Chapter 18 – Cold War Conflicts U.S. History Unit 8 – Differing Ideologies – Cold War Chapter 18 – Cold War Conflicts

Origins of the Cold War After WWII, U.S. and U.S.S.R. had different ambitions and ideologies for the future. Under Soviet communism, the state controlled all property and economic activity, while in the capitalistic American system, private citizens controlled almost all economic activity.

TRUMAN BECOMES PRESIDENT Truman had served as V.P. for just a few months before FDR’s death. As V.P., he had not been included in top policy decisions. He had not even known that the U.S. was developing an atomic bomb. Truman was honest and had a willingness to make tough decisions.

POTSDAM CONFERENCE The Big Three, U.S., U.K., and U.S.S.R., met at the final wartime conference at Potsdam near Berlin. At Yalta Conference, Stalin promised free elections in Poland and parts of Eastern Europe. Stalin would not keep his promise and the Soviets prevented free elections in Poland and banned democratic parties.

TENSION MOUNTS Truman wanted to create a new world order in which all nations had the right of self-determination. Soviets wanted to take reparations from Germany to help pay wartime losses. American business wanted access to raw materials in Eastern Europe.

TENSION MOUNTS With 20 million deaths from WWII, Soviets felt justified in their claim to Eastern Europe and to stop future invasions from the west. Stalin installed communist governments in Eastern Europe countries known as satellite nations, also known as the iron curtain. Stalin announced that communism and capitalism were incompatible and another war was inevitable.

POLICY OF CONTAINMENT Faced with Soviet threat, Truman decided it was time to stop “babying the Soviets.” U.S. proposed a policy of containment – measures to prevent any extension of communist rule. Europe now divided into two political regions, democratic Western Europe and communist Eastern Europe.

COLD WAR IN EUROPE The conflicting U.S. and Soviet aims in Eastern Europe led to the Cold War – 1945 to 1991. U.S. tried to contain Soviet influence with the Truman Doctrine – providing economic & military aid to free nations threatened by internal or external opponents. U.S. also provided aid to all European nations through the Marshall Plan – economic aid to European nations to help them rebuild after WWII.

Marshall Plan to Aid Europe 1948-1952

SUPERPOWERS STRUGGLE OVER GERMANY At end of WWII, Germany was divided into four zones. City of Berlin was also divided into four zones. Western part of Berlin was surrounded by Soviet-occupied territory. June 1948, Stalin closed all highway & rail routes into West Berlin. U.S. & U.K. started Berlin airlift to fly-in food & supplies. May 1949, Soviets lifted blockade.

Eastern Berlin Western Berlin

NATO ALLIANCE To form a defensive military alliance against Soviet aggression, 10 Western European nations, with U.S. and Canada formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). 12 members of NATO pledged military support to one another in case any member was attacked.

CHINA BECOME A COMMUNIST COUNTRY U.S. public was stunned that China had become Communist. Containment had failed. Many in Congress claimed that the American government was riddled with Communist agents. Like wildfire, U.S. fear of communism began to burn out of control & flames were fanned by Korean War.

Communist influence domino theory effect

KOREAN WAR As WWII ended, Japanese troops north of the 38th parallel surrendered to Soviets. Japanese troops south of the parallel surrendered to U.S. As with Germany, Korea was split between communist and democracy. Soon after WWII, U.S. cut-back armed forces in South Korea. WWII Japanese soldiers surrender to U.S. Military in Korea

KOREAN WAR June 25, 1950, North Korean forces swept across the 38th parallel in a surprise attack on South Korea. June 27, Truman ordered U.S. troops stationed in Japan to support the South Koreans. The combined UN forces were placed under the command of General Douglas MacArthur.

KOREAN WAR North Korea drives UN and South Korean troops into small defensive zone around Pusan. MacArthur launches counterattack with amphibious landing at Inchon. UN army chased retreating North Koreans to across 38th parallel to Yalu River.

KOREAN WAR Nov 1950, 300,000 Chinese troops joined the war on side of North Korea. By sheer force of numbers, the Chinese drove UN troops southward. Jan 1951, all UN & South Korean troops had been pushed out of North Korea. In July 1953, the two sides signed an armistice ending the war.

COLD WAR AT HOME Many Americans worried about the nation’s security. At height of WWII about 80,000 Americans claimed membership in the Communist Party.

HOUSE UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) began to investigate Communist influence in the movie industry. Ten “unfriendly” witnesses were called to testify but refused – known as the Hollywood Ten. They were sent to prison. Hollywood executives instituted a blacklist, list of people whom they condemned for having a Communist background.

SPY CASES STUN THE NATION In 1948, Alger Hiss was accused of spying for the Soviet Union and was unsuccessfully charged with espionage, but was convicted of perjury. In 1950, physicist Klaus Fuchs admitted to giving Soviet Union atomic bomb information. During case, Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were charged with and found guilty of espionage and sentenced to death.

MCCARTHY LAUNCHES HIS “WITCH HUNT” Senator Joseph McCarthy charged that Communist were taking over the government. McCarthy made unsupported accusations on suspected Communists, which became known as McCarthyism. McCarthy accused people in the State Department, Democratic Party, and U.S. Army of communism.

TWO NATIONS LIVE ON THE EDGE When the Soviets exploded its first atomic bomb in 1949, the U.S. looked to develop a more horrifying weapon. Nov 1952, U.S. exploded the first H-Bomb and 1953 the Soviets exploded their own thermonuclear weapon. U.S. willing to go to the edge of all out war, to include use of nuclear weapons, was known as brinkmanship. H-Bomb is 67 times more powerful than the atomic bomb used on Hiroshima

COLD WAR SPREADS AROUND THE WORLD Recently formed Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was used to spy and gather information, carry out covert operations to weaken or over throw govt unfriendly to U.S. In 1955, when West Germany was allowed to rearm and join NATO, the Soviets formed its own military alliance, known as the Warsaw Pact.

SPACE RACE Oct 1957 – Soviets launched Sputnik, first artificial satellite, the start of the space race. Jan 1958 – U.S. launches their first satellite and also establishes the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). U.S. Congress passes National Defense Education Act, providing millions of dollars for public education in science and technology.

U-2 SHOT DOWN U.S. and CIA used secret high altitude planes, called U-2, to spy over Soviet territory. 1 May 1960, U-2 plane was shot down over Soviet Union. Pilot was Francis Gary Powers, who was charged with espionage and sentenced to 10 years prison. U-2 incident raised tensions between U.S. and Soviets.