The Beginning of the Cold War

1. The Beginning of the Cold War New and Dangerous Enemies

2. The United Nations • Formed in San Francisco 1945 • Security Council (5 perm. members w/ veto power + 6 rotating) • U.S., U.S.S.R., Britain, France, China • General Assembly of member nations • U.S. joins – near unanimous Senate ratification • Meant to be a stronger version of old League of Nations • Would head off future wars through diplomacy

3. Truman’s Policy • Succeeds to presidency after FDR’s death • Inherits WWII, Atomic weapons program, and emerging Cold War tensions • Key Challenge: • Restructure Military • Bring 10 million troops home • Servicemen’s Readjustment Act (1944) will provide college tuition, home and business loans • National Security Act (1947) • Department of Defense replaces War Dept. • National Security Council • Central Intelligence Agency

4. Cold War: Definition • A state of political tension and military rivalry between nations (US & USSR) that stops short of full-scale war. • Cold War developed between the 2 most powerful postwar countries (US & USSR) • Both tried to spread their influence • Formed alliances • carried on arms race • supported opposing sides in wars

5. Soviet distrust of the West • Longstanding distrust of West leads Soviets to set up “satellite” countries in Eastern Europe • to secure Soviet borders and promote communism elsewhere • Stalin promised democratic elections in those countries but broke (Yalta) pledge • Red Army occupied countries instead • Winston Churchill warns about USSR • Churchill – “An iron curtain has descended across the continent”

6. Truman Doctrine • U.S. would contain Soviet expansion and would use economic and military resources to help the “free peoples” of Europe resist communist aggression, whether by direct attack or subversion • Allowing Soviets to take territory would by Appeasement • Time “to stop babying the Soviets” and “get tough” • George Kennan’s “Long Telegram” outlines Containment Policy • Controversial – how could US respond to all? • A possible answer…$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ • 1947 - US pumped financial support to Greece and Turkey to head off Communist influence and win loyalty

7. Marshall Plan (1947) [In place 1948-51] • Economic aid to Western Europe • Countries ravaged by years of war • People suffering • Sec. of State George Marshall offers aid to any European nations that want it – including Soviets • Soviets decline, calling it an anti-Soviet plot • 16 nations accept aid • Congress debated issue for months – very expensive for U.S. (billions of dollars) • Soviet take-over of Czechoslovakia in Feb. 1948 convinces Congress that the Marshall Plan is necessary

8. Effect of Marshall Plan • Marshall Plan very successful economically & politically • Promoted strong economic recovery • Spurred cooperative economic enterprises among Western European countries • Promoted political stability • Better conditions = weaker communist parties in Western Europe • Strengthens U.S. influence in Europe • U.S. industry benefits

9. Bretton Woods Conference • Reps from 44 nations met at Bretton Woods, NH • International Monetary Fund established 1944 • IMF set up World Bank to promote economic development • U.S. Dollar becomes standard by which international currency is measured

10. Division of Germany • Following WWII, Germany occupied by U.S., GB, FR, USSR • Soviets wanted weak Germany • Western powers wanted stable Germany They combine their 3 zones (1948) • Aim to form an independent West Germany • Soviets respond – cut off all ground routes through Soviet zone to Berlin – the Berlin Blockade • 2 million pro-Western Berliners isolated in W. Berlin • West responds with Berlin Airlift • supply West Berliners with food, fuel, etc. • “Operation Vittles” • 327 straight days of RTC flights – 277K flights • Defenseless cargo planes protected by threat of retaliatory atomic attack • Soviets lift blockade – May 1949

11. 1949 – a rough year! • East and West Germany formed • NATO formed – Soviets form Warsaw Pact • Fall of China to Communism • Chiang flees to Taiwan (Formosa) • Mao leads People’s Republic of China • Truman accused of “losing China” • Soviets successfully test a-bomb • Nuclear arms race begins • Sparks greater fear of Communism in U.S.

12. Korean War • First “hot war” of the Cold War • Korea divided N & S after WWII at 38th Parallel • North Communist • Leader - Kim Il Sung – Capitol -Pyongyang • South Capitalist • Leader - Syngman Rhee – Capitol – Seoul • North invades South in effort to unify under Communism June 25, 1950 • Supported by USSR and Comm. China

13. US Response to N. Korea • Immediately appeals to U.N. • Security Council (Soviets abstained) vote to send troops under U.S. leadership • Douglas MacArthur • War fought to a stalemate at 38th Parallel after back and forth struggle • China sent in troops when U.S. neared Yalu River (border between N. K. and China • MacArthur relieved by Truman after dispute over course of war • Mac. wanted to invade China with nukes!

14. Truman, Korea, and Limited War • Truman not interested in a larger war in Korea • Simple looking to push N. K out of S.K. • War lasts for 3 years • Nearly 55K U.S. deaths • 1952 presidential election served as a referendum on the war – Eisenhower wins after vowing to end the war • Armistice signed in 1953 • “Limited War” reigns – war ends as a stalemate • N & S Korea remain divided today

15. Election of 1952 • Eisenhower (R) vs. Stevenson (D) • Eisenhower’s running mate for VP – Senator Richard Nixon (R-CA) • Checkers Speech • People unhappy w/ how Korean War was dragging on • Ike promised to go to Korea and find a way to end the war • Eisenhower won w/ 55.1% of vote – Reps. back in White House after 20 yrs. • Americans experienced prosperous years during Eisenhower’s 2 terms • No great changes from what previous administrations were doing • Ike’s program called “Dynamic Conservatism

16. Eisenhower • War hero & anti-Communist Eisenhower won 442-89 w/ 55% of pop. vote • In campaign, accused Dems. of being soft on communism and tolerating corruption in D.C. • “I am going to clean up the mess in Washington” • If elected, he promised to go to Korea to end the stalemate in that cold war conflict

17. Massive Retaliation and Brinksmanship • Sec. of State John Foster Dulles - hardline anti-Communist • Proposed policy of massive retaliation • Use all of force, including nukes, if attacked • Discouraging aggression with threat of massive response known as brinksmanship – being prepared to go to the brink of war to achieve objectives • Makes US dependent on stockpiling nuclear weapons • Reduces effectiveness of limited war • Example - Soviet attack on Hungary (1956) • Hungarians tried to shake off Soviet domination • Soviets attacked Hungary • US took no military action - wouldn't risk nuke war over it • Uprising crushed with brutal force

18. The New Red Scare • Fear of subversion (undermining govt.) • Loyalty checks of govt. employees • Spy cases • Alger Hiss – U.S. State Dept. official accused of passing secrets to Communist Party (case lasted from 1948-50) • Accused by Whitaker Chambers – confessed Soviet agent and an editor at Time magazine • sentenced to 5 years for perjury – lying to House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) • Richard Nixon participated in House investigation • Julius & Ethel Rosenberg – Comm. Party activists • Convicted of passing a-bomb secrets (1951) • Public protests & appeals to Sup. Ct. failed • Executed in electric chair - 1953