1 / 35

The Close of World War II

The Close of World War II. As World War II approached the end, the US, British, and Soviets could not resolve the issue of freedom for Europeans. As a result, the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences tried to solve some of the postwar issues. Yalta Conference. FDR, Stalin, Churchill Poland

jude
Download Presentation

The Close of World War II

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. The Close of World War II • As World War II approached the end, the US, British, and Soviets could not resolve the issue of freedom for Europeans. • As a result, the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences tried to solve some of the postwar issues.

  2. Yalta Conference • FDR, Stalin, Churchill • Poland • FDR and Churchill: Free elections • Stalin: Matter of “life and death” for friendly gov’t • Agree to let Soviets set up gov’t • Liberated Europe • Right all of people to decide the form of gov’t • Democratic elections with no Nazism or Fascism

  3. Yalta Conference (continued) • Germany • Divided into four zones (US, Britain, France, USSR) • Berlin split into four zones even though it is in USSR zone

  4. The Cold War Begins • Soviets in Poland: no free elections and only 3 non-Communist Poles in 18-member Polish gov’t • Germany • Soviets want Germany to pay heavy reparations; also want them weak and countries in between communist and under control • US have reparations of goods and keep it based off what Germany can afford to pay

  5. Potsdam Conference • US-Soviet standoff over Germany • Truman: Economy key; no heavy reparations • Stalin: Heavy reparations • Ultimately, Stalin accepts the terms • Other issues • Soviets refused to back down on Communist governments in Eastern Europe (satellite nations) • Iron Curtain: Communist nations of Eastern Europe

  6. Long Telegram • George Kennan’s Long Telegram explained his view of the Soviets • Insecurity, fear of West, no permanent deals due to struggle with capitalism, continuing to acquire land • Use long-term containment policies • Keep communism within its present territory • Keep them from expanding power, the system would fail completely

  7. Iran: Kennan’s ideas proved right • Soviets refuse to remove troops from Northern Iran, push for oil and Communist government • US tells Soviets to withdraw forces, sends USS Missouri into Mediterranean Sea • Soviets withdraw

  8. Truman Doctrine • Stop Communist advances around the world • Used in many places, including Turkey and Greece

  9. Europe’s Economic Woes

  10. Marshall Plan • Sec. of State George Marshall proposed the European Recovery Program, which gives aid to Europe to rebuild economies • Western European countries accepted plan and economies recovered • Ultimately, this weakened the appeal for communism

  11. Berlin Airlift • Dispute of Germany continues, so US, France, and Britain merge into one (West Germany) • Soviets realize they will never get the reparations they want, so they cut all traffic to West Berlin off • Goal: Make US reconsider decision • US Response: Truman sends supplies to Berlin until Stalin lifts blockade

  12. Review from Friday • What did it feel like to be pointed out as a “red” in society? • How can a simple label change the path of your life in society? “Is This Tomorrow” was a comic book that talked about the dangers of a communist takeover.

  13. The Red Scare McCarthyism

  14. Red Scare • Rumors of Communists in the US and Communists in government lead to fears that Communism is trying to take over the world • Igor Gouzenko Story • Ottawa’s Soviet Embassy • Documents showing effort to get into US/Canada governments • Reason: A-bomb info

  15. What it all meant • Did spies infiltrate America’s government? • Fear of Communist subversion began • Subversion: effort to weaken a society secretly and overthrow its government

  16. A quick poll • Raise your hand if you’ve read any book by George Orwell, such as Animal Farm or 1984 • Raise your hand if you have ever traveled to Europe • Raise your hand if you have ever seen either the movie Apocalypse Now or A Clockwork Orange

  17. The Loyalty Review Program • Screened all federal employees • Result: Public believed this confirmed that Communism had gotten inside the US Gov’t • Who got screened? • More than 6 million workers • Suspects picked by reading books, belonging to a group, traveling overseas, seeing particular movies • 2,000 workers quit, 212 fired

  18. House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) • J. Edgar Hoover wanted this committee expanded to stop Communist growth in US • Expose both Communists and symphathizers • Film Industry • Worried that it will manipulate people • Reagan testified and said there were Communists in Hollywood • “Blacklisting”: Refusal to hire anyone who was a Communist, believed to be one, or refused to cooperate with HUAC

  19. Red Channels • 151 actors, directors, broadcasters, and screenwriters listed in this book • Leonard Bernstein • Orson Welles • Ultimately, they found it near impossible to find work

  20. Review • What was the Loyalty Review Program? HUAC? Red Channels? • What were some of the things the government looked into as they search for Communists?

  21. The Hiss Saga • Whittaker Chambers: Editor of TIME, Former Communist Party Member • HUAC Testimony: Government has Communists in it, including Alger Hiss • Alger Hiss, who was active in Roosevelt and Truman administrations denied accusations and sued Chambers • Ultimately, the “pumpkin papers” led to Hiss being charged with perjury

  22. Red Scare Continues to Grow • The Soviets created their own version of the atomic bomb, which caused more concern and fear among U.S. citizens. • HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? • WAS IT A SPY? • The case of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg • Accused of selling secrets to the Soviets on how to make an atomic bomb • Convicted and executed for their acts

  23. Other Results of the Scare • Univ. of California: Loyalty oaths of all faculty members • Taft-Hartley Act: Union leaders must take oaths they were not communists • US prepares for nuclear war • Fallout Shelters • “Duck and Cover”

  24. Joseph McCarthy • 1950, after the Hiss conviction, McCarthy makes a speech saying that he has a list of 205 State Department members who were Communists • Never released his list • Continued to make charges • Helped him gain attention • “The Party of Betrayal” • Booklet accusing Democratic Party members of being corrupt and protecting Communists

  25. McCarran Act • Internal Security Act fought Communism • Required all Communist Party and Communist organizations to register with US attorney general. • Required the groups to publish records • Denied Communists passports to travel abroad • Arrested and detained Communists and sympathizers in national emergency • Vetoed by Truman, overridden by Congress

  26. McCarthyism • McCarthy becomes chairman of Senate subcommittee on investigations • Forces testimony about alleged Communist ties • Essentially a witch hunt • McCarthyism: tactic of damaging reputations with vague and unfounded charges • Press followed him and wrote about his actions • McCarthy would badger witnesses • Few challenge him (Why do you think this is?)

  27. McCarthy’s Downfall • McCarthy decided to focus on military • Army-McCarthy hearings • Challenged military officers • Lost public support • McCarthy challenged lawyer for Army who had a young member that used to be in a Communist organization • Welch challenged him and asked “have you left no sense of decency?”

  28. The End of McCarthy • Censured by Senate in 1954 • Formal disapproval of actions • One of biggest punishments that can be given to a member of Senate • Lost all influence in Senate and public • Died in 1957

  29. RECAP Loyalty Review Program HUAC McCarthyism

  30. Cold War Continues… • Truman opts to not run for reelection • Eisenhower v. Stevenson • Eisenhower, a war hero, wins easily • Cuts defense budget, makes military smaller • Why? More money to make nukes (increased from 1,000 in 1953 to 18,000 in 1961) • Massive Retaliation • Threaten to use nuclear weapons to prevent war from happening

  31. Sided Discussion In your notes, make a “T Chart” outlining the pros and cons of the idea massive retaliation

  32. Brinkmanship • Willingness to go to brink of war to force other side to back down • What many critics called Eisenhower’s “massive retaliation” plans

  33. Korean War Ends • Eisenhower goes to Korea, threatens to continue war “under circumstances of our own choosing” • Threat of nuclear war? • Worked…negotiators created “Demilitarized Zone” or DMZ separating North and South

More Related