Cold War

1. Cold War 1945-1989

2. 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 Soviet Union -Communism -Socialism -Domination of Eastern Europe VS.

3. 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 non-aggression pact with Hitler. • Soviets were bitter that they suffered most in WWII.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. United Nations April 25, 1945 Created a body for the Nations of the World to try to prevent future global wars.

7. Truman takes Control • When FDR died in 1945, Harry Truman was unprepared for the Presidency. • FDR hadn’t involved Truman in foreign policy discussions.

8. Potsdam Conference • 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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

12. 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.

13. Containment • 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.

14. The Truman Doctrine • 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.

15. 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.

16. Marshall Plan • 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.

17. 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.

18. Germany and Berlin • 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.

19. Berlin Airlift • 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.

20. NATO • 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) • U.S. • Canada • Belgium • Britain • Denmark • France • Iceland • Italy • Luxembourg • Netherlands • Norway • Portugal

21. Warsaw Pact • The Soviet’s response to NATO was to form their own alliance, the Warsaw Pact. • An alliance with its satellite nations in Eastern Europe.

22. A World Divided: Map

23. Soviet Atomic Threat • 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.

24. 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.

25. 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.

26. The Loyalty Program • 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.

27. House of Un-American Activities Committee: HUAC • 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.

28. Hollywood Ten • 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.

29. McCarran-Walter Act • Senator Pat McCarran believed most disloyal Americans were immigrants. • On his urging, Congress passed the McCarran-Walter Act in 1952. • Discriminated against regional immigrants. • Truman vetoed it, calling it “one of the most un-American acts I have ever witnessed” • Congress passed the bill over the President’s veto.

30. Alger Hiss • 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.

31. The Rosenbergs • 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.

32. 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.

33. Dividing Korea • 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.

34. 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

35. Summer of 1950: N. Korea Invades • 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.

36. 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.

37. 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.

38. Northern Advancement • 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 pro-Western nation neighbor and warned the UN troops to stop advancing. • MacArthur ignored the Chinese.

39. “Home by Christmas” • 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.

40. MacArthur Fired • 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.”

41. Stalemate/Conclusion • 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.

42. Effects of Korean War • 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.

43. 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.

44. Section 4: The Continuing Cold War

45. Joseph McCarthy • 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.

46. McCarthy’s Rise to Power • 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.

47. McCarthy • 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.

48. 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.

49. McCarthy’s Fall • 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.

50. 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.