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The Cold War

The Cold War. 1945 - 1952. President Harry S. Truman. Truman as President. April 12, 1945 NOT FDR No $$, no college, failed business ‘34- Senator Decisive, blunt, loyal, confident, self-assured What’s the plan? New Deal  - New Dealers 

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The Cold War

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  1. The Cold War

  2. 1945 - 1952 President Harry S. Truman

  3. Truman as President • April 12, 1945 • NOT FDR • No $$, no college, failed business • ‘34- Senator • Decisive, blunt, loyal, confident, self-assured • What’s the plan? • New Deal  - New Dealers  • Sept. 6, ‘45- peace program = larger New Deal program • Twenty-One points  expansion of unemployment ins., higher min. wage, slum clearance, public works, regional development of river-valleys

  4. End of War = Let’s Go Home! • Rapid demobilization • ‘47- 12 m.  1.5 m.  600k – ‘50 • Baby BOOM! • End of war  peacetime economy  depression? • Shock absorbers = unemployment ins., Social Security, DEMAND • GI Bill (Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of ‘44) • Education, vocational training, loans (houses, business) • VA service expands • Inflation • Wartime controls = frozen wages, prices, no labor strikes • Post-war prices high  corporate profits high  labor unions strike (‘46)

  5. Strikes of ’46 & “price-wage spirals” • United Steelworkers • Settlement = Increase in wage (18.5 c/hour)? Increase in price. • United Mine Workers • Gov. seized mines, agreed to union demands • Railroads • Gov. seized RRs • Office of Price Admin. • Through ‘46- gradual ending of rationing, limited restraint on price controls

  6. Partisan Cooperation & Conflict • Employment Act of ’46 • Council of Econ. Advisors  recs on gov. spending, advise President • Joint Committee on Econ. Report- propose legislation • Continued labor issues • Strikers & public fault Truman • Dems & Repubs • Henry Wallace (D) fired • VP- FDR, Sec. of Commerce • Commies abound! (R) • “To Err is Truman” • Mid-term election success • “The New Deal is kaput.”

  7. Taft-Hartley Labor Act (‘47) • To limit power of unions- no CLOSED shops, UNION shops, outlaw $$ to campaigns, no jurisdictional strikes, OATH of loyalty to the U.S., “cooling off” period = 80 days of no striking • Truman? VETO • Won back favor from unions • Passes anyway •  “Right to Work” laws and states • …whether in union or not

  8. Truman vs. Republicans on tax cuts • Veto! • Why? Pay down debt! • Truman + Republicans on gov. reorganization • National Security Act (‘47) • Nat’l Military Establishment • Headed by SOD + subcabinet • National Security Council • Joint Chiefs of Staff • CIA

  9. The Cold War Begins

  10. Building the UN • Alliance disintegrated, but. . . • 4/25/45- San Francisco, Charter of the UN • General Assembly + Security Council (US, USSR, GB, FR, PRC + 10) • Int’l peace & security, investigations, settlements, references to Int’l Crt, military action

  11. Trying the War Criminals • Crimes against peace, humanity, & established rules of war • German & Japanese officials • Nuremberg • 21 on trial- 3 acquitted, 11 executed, 3 life in prison, 4 prison • Tokyo • 25 on trial- 7 executed, 16 life in prison, 2 prison • Smaller int’l tribunals tried others

  12. Differences with the Soviets • Orthodox view • Stalin + Soviets attempt to dominate globe  US defense of democratic/capitalist values • Revisionist view • Truman + economic imperialists  aggressive foreign policy for US spheres of influence  tension • Issue? Deteriorating relationship w/ Soviets prior to 1945 • Signs of Trouble • Spring ‘45- Soviet installation of compliant govs in E. Europe = violation of Yalta • Puppet regimes in Poland, Romania

  13. The Iron Curtain • “What is to happen about Europe? An iron curtain is drawn down upon [the Russian] front. We do not know what is going on behind [it].] . . Surely it is vital now to come to an understanding with Russia, or see where we are with her, before we weaken our armies mortally.” -Churchill, May 12, 1945 • Goodwill gesture = removal of US forces from Soviet occupation zone (Yalta) • Why? Japan remains! • Fall of Eastern Europe • Soviet armed forces = difficulty for non-Communists to gain influence •  silence, prison, exile, execution

  14. Council of Foreign Ministers- ’47 • Italy, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Finland •  Soviet control of E • But what about Yalta? • SOS James Byrnes (‘45)- possession of new weapon “might well put us in a position to dictate our own terms at the end of the war.” •  increase tension, no intimidation

  15. Containment • ‘46 – ’47: international pace impossible “under the present capitalist development of the world economy.” – Stalin •  George Kennan to Byrne • Soviets are “committed fanatically to the belief that. . . It is desirable and necessary that the internal harmony of our society be disrupted, our traditional way of life be destroyed, the international authority of our state be broken, if Soviet power is to be secure.” -1946 • Kennan response to Soviets in Foreign Affairs (‘47) • Prediction of Soviets desire to expand into “every nook and cranny available.” • Insecurity  caution, attempt to reduce risk • US response? CONTAINMENT • Fear Soviet desire for power outside eastern Europe

  16. The Truman Doctrine • Soviet desire to access to Med. (trade, defense)  pressure on Turkey for naval base • ‘46- Civil War in Greece • GB backed gov. vs. Commuist-faction • ‘47- GB can’t bear burder of aiding Greece • March 12, ’47- Truman asks for $400 million in aid to Greece/Turkey • Aid justified by belief that US must support “free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.” –Truman • Greek-Turkish aid bill passed  $659 spent, Turkey stabilized, Greece defeat of Commie insurrection • US now committed to intervene to “contain” spread of communism

  17. The Marshall Plan: 1948-1951 • Truman Doctrine = start of COLD WAR • Bernard Baruch, ’47: “Let us not be deceived- today we are in the midst of a cold war.” • State of Europe • Drought, economic depression (factory production down), harsh winter, coal shortage, food shortage, transportation systems wrecked, flourishign Communist parties • Spring ‘47- Gen. George Marshall (SOS) •  massive aid to Europe for reconstruction •  not vs. ideology, but hunger, poverty, chaos • European Recovery Program passed • Coincided w/ Communist overthrow of Czech gov.

  18. Division of Germany • ‘48- GB, Fr, US zones united = West Germans • Much civilian aid • Soviet resentment of west  blocked roads & rail into West Berlin  June 23, ALL traffic sstopped, electricity off = blockade & war of starvation, intimidation • Why? • US refuses to fold • “If we mean. . . to hold Europe against communism, we must not budget.” •  Berlin Airlift • Oct. ‘48- Allied planes drop 13k tons per day • Food, medicine, coal, equipment • By May ‘49- blockade lifted

  19. Germany Divided Federal Republic of germany German democratic republic • West Germany • East Germany

  20. Building Alliances • North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) • April 4, 1949 • Senate vote? 82- 13 = isolation over! • Formal military alliance b/t: • US, GB, Fr, Belg., Nether., Lux., Can., Den., Ice., Italy, Norway, Port. • Later: Greece, Turkey (‘52), Germany (‘55), Spain (‘82) • Warsaw Pact

  21. 1948- Foreign Relations in the Middle East • Palestine = British protectorate • Post-WWI, LON • Zionists  movement into Holy Land (promise of Jewish nation) • Late ’47- UN OK Palestine into Jewish & Arab states • Opposition • No action until British mandate done- May ‘48 •  Jewish proclaim independence of Israel • Truman & US first to recognize Israel •  Arab states attack • UN truce & uneasy peace • May ‘49- Israel joined UN

  22. Civil Rights in the 1940s

  23. Double Victory • Victory at home and abroad! “This is a particularly good time to campaign against the evils of bigotry, prejudice, and race hatred because we have witnessed the defeat of enemies who tried to found a mastery of the world upon such cruel and fallacious policy.” –New York Times • Fall ‘46- assessment of civil rights by Truman • Segregation + communist threat • Reality of segregation & lynching  Committee on Civil Rights • Fair Employment Practices Committee, revocation of fed. aid /schools • July ‘48- END OF. .. racial discrimination in hiring of federal employees, in military (air force, navy)

  24. Jackie Robinson • Public effort at defeating segregation • April ‘47- NL Brooklyn Dodgers + JR • Born GA, raised CA • Negro league star, army vet • Struggle for acceptance from whites, on and off field • Public showing that racism- NOT INFERIORITY- held back black advancement

  25. The Fair Deal • Fragmentation in Dem. Party • Southern Dems disagree w/ support of civil rights • Left disagree w/ firing of Henry Wallace (provoking Soviets?) • Progressive Citizens of America ‘46 • Americans for Democratic Action ‘47 • Needs? • Support of farmers, labor unions, African-Americans

  26. 1948 State of the Union • Secure human rights for all citizens • Federal aid for education • Extended unemployment/retirement • Health insurance • Federal support for housing & rent control • Rural electrification • Higher min. wage • Refugees into US • $$ for Marshall Plan

  27. Election of 1948

  28. Harry Truman vs. Thomas Dewey • Dems= general opposition to racial discrimination vs. specific action • “The time has arrived for the Democratic party to get out of the shadow of states’ rights and walk forthrightly into the bright sunshine of human rights.” - Hubert Humphrey • Segregationist reaction? • Repubs= New Deal reforms, bipartisan foreign policy, EFFICIENT & EFFECTIVE running of country

  29. Rise of the “Dixiecrats” • Nomination of Strom Thurmond (SC gov) for States’ Rights Democratic ticket • Disagree w/ civil rights initiatives, champion states’ rights • Plan? • NO MAJORITY  election to House  sectional bargain

  30. The Campaign • Another Democrat? • Leftists nominate Henry Wallace- Progressive Party • Truman- “whistle-stop” train tour • Critical of Congress • “I don’t give ‘em hell. I just tell the truth and they think it’s hell.” • Dewey- don’t rock the boat • Predicted winner? Actual winner? • Dixiecrats lose black vote to Truman • Progressive seen as radicals • Strong Dem. showing in Senate • Hubert Humphrey, Lyndon Johnson

  31. Victory = vindication for New Deal & moderate liberalism • Reaffirm platform that “Every segment of our population and every individual has a right to expect from his government a fair deal.” • Fair deal = Truman’s reform to FDR’s New Deal program • Focus on extending New Deal programs: • Higher wages, expansion of SS, farm subsidies, etc. • Southern Dems + Republicans = conservative coalition • Rejection of civil rights bills, subsidies, nat’l health insurance

  32. The Cold War Heats Up

  33. “Losing” China and the Bomb • Chinese Nat 'lists vs. Communists • Chiang Kai-shek vs. Mao Zedong • 1920s – 1937, 1945 – 1949 • US back peace b/t factions • Nat’lists to Taiwan  “Who lost China?” asked to Truman • State Dept. says Chiang • Nat’list victory not possible w/out full intervention • US recognize Taiwan as China (until ‘79)

  34. New need? Bolster friendly regimes in Asia • ‘50- US support Emperor Bao Dai (Vietnam, French supported) vs. Ho Chi Minh guerrillas • US intelligence find radioactivity in air •  Soviet success on atomic bomb, ‘49 • Balance of world power? •  Truman order of hydrogen bomb, ‘50 •  NSC-68 • Rebuild US military forces (options other than nuclear war) • $$$, large standing army

  35. The Forgotten War The Korean War

  36. War Begins • Japanese in Korea since 1910 • Defeat = creation of new Korean nation • Soviets in northern Korea, US in south • Accept Japanese surrender above/below 38th parallel • Aug. ‘45- Temporary division until unification? • ‘48- occupation forces out, regimes in power in both sectors • June 1950- 80k North Korean soldiers into South Korea • Assumption of Soviet involvement = aggressive design of Soviet communism • “The attack upon Korea makes it p lain beyond all doubt that communism has passed beyond the use of subversion to conquer independent nations and will now use armed invasion and war.” -Truman

  37. Truman responds • 1. wage war backed by UN • 2. engage armed forces before asking for declaration of war • UN Security Council condemned NK “breach of peace” • Soviet delegate not there- boycotting •  UN troops move to action “to furnish such assistance to the Republic of Korea as may be necessary to repel the armed attack and to restore international peace and security in the area.”

  38. Fighting Begins: 1950 • Truman: air, naval, ground forces • 350k US, 400k S. Korea, 50k UN member nations (MacArthur) • Defense of SK = US affair • Precedence set- war via President + sanction of UN (police action vs. war) • Belief in Soviet backing of invasion  • Korea a diversion for invasion of W. Europe? EXPAND US forces in NATO • Increase aid to French in Indochina • Military Assistance Advisory Group

  39. Early Struggle • UN/SK forces pushed back to Pusan peninsula by Sept. ‘50 • MacArthur + UN force push NK back across border •  attempt to unite Korea (push on!)  forces into NK by Oct. • Intervention by the Chinese? • “China cannot stand idly by.” • Oct. 26- UN forces close to Chinese border • Nov. 25- counterattack by Chinese “volunteers” • Human wave attacks + tanks + planes •  UN retreat • By Dec.- opposition to war high

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