The Cold War Lesson 2 The Cold War

The Cold War: Lesson 2

The Cold War 26. After World War II Germany and the city of Berlin were divided into four zones with the United States, Britain, France and the Soviet Union each occupying a zone. In 1948, the French, British, and the Americans began uniting their zones and introduced a single West German currency. Stalin reacted by blockading all ground and water routes into the city of Berlin from the West.

The Cold War 27. The Berlin Airlift: President Truman ordered that West Berlin be supplied by air. After a year long airlift, the Soviets called off the blockade.

The Cold War 28. In 1949, twelve nations including the United States formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). They agreed to view an attack against one as an attack against all. It was the first agreement of this type that the United States had signed since the American Revolution. 29. The Soviets countered by forming the Warsaw Pact of Eastern European countries and the Soviet Union, .

The Cold War 30. Also in 1949, the Chinese Nationalists led by Chiang Kai-shek lost to the Communists led by Mao Zedong. They established a communist country, the People’s Republic of China on October 1, 1949. 31. The Soviet and Chinese Communists never became close allies. They became rivals for territory and international influence.

The Cold War 32. At the end of World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union took Korea from Japanese control and divided it at the 38 th parallel of latitude. Two separate Korean nations developed. North Korea was communist and South Korea was non-communist. communist non-communist later a democracy

The Cold War 33. North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950. President Truman committed U. S. forces under the United Nations authority in an effort to “contain” the communists. United Nations

The Cold War 34. General Douglas Mac. Arthur commanded the U. S. forces. Because of a difference of opinion with President Truman, Mac. Arthur was relieved of his command. The two sides signed an armistice leaving Korea divided.

The Cold War 35. The United States considered the war a success because it prevented a communist takeover of South Korea adopted a form of democracy and has industrialized and prospered, while Communist North Korea has suffered economic difficulties. The US military maintains a presence in South Korea today. North Korea communism y t a e r ace t t s i m ar e p o tn u b ice South Korea democracy

The Cold War 36. At the same time there was a fear of Communist spies. Some were found and convicted including Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. Alger Hiss, who was a former State Department official, was also accused of being a Communist spy. He was convicted of perjury. Julius Rosenberg gave the Soviets a sketch of a nuclear weapon design.

Anti-Communist Hysteria • The Cold War revived the anti-communist hysteria that had gripped the United States after World War I. • In 1947 Congress enacted the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) • The FBI, under J. Edgar Hoover, helped provide the committee with materials (evidence). • Some producers, directors and screen writers from Hollywood refused to testify or to play the “name game” in which the committee demanded the names of associates who were suspected of belonging to the Communist Party.

The Cold War 37. Senator Joseph Mc. Carthy launched a reckless campaign accusing government officials of being communists. Because his accusations were unfounded, the term Mc. Carthyism came to mean making false accusations. Mc. Carthy’s attacks damaged the lives and reputations of thousands of people.

In 1960 John F. Kennedy was elected President of the United States.

The Cold War 38. In his 1961 Inaugural Address, John F. Kennedy pledged that the United States would “pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and success of liberty. ” In these words Kennedy captured the American vision of the Cold War. Many people served in the armed services and sacrificed in defense of the American way of life.

The Cold War • 39. John F. Kennedy approved a plan developed during the Eisenhower administration to invade Cuba and assassinate Fidel Castro, the communist leader. This failed attempt was known as the Bay of Pigs. The United States was criticized for trying to kill the leader of another country, and we looked weak in the eyes of the communists.

The Cold War 40. The world came the closest to nuclear war in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis when the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev ordered the building of missile bases in Cuba which is only 90 miles from the Florida coast. Castro and Khrushchev

The Cold War 41. President Kennedy ordered the removal of the missiles and the United States Navy quarantined the island. Khrushchev backed down from the confrontation, ordered the missiles removed, and avoided a nuclear war. That was too close for comfort!