George F. Kennan Father of Containment X letter in Foreign Affairs magazine USSR was expansionist but cautionary US must contain expansion of communism Supported by secretary of state George Marshall and undersecretary of state Dean Acheson Walter Lippman critical

Truman Doctrine A Communist uprising against the government in Greece Soviet demands for control of Turkey’s Dardanelles Truman asked for $400 million in economic and military aid to assist the “free peoples” of Greece and Turkey against the “totalitarian” regimes of communism His alarmist speech gained bipartisan support for containment

Marshall Plan US feared the growth of the Communist Party in France and Italy George Marshall outlined an economic recovery package totaling $17 billion over 4 years The USSR and its satellites refused to participate Marshall Plan helped Western Europe achieve economic dependence

The Problem of Germany The division of occupation zones was meant to be temporary The eastern zone under Soviet occupation gradually evolved into a new communist state, the Democratic Republic of Germany The conflict over Germany was over national security and economic needs The Soviets wanted a weak Germany for national security & economic reasons

US Response to Soviets in Germany US and Great Britain refused to allow reparations from their western zones because both viewed the economic recovery of Germany as important to the stability of Central Europe The Soviets, therefore, tightened their control over East Germany They also tried to force the Allies out of Berlin within their occupation zone

Berlin Airlift In June 1948, the Soviets cut off all access by land to Berlin Truman ordered US planes to fly in supplies to West Berlin He also ordered US bombers capable of delivering nuclear bombs to bases in England The Soviets backed down in May 1949

North Atlantic Treaty Organization First peacetime alliance since Franco-American alliance 10 European nations, the US and Canada joined the military alliance US stationed troops in Western Europe It led to the unification of Europe The USSR countered by forming the Warsaw Pact Creates National Security Council to coordinate the making of foreign policy Creates the CIA to employ spies to gather information on foreign governments Peacetime draft instituted Voice of America

Warsaw Pact

Chiang Kai-shek (Jiang Jieshi) Ruled in the south of China after World War II Relied heavily on aid from the US Government adopted a new constitution in 1946 Government struggled with runaway inflation and a failing economy Military suffered from weak leadership and poor morale

Mao Tse-Tung Relied heavily on financial aid from the USSR Propaganda campaigns built around the theme of national liberation Promise of land reform appealed to peasants Ruled in the north after the war Experienced guerrilla army was highly motivated

Chinese Civil War China fell to the communists Democrats blamed for the “lost China” Chiang fled to Formosa (Taiwan) US refused to recognize communist China until 1979 In the 1950s, Stalin and Mao signed a Sino-Soviet pact

The Korean War—Background Korea temporarily divided at 38 th parallel Soviet armies occupied North Korea American armies occupied South Korea By 1949, both armies withdrew Communist leader Kim Il Sung rules in North Korea Conservative nationalist leader Syngman Rhee rules in South Korea

Soviet role in the attack? Scholars once believed that the Soviets were just as surprised as the Americans by the attack It now appears that Stalin had given his reluctant approval to North Korea’s strike plan But he believed that the fighting would be brief and the US would take little interest in it

The Korean War North Korea invades South Korea Truman took immediate action –Special session of UN Security Council under US leadership authorized a UN force to defend South Korea –“Police action”—2 days later without consulting Congress, Truman ordered American air and naval units to support South Korea –He also ordered General Douglas Mac Arthur to aid

Armistice July 1951—Peace talks begin Bogged down over prisoners of war & the location of the cease-fire line An armistice was signed in 1953—stalemate –54,000 Americans died –1 million Chinese, Koreans –$20-$22 billion

Political Consequences of Korean War Containment worked in Asia Truman used the war in Korea as justification for –Expanding the military –Funding a new jet bomber (B-52) –Stationing more troops overseas Republicans attacked Democrats as “soft on communism”

Truman vs. Mac Arthur Mac Arthur called for an expanded war, including the bombing and invasion of mainland China As commander in chief, Truman cautioned Mac Arthur about making public statements that suggested criticism of official US policy Mac Arthur spoke out anyway Truman fired Mac Arthur for insubordination

Mac Arthur Returns Mac Arthur returns home to a hero’s welcome Most Americans understood his statement “There is no substitute for victory” Truman & Democrats viewed as appeasers in fighting a limited war