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America and the Origins of the Cold War

America and the Origins of the Cold War. 1945 – 1952. Introduction. Tense & dangerous rivalry between Soviet Union & U.S. Profound effects on Am. domestic life Powerful, prosperous, uncertain. Sources of Soviet-American Tension. Different visions of postwar world

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America and the Origins of the Cold War

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  1. America and the Origins of the Cold War 1945 – 1952

  2. Introduction • Tense & dangerous rivalry between Soviet Union & U.S. • Profound effects on Am. domestic life • Powerful, prosperous, uncertain

  3. Sources of Soviet-American Tension • Different visions of postwar world • U.S. & the Atlantic Charter (1941) • Democratic processes • Protect nation’s right of self-determination

  4. Yalta • “Big 3” (Feb. 1945) agreed to est. UN • General Assembly, Security Council • Disagreements over Poland & Germany • U.S. – repair Germany • USSR – reparations & dismemberment

  5. Yalta, cont. • Divide Germany into four zones • Berlin into four zones • Loose principles that avoided hardest issues

  6. The Failure of Potsdam • Russian forces occupied Poland & much of E. & C. Europe • Truman conceded on Poland • Germany remained divided

  7. The China Problem • Strong, independent China needed for postwar world • Chiang Kai-shek (nationalist - South) • Mao Tse-tung (communist - North) • Truman didn’t want to intervene militarily

  8. The China Problem, cont. • U.S. turned toward Japan • Lifted restrictions on industrial development • Encouraged rapid economic growth • Open, united world

  9. The Containment Doctrine • Contain threat of Soviet expansion • Truman Doctrine in response to events in Turkey & Greece • George Kennan • U.S. would support “free peoples resisting attempted subjugation”

  10. The Containment Doctrine, cont. • The Marshall Plan • $12 billion to Europe

  11. The Road to NATO • Strengthen military capabilities of western Europe • Consolidate western sectors of Germany • Berlin airlift (1948) • Warsaw Pact (1955)

  12. Reevaluating Cold War Policy • Soviet atomic bomb (1949) • China (1949) • American occupation of Japan ends (1952) • National Security Council Report (NSC-68) stop communist expansion anywhere

  13. America After the War • Short-lived economic difficulties • Intense political climate

  14. The Problems of Reconversion • Economic growth after 1945 • GI Bill of Rights (1944) housing, education, job training • High inflation • Major strikes in auto., electrical, & steel • Women & ethnic & racial minorities adjust

  15. The Fair Deal Rejected • Truman’s domestic program • Expansion of Social Security benefits • Raising of minimum wage • Full employment & Fair Employment Practices Act • “Had Enough?” • Taft-Hartley Act (1947) labor issues

  16. The Election of 1948 • Split w/in Democratic party • “Dixiecrat” & Strom Thurmond • Progressive Party & Henry Wallace • Republicans & Thomas Dewey • Democrats & Truman

  17. The Election of 1948, cont. • Democrats regained both Houses of Congress • Proposed 1st major civil rights bill of century • Lynching a federal crime • Federal protection of African American voting rights • Abolish poll tax • Bill was defeated

  18. The Korean War • 1st American military engagement of Cold War • 1950 - 1953

  19. The Divided Peninsula • 38th parallel • North vs. South • North invaded South (June 24, 1950) • Containment & liberation • Goal – “unified, independent, & democratic Korea”

  20. From Invasion to Stalemate • China intervened (1950) • U.S. trying to avoid confrontation w/China • Protracted stalemate • Limited U.S. military mobilization

  21. From Invasion to Stalemate, cont.

  22. From Invasion to Stalemate, cont.

  23. The Crusade Against Subversion • Why a growing fear of communist subversion? • Communism was tangible • China • Korea • Soviet atomic bomb • “Communist conspiracy” in Am. borders

  24. HUAC and Alger Hiss • House Un-American Activities Committee (1947) • Republican Party • Movie industry • “Hollywood Ten” & “Blacklists”

  25. HUAC and Alger Hiss, cont. • Former St. Department diplomat • Whitaker Chambers • Convicted of perjury • Richard Nixon’s role

  26. The Federal Loyalty Program and the Rosenberg Case • “Loyalty” of federal employees under Truman • Julius & Ethel Rosenberg (1953) • Elia Kazan

  27. McCarthyism • Senator from WI (R) • “List” of known communists in the St. Department • Highly publicized investigations

  28. The Republican Revival • 1952 • Adlai E. Stevenson of IL (D) • Eisenhower (R)

  29. Eisenhower Republicanism • Continued Am. commitments to oppose communism but showed a restraint • Moderate domestic policies

  30. “What’s Good for . . . General Motors” • Admin. staffed largely by members of business community • Acceptance of welfare st. New Deal initiated • Limit fed. activities & encourage private enterprise • Federal Highway Act (1956)

  31. The Decline of McCarthyism • Initially did little to discourage anti-communist furor • Army-McCarthy hearings (1954)

  32. Eisenhower, Dulles, and the Cold War • Both superpowers moved away from direct confrontation • Turned attention to instability in the 3rd world

  33. Dulles and “Massive Retaliation” • Eisenhower’s Secretary of State • Liberation v. containment • “Massive retaliation” w/nuclear weapons • “Brinkmanship” • Pressure to reduce military expenditures

  34. France, America, and Vietnam • U.S. being drawn into Southeast Asia • French trying to exert control over Vietnam, one-time colony • Ho Chi Minh committed nationalist & communist

  35. France, America, and Vietnam • Ike refused to permit direct military intervention • Dien Bien Phu (1954) • Geneva Accords (1954) • 17th parallel • Elections (1956) • Ngo Dinh Diem & South Vietnam

  36. Cold War Crises • Israel & Palestine (1948) • Iran & Mohammed Mossadegh • Nationalist prime minister • CIA-led coup that brought Shah to power (1953) • Guatemala & United Fruit Company • CIA-led overthrow of Jacobo Arbenz Guzman

  37. Cold War Crises, cont. • Batista vs. Castro in Cuba (1959) • Suez Canal Crisis & General Nasser

  38. Europe and the Soviet Union • Hungarian Revolution (1956) • Eisenhower admin. refused to intervene

  39. The U-2 Crisis • Eisenhower & Khrushchev (1959) • Issues involving West Berlin • High altitude spy plane (U-2) shot down over Russian territory • Pilot Francis Gary Powers

  40. Conclusion • Eisenhower failed to eliminate tensions • Farewell address • “Unwarranted influence” of “military-industrial complex”

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