Truman and the Cold War

1. Truman and the Cold War

2. Following the end of WWII, relations between the Soviet Union and the US deteriorate even more • Poland is denied free elections, is controlled by Russia • Russia is intent on expanding its territory • US seems indifferent to the security needs of the Russian people

3. Lend-Lease Ends • Within hours of Japan’s surrender, US ends Lend-Lease to Europe • However, months later, the US provides Great Britain with a $3.75 billion low interest loan; ignoring similar requests from Russia

4. Iron Curtain • Stalin predicts the fall of capitalism and the dawn of a communist world • Churchill said that Russia had drawn an “iron curtain” across Europe and that the West must unite against Soviet Expansion

7. Satellite State • When a nation is under the control of another. • Part of Germany was under the control of the Soviet Union. • Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria

8. Containment • The “long telegram” written by George F. Kennan while stationed at the US Embassy in Moscow described a policy to contain communism • The US must define its vital interests and be prepared to defend them

9. map/cold war CONTAINMENT POLICY 1950’s Containment: Stop the expansion of Communism in Asia and Europe Soviet Union/China and Allies…….. US, Allied Nations and Allied colonies.

10. Truman Doctrine • March 12, 1947: Truman asked Congress for $400 million in assistance for Greece and Turkey and to established a doctrine that would guide U.S. diplomacy for the next 40 years. • He declared, "It must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures."

11. Marshall Plan • Created by Secretary of State George C. Marshall • The European Recovery Program was intended to rebuild the economies and spirits of western Europe.  • Key to restoration of political stability lay in the revitalization of national economies.  • Political stability in Western Europe as vital to stopping the advances of communism  

12. Sixteen nations became part of the program • Received nearly $13 billion in aid  • 1948 to 1952: European economies grew at an unprecedented rate.  • Trade relations led to the formation of the North Atlantic alliance

13. Communism at Home • National Security Act • 1947 • Unified the armed forces under the Department of Defense • Created the National Security Council • To provide foreign policy information to the president • Established the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) • Coordinate intelligence gathering around the world

14. Federal Loyalty-Security Program • Called for background checks on all civilian workers in the federal government • Disloyalty was defined as espionage down to those who held sympathetic associations with groups deemed subversive • Provided minimal safeguards for accused

15. Attorney General Tom Clark warned that communists were everywhere…in factories, offices, private businesses • However, the American Communist Party was much weaker than it had been before the war

16. HUAC • House Un-American Activities Committee • Formed in the 1930s to investigate Nazi propaganda, it was revived to investigate communist propaganda • Launched an investigation of the movie industry • Hollywood Ten • Writers and directors who refused to answer questions about their beliefs and associations • Sited for contempt, jailed and blacklisted from working

18. Pumpkin Papers • Whittaker Chambers, editor for Time, claimed he had once been a part of a communist cell in DC which involved Alger Hiss, advisor of foreign affairs to FDR • Hiss denies allegations • Chambers repeats charge on the radio • Hiss sues for libel

19. Chambers produced classified State Department documents claiming Hiss had stolen them and passed them onto Russians • Evidence was known as the “Pumpkin Papers” because Chambers hid them in a pumpkin patch included 5 rolls of microfilm and 65 pages of confidential reports

20. The statute of limitations had run out on espionage but Hiss was found guilty of perjury to the HUAC • Paranoia increased over the threat of communist spies in the government

21. Taft-Hartley Act • Allows the president to appoint a board of inquiry to investigate union disputes when he believes a strike would endanger national health or safety, and obtain an 80-day injunction to stop the continuation of a strike • Declares all closed shops illegal • Permits union shops only after a majority of the employees vote for them

22. Forbids jurisdictional strikes and secondary boycotts. • Ends the check-off system whereby the employer collects union dues • Forbids unions from contributing to political campaigns • Requires union leaders to take an oath stating that they were not communists

23. Civil Rights • Truman formed a task force to investigate civil rights • Recommendations • Desegregation of the armed forces • Creation of a special division in the Justice Department dedicated to civil rights issues • Truman spoke out against prejudice to the NAACP in 1947

24. April 15, 1947: Jackie Robinson became the first black person to play a major league sport. Led the Brooklyn Dodgers to six pennants and a World Series title • Even though he was a major league player, he had to stay in segregated hotels and endure racial insults and death threats.

26. Democratic National Convention • 1948 • Democrats nominate Truman for re-election • Party platform adjusted to include strong civil rights plank • Southern Democrats object, walk out • Form their own party: The States’ Rights Party • Dixiecrats • Demanded complete segregation of the races

27. Divided yet again • by the Progressive Citizens of America • Left-wing Democrats • Critical of Truman’s stance toward the Soviet Union • Democrats feared they could not sustain a win • Truman won the closest presidential contest since 1916

28. A divided Germany

29. A divided Berlin

30. Berlin Airlift • June, 1948: Russian troops blockaded West Berlin • No food or supplies could get in by rail or road • Instead of using force against the Russians, Truman chose to fly in supplies • 30,000 flights later, Russia called off the blockade • Berlin became the symbol of resistance to communist oppression

32. Fall of China • 1946-1949: Civil War raged in China • US gave $2 billion in aid, did not send any troops • China was overthrown, the largest country in the world was now communist

33. NATO • North Atlantic Treaty Organization • Formed in 1949 • Included the US and 11 Western European countries • Promised to support fellow NATO members in the event of an attack by Soviets

34. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (1949) Military alliance to counter Soviet expansion. • United States • Belgium • Britain • Canada • Denmark • France • Iceland • Italy • Luxemburg • Netherlands • Norway • Portugal • 1952: Greece & Turkey • 1955: West Germany • 1983: Spain

35. War in Korea • On June 25, 1950: 75,000 North Korean soldiers poured across the 38th parallel, the boundary between the Soviet-backed Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the north and the pro-Western Republic of Korea to the south • It was the US’s first military action of the Cold War.

36. July: UN troops had entered the war on South Korea’s behalf • October: UN troops had pushed the North Koreans back • November: Chinese Communists attack • After some early back-and-forth across the 38th parallel, the fighting stalled and casualties mounted

37. MacArthur calls for escalation of war • Recommended naval blockade of China, massive bombing of factories and power plants, and an invasion of the mainland • Fearing Russia’s involvement, Truman opposed • MacArthur wrote a letter to Congress criticizing Truman

38. MacArthur was fired for insubordination • Truman was burned in effigy • Angry letters poured into the White House • Following the election of 1952, Eisenhower issues an ultimatum to China – withdraw or atomic weapons will be used • July 1953: the Korean War came to an end • 5 million soldiers and civilians died • North and South Korea were divided at the 38th parallel

39. Location of Korea

40. McCarthyism • Joseph McCarthy • Senator from WI • February, 1950 • Speech to a Republican woman’s club in Wheeling WV claimed to holding a list of 205 names of communists who were working for the US government • He had no list • Knew nothing of any communists in government

41. Newspapers printed the charges • McCarthy becomes an instant celebrity • Attacks grow bolder • Is appointed to a committee to investigate accused communists • Investigations turned up no communists, ruined many careers • Hearing are televised so that the people can see McCarthy in action • Senate censures McCarthy for bringing the Senate into dishonor and disrepute • 1957: dies of acute alcoholism (age 48) • McCarthyism became the term used to describe his reckless behavior

42. Fear of Communism • Schools practice drills, students were taught to dive under their desks and shield their eyes from atomic blasts • Air raid drills simulated bombing in cities • NYC school officials gave out dog tags to students for ID

44. Election of 1952 • Democrats • IL Governor Adlai Stevenson with AL Senator John Sparkman for VP • Republicans • General Dwight D. Eisenhower of KS with Richard Nixon of NY as VP • Nixon is accused of embezzling from his campaign fund • Advisors suggest he resign from the ticket • Opts to go on tv to explain his story

45. Checkers Speech • Nixon explained to the people how the fund worked • Asked the people to support him • And explained that he had received one gift that he would never give back – his dog Checkers • Public supportive • Millions of letter, phone calls, and telegrams were received by the Republican party to keep Nixon on the ticket

46. Eisenhower wins 442 electoral votes to Stevenson’s 89 • Became first Republican in decades to win four Southern states