The Cold War Begins 1945 – 1952

Return to Peacetime Economy Despite some fears the U.S. economy continued to grow after WWII People began to buy!

Inflations and Strikes Increased spending led to inflation – rising prices Strikes in the steel, electrical, automobile & mining industries

Republican Victory In 1946, Republicans won control of Congress Taft-Hartley Act – designed to cut the power of organized labor Outlawed closed shops – forcing businesses to hire only union members Prohibited featherbedding – the limiting of work output to create more jobs

The GI Bill The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, or GI Bill, helped returning soldiers Attend college Set up businesses Buy homes

The Sunbelt

The Affluent Society By 1958, America was considered to have created an “economy of abundance” Improved technology had created a standard of living never believed possible in the past

Growth of Advertising Rise in luxury products led to the growth of more sophisticated advertising Advertising industry became fastest-growing industry in the U.S.

The Suburbs Levittown, New York – one of the country’s earliest suburbs, was a mass- produced residential community spearheaded by Bill Levitt During the 50s many suburban communities were built all over the U.S. Symbol of the American Dream

The Baby Boom The American family grew larger and women entered the workforce Baby Boom – period between 1945 to 1961, in which more than 65 million children were born in the U.S.

Truman’s Domestic Program Truman tried to continue FDR’s New Deal programs Expansion of Social Security Minimum wage from 40¢/hr to 75¢/hr Public housing Environmental and public works National health insurance Civil Rights Bill Most rejected by Congress

Truman on Civil Rights Truman’s civil rights bill was not passed, but he did: Make it illegal to discriminate in federal employment End segregation in the armed forces

Origins of the Cold War Instead of a more peaceful world after WWII a perilous new era called the Cold War began. Was an uneasy era of confrontation and competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union that lasted from about 1946 to Nuclear age Space Race Wars

Soviet Security Concerns Soviets wanted to keep Germany weak Germany had invaded twice in less than 30 years Wanted a buffer zone between Germany and the Soviet Union Wanted to spread Communism Suspicious of Capitalist countries

Communism vs. Capitalism Communism – government in which all economic and social activity is controlled by the state All property held in common—equality Very little civil liberties—no freedoms Capitalism – an economic system based on private ownership of wealth Rewards individuality, hard work, & entrepreneurship Free enterprise

American Economic Concerns Americans believed that the Depression caused the war Trade and economic growth would promote peace Also wanted to promote democracy and free enterprise

United Nations United Nations created to prevent further wars 50 member countries General Assembly created Each member has 1 vote Security Council had veto power U.S., Britain, France, China, U.S.S.R.

Shaping the Postwar World International Monetary Fund (IMF) – encouraged trade by regulating currency rates United Nations Israel UNSECO – U.N. Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization FAO – Food & Agricultural Organization WHO – World Health Organization

Nuremburg Trials At the Nuremburg Trials an International Military Tribunal was created to punish German & Japanese leaders for war crimes

YALTA (in the USSR) Date: Feb 1945 Present: Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin

Yalta Conference Feb. 1945, Roosevelt, Churchill & Stalin met at the Soviet resort of Yalta. They discussed: Poland – Democracy or Communism? Free elections would be allowed

Yalta - Continued Declaration of Liberated Europe – “the right of all people to choose the form of government under which they will live” America encourages free elections Dividing Germany – between Soviet Union, U.S., England & France Germany has to pay reparations

Tensions Begin to Rise Soviets appoint a Communist government in Romania Communists take power in Poland Roosevelt dies

Truman Takes Control Truman was strongly anticommunist Did not want to appease Stalin Demanded Poland be allowed to hold free elections

POTSDAM (Germany) Date: July 1945 Present: Churchill, Truman and Stalin

Potsdam Conference Potsdam Conference: Allies would help Germany to recover in their zones Soviets would take reparation from their zone However, it was mostly agricultural Compromise: Allies would give Soviets a small amount of industrial equipment in return for food shipments Truman tells Stalin about the bomb…

The Iron Curtain The Soviets set up pro- Soviet Communist governments in Eastern Europe. They became known as satellite nations. Iron Curtain –the political and military barrier isolating Soviet- controlled countries of Eastern Europe

Iron Curtain – A term used by Winston Churchill to describe the separating of Those communist lands of East Europe from the West.

Containing Communism America’s policy toward Soviet aggression became known as containment – keeping communism within its present territory through the use of diplomatic, economic and military actions Drafted by Soviet specialist George F. Kennan

Truman Doctrine The Truman Doctrine in March 1947 promised that the USA “would support free peoples who are resisting” communism Greece & Turkey

Marshall Plan Sec. of State, George C. Marshall’s plan to provide aid to European nations to help them rebuild their economies AND to keep them from turning communist. Truman saw the Marshall plan and the Truman Doctrine as “two halves of the same walnut,” both essential for containment

West Germany In 1948, England, France and U.S. merge their 3 zones to create an independent West Germany In response, Stalin sealed off Berlin from the allies

Berlin Airlift Allies attempted to keep West Berlin alive without going to war with the Soviets Berlin Airlift – For 11 month, cargo planes dropped Berliners with food, medicine, and coal Stalin finally lifted the blockade

National Security Act (1947) Created the Department of Defense In Pentagon Headed by Sec. of Defense (Army, Navy & Air) Formed the National Security Council (NSC) Advise President CIA formed

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO –a mutual defense alliance between 12 countries including (U.S., England, France, and Canada) They would aid any member that was attacked

Warsaw Pact The Soviets responded by organizing their own military alliance in Eastern Europe known as the Warsaw Pact

China Turns to Communism After WWII, China was engaged in a Civil War between the Nationalist party and the Communist, led by Mao Zedong Communists won America made sure that Japan did not do the same by helping to aid its economy & writing its constitution Douglas MacArthur

The Bomb Sept – Soviets explode their own atomic bomb 1952 – U.S. explodes a hydrogen bomb

Facing the Bomb Americans prepare for the possibility of a nuclear attack “Duck-and-cover” drills Fallout – radiation from the blast Families built fallout shelters

A New Red Scare During the 1950s there was a intense fear of Communist subversion – an effort to weaken a society and overthrow its government People feared Soviet spies Igor Gouzenko case, Canada Soviets wanted the bomb

Government Screening Loyalty Review Program – all Federal employees had to be screened to determine if they were Communist sympathizers HUAC – (House of Un- American Activities Committee), headed by FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, tried to identify members of the Communist party

Alger Hiss Whittaker Chambers, a Time magazine editor, testified to HUAC that several government officials were former Communists or spies Including Alger Hiss, who served under Roosevelt Hiss denied it Later found guilty of perjury, or lying under oath

The Rosenbergs Soviets developed the atomic bomb in 1949 Most believed American communists sold them the secrets Julius & Ethel Rosenberg were accused of heading a Soviet spy ring They denied the charges Sentenced to death

Election of 1948 Appeared Truman would lose 1948 election Made over 350 speeches Criticized a “Do-Nothing Congress” – because it had not enacted any of his legislative proposals

80 th Congress The 80 th Congress did some good things: Truman Doctrine Marshall Plan Department of Defense CIA Joint Chief of Staff

Truman Wins! Truman narrowly won the election & the Democrats made a comeback in Congress

The Fair Deal Fair Deal – Truman’s domestic agenda 81 st Congress: Raised minimum wage Improved Social Security National Housing Act of 1949 Did not pass national health care or civil rights legislation “Every segment of our population and every individual has a right to expect from … government a fair deal.”

Korean War Korea was divided in two at the 38 th parallel after WWII. Soviets controlled the North. America the South. Talks to reunify the country broke down In 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea

Korean War U.S. responds. General MacArthur is able to push the North Koreans beyond the 38 th parallel China sends huge amounts of troops across its border to push the Americans back MacArthur wants to expand the war Attack China Blockade its ports Use atomic bombs

Truman Fires MacArthur Truman refused to expand the war into China MacArthur publicly criticizes him “There is no substitute for victory.” To show who was boss, Truman fires General MacArthur Truman was committed to limited war