The Cold War 1945 1990 Who l The

The Cold War 1945 - 1990

Who? l The United States and the Soviet Union

What? l Tension and fears between the “free” and “communist” nations of the world

Why? l l The former Allies during WWII had different views concerning the postwar world Ideological Competition for the minds and hearts of Third World peoples Communist govt. & command economy vs. l Democratic govt. & capitalist economy l

Where? l Global – in Europe, in Asia, and in Latin America

How? - “Weapons” Used Propaganda Diplomatic moves l l l NATO vs. Warsaw Pact Scientific competition l l l Arms Race - nuclear escalation Space Race – Sputnik launches race to the moon! Economic competition l l Communist govt. & command economy vs. Democratic govt. & capitalist economy Espionage l l Espionage [KGB vs. CIA] Subversion l l Ideological Competition for the minds and hearts of Third World peoples

US Goal l Containment of Communism 1947 Foreign Affairs article by State Dept. official George Kennan [“X Article”]: CONTAINMENT

George Kennan [“X Article”]: CONTAINMENT Goals Means Actual Application 1. Restoration of the balance of power 2. Reduction of Soviet ability to project outside power. 3. Modification of the Soviet concept of international relations. Encouragement of self -confidence in nations threatened by Soviet expansion. Exploitation of tensions in international communism. Negotiating settlement of outstanding differences. Long-term program of U. S. economic assistance [Marshall Plan $] Cooperation with other communist regimes; [Supporting General Tito in Yugoslavia] Using “carrots & sticks’; containing Germany with an embrace and Russia at arms length.

Government Reorganization to help fight the Cold War l Department l To replace the War Department l National l To Security Council coordinate making of foreign policy l Central l To of Defense Intelligence Agency (CIA) gather intelligence information

Recommendations l Increase spending on defense (4 X what it had been) l Create alliances with Non-Communist countries (NATO) (SEATO) l Convince the American public of the necessity of increased defense programs

The Cold War in Europe An “Iron Curtain” had descended across Europe

Containment in Europe Truman Doctrine The Marshall Plan NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization

The Truman Doctrine l U. S. military and economic aid to Greece and Turkey to prevent the spread of Communism l 1 st successful attempt at containment

The Marshall Plan l U. S. economic aid to help European countries rebuild after WWII l Strengthened democracies and their economies l Won support for the U. S. l Money was spent in U. S. to help the American economy

The Bipolarization of Europe

NATO l Defensive alliance of democratic nations against possible communist attack l Collective security – “Attack against one is an attack against all” l USSR responds with creation of Warsaw Pact (1955) – Eastern European Soviet bloc nations (satellite nations) become “buffer zone” for USSR

The Division of Berlin

Crisis in Berlin June 1948, Soviet Union blockaded all surface routes into West Berlin. Attempt to cut off the divided city from western Europe and force it to surrender to communism l Allies organized a massive airlift of supplies into the “island of democracy” l Stalin was unwilling to directly confront the Allies and wouldn’t shoot at the planes l May 1949, Soviets lifted blockade – Berlin remained a divided city surrounded by Communist territory l

The Cold War in Asia Old imperialist system had collapsed; New nations were less responsive to US influence

Containment In Asia In China In Korea Occupation of Japan

Occupation of Japan l 1945 – 1951 l Led by General Douglas Mac. Arthur l New democratic constitution (Mac. Arthur Constitution) l Japanese economy rebuilt l Military protection provided by U. S. l Japan became strong U. S. ally

In the Philippines l Independence granted on July 4, 1946 l US maintained naval and air bases for most of the remainder of the 20 th century l Ferdinand Marcos (non-communist) dictator (1965 -1986)

In China l Communist Revolution in 1949 resulted in “ 2 Chinas” - The People’s Republic of China (Communist) and Nationalist China on Taiwan (Democratic); both claimed there could be only one official government of China U. S. government was unable to reach a compromise settlement l USSR and People’s Republic of China signed Sino-Soviet pact (1945) → USA fears worldwide conspiracy of Communist expansion l

Korean War [1950 -1953]

Korean War [1950 -1953] Kim Il-Sung “Domino Theory” Syngman Rhee

The Shifting Map of Korea [1950 -1953]

In Korea After WWII, Korean peninsula was divided at 38 th parallel l North Korea – occupied by USSR (Communist) l South Korea – occupied by Allies (Democratic) l 1950 – North Korean forces invaded the South l US sent troops as part of United Nations forces to defend South Korea from Communist forces

Korean “Conflict” was a different kind of war l Never declared a war by US Congress l US was part of United Nations forces l We didn’t win – truce was signed l Truman (Commander in Chief) fired the very popular General Douglas Mac. Arthur for insubordination when Mac. Arthur publicly questioned Truman and suggested that the US should widen the war and use atomic weapons on China

Truman’s Domestic Policy Demobilization after World War II

To convert the wartime economy to a peacetime economy l GI Bill of Rights l$ for education, business ventures, housing to help returning GI’s l Employment l Commit l Get Act of 1946 government to full employment Tough policy on strikes that threatened national safety – threatened to use troops against RR workers, miners and steelworkers l Taft-Hartley Act

l Taft-Hartley l Outlawed Act “closed shop” that required worker to join union before being hired l States could pass “right to work” laws – worker had the right to work without being forced to join union l Outlawed secondary boycotts l President had power to invoke 80 day cooling off period in strikes that threatened national safety

Election of 1948 Harry Truman Democratic Party Under dog “Give ‘em hell Harry” Strom Thurmond States’ Rights Party “Dixiecrats” Anti-civil rights Thomas Dewey Republican Party Conservative Henry Wallace Progressive Party Feared too aggressive foreign policy

Truman defeated Dewey In spite of what the headline read l Truman attempted a “Fair Deal” – Nat’l health insurance, aid to education, Civil Rights legislation, funds for public housing, minimum wage l Most was defeated because of political conflicts and increased importance of foreign policy l In spite of what headline read, Truman defeated Dewey

The Cold War at Home

A New Red Scare l To protect the country from Communist infiltration l 1947 – Loyalty Review Board 3 million+ employees of the Federal Government, investigated to weed out those suspected of being communists or communist sympathizers. l Over 200 were fired and thousands of others resigned, many in protest over the investigation and the secrecy surrounding the evidence being collected about them. l l 1951 – Dennis et al v. United States l l 1951 - Mc. Carran Internal Security Act l l upheld constitutionality of Smith Act, that made it illegal to advocate overthrow of US Gov’t by force illegal to advocate establishment of totalitarian gov’t House Un-American Activities Committee investigated gov’t officials, looked for Communists in Boy Scouts & Hollywood – “Hollywood Ten” l testify or else be held for contempt of Congress l Edward R. Murrow vs. Mc. Carthy – You. Tube Clip…. . l

Spy Cases l Alger Hiss – State Department l Denied charges he was a Communist and had given secret documents to a confessed Communist Whittaker Chambers l Was convicted of perjury l Julius l US & Ethel Rosenberg atomic scientists who were executed for giving Soviet scientists information that led to development of Soviet atomic weapons

Mc. Carthyism l Senator Joseph Mc. Carthy claimed Communists were working in the State Department l Tactics included l Unsupported accusations l Reckless cruelty → “witch hunt” l Bullying, black listing l Cast suspicion on innocent people – destroyed reputations and careers (Mc. Carthy was later censured by the Senate)

Senator Margaret Chase Smith - spoke out against Mc. Carthy l “Declaration of Conscience” l “The right to criticize: the right to hold unpopular beliefs; the right to protest; the right of independent thought. The exercise of these rights should not cost one single American citizen his reputation or his right to a livelihood…Otherwise none of us could call our souls our own. ”

Cold War in our Culture