USHC Standard 7: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the impact of World War II on the United States and the nation’s subsequent role in the world. USHC 7.5: Analyze the impact of the Cold War on national security and individual freedom, including the containment policy and the role of military alliances, the effects of the “Red Scare” and McCarthyism, the conflicts in Korea and the Middle East, the Iron Curtain and the Berlin Wall, the Cuban missile crisis, and the nuclear arms race.

Cold War: the tension between the United States and the Soviet Union that dominated both nations’ foreign policies and which many feared would lead to actual war

Although the US and the USSR were allies in WWII, they had different strategic priorities The US and Great Britain felt strongly that the Allies should not occupy the territories they conquered during WWII The Soviets had suffered great losses in terms of life and property and they were determined not to be invaded again

Stalin decided that he must maintain control over eastern Europe in order to keep a buffer between the Soviet Union and the nations of the West

The European continent now stood divided between western democracies and Soviet satellite nations “iron curtain” became the common term used to refer to the dividing line between eastern and western Europe

“Iron Curtain”

The United States adopted a strategy of “containment” in the beginning of the Cold War Containment: eastern Europe was firmly in Soviet hands and could not be saved, so the US and the West should focus on containing communism to those countries which already existed, and not let it spread any further President Truman introduced the Truman Doctrine shortly after Truman Doctrine: stated that the US would not hesitate to intervene and aid nations overseas to resist communism

Containment Policy

The Truman Doctrine featured a financial plan to build up Europe worked out by Secretary of State, George Marshall The Marshall Plan: provided nations in war-torn Europe with much needed financial support from the United States The Soviet Union did not receive any aid under the Marshall Plan, which increased the tension between the US and USSR

The Marshall Plan went a long way towards preventing Soviet advancements in Western Europe, since communist revolutions often started due to economic hardships within a society George Marshall won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1953

There were several causes of the Cold War from WWII The Soviets were suspicious of the US and Great Britain’s hesitation in opening a second front in the west Eventually the US and Great Britain invaded Normandy, France Before the US decided to use the atomic bomb, they wanted the Soviet Union’s help The Soviets invaded Korea

Germany (West Germany and East Germany) After WWII, the Allies divided Germany among themselves Great Britain, the US, the USSR and France held portions of Germany The capital, Berlin, was also divided between the western Allies and the Soviets (West Berlin and East Berlin) Great Britain, the US and France viewed this as temporary, with an independent democratic Germany in the future Stalin refused to give up his territory

Great Britain, the US and France unified their territories into the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) The USSR established the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) under communist rule Stalin decided to force the West to surrender its portion of Berlin Blockade: not allowing any needed supplies to reach the people of West Berlin

In response, President Truman authorized the Berlin Airlift Over a 15 month period the US and British planes delivered needed supplies to West Berlin The Soviet Union finally gave up in May of 1949 The bitterness of the conflict served to fuel the fires of the Cold War

China After WWII, hostilities between communist rebels and the nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek escalated The US decided to send aid to Chiang Kai-shek, in order to prevent a key country from falling to communism The Soviets sent aid to the Communist forces of Mao Tse-tung (Mao Zedong)

Mao Zedong and his forces won control of the mainland and forced the Nationalist troops to the island of Formosa (Taiwan) The Communists now clearly ruled China, but the US and the UN refused to formally recognize the new government

Korea Korea was one of the countries liberated from the Japanese during WWII The northern half, or North Korea, established a communist government The southern half, or South Korea, established a pro-US democracy

June 1950, the Korean War began when North Korean forces crossed the 38th parallel into South Korea The UN forces pushed back the North Korean troops almost to the Chinese border The Chinese wanted to maintain a communist regime in North Korea, so they sent troops, resulting in a stalemate

American public opinion turned against the war during the stalemate After two more long years of fighting, both sides signed a truce in 1953 Formal peace negotiations ended with North Korean forces contained above the 38th parallel The country was divided at almost the same point as before the North Korean invasion This was a victory for containment at a cost of 34,000 American lives