Lecture: Containment of Communism and McCarthyism AP US History

US Foreign Policy After WWII The U.S. and the U.S.S.R. disagreed over the postwar fate of Eastern Europe. An uncompromising Truman squared off against an obsessive Stalin. U.S. adopted Containment as its strategy against the Soviet Union.

Fears of Communism & The U.S. Stance Anxiety & American Society in the 1950s Exemplified through court McCarthy(ism) Appealed to “In War, there is no substitute for victory.” –General MacArthur Widespread anxieties provoked fears of communist aggression and domestic subversion. American society became increasingly consumeristic; Americans experienced a high level of prosperity. Despite the expansion of suburbs and increased consumerism, not all Americans shared the good times. American people (with the exception of racial minorities and the poor) experienced the full-belly sense of well-being. Conservatism was favored over New Deal liberalism. High-profile court cases spread fears in the U.S. of communist infiltration Alger Hiss Ethel and Julius Rosenberg Joseph McCarthy was the ultimate manifestation of these anxieties. U.S. politicians couldn’t afford to be soft on communism Limited war angered Americans Appealed to: Those who had no need for New Deal liberalism. Those who opposed Truman’s Europe-centered foreign policy. Those who opposed liberals and internationalists. Those who were politically polarized. Those who opposed the influence of perceived high society. “In war there is no substitute for victory.” Gen. MacArthur Focused on Asia Truman disagreed with MacArthur Americans didn’t understand U.S. military strategy

The American Reaction to Communism Containment / Domino Theory Truman (President 1945-53) = “Containment” = Europe Eisenhower (President 1953-61) = “Domino Theory” = Asia “You knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly” South Vietnam > Cambodia > Laos > Thailand > Burma > India > ??? Ho Chi Minh responds with a guerrilla campaign against the south.

The Domino Theory Illustrated

Results of Communism Fear of communism bred domestic repression, stifled dissent, and rewarded blind conformity. Loyalty programs were established. Academia, government, and entertainment were clear targets.

Part II: The Korean War and our Policy of Containment

Korean War, 1950-1953

1910 Korea becomes a colony of Japan.

1945 - 1950 September 1945: Korea is divided at the 38th Parallel 1. Communist North Korea supported by the Soviet Union. 2. The Republic of South Korea supported by the United States. June 1950: North Korea, wanting a united Korea, charges across the 38th parallel, deep into South Korea. South Korea also wants unification, but on its own terms. The United Nations, without the attendance of the Soviet Union, votes to send in troops to South Korea. The United Nations declares a “police action” and sends troops to stop a North Korean invasion.

The War Rages On October 1950 March 1951 United Nations forces push the North Korean army back to the border of Korea and Communist China. With this victory, General MacArthur hopes to unify the country. Soon, 200,000 Chinese volunteer on the side of the North Koreans. March 1951 Americans and Chinese are now fighting each other. General MacArthur proposes to use nuclear weapons against China. Truman disagrees. MacArthur publicly criticizes Truman. MacArthur is fired.

July 1953 An armistice is finally signed, restoring the boundary between North and South near the 38th parallel. 54,000 American soldiers had been killed.

Map of the Korean War

A Limited War Was there a victory? Was our policy of containment successful? What does it mean to fight a “limited war”?