POSTWAR/ COLDWAR Unit 9

The Roots of the Cold War

Shortly after World War II ended, the US and Soviet Union entered into a 45 year long Cold War Cold War (competition between US and USSR for world power and influence)

The Roots of the Cold War Soviet Union was Communist and US was a democracy based on Free Enterprise System Many Ideological Differences

The Roots of the Cold War Yalta and Potsdam Conferences Roosevelt (US), Churchill (UK), and Stalin (USSR) meet at Yalta to reorganize Europe after the war -formation of United Nations -Division of Germany into four zones -allow free elections in countries liberated from German control Six months later Truman and Stalin meet at Potsdam Conference and serious differences began to emerge

The Roots of the Cold War Soviet Occupation of Eastern Europe -At the end of World War II the Soviet Army occupies all the countries between Russia and Germany Soviets set up satellite nations in Eastern Europe with Communist governments

The Roots of the Cold War US and Soviet Union grow father apart -Stalin fails to hold elections in Poland, angering the US -U.S fails to share its atomic secrets

The Roots of the Cold War Iron Curtain -Soviets cut-off Eastern Europe from Western Europe

The Iron Curtain “An iron curtain has descended across the Continent.” – British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, 1946

The Roots of the Cold War Fear of a communist world revolution -US adopts policy of containmentcontainment -Truman and future US presidents sought to stop the spread of Communism

The Cold War in Europe and Asia

The Cold War In Europe Communist rebels challenged Greek govt and Stalin put pressure on Turkey -US issues Truman Doctrine (1947) -Created to help Turkey and Greece, also offered aid to any free peoples resisting Communism

The Cold War In Europe Marshall Plan (1948) Marshall Plan Created by Secretary of State George Marshall -offered US economic aid to any country in Europe, wanted to reduce the appeal of Communism -US created allies and trading partners

The Cold War In Europe Division of Germany -four zones of occupation

The Cold War In Europe Berlin Airlift France, Britain, and US join occupation zones together forming West Germany Stalin then orders a blockade of Berlin US and its allies supplied West Berlin by dropping food and supplies through a series of airlifts, Soviets eventually end blockade

The Cold War In Europe Formation of NATO -Alliance of US, Canada, and Western Europe -NATO was an alliance to give Western Europe military and nuclear protection -all nations pledged military aid to defend against Communist aggression

The Cold War In Europe Formation of Warsaw Pact -Military Pact of Soviet Union and satellite nations to counter the threat of NATO

The Cold War In Asia Communism in China -In 1949 Mao Zedong leads a Communist Revolution in China -China becomes world’s largest communist state -US cuts off diplomatic ties and prevented admission of “Red China” to United Nations

The Cold War In Asia Korean War ( ) -In 1950 Communist North Korea invades South Korea to reunify the country -United Nations passes a resolution to defend South Korea and US enters the war

The Cold War In Asia Truman comes to the aid of South Korea by sending US forces under the command of Gen. Douglas MacArthur Truman wanted to contain the spread of Communism in Korea MacArthur’s landing at Inchon turns the tide of the war As US pushes north China fears an invasion and enters the war

The Cold War In Asia MacArthur –Truman Controversy -MacArthur made public his interest in invading China to liberate China from Communist Control and using nuclear weapons to do so -Truman disagrees and removes MacArthur from command

The Cold War In Asia President Eisenhower signs armistice ending the war in a stalemate No land changes Borders remain the same as before the war Formation of Demilitarized Zone

The Cold War In Asia Cold War and Korean war increases defense spending tremendously leads to military industrial complex in US Defense industry is large part of the US economy

The Cold War In Europe and Asia Nuclear arms race -In 1949 Soviet Union develops own atomic bomb leading to a nuclear “arms race” -US and Soviet Union begin to rely on nuclear weapons for defense -Used destructiveness of nuclear weapons to act as deterrent to attack, both build large stockpiles of weapons

The Cold War In Europe and Asia Space Race -Space race begins when Soviets launch Sputnik into space in US responds by launching its own satellite the next year

The Cold War In Europe and Asia In response to the Space Race Eisenhower helped establish the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), an agency for space exploration The National Defense Education Act, which gave money to improve science and mathematics education.

Cold War at Home

Fear of Communist Threat—”2 nd Red Scare” -People fear Soviet spies in US

Cold War at Home Truman creates Loyalty review boards -used to investigate “un-American acts”

Cold War at Home House Un-American Activities Committee -Congress investigates those accused of disloyalty -Questions members of the government and movie industry -Leads to blacklisting of many individuals -”In God we Trust”-replaces “E Pluribus Unum” as national motto in response to state atheism in Soviet Union

Cold War at Home Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were accused of being spies Rosenbergs are put on trial for espionage -Found Guilty as soviet spies and later executed

Cold War at Home Venona Papers (1997) -Revealed all of the accusations against the Rosenbergs -Confirmed that spies (Including Julius Rosenberg) had penetrated the U.S. Government

Cold War at Home Fear of Communists in the government led to“McCarthyism” Led by Senator Joseph McCarthy, he conducted hearings in Congress looking for Communists -Made accusations against people and groups without evidence -He was later censured for his unsupported accusations against people

THE POST WAR YEARS AT HOME Truman and Eisenhower Administrations ( )

Truman Domestic Policy -Truman proposed the Fair Deal which ended unfair hiring practices for federal jobs and controls over atomic energy. -G.I. Bill-provided loans to help returning veterans to buy new homes and attend college -Leads to a housing boom in US

Truman and Eisenhower Administrations ( ) Eisenhower Presidency -Eisenhower Doctrine—Extended U.S. containment policy to the Middle East -US would send forces to any nation that requested it to defend against Communism

Truman and Eisenhower Administrations ( ) Eisenhower Domestic Policy -oversaw period of immense economic prosperity in the 1950’s (GDP doubles in 15 years and US dominates world trade) -mass movement to the suburbs by Americans -Interstate Highway Act created a system of federal highways making travel easier

Truman and Eisenhower Administrations ( ) A growing economy and more affluence helped increase the birthrate, causing a baby boom in the 1950’s  1 baby born every 7 seconds

Truman and Eisenhower Administrations ( ) US produced new consumer goods and goods for markets in war torn Europe Advances in technology, such as television, computers, transistors, and nuclear power also spurred industrial growth as business met demands for new technologies.

Truman and Eisenhower Administrations ( ) Medicine made rapid advances with new antibiotics, Jonas Salk develops a successful vaccine to prevent polio Streptomycin is developed to treat tuberculosis