Cold War tensions heightened when the USSR exploded

Cold War tensions heightened when • the USSR exploded its first atomic bomb in 1949. • Cold War tensions increased in the USSR when the US exploded its first hydrogen bomb in 1952. It was 1000 times more powerful than the Hiroshima atomic bomb.

Spies? The Rosenbergs • Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were American communists who were executed in 1953 for conspiracy to commit espionage. The charges related to passing information about the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union. This was the first execution of civilians for espionage in United States history

The Cold War in the 1950 s • Both the U. S. and U. S. S. R. had a change in leadership in the early 1950 s: – Dwight D. Eisenhower won the 1952 Presidential election (recall that “Ike” was a war hero…Supreme Commander who oversaw D-Day invasion) – Nikita Khrushchev (“Kroosh- joff ”) became the Soviet Premier upon Stalin’s death in 1953 3

Communism in Asia • Recall: China falls (1949) and quickly signs treaties with the Soviets • Recall: The Korean Conflict (1950 -1953) • Yet another problem: Vietnam 4

Early Vietnam • Had been a French colony • Vietnamese communists (the Viet Minh) tried to seize control…went to war with the French • French outpost at Dien Ben Phu under brutal attack by Viet Minh…eventually surrendered • Hostilities ended with Vietnam being divided (much like Korea) 5

Vietnam (con’t. ) • North Vietnam=communist • South Vietnam = free • Q: With the French withdrawal, what would keep the South from falling to the communists? 6

Vietnam (con’t. ) • A: military aid from…the U. S. • So, America became involved by sending military advisers to help train the South Vietnamese military 7

Vietnam (con’t. ) • Vietnam was important because American leadership believed in the “Domino Theory”… • If one nation fell to communism, others would follow like so many dominos falling 8

The Foreign Policy of Dwight Eisenhower: “Brinksmanship” • Ike believed we needed to present a “tougher line” than containment • Eisenhower’s Secretary of State: John Foster Dulles 9

Brinksmanship Brinkmanship is the practice of pushing a dangerous situation to the verge of disaster in order to achieve the most advantageous outcome. To pursue this new foreign policy, the U. S. chose a strategy of “massive retaliation” that would end in “mutually assured destruction”…this required that we have MORE (in number) and MORE ( in destructive power) weapons than the Soviets 10

Massive Retaliation • On January 12, 1955 U. S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles first announces the doctrine of Massive Retaliation. • It threatens full-scale nuclear attack on the Soviet Union in response to communist aggression anywhere in the world. John Foster Dulles and Mac. Arthur in Korea, 1950 11

Brinksmanship The shift in policy from merely containing Communism to a willingness to take the world to the “brink of nuclear war” fueled the arms race 12

Was this insanity on both sides? • The theory is that: the fear of total annihilation…the end of the human race…is exactly what will keep it from happening 13

Tensions continue around the globe: • The Suez Crisis (1956): – When Egypt seized control of the Suez Canal, war nearly broke out (the Soviets were strong supporters of Egypt) – The Eisenhower Doctrine: Ike issued a warning: “The U. S. would defend the Middle East against any attack by a Communist country” 14

The Hungarian Uprising: 1956 Denounced the Warsaw Pact & promised free elections. This could lead to the end of communist rule

Another shock for Americans: Sputnik I (1957) The Russians have beaten America in space—they have the technological edge! 16

1959 - Castro takes power in Cuba • January 1, 1959 rebel forces under Fidel Castro overthrow dictator Fulgencio Batista • Castro nationalizes the sugar industry and signs trade agreements with the Soviet Union. • The next year, Castro seizes U. S. assets on the island. 17

U-2 Spy Incident (1960) Col. Francis Gary Powers’ plane was shot down over Soviet airspace. 18

Summary Concept: What were the six major strategies of the Cold War? 1. The six major strategies were: • 1. Brinkmanship, • 2. Espionage, • 3. Foreign aid, • 4. Alliances, • 5. Propaganda, • 6. Surrogate wars. 3. 2. 4. 5. 6. 19