Transcript The Cold War Begins

Ideological Differences between the United States and
the Soviet Union.
By April 1945 Soviet and U.S.
troops enter Germany.
U.S. and Soviet soldiers meet in
Elbe, Germany.
I. Yalta Conference
a. February 1945, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin meet in Yalta
(a Soviet resort on the Black Sea) to plan the post war
Europe.
b. Several issues came up at the Yalta Conference:
1. Two governments would claim Poland in 1945,
- In the East, Communist and in the West, nonCommunist.
2. Both the U.S./British and the Soviets compromised on
the government of Poland.
c. The “Big Three” (leaders) agreed to the “Declaration of
Liberated Europe” – promising democratic elections
as early as possible.
The Big Three Meet in 1945 in Yalta
Truman and Stalin meet for the
first time and only time in 1945.
II. Dividing Germany
a. The Allies agreed to split Germany into four zones, one zone
each controlled by Britain, France, the U.S. and the Soviet
Union.
b. Berlin (Germany’s capital) was also broken up into the four
zones, even though the city of Berlin was located within
the Soviet zone.
c. Just like WWI, Germany would be forced to pay war
reparations which was to be paid thru Germany’s post-war
exports and production.
Germany is split into four zones.
III. Tension Begins
a. Soviet refusal to allow democratic elections in Poland, and
efforts to encourage neighboring countries to adopt communism
creates hostilities between the Soviets and the Allies.
b. The Cold War is the tense period between 1945-1991 in
relations between the U.S. and Soviet Union.
IV. Ideological Differences of the Cold War
a. The Soviets became concerned about security (after WWII).
b. They wanted to keep Germany weak and make sure the
countries between Germany and the Soviet Union were
under Soviet control.
c. The U.S. believed the global depression forced countries into
war (in order to gain recourses).
Soviets create “satellite nations” to establish
a buffer between themselves and Germany
IV. Ideological Differences of the Cold War
1. The U.S. wanted to promote economic growth by increasing
world trade.
2. U.S. wanted to promote democracy and free enterprise.
3. U.S. believed that democratic governments with protections
for people’s rights made countries more stable and peaceful.
V. The Spreading of Communism
a. The presence of the Soviet army in Eastern Europe ensured proSoviet communist governments would be established in Poland,
Bulgaria, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia.
b. The communist countries of Eastern Europe came to be called
satellite nations because they were controlled by the
Soviets.
c. As more and more countries fell under the control of the
Soviets, Winston Churchill called this takeover as “an Iron
Curtain falling across Eastern Europe.”
The Soviet sphere of influence
spreads throughout Eastern
Europe.
The Iron Curtain, which
contains communist nations.
The Beginning of the Cold War
Harry S. Truman
President:
April 12, 1945January 20, 1953.
A. Background
a. Before Truman issued the Truman Doctrine proposal on
March 12, 1947, the Soviet Union had been acting less
aggressively
1. The Soviet Union lowered Red Army from 12 million
in 1945 to 3.5 million in 1947.
2. American forces dropped from 10 million to 1.4 million.
b. Stalin claims the West is in crisis and that “atom-dollar”
diplomacy would fail.
c. The colonial world was in turmoil as several nations fought
for independence and self-determination.
The origins of Cold War politics for the United States.
I. Cold War Politics
a. Truman Doctrine (1947): goal is to aid “free peoples
who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed
minorities or by outside pressures.”
b. Overall, the U.S. pledged to stop the spread of
communism.
- a.k.a. The Policy of Containment.
II. Colonial breakup
Imperial Country
Great Britain
France
Netherlands(Dutch)
Colony seeking Independence
India, Egypt
Indochina
Indonesia
Middle East
Jewish Question
III. Economic Outlook
a. American economy needed colonial areas to be
settled so that these countries could start to
consume U.S. products.
b. Europe would soon run out of gold to pay for U.S.
goods (Socialism becomes appealing).
c. Feb. 21, 1947 British inform U.S. they can no longer
fund Greece.
IV. Leading to The Truman Doctrine
A. Greece
1. Struggling through civil war from 1944-1947, conservativemonarchy in power supported by Britain.
2. National Liberation Front (NLF) of Greece was fighting
against the Greek gov’t, they were led by communists.
3. NLF received funding from Yugoslavian president Tito.
4. US poured over $260 million dollars into Greece
through
Britain in 1946.
5. Truman asks Congress for $400 million.
6. The administration requests support for the global war
against communism.
What is the Cold War really about?
b. Truman Doctrine
1. Secretary of State Acheson informs Congress that the threat is not
the Greek civil war but Russian communism
2. Liberty vs. Dictatorship / Communism vs. Democracy
3. President told Congress that US would directly oversee the funds
and run Greek economy
4. George Kennan, expert on Soviet Union, objected to sending
military aid to Turkey but his argument was rejected by Acheson
5. Kennan also objected to the ideological tone of the speech,
but Acheson and Truman felt that the Senate would not approve the
budget without the emphasis on Communism
Presidential advisors play a major role in
Cold War politics and policies
George Kennan
Dean Acheson
b. The Truman Doctrine (continued)
6. Economic issues also discussed regarding the Truman
Doctrine policy
-Economic stability and free markets around the world
was the key to US prosperity
7. Widespread communism would lead to world
depression according to State Dept. officials
8. Truman convinced Congress that it was better to
support “imperfect democracies” than to ignore
“totalitarian regimes.”
Stalin chokes on Truman Doctrine
c. Results of the Truman Doctrine
1. Fear of communism used to cement the Cold War as
an IDEOLOGICAL clash.
2. Foreign policy power shifts from Congress to the
President.
3. Americans intervene in the domestic affairs of a
country for first time in post-war era, this would
start a trend.
4. Provided large amounts of aid to secure European &
American economies.
NSC-68
The United States’ Cold War Policy
II. NSC-68
a. NSC-68: a 58 page document which outlined the
U.S. Cold War strategy.
b. Recommendations of NSC-68:
1. Against negotiations with the Soviet Union.
2. Development of a Hydrogen Bomb.
3. Rapid build up of conventional military forces.
4. Large increase of taxes (to fund new policies).
II. NSC-68
5. Mobilization of American Society.
- Focus on American “sacrifice and unity.”
6. Strong alliance system directed by the U.S.
(to combat the Iron Curtain).
7. Undermine Soviet Rule from within.
c. NSC-68 increased U.S. defense spending to about
$50 billion per year.
- Previous budgets allocated $13 billion in defense
spending.
III. Uniting Germany
a. At the end of WWII, Germany was divided into 4 zones –
each controlled by the Allied countries (France,
England, U.S. and the Soviets).
- The city of Berlin was also split into the 4 zones.
b. In 1948, 3 of the 4 zones of France, England, and the U.S.
merged into one.
c. The purpose was to create a new German nation called
The Federal Republic of Germany.
- It was commonly known as West Germany.
d. West Germany was not allowed to have a military but in
most respects, it was independent.
Germany is Divided into 4 Zones
IV. The Soviet’s Response to West Germany
a. The Soviets responded by cutting all roads and rail
traffic to West Berlin. (blockade)
b. The blockade cut off 2.1 million residents West
Berlin.
- Citizens had only enough food to last approximately
5 weeks.
c. American officials stated. “The challenge was to
keep West Berlin alive without provoking war with
the Soviets.
Soviets deny West Berliners from crossing
over to East Berlin. The exodus has created
a worker shortage in West Berlin
The Soviets blockade the City of
Berlin
V. The Berlin Airlift Begins
a. Truman ordered the air force to fly supplies into
Berlin beginning in June 1948.
b. The Airlift brought more that 2 million tons of
supplies to West Berlin.
c. The airlift lasted 327 days, as planes took off around
the clock.
The Berlin Airlift begins to provided fuel,
food, and other essentials to West Berliners
German children await U.S. flights.
V. The Berlin Airlift Begins
d. By May 1949, the Soviet Union lifted the blockade.
e. The airlift symbolized American determination to
contain communism and to give in to Soviet
demands.
f. The blockade portrayed the Soviet Union in a
negative light.
VI. NATO
a. The Berlin Blockade convinced many Americans that the
Soviets were bent on conquest.
b. Americans supported a military alliance with Western Europe.
c. April 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) a
mutual defense alliance was created.
d. NATO included 12 countries (US, Canada, Britain, France, Italy,
Belgium, Denmark, Portugal, the Netherlands, Norway,
Luxembourg, and Iceland).
e. For the first time in its History, the U.S. committed itself to
maintaining peace in Europe.
f. The Soviets responded by creating its own military alliance
known as the Warsaw Pact.
NATO vs. The Warsaw Pact
Secretary of State, Dean Acheson
signs NATO treaty for the United
States.
Fear of Nuclear War Grows
Among the People of World
China turns Red
I. The Chinese Revolution
a. A civil war began in China between Communist
forces and the Nationalist government.
b. The struggling Nationalist government was led by
Chiang Kai-shek (in control since the 1929s).
c. The Communists rallied behind their leader Mao
Zedong.
d. WWII suspended the Chinese Civil War because of
the Japanese invasion of China.
Mao Zedong vs. Chiang Kaishek
Chinese Communist vs. the Nationalist Nationalist
II. The U.S. gets involved in China
a. To prevent a Communist Revolution in Asia, the U.S.
sent the Nationalist government $2 billion in aid
(in the mid-1940s).
b. Kai-shek and the Nationalists squandered the money
thru poor military planning and corruption.
c. By 1949, the Communist had captured the Chinese
capital of Beijing as support for the Nationalists
declined.
General MacArthur is sent to China
to support Chiang Kai-shek’s
Nationalist.
China’s Civil War – despite the U.S.
efforts to support the Nationalist.
II. The U.S. in China
d. In August of 1949, the U.S. discontinued aid to the
Chinese Nationalists.
e. Without financial support and the loss of the
people’s support, Kai-shek fled to Taiwan.
f. The victorious Communist established the People’s
Republic of China in October 1949.
g. In September 1950, the Soviet Union and China
signed a treaty of friendship and alliance.
China and the Soviets sign
agreement.
III. The Soviets develop a New Weapon
a. China’s fall to communism shocked Americans.
b. In September 1949 the Soviet Union announced
that it had successfully tested its first atomic
weapon.
c. The Soviets intelligence obtained important
information on their atomic bomb development
from Klaus Fuchs, a scientist who worked for the
U.S. Manhattan Project.
Klaus Fuchs, a Manhattan Project
scientist, sells bomb secrets to the
Soviets.
America’s Fear becomes real when
spies assist the Soviets in the
Creation of atomic weapons.
The Soviet test strikes fear in millions of
Americans, changing the course of the Cold War.
III. The Soviets develop a New Weapon
d. The first Soviet atomic test was named First
Lightning (Pevaya Molniya).
e. Detonated on August 29, 1949, and was codenamed by the U.S. as “Joe 1.”
f. The design was very similar to the U.S.’s “Fat Man”
plutonium bomb.
In 1949, the Soviets tested its
first Atomic Bomb.
IV. New Fear Propels the Atomic Age
a. Fear of communism spreads across the nation
known as the Red Scare.
b. Nuclear weapons had a profound impact on
American life in the 1950s.
c. It affected the thinking and choices of leaders in
government as well as preparations for a possible nuclear
attack.
Hydrogen Bomb compared to
Atomic Weapons.
IV. New Fear Propels the Atomic Age
1. Americans began to buy or build fallout shelters
(bomb shelters).
2. School children took part in “duck and cover” drills,
designed to give one a chance at surviving a
nuclear blast. (If one was far enough from the
epicenter).
3. Experts believed for every person killed outright by a
nuclear blast, four more would die later from
fallout, the radiation left over after a blast.
Bomb Shelters (aka Fallout Shelters) are sold
throughout the country as Americans
prepare for a world with nuclear weapons.
School children go through “duck and cover”
drills to protect themselves against a nuclear
attack.
U.S. Propaganda film is created to instruct
school children on what to do in case of a
Nuclear attack