The Cold War US vs. USSR Never any “hot” military combat between countries, more of a political (cold) stand-off.
Differences in US and USSR United States: Harry S. Truman Democracy Free elections Freedom of religion Capitalism Private property Soviet Union: Joseph Stalin Dictatorship No freedom No opposition (fear) Communism Government made all economic, political and military decisions
Iron Curtain term coined by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill invisible line separating Europe: East - Soviet Union setting up communists states West – US and other democracies needed to stand firm to be safe Communist under Stalin Non- Communist with help of GB and US
The Truman Doctrine promise to help aid nations struggling against communists movements used containment in which communism would be contained where it already existed Set a new trend in American foreign policy…no longer neutrality or isolation
Marshall Plan help create economic stability in Western Europe establish political stability: provide food, fuel and money to jump start economic growth helped combat the spread of communism with money not bullets…kept the Cold War “cold”
Divided Germany and Divided Berlin East (communism) West (democracy)
A Divided Berlin city of Berlin in East Germany (Soviet occupied) the city itself was divided into: East Berlin (Soviet) West Berlin (Allies)
West Berlin Cut-off Stalin cut off traffic to West Berlin US and British response Berlin Airlift – fly in supplies to West Berlin for over a year Showed how far the US would go to CONTAIN communism Later a wall is constructed to divide East and West Berlin called the Berlin Wall
N.A.T.O vs. Warsaw Pact N.A.T.O. North Atlantic Treaty Organization Non-communists military alliance to contain Soviets Attack on one is an attack on them all Warsaw Pact: Communist military alliance rival to N.A.T.O. Attack on one is an attack on them all
Truman in Office War production helped get US out of the Great Depression America still in a war (Cold War) still struggling with domestic problems Fair Deal: strengthened the New Deal and created new programs Taft-Hartley Act: outlawed closed shops reversed worker gains made during the New Deal led to the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organization to unite in their efforts
United Nations April nations met to create peace organization (to replace the League of Nations) 2 divisions: General Assembly – every nation has an equal voice and could raise any concerns for discussion Security Council – 5 permanent members (US, GB, USSR, France, China) and 10 rotating members Address military and political problems throughout world, even nations w/o members in the UN
The People’s Republic of China Mao Zedong successful in creating a Communists China Communism controlled a large population and large land mass
The New Red Scare 1 st Red Scare was after WWI, now America “fighting” Communism fear revived in America Big Concern: communists working in top government positions spying for Soviet’s Congress created the House Un- American Activities Committee investigate activities of suspected anarchists, Nazis, fascists, or communists investigated the government, armed forces, unions, education
The Red Scare freedom of speech severely limited unsubstantiated accusations of communists connections or being spies Alger Hiss accused for being a Soviet spy even though there was little evidence Jews Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of sending secret information about the atomic bomb to the Soviets Executed…Anti-Semitic?