The Cold War: The Beginnings

1. The Cold War: The Beginnings

2. Five Major Causes • 1) Poland: “The Big Apple in the Barrel” • 2) Structure of governments in other E. European countries • 3) Future of Germany • 4) Economic reconstruction of Europe • 5) International policies toward the atomic bomb and atomic energy

3. “. . . as the war drew to an end, virtually none of the critical issues on the agenda of postwar relationships had been resolved. Preferring to postpone decisions rather than to confront the full dimension of the conflicts that existed, FDR evidently hoped that his own political genius, plus the exigencies of postwar conditions, would pave the way for a mutual accommodation that would somehow satisfy both America’s commitment to a world of free trade and democratic rule, and the Soviet Union’s obsession with national security and safely defined spheres of influence.” Chafe. The Unfinished Journey; American since WWII p. 53

4. Yalta Conference • Meeting of the Big 3 • Stalin took back free elections in Poland and banned democratic parties • Soviet Army in E. Europe = West could do little

5. U.S. GOALS IN E. EUROPE: Self-governing countries Access to raw materials and markets Rebuild European govs. U.S. wanted to polarize Germany into small farms = FAILED SOVIET GOALS IN E. EUROPE Encourage communism Rebuild its economy by using E. European resources Control E. Europe to balance U.S. influence in W. Europe Keep Germany divided so it could not threaten the Soviet Union again.

6. Satellite Nations • Stalin wanted a barrier between E. Europe and W. Europe. • Satellite Nations: countries dominated by the Soviet Union.

7. U.S. Policy of Containment • Feb. 1946: George F. Kennan, U.S. diplomat proposed the policy of containment: • U.S. would take all measures to prevent any extension of communist rule to other countries.

8. The Iron Curtain: 1949

9. The Truman Doctrine • March 12, 1947: Declaration that the U.S. should support free countries trying resist communist pressure. • 1947 – 1950: U.S. sent $400 million in aiding Greece and Turkey

10. The Marshall Plan • June 1947: Sec. of State George Marshall: The Marshall Plan • U.S. provide aid ($) to all European nations that needed it. • By 1952, 16 countries received some $13 billion in aid

11. Post-War Germany

12. The Berlin Airlift • West Berlin held hostage by Stalin • U.S. and Great Britain flew in supplies for 327 days • 277,000 flights • 2.3 million tons of supplies • May 1949, Soviets lifted the blockade.

13. NATO • NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization. • Formation of 12 countries unified by increased Soviet aggression • Military support if one of the NATO countries was attacked • 1st time in history the U.S. was involved in a military alliance during peacetime.

14. Vasili Alexandrovich Arkhipov • Executive Officer aboard a Hotel class ballistic missile submarine B-59 during the Cuban Missile Crisis • Caught behind the quarantine line during the Cuban Missile Crisis • In the middle of one U.S. carrier and 11 battleships • U.S. dropped depth charges to force the subs to the surface • Capt. of the sub loaded a nuclear torpedo to be used against the U.S. ships • Believed the war “already” has started • Moscow had left the decision to use one of these nukes with the captain of the submarine but with a proviso.  If he felt the need to use the weapon the next two officers in terms of rank had to agree to its use as well.  The political officer on board said yes.  The Executive Officer, Arkhipov, said no.

15. McCarthyism • Joseph McCarthy, Republican from Wisconsin • Unfair tactic of accusing people of disloyalty w/o providing evidence.

16. Finding Suspected Communists • HUAC = House Committee on Un-American Activities • Investigations in and outside the government • Investigated “thought to be” Communists in Hollywood

17. The Hollywood 10 • Resist to cooperate with HUAC • Thought hearings were Unconstitutional • Blacklist: a list of people who were condemned for having a Communist background.

18. Spy Cases