History 232 Texas Southern University Professor S. Williams

What concerns did the United States have concerning Europe following World War II?

United States Soviet Union The era of confrontation and competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union when the threat of nuclear war created constant world tension vs. Democracy Communism

Believed in democratic forms of government Believed economic stability would keep world peace Believed the free enterprise system was necessary for economic growth Believed in a communistic forms of government Believed in workers revolting(striking) against Wanted to control countries between Russian and Germany

War torn Europe Military Pressure on Greece & Turkey Berlin Blockade Soviet Military Presence in Europe Coup in Czechoslovakia The Potsdam Conference was a meeting of the Allied leaders during World War II to decide what to do with Germany

Soviets take over Eastern Europe Soviet troops move into Germany near the end of World War II As World War II ended, the Soviet army occupied the countries of Eastern Europe that Germany had conquered during the war

“An iron curtain has descended across the Continent” iron curtain iron curtain – Prime Minister Winston Churchill Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Hungary Bulgaria and East Germany became satellite nations of Soviet Union

Peep under the Iron curtain March 6, 1946 Who is “Joe”? What part of Europe is sealed off? What does the wall symbolize?

After World War II, Germany was divided into four zones, occupied by French, British, American, and Soviet troops. Occupation zones after Berlin is the multinational area within the Soviet zone. British Soviet French American

In June of 1948, the French, British and American zones were joined into the nation of West Germany after the Soviets refused to end their occupation of Germany. East and West Germany formed West Germany East Germany West Berlin East Berlin

USSR behavior? Why? George Kennan (US diplomat in Moscow) writes the Long Telegram Russia’s insecurity and fear of the West – reason why it would be impossible to reach agreements with Russia Kennan proposes containment (keeping communism within its present territory through diplomatic, economic, and military actions)

Truman Doctrine U.S. foreign policy established by President Truman saying the U.S. would protect democracies throughout the world “It must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or outside pressures” -- Harry Truman -- Harry Truman

It pledged that the United States would fight Communism worldwide Truman Doctrine Truman Doctrine was an extension to the U.S. foreign policy set forth in the Monroe Doctrine (1823) and the Roosevelt Corollary (1904) Truman Doctrine American tanks provided by the Truman Doctrine roll through Turkey American tanks provided by the Truman Doctrine roll through Turkey

Secretary of State George Marshall toured Western Europe; witnessed widespread homelessness and famine. Aid for Europe Children in a London suburb, waiting outside the wreckage of what was their home Fearing Europeans would turn to communism as an answer to their economic problems, Marshall proposed the U.S. help to rebuild Europe, leading to…

U.S. plan for rebuilding Western Europe, and repelling communism after World War II. Plan made U.S. heroes to people of Western Europe. Plan pumped billions of dollars into Western Europe for food and supplies.

The Marshall Plan proved to be a great success Within 4 years, countries receiving aid saw a 41% higher industrial production than on the eve of World War II Countries were stabilized and exports were rising rapidly Countries receiving aid under Marshall Plan

Eastern European countries were offered to take part in the Marshall Plan… … but Stalin and other East European leaders refused financial help from the United States What is this cartoon trying to say?

First crisis of the Cold War. In 1948, the Soviet Union attempted to limit the ability of France, England, and the US to travel through their sectors of Berlin.

President Truman decided to avoid the blockade by flying in food and other supplies to the needy people of West Berlin blockade At times, over 5,000 tons of supplies arrived daily

Berlin Airlift The Berlin Airlift saved the people of West Berlin from falling under Soviet Union control The airlift continued for 11 months before Stalin finally lifted the blockade Soviet blockade of West Germany convinced many Americans that the Soviets were trying to conquer other nations

Birth of NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization Formed in 1949 to protect Western Europe from Soviet aggression

The Warsaw Pact was the Soviet Union’s response to the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Hungary Bulgaria and East Germany became satellite nations of Soviet Union

Truman angered many Southern Democrats by supporting integration. Many people didn’t think he would be re- elected. Election of 1948

Provided college for returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as GIs) THE G.I. BILL Millions of GIs bought homes, attended college, started business venture, or found jobs Provided one year of unemployment compensation

THE G.I. BILL VA Mortgages paid for nearly 5 million new homes, by making homes affordable with low interest rates and 30 year loans. Between 1945 and 1954, the U.S. added 13 million new homes to its housing stock President Franklin Roosevelt signs the GI Bill in 1944

Spies like Julius and Ethel Rosenberg and Alger Hiss caused fear that our government was infiltrated by the Communists U.S. citizens in 1950s feared Communists wanted to take over the world. This fear was known as the Red Scare.

Committee set up to investigate Communist activities in the U.S. Committee set up to investigate Communist activities in the U.S. HUAC searched for Soviet spies and Communist sympathizers. HUAC searched for Soviet spies and Communist sympathizers. “Are you now or have you ever been a Communist?” “Are you now or have you ever been a Communist?”

People who were accused of being Communists were often “blacklisted”. A group of Hollywood actors who were blacklisted for refusing to answer HUAC questions became known as the “Hollywood Ten”. “Hollywood Ten”. “Hollywood Ten”. If someone was blacklisted, it meant they were denied work or ostracized from society. The Hollywood Ten Movie stars Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart lead a protest during height of Hollywood Blacklist controversy

Communism and the threat of the atomic bomb dominated life in the 1950s Fallout (radiation left over from an atomic blast) Americans began to build fallout shelters Time of contrast:  Images of the Cold War fear filled popular culture  The country enjoyed immense postwar prosperity and optimism

The Cold War Heats Up

Cold War spreads to Asia Communists take over in China. Mao Zedong takes control of Chinese government from Chang Kai-shek’s Nationalist Party. Half the world now appeared to be under Communist control The country of Korea became the next battleground in the Cold War ChinaKorea

The Korean War Following World War II, the Allies divided Korea at the 38 th parallel Soviets controlled North Korea; U.S. sets up a democracy in South Korea Both governments claimed to control all of Korea The Cold War gets HOT

The Korean War Syngman Rhee Kim Il-Sung “Domino Theory” Leader of North Korea A “Police Action” ( ) President of South Korea If one country falls to communism, others around it will fall as well

The Korean War On June 25, 1950, North Korea invades South Korea Communist forces push UN forces to brink of defeat UN forces under Macarthur come to the aid of South Korea The Cold War gets HOT UN forces push North Koreans back to border of China

The Korean War China enters the war North Koreans pushed back to border with China Chinese enter war on the side of North Koreans Macarthur calls for an invasion of China, wants to use the atomic bomb Macarthur criticized Truman for wanting a “limited war”. An artillery officer directs UN troops as they drop white phosphorous on a Communist-held post in February 1951.

The Korean War War ends in a stalemate Korean War marked an important turning point in the Cold War. An armistice was signed ending the war in July 1953 U.S. began a major military build-up; began using military force to prevent spread of communism. Korea was divided at the 38 th parallel

McCarthyism In 1952, U.S. Senator Joe McCarthy began holding Senate hearings. McCarthy turned the hearings into witch-hunts, destroying numerous people’s reputations on rumor and weak evidence. Numerous Americans accused of having ties to the Communist Party.

U-2 Incident Col. Francis Gary Powers’ spy plane was shot down over Soviet airspace in 1960 Incident cools Soviet-U.S. relations

Russians launch Sputnik Impact of Sputnik Congress establishes the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) to conduct research in rocket and space technology Congress also passed the National Defense Education Act, which provided money for education and training in science, math and foreign languages

The Space Race Begins In 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin blasted off into space, making the Soviet Union the first nation to launch a human into orbit Kennedy said he wanted U.S. to land a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s

Going into the late 50s and 60s, the Cold War starts to heat up with no end in sight. The Cold War will continue throughout the 1960s as the world moved closer to open conflicts with US & USSR.