Cold War (1945-1991)

1. Cold War (1945-1991) We will be exploring the Cold War (1945-1991) from an international socio-economic and military perspective. In a few weeks, we will learn about the same time period from a domestic perspective, including Civil Rights, Camelot & Watergate.

2. Cold War Overview Former allies clash: • US: Capitalist • Private economy • Competition • Leaders elected by the people • USSR: Communist • State controlled economy • No competition • Totalitarian government (no elections)

3. Cold War Overview • Potsdam Conference: US, USSR & UK met in 1945 to settle post-WWII challenges. • US wanted free elections in Poland, USSR refused • USSR wanted reparations from Germany, US refused • Agreed to Yalta Conference plan to separate Germany into 4 zones • USSR Goals: • USSR lost 20 million people during WWII, needed PEOPLE • Created “satellite” communist nations – Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Poland • US Goals: • “Containment” proposed by George F Kennan • Prevent extension of communism to other countries

4. Iron Curtain • Europe was divided – Communism to the East, Capitalism to the West • Iron Curtain introduced by Winston Churchill in a speech in Missouri: “…from the Baltic to the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent.” • Iron Curtain: The metaphor for the physical and political differences between the east and the west in the years following WWII. • Homework: determine the Cold War boundaries on a the map (library)

5. The Cold War was a series of conflicts between the USSR and USA, but no shots were fired directly at each other on our own soil.

6. Cold War Geography • North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, 1949): world alliance set up to help keep the peace achieved by WWII • Warsaw Pact (1955): mutual defense treaty between communist states of Eastern Europe established by the Soviet Union

7. Cold War Geography

8. US Containment Strategy: Truman Doctrine • Truman Doctrine: • President Truman’s policy (1947): “It must be the policy of the US to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or outside pressures.” • US wanted to contain Soviet influence in Greece & Turkey (b/c of proximity to US interests in the Middle East) • US sent $400 million in aid to help keep Greece & Turkey from turning to the USSR for help

9. US Containment Strategy: Marshall Plan • Marshall Plan • Western Europe was struggling to recover after the war (economic depression, rebuilding, unseasonably cold winters) • Secretary of State George Marshall (1947) proposed helping all European nations needing aid • US spent $13 billion in 4 years • Communism was not appealing to European voters when their economies recovered

10. What to do about Germany? Should Germany remain 4 zones? Be reunified? And what about Berlin? • Berlin Airlift

11. A Red Scare: An era of communist fears • Federal Employee Loyalty Program (1947) • Investigated potential federal employee communist activities • 3.2 million “communist activities” investigated • Individuals accused were NEVER shown the evidence against them • House of Un-American Activities Committee (1947) • Investigated Hollywood films for sneaking communist propaganda and created a “blacklist” of actors, producers and writers

12. A Red Scare: An era of communist fears • Spies • Agler Hiss supposedly gave US government documents to the USSR (prosecuted by Richard Nixon); files sealed until 2026 • Julius & Ethel Rosenberg accused of giving A-Bomb secrets to the USSR; only 2 American civilians to be executed for espionage activity during the Cold War (1953) • Joseph McCarthy • Publicly accused people of disloyalty without providing evidence

13. The Red Scare • There are communists in our town! • Communist’s Goal: remove members of the town and send them to the USSR for re-education. • Towns People Goal: remove all communists from town • How we play… • At night, the communists will be asked to wake up and silently identify 1 person to send to the USSR – especially the McCarthy’s • At night, the McCarthy’s will be asked to wake up and silently identify 1 person that they believe is a communist – I will either confirm or deny their accusation. If the person is a communist, the McCarthy’s should accuse that person during the day without giving away their own identity. • During the day, all towns people will have a chance to accuse fellow townspeople of communist behaviors. You must have a reason to suspect someone and confront them in front of the entire town. The town will vote and if agreed to, up to 2 people will be kicked out of town each day. • End of Game: The game ends when either the communists have been completely removed from the town or the communists have completely removed the town. • Rules • Be as quiet as humanly possible • No peeking and NO CHEATING

14. Cold War – Let’s Review • USSR strategy of “satellite” countries • US strategy of “containment” • Truman Doctrine • Marshall Plan • Germany tensions keep rising… • Germany & Berlin divided • Berlin airlift • At home… • The Red Scare - Federal Employee Loyalty Program, HUAC, spies & McCarthy • But the war is still cold… No shots have been fired.

15. Nuclear Weapons • The nuclear arms race began… • 1945 US has 1st atomic bomb • 1949 USSR detonates their 1st atomic bomb • 1954 US develops the hydrogen bomb (hydrogen bomb=500 atomic bombs) • 1955 USSR creates the hydrogen bomb • US & USSR competing to build the best, newest weapon

16. Korean War • aka Truman’s War • Post WWII, Korea split in half at the 38th parallel: • Soviet & China support North Korea • US and NATO support South Korea • DMZ: strip of land dividing North and South Korea at the 38th parallel; most heavily militarized border in the world • After years of border skirmishes, war broke out1950-1953

17. Why does the US care so much about Korea?

18. Korean War Results • Many soldiers and civilians were injured: • US – 36,000 soldiers killed • South Korea – 1 million soldiers and civilians killed • North Korea & China (combined) – 1.8 million soldiers and civilians wounded or killed • DMZ • Most heavily militarized zone in the world • US troops are still stationed in South Korea • In 1953, 60% of the federal budget went to defense

19. Bay of Pigs • Who? CIA trained Cuban exiles (yes, the US government trained them) • What? Unsuccessful invasion of Cuba • Where? Cuba • When? April 17-19, 1961 • Why? Try to overthrow the Cuban government (Fidel Castro – new communist Cuban dictator) • So What? • Approximately 100 exiles killed, remaining were held hostage • After 20 months of negotiations, hostages were released in exchange for $53 million in food and medicine • Failed invasion a huge embarrassment to the new president - JFK