Early Cold War 1945 1968 The Cold War

Early Cold War 1945 -1968

The Cold War Emerges WHAT was the Cold War? § Competition for world influence § Colored politics for 40+ years after World War II § Divided the world into the Eastern Bloc & Western Bloc WHY was the Cold War? § U. S. & Soviet Union emerged as “super powers” § U. S. -U. S. S. R. aims clashed at the Yalta Conference over: § Status of post-war Germany § Fate of Soviet-occupied territories

HOW was the Cold War waged? § Military build-up § Post-WWII, U. S. held an atomic monopoly, continued nuclear testing, & targeted Russian cities § Soviets had the largest army in the world, occupied Eastern Europe, & developed atomic weapons § The policy of deterrence led to an escalating arms race & Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)

HOW was the Cold War waged? § Containment policies sought to end the spread of communism § Truman Doctrine aided nations fighting communist aggression § Marshall Plan provided aid to war-torn Europe § Brinkmanship as a policy meant meeting threats with a willingness to go to war (at least in theory)

HOW was the Cold War waged? § Early conflicts § Berlin Airlift (1948 -1949) – Allied nations defied Soviet blockade of East Germany § U. S. provided aid to Greece & Turkey to assist in containment § Alliance systems were built around Cold War lines § NATO – U. S. , Canada, and most of Western Europe § Warsaw Pact – Soviet Union & its satellites § OAS – U. S. and Latin American allies work to create a “”security zone”

The Iron Curtain Churchill used the term Iron Curtain to describe the divisions between Communist and capitalist nations in Europe.

The Second Red Scare § Truman created a federal employee Loyalty Program in 1947. § The National Security Act created the National Security Council and the CIA § The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) investigated suspected communists in the U. S. , including those in Hollywood. Studios compiled a blacklist of those with “Communist leanings. ” § Alger Hiss and Julius & Ethel Rosenberg spy cases reinforced fears that Soviet spies were stealing secrets. § The threat of nuclear war led to Civil Defense initiatives like “Duck and Cover”

The Chinese Civil War § Mao Zedong won support for the Communists by improving land distribution, schooling & healthcare. § Jiang Jieshi’s Nationalist Party lost support because of harsh treatment, high taxes, & corruption. § When the Communists took power in 1949, the Nationalists fled to Taiwan.

The Korean Conflict § In June 1950, the Korean War broke out when North Korean troops invaded South Korea. § The United Nations sent forces to defend South Korea and restore peace. § General Mac. Arthur pushed north, but a stalemate developed after China intervened. § A truce signed in 1953 left Korea again divided near the 38 th parallel.

The Mc. Carthy Era § Senator Joseph Mc. Carthy claimed to have a list of 250 Communist government employees. § Few were willing to speak out against him. § In early 1954, Mc. Carthy’s crusade turned on the army. § The Army hearings on TV turned Mc. Carthy’s supporters against him.

The Arms Race Takes to the Skies § To carry bombs to their targets, the Soviet Union developed long-range rockets (ICBMs). § In 1957, one of these was used to launch Sputnik, the 1 st artificial satellite to orbit Earth. § The U-2 incident prompted a desire to match—and surpass—Soviet weapons technology. § The massive expenditures for weapons technology & arms dealers’ access to the U. S. government led President Eisenhower to warn about the influence of the “military-industrial complex. ”

The Cold War in the Middle East § The Baghdad Pact (1955) was signed in response to U. S. pressure § 1958 – Iraq withdrew & began negotiations with the Soviet Union § American actions in the Suez Crisis revealed the complex nature of Cold War politics & led to the issuance of the Eisenhower Doctrine

The Space Program § Soviet launch of the Sputnik satellite (1957) inspired the U. S. to work toward placing a manned spacecraft in orbit. § April 1961 – Soviet Yuri Gagarin became the 1 st human in space. § Funding for NASA was increased & American astronauts made initial space flights in 1961 & 1962. § July 20, 1969 – American astronaut Neil Armstrong became the 1 st to walk on the moon.

Cold War Under JFK Bay of Pigs Invasion § When Fidel Castro took over Cuba in 1959 & developed ties to the Soviet Union, the CIA trained a group of Cubans to invade Cuba. § JFK approved the resulting April 17, 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, a military & diplomatic disaster. The U. S. lost credibility. Berlin Wall § The Soviets built the Berlin Wall to separate the Communist and non. Communist sections of Berlin in August 1961.

The Cuban Missile Crisis § October 16, 1962 – American spy plane photos showed construction of Soviet missile bases in Cuba. § The Cuban Missile Crisis brought the superpowers to the brink of nuclear war. § JFK authorized a naval “quarantine” around Cuba. § In the end, Khruschev agreed to remove missiles from Cuba. The U. S. agreed to end the quarantine, stay out of Cuba, & remove missiles from Turkey. § In addition, the U. S. & Soviet Union signed the Limited Test Ban Treaty (1963) banning nuclear testing above the ground.

Background of the War § Domino theory – If one country fell, others would follow § 1954 – Geneva Accords divided Vietnam into: § Communist North (Ho Chi Minh) § Anti-Communist South Vietnam (Ngo Dinh Diem) § November 1963 – Military leaders seized control of South Vietnam & assassinated Diem § Viet Cong, communist guerrillas, made gains

Intensifying the War § Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (1964) granted the President broad powers § After 1964, LBJ began a gradual escalation of the war § 1965 – 25, 000 U. S. soldiers --> 1968 – 536, 000 § Split public opinion: § Hawks vs. Doves

Battlefield Conditions American Troops Viet Cong Troops § Superior weapons § Fought as guerrillas § Unprepared for heat, terrain, or guerrilla tactics § “Home field advantage” § Lacked support § Built & hid in underground tunnels

Weaponry § Land Mines § Saturation Bombing § Fragmentation Bombs § Agent Orange § Napalm

The Ho Chi Minh Trail Troops & supplies entered South Vietnam via the Ho Chi Minh Trail, which passed through Laos & Cambodia

The Tet Offensive: A Turning Point § VC & North Vietnam launched the Tet Offensive (January-September 1968) § Both sides were guilty of brutal atrocities: § My Lai – U. S. soldiers massacred hundreds of civilians § Major psychological victory/turning point for the Viet Cong

Youth Reactions to the War § Teach-ins became a popular means of expressing antiwar sentiment § Draft resistance rose – Conscientious objectors opposed fighting on moral or religious grounds § At first, college students could receive a deferment – eliminated in response to complaints that they were unfair

The Election of 1968 § Support for war decreased & Johnson chose not to run for reelection § Candidate Robert Kennedy was assassinated before the convention § 1968 Democratic Convention – police attack on protesters televised § VP Hubert Humphrey won the Democratic nomination § Republican Richard Nixon won the election in a close race