The emergence of fast food chains, motels, shopping malls

Baby Boom  50-75 million babies born between 1946 1964  “at home” mothers depicted in popular culture

Women in the 1950’s  1950’s Middle Class ideal: stay at home mom  Husband earns enough money so wife does not have to work

Television Culture  9 in 10 homes had T.V. sets by 1960  Facilitated the spread of “fads”

1950’s Fads  Hula Hoops! Records!

 Barbie!

 Telephone booth stuffing!

Rock N’ Roll  Term coined by DJ Alan Freed 1951  Controversial  Society concerned about teenagers

Rebellious Youth in Film  James Dean “Rebel Without a Cause” (1955)  Marlon Brando – “ The Wild One” (1954)

Disneyland  Opened in Anaheim, CA 1955  Price of admission: $1

The Construction of Disneyland…  Does Disneyland represent the social idealism of the 1950’s??

Poverty and Urban Blight  By 1960, 35 million people lived below poverty line  Inner city deteriorated into slums  Reality of the ignored

1950’s Reality:  1. Racism, discrimination, segregation  2. Popular Culture depicts white middle class experience  3. Poverty, urban blight, inequality