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George Kennan - 1947

George Kennan - 1947. Article published known as “The Sources of Soviet Conduct” Soviets were motivated by an innate antagonism between capitalism and socialism And the infallibility of the Kremlin Soviets were bent on world conquest and they believed in the eventual fall of capitalism

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George Kennan - 1947

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  1. George Kennan - 1947 • Article published known as “The Sources of Soviet Conduct” • Soviets were motivated by an innate antagonism between capitalism and socialism • And the infallibility of the Kremlin • Soviets were bent on world conquest and they believed in the eventual fall of capitalism • Article argued for the policy of containment to meet all Soviet threats around the globe

  2. Intellectual Giant

  3. 1948 – Soviets faced with threatening developments • Marshal Plan • France, Britain, and Benelux nations signed a military pact with the US • Talk of involving more countries • Determination to give independence to West Germany • Marshal Tito struck out on an independent course and would not listen to Stalin • West Berlin seen as a listening post and outpost in the heart of the Soviet realm

  4. Berlin Blockade • Frustrated, the Soviets ordered a blockade of road traffic into Berlin and the US countered with a blockade on the movement of goods from the east into western Germany • Feeling that if Berlin is abandoned (don’t want to risk WWIII) then all of West Germany then Europe is next • Supplied a huge city with 13,000 tons of supplies daily with an air lift

  5. Consequences of Berlin Blockade • On July 15, B-29s (known to carry atomic bomb) were sent to Britain • Showed the US was serious, give the Air Force experience, and they would become an accepted fixture • Principle of forward air bases had been established • The draft was reinstated, and army build began • Marshal Plan was reorientated as a military one of containment

  6. Middle East and cooperation between Soviets and US • Jews were returning in large numbers to Israel because of the Holocaust – known as Zionism • Britain had a mandate over Palestine but did not want to anger Arabs because of oil. • Handed it over to the United Nations where a piece of land was given to the Jewish nation with indefensible borders • Israel declared on May 14, 1948 and both US and Soviets recognized it • Israel looks to Soviets for military arms

  7. 1st Attack on Israel • Combined forces of Egyptian, Lebanese, Syrian, Jordanian, and Iraqis attacked Israel and pushed them back in 1948. • Four week truce negotiated and allowed Israel to gain more military arms and they pushed back the combined forces and beyond UN boundaries into Western Galilee and Negev Desert. • Problem of Palestinian refugees begins

  8. Truman Success in 1949 • Creation of Israel • Creation of NATO – for the first time the US entered an entangling alliance in peacetime – it also provided air bases on European soil • May 12th – Russian lifted the blockade – West’s blockade was hurting more than the Russian blockade of Berlin • Bonn Republic formed

  9. Then…Sept. 22, 1949 • The Soviets explode an atomic bomb • Now Soviets have the bomb and the Red Army in Europe • Europeans are worried about Europe being the atomic battlefield between the US and USSR

  10. Early Cold War Philosophy • Senator Fulbright called it “the arrogance of power” • The idea that in the end every situation was controllable and could be made to come outs as the US wished • This thought process would lead right-wingers to charge that the Truman administration was full of traitors – how else could there be an explanation for American failures

  11. More Truman problems • In 1949, Chiang flees to Taiwan and China falls to Mao and the Communists • Soviet Union and China sign a mutual-aid treaty for 30 years • Klaus Fuchs was found guilty of giving atomic secrets to agents of the Soviet Union

  12. Rise of McCarthyism • Senator McCarthy , Feb. 9, 1950, states he has a list of individuals in the State Department who are card carrying members of the Communist party • McCarthy argued, along with Republicans, that the Truman administration had not done enough. Truman countered that Republicans always voted against increased funding

  13. HUAC • House Un-American Activities Committee • Purpose was to root out Communists in the federal government • Investigated individuals in Hollywood

  14. NSC-68 • January 1950 – Truman orders a reassessment of American foreign and defense policy in the light of the loss of China and Soviet mastery of the atomic bomb • April 12 – a policy paper for the National Security Council, number 68 • “one of the key historical documents of the Cold War” • First comprehensive statement of a national strategy

  15. NSC-68 • Called on the United States to assume unilaterally the defense of the non-Communist world. Furthermore, not take back areas under Communist control but prevent expansion • An expansion of the Truman Doctrine • Americans would assume the role of world policemen • This would be extremely expensive • The crisis that would allow Truman to implement NSC-68 was just around the corner

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