Important People and Events of the Early Cold War Mr. Wickersham APUSH B

Stalin – Churchill % meeting Oct Soviet Premier Josef Stalin and British P.M. Winston Churchill met in the fall of 1944 to discuss the “division” of Eastern Europe. Churchill was concerned about Soviet expansion and how far it would continue as the Red Army conquered Nazi territory. So he and Stalin each chose certain countries in which each country held sway (Romania and Bulgaria –USSR and Greece –GB) or were supposed to be evenly divided (Yugoslavia and Hungary). In essence, this is extremely important b/c it implicitly recognized Soviet gains over Eastern Europe and left Britain with only Greece as its anchor of freedom in the Balkans.

Famous American Leaders George Kennan – author of “The Long Telegram” who developed the concept of containment – isolate the Soviet Union and limit the spread of communism. John Foster Dulles – Ike’s Secretary of State; his nuclear strategy, massive retaliation, threatened a disproportionate attack as way of deterring any Communist aggression. Harry Truman – President, – issued the Truman Doctrine which stated that America would aid any country that was being threatened by Communists inside and out. George Marshall – Truman’s Secretary of State (47-49) and Secretary of Defense (50-51); also instrumental in rebuilding most of Europe with the Marshall Plan (1947). Dwight “Ike” Eisenhower – President, – tried to keep America’s army from growing too big. The Eisenhower Doctrine pledged America to protect the Middle East from Communist encroachment.

The Long Telegram George Kennan, a Soviet analyst who had studied Russian history, sent an 8,000 word telegram to the U.S. from Moscow that talked about how the Soviets would not be able to live with the U.S. in “cooperation and harmony” because of its need to extend communist ideology to other nations. Russia’s policy was “to undermine the general and strategic potential of major western powers by a host of subversive measures to destroy individual governments that might stand in the Soviet path, to do everything possible to set the major Western powers against each other.”

The Iron Curtain Speech Winston Churchill gave a speech in March 1946 in which he stated that “an iron curtain” had fallen across Europe. Behind the curtain the Soviets expanded their influence and installed Communist governments.

British Abdication of Greece in 1947 Britain’s recovery from the war, despite loans from the U.S., was still very slow. During the harsh winter of , British leaders decided to let go of their overseas commitments, including their crown jewel, India. They handed over Palestine to the U.N., India became independent in 1947, and Britain informed the U.S. early that year that aid to Greece and Turkey would halt within six weeks. After some convincing, Congress came along with the plan that eventually came to be known as the Truman Doctrine. This doctrine solidified American foreign policy (as it concerned the Soviet Union for the next 44 years) of containment and further deepened our involvement in the CW if not made it irreversible.

The Truman Doctrine In 1946, the French Communist Party won 30% of the vote. Later in January 1947, Britain was broke and had to withdraw aid from Greece and Turkey. So, the U.S. pledged $400 million to help Greece fight off Communist rebels in March In many ways, the Truman Doctrine – fighting communism wherever it popped up in our allies – marked the beginning of the Cold War.

Marshall Plan The plan spent $13 billion over 4 yrs to rebuild European countries so they wouldn’t become Communist. - $12 billion had already been spent between by the U.S. in aid for food and refugee camps. - Much of the $$ went to rebuild infrastructure (bridges, roads, etc.), factories, and homes / apartments. Industry grew 35%, farming rose beyond pre- war levels. The MP allowed nations to ease rationing and reduced discontent. - The Soviets and EE nations rejected the aid. Expenditures by European nationExpenditures by European nation. Marshall Plan Poster

Schools of thought on Cold War historiography 1.The Cold War began b/c of Soviet aggression in Eastern Europe. 2.The Cold War began b/c of American mistrust of the Soviets’ need for security. 3.Add: The British are culpable in America’s involvement in the Cold War because the Brits wanted to retain their empire.

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Further Cold War Events to Explore West German Unification Possible Soviet invasion of Iran in January 1946 Growing British resentment over U.S. loans. Churchill / FDR relationship Stalin’s speech on Communism in 1946 Kennan’s Long Telegram How much of the U.S.’s entry into the Cold War is “chicken-little alarmism”? How much of our entry has to do with the rhetoric of Churchill’s and Kennan’s work? How much of our entry has to do with President Truman’s personality?