Transcript Chapter 13: The Cold War

Chapter 13:
The Cold War
1945 - 1960
Section 1:
Origins of the Cold War

Hostilities
between US and
USSR, 1946-1990
era of tension
and confrontation
(the last two
superpowers
after World War
II)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C72ISMF_D0
Origins: Different Ideologies
United States
USSR (Soviet Union)
Main
Concern
Weak global
economy
(which is antiworld peace)
Ideology
Democracy
Free enterprise
system
(capitalism)
Security (worried
esp. about Germany)
“keep it weak”
“need a buffer zone”
Communism
“here (in USSR) and
everywhere”
Yalta Conference
“Big 3”: FDR,
Churchill, Stalin
 Feb. 1945

“…an iron curtain has
descended across the
continent…”
Oh, I should deliver that
line in a speech! (March
5th, 1946)
Topics at Yalta Conference

Poland:
– 2 gov’ts. fighting to control Poland
– FDR and Churchill said “self-determination”/
self-sovereignty
– Churchill: “This is why we went to war”…don’t
let the suffering and deaths of World War II
be in vain. Do not let Poland be communist.”
– Compromise- Soviets dictate gov’t. type, but
agree to free elections “soon”!
Topics, con’t.

Declaration of Liberated
Europe:
– “The right of all people to
choose the form of gov’t.
under which they will live”
 Stalin not happy as it established
“rules” for Eastern Europe
 Committed US, UK, and USSR to
free elections in countries they
liberated
‘How are we feeling
today?’ – a British cartoon
of 1945 shows Churchill,
Roosevelt (USA) and
Stalin (USSR) as doctors,
working together to heal
the world.
Topics, con’t.
Dividing Germany:
 Divide Germany into 4 zones
administered G.B, U.S, USSR,
and France.
– -also divide Berlin
Germany’s economy to be
kept weak (USSR wanted
Germany to not be a
threat.)
– -make them pay
reparations
– -remove industrial power,
transportation, etc.
USSR did not allow
Poland to have free
elections, etc.
 Truman met with
Soviet Foreign
Minister Molotov

– talks about Poland and
elections
– confrontations
(another step towards
Cold War)
Uncle Joe
Truman
Molotov
Potsdam Conference
July ‘45
 Truman realizes key to Europe’s
economic recovery is Germany’s
economic health

– Stalin insisted Germany pay reparations
and be kept economically weak

Truman suggested USSR zone (of
Germany/Berlin) be forced to pay
reparations, no industry, etc.; while
western zones be allowed to rebuild,
etc.
– Stalin didn’t like that idea, either
Also at Potsdam

Truman told Stalin
about atomic bomb
test.
– Stalin realized he
needed to cooperate.
– Further increased
tensions.
Iron Curtain Descends

Stalin declares that
whoever physically
controls an area, also
politically and socially
controls it.
– Most Eastern Europe
countries become
communist and “satellite
nations”
– Friendly to USSR, remain
communist, although
perhaps not under direct
control of USSR
Section 2:
Early Cold War Years



Long telegram- Feb. 1946
– By George Kennan
– Explained Soviet frame of mind
Insecurity and Communism and “longterm struggle against capitalism”
– Plan: Containment of Soviet
expansion
– In for the long-haul
– Eventually Soviet system will fall
apart
Use diplomatic, economic, and military
actions

Soviets push into
Middle East (esp. Iran)
to preserve control over
oil
– Military force caused
Soviets to withdraw
– Moved to Turkey;
– Communists in Greece
staged Civil War.
 Gr. Brit. helps in Greece
Truman Doctrine




March 1947
Truman goes to Congress,
asks for $400 mil. to fight
communist aggression in
Greece and Turkey
Outlined “Truman Doctrine”
(pg 1,000)
Short-term effects:
– Stabilize Greece
– Ease USSR demands on Turkey

Long-term effects:
– Pledged that U.S will fight
Communism worldwide
– For the long haul, if necessary
Marshall Plan-European Recovery Program

Western Europe faced grave problems
– Marshall Plan (by George C. Marshall) would
give American aid to help rebuild economies
– USSR and satellite countries refused help
– Further divided East and West; showed
weaknesses of Communism
– $, supplies, machinery=both for industry and
individuals
=>Opened new markets for trade; allowed
Western Europe countries to start earning own $
again
– Not all in U.S liked it= “global giveaway that will
bankrupt U.S”
Berlin Airlift
West Germany (Federal
Republic of Germany)
founded when zones
merged.
 Self-determination
 USSR cuts all roads, supply
routes to West Berlin.
 Berlin Airlift- 11 monthsfood, clothing, coal,
chocolate.


Stalin lifted blockade.
NATO





North Atlantic Treaty
Organization
WARSAW PACT
USSR and Eastern
(satellite) nations
Military (mutual defense)  Also “mutual defense”
alliance between U.S,
 Albania and all
Canada, and 10 European
“behind” the iron
Countries
curtain
“Come to aid of any
member that is attacked.”
Eventually West Germany
allowed in
This alliance caused the
Warsaw Pact to form

Other Alliances

U.S also joined OAS
(Organization of
American States) and
SEATO (SE Asia
Treaty Organization)
China

Communist Revolution finally successful
In October ’49. People’s Republic of China established
+ USSR tested 1st atomic bomb
+ China and USSR sign a treaty of friendship and alliance
Fear that communist revolutions would spring up
all over!

We felt Japan being
– 1. Democratic
– 2. Economically successful
would be key to stability and fighting
communism in Asia

MacArthur in charge of Japan after War
Cultural Revolution
Mao: Leader
of Chinese
Communist
Forces
Chiang Kai-shek:
Leader of Chinese
Nationalists, loses
revolution; flees to
Taiwan
Korean Conflict (War?)

After the war, American and USSR troops
enter Korea to remove Japanese
– Divided Korea at 38th parallel
– Soviets in the North and U.S. in the South

Originally, talks to reunify Korea.
– Broke down once Cold War in full swing.
Communist gov’t. in North
 U.S. backed gov’t. in South

– Both claimed control over all
– Border clashes common

June 1950
– North Korean troops
(using USSR supplies,
armaments) invaded
South
– Driving back poorly
equipped southern
forces

Truman convinced UN
to intervene and stop
attack

MacArthur sends U.S
troops (in Japan) over.
– Cornered in “Pusan
perimeter”
– reinforcements come
– invade behind enemy lines
at Incheon
 Took North Koreans by
surprise! Pushed beyond
38th too close to Chinese
border (green line @ top)
China threatened
 Sends troops in
 Pushes U.S behind 38th

(line @ middle)





MacArthur mad, wants to
expand war against China!
– “Use A-bomb, blockade
China’s ports, and use
Chiang’s Nationalist forces!”
Truman says “No!”
MacArthur publicly criticizes
Pres. Truman and is fired
Fighting continues along 38th
Armistice (cease fire only) in
July 1953

Results of Korean Conflict:
– Military buildup by United States
– Need to focus on Asia, too.
– Defense agreements with Asia (and Europe)
– North and South Korea left in ruins
– Communist China stronger than ever
Section 3:
Cold War and American Society

A Soviet clerk defected and indicated that
spies had infiltrated Canadian and U.S
gov’t trying to get bomb info. September
1945
– Fear of communist subversion
– => Effort to secretly weaken a society and
overthrow its government (or at least, that
was our fears)
The Red Scare Begins…
Loyalty review program of all federal
employees.
 Some quit or were fired for…

–
–
–
–

-reading the wrong books
-seeing foreign films
-belonging to various groups
-traveling overseas
FBI did the screening.
HUAC- House Un-American
Activities Committee
J. Edgar Hoover- Head of FBI, held hearings
-Esp. picked on film industry
-Ordered wiretaps, spying on activities,
reading personal mail, etc.
Victims--?

Alger Hiss- government
official during FDR’s
administration
– accused of being a
Communist;
– found guilty of perjury

Rosenbergs- Julius and
Ethel Rosenberg
– members of Communist
Party
– found guilty of selling
atomic bomb secrets.
– Executed.
Project Venona

Cryptographers cracked soviet spy code;
confirmed soviet spies in U.S
– =>man hunt!

Red Scare Spreads to– University Faculty
– Unions
– Churches
McCarthyism

Wisc. Sen. Joseph McCarthy made a
statement to a women's group indicating
that Communists worked in the U.S. Gov't.
(Feb. 1950)
– Remember The Crucible – 1953 play by Arthur
Miller
– pg.646-648: essay
McCarran Internal Security Act
Made it illegal to “Combine, conspire, or agree
w/.. the estab. of a totalitarian gov't.”
 Required all Comm. Party + “Communist-Front”
organizations to registered w/ U.S. Attorney
General and publish records;

+ other restrictions (no int'l travel, etc.)
+ in case of nat'l emergency, gov’t. can arrest and
detain Communists.
 Truman vetoed.
 Congress overrride veto and passed it.
McCarthy Continues His Hunt
McCarthy became Chair of
Senate subcommittee on
investigations
– Here comes the witch hunt!
– Flimsy evidence, irrational
fears, bullying
– Trying to find Communists
in army, tv, literature
– Televised hearings
 People saw him; he lost
power

Senate censured him in
1954. Died in 1957.
Public
reprimand
Contrasts in America

People lived in fear during postwar prosperity
– Philip Wylie’s book Tomorrow! Educated the public
about horrors of atomic war
Bomb shelters (fallout shelters) in public
buildings, some built behind their houses
 Optimism about post-war economy vs. Duck-andcover drills

Section 4:
Eisenhower’s Politics

Key to victory in Cold War
= military might and strong
economy
– Show the world that free
enterprise works!
– Need a “New Look” in our
defense policy;
 Not a big military, but be
prepared to use nukes
 Nukes are “more bang for the
buck”
– Massive retaliation: use
nukes if Comm. state tries to
seize territory by force
Brinkmanship

Brinkmanship- willingness to
go to brink of war to force
other side to back down

(NASA created in 1958feared we were behind in
scientific research)

Eisenhower: “the U.S. must
be prepared to use atomic
weapons in all forms”
Eisenhower uses brinkmanship 3 times:
End Korean War:
 “Small attacks on sm. hills” won't win/end war
 Let China know we'll choose how to continue the war.
 Hint @ DMZ btwn No. and So.
 No clear victory, but stopped spread of communism (containment)
Taiwan Crisis:
 China went after Taiwan and other islands held by nationalists
 Prez. hinted that attack on Taiwan would be resisted by Amer. Navy and nukes
 China backed down
Suez Crisis:
 Controversy over a dam we were going to help Egypt with
 We wanted to make sure Suez Canal did not fall into Soviet control
 Brit. and Fr. invade Egypt; agitate Soviets
 Escalation? We threaten nukes.
 Brit. and Fr. back down, Soviet victory, more Middle Eastern countries get USSR
aid.
Covert Ops

CIA in foreign countries (mostly in developing
nations)
– overthrow anti-Amer. ldrs. and replace with proAmer. people if providing financial aid didn't help

Covert Ops in:
– Iran- ousted Mossadegh and return the pro-Amer.
Shah to pwr/protect oil access (Success)
– Guatemala - United Fruit Co. (Amer. Owned) in
danger.
 Trained pro-Amer. forces to force new ruler (Guaman) out
(Success)
Hungary


'56 Khrushchev in pwr (USSR)
Delivered a secret speech to Soviet ldrs.
– Criticizing Stalin's policies
– Insisting there's more ways to build a Comm. Society
– (more lax than Stalin)

US obtained a copy
– Broadcast it to Eastern Europe to undermine Comm. rule.
– Spurred an uprising in Hungary (Oct. '56)
 Soviet tanks went into Budapest
 Rebellion crushed (Unsuccessful)

Khrushchev reasserts
Soviet power,
communism
– Wants Fr., Gr. Brit.,
U.S. to pull out of
West Berlin.
–  Brinkmanship
again.
– Khr. backed down.
 Khr. came to U.S., but
canceled summit in
Paris after U-2 incident
 U-2 spy plane shot
down over USSR;
Francis Gary Powers,
pilot