Chapter 21

Origins of the Cold War The Cold War – an era of tension between the United States and the USSR 1946 to 1990 Communist Soviets suspicious of capitalist West US believed WWII caused by the Great Depression and that economic growth was the key to peace

Origins of the Cold War The Yalta Conference - In the last months of WWII, the US, Great Britain, and the USSR met at Yalta to plan the post-war world

Origins of the Cold War Poland  Two governments – one democratic and one communist  USSR wanted communists to remain in power after the war  US and Britain agreed as long as free elections were held

Origins of the Cold War Declaration of Liberated Europe – declaration that asserted “the right of all people to choose the form of government under which they will live”

Origins of the Cold War Dividing Germany  Germany was to be divided into four zones  The capital of Germany, Berlin, was also to be divided  Stalin demanded Germany pay war reparations

Origins of the Cold War Rising Tensions  Soviets began pressuring countries under their control to establish communist governments  US accused Soviets of violating Declaration of Liberated Europe

Communist controlled countries came to be called satellite countries

Origins of the Cold War The Potsdam Conference  Harry Truman became president upon death of Roosevelt  Truman, Churchill, and Stalin met at Potsdam  Stalin and Truman argued over German reparations  Truman also demanded Japanese surrender

The Early Cold War Years The Long Telegram  US asked US embassy in USSR to explain Soviet behavior  Response was the “long telegram” from diplomat George Kennan  USSR afraid of the West  USSR in struggle with capitalism  Kennan believed US should keep USSR from expanding through diplomatic, economic, and military action– policy of containment

The Early Cold War Years Crisis in Iran  US and USSR had troops in Iran at end of WWII  USSR established a communist government in northern Iran  US protested Soviet actions and sent warships to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea  Soviets backed down My name is President Harry S. Truman

The Early Cold War Years The Truman Doctrine  Soviets placed pressure on Turkey – demanded joint control of the Dardanelles  Presidential advisor Dean Acheson advised a show of force  Soviets also backed Greek communists in Greek civil war  US sent money to fight communists – policy became known as Truman Doctrine

The Early Cold War Years The Marshall Plan  Gave monetary aid to Europe to rebuild after WWII  The USSR and its satellite nations rejected the offer  Economic recovery weakened the appeal of Communism

The Early Cold War Years The Berlin Crisis  US, Britain, and France decide to merge their zones of Germany and Berlin and allow a German government  This became known as West Germany  The Soviet zone became known as East Germany

The Early Cold War Years The Berlin Airlift (June 1948)  The USSR decided to cut off all land access to Berlin hoping the Allies would abandon the city  Truman responded by ordering the Berlin Airlift  Planes supplied the city into 1949 when the Soviets called off the blockade

The Early Cold War Years North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)  Allies convinced the USSR was bent on world conquest  Mutual defense alliance formed called NATO  The USSR responded with their own alliance called the Warsaw Pact

The Early Cold War Years China 1949  Civil war between the Communists led by Mao Zedong and Nationalists led by Chiang Kai-Shek  Communists won the civil war and Nationalists fled to island of Taiwan (aka Formosa)  Nationalists supported by US Mao Zedong Chiang Kai-Shek

The Early Cold War Years The Korean War  North Korea controlled by Communists  USSR trained & equipped North Korean Army  North Korea invaded South Korea  US intervened militarily but US forced pushed into small corner of the peninsula Dang. This little kid is heavy!

The Early Cold War Years  UN resolved to help South Korea  Allied troops, led by US General MacArthur, invaded Korea at Inchon  North Koreans forced back to Chinese border  Chinese attacked allied forces forcing them back to the middle of the peninsula

The Early Cold War Years  MacArthur wanted to expand the war into China  President Truman fired MacArthur  Truman remained committed to a limited war – a war fought to achieve a limited objective (contain Communism)  UN & North Korea signed armistice 1953

Cold War & American Society Red Scare  After WWII, it became known that the USSR was trying to infiltrate many areas of American society  Subversion – effort to secretly weaken a society and overthrow its government

Cold War & American Society President Truman established a Loyalty Review Program to screen federal employees for Communism House Un-American Activities Committee established to investigate Communist influence FBI investigated subversion under leadership of J. Edgar Hoover Rrrrrrrr!!! Woof!

Cold War & American Society Alger Hiss  1948 Whittaker Chambers testified before HUAC that US diplomat Alger Hiss was a Communist  Hiss denied the allegations  Hiss was convicted of perjury (lying under oath) after evidence showed he lied about facts in the case Alger Hiss testifying before HUAC This isn’t the Voice? Dang! I wanted to sing

Cold War & American Society The Rosenbergs  Klaus Fuchs admitted giving atomic secrets to the USSR  His testimony implicated the Rosenbergs  Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were accused of passing secret info to the USSR  They were tried, convicted, and executed

Cold War & American Society Project Venona  The US had cracked Soviet codes  Intercepted messages proved that Soviet spies were subverting America and that many, including, the Rosenbergs, were guilty of spying

Cold War & American Society McCarthyism  Joseph McCarthy - Wisconsin senator  Claimed to have a list of 205 Communists in American government  McCarthy conducted hearings – damaged reputations with vague and unfounded charges  During the Army-McCarthy Hearings, he was exposed as a demagogue  McCarthy was censured (formal disapproval) by Congress

Cold War & American Society The McCarran Act  1950  Restricted rights of Communist Party and organizations  Law was passed over Truman’s veto Senator Joseph McCarthy I’m Senator Joe McCarthy and you look like a stinking Commie to me

Cold War & American Society Facing the Bomb  USSR obtained the atomic bomb in 1949  USSR tested the H-Bomb in 1953  Americans afraid of Soviet first strike  Duck and Cover  Fallout – radiation left over from a bomb blast  Fallout Shelters – shelters to protect from fallout

Eisenhower’s Policies Eisenhower was popular for his work as commanding general in WWII Europe Believed way to beat USSR was to push for strong economy Believed in threatening to use nuclear weapons if Communists seized territory by force (massive retaliation) New Look – instead of maintaining large army be prepared to use nuclear weapons President Dwight Eisenhower Doh!

Eisenhower’s Policies Sputnik Crisis  New technology such as B- 52 bomber and ICBMs  America surprised by Russian launch of Sputnik  US established National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)  National Defense Education Act pushed science and math in schools

Eisenhower’s Policies Secretary of State John Foster Dulles defended Eisenhower’s policies of threatening nuclear war Brinkmanship – willingness to go to brink of war to get other side to back down

Eisenhower’s Policies Eisenhower hinted to China & North Korea US might use nuclear weapons – Communists agreed to armistice Communist China attacked islands belonging to Taiwan – China backed down after US threatened nuclear war

Eisenhower’s Policies Eisenhower used Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to prevent Communist uprisings in other countries using covert or secret, hidden operations Many of these operations took place in developing nations – nations with primarily agricultural economies

Eisenhower’s Policies Iran –Iranian Prime Minister Mossadegh exiled the pro-American Shah and negotiated an oil deal with the USSR The CIA arranged street riots and staged a coup giving power back to the Shah Arrest of Mossadegh And I would have gotten away with it too if it weren’t for you kids

Eisenhower’s Policies Guatemala  1951 Jacobo Guzman won election as president with Communist support  He began land reform by taking over property of American United Fruit Company  Communists sent Guatemala weapons  CIA armed Guatemala opposition – invaded and tossed Guzman Communist Precision Drill Team

Eisenhower’s Policies Hungary 1956  Nikita Khrushchev succeeded Stalin as leader of USSR  Khrushchev made speech attacking policies of Stalin  Hungary began a full-scale anti-Communist uprising  USSR used army to crush Hungarian rebellion Hungarians destroy statue of Josef Stalin – hated symbol of Communist oppression

Eisenhower’s Policies The Hungarian uprising caused Khrushchev to reassert Soviet power Eisenhower sought to improve relations with visits between the two countries A summit (face-to-face meeting) was planned Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev I want to go to Disneyland

Eisenhower’s Policies The summit was cancelled when an American spy plane was shot down over Russia The captured pilot, Francis Gary Powers, was produced to embarrass the US Eisenhower left the presidency warning against the influence of the Military-industrial complex Geez! This suit is tight!