1. The Onset of the Cold War28
The Onset of
the Cold War

2. The Cold War Begins: Issues Dividing U.S., U.S.S.R.
Conference at Yalta
Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin
Agreed on free elections in liberated countries in Europe
New world peace organization would be formed at a conference in San Francisco (UN)
Potsdam
In July after Germany’s surrender, only Stalin remained as one of the Big Three – Truman, Clement Attlee (Br PM) – Japan surrender unconditionally and hold war crime trials of Nazi leaders.
Marked the end of war time alliance between America and Russia
Control of postwar Europe now laid in the hands of America and Russia
Economic aid
Nuclear disarmament 2 2

3. The Division of Europe
1945: Russians occupied eastern Europe, American troops occupied western Europe
Soviet Union sought eastern European buffer so they could spread Communism
U.S. demanded national self-determination through free elections throughout Europe
Soviet Union saw this as subversive since they knew that popularly chose regimes would be unfriendly to Russia.
Stalin converted eastern Europe into a system of satellite nations through the use of an “Iron Curtain”
Winston Churchill’s speech on the Iron Curtain called for a partnership between Western democracies to halt the expansion of communism 3 3

4. Europe After World War II

5. Withholding Economic Aid
Russia devastated by World War II
15-20 million dead, total destruction of 30,000 factories, torn up 40,000 miles of railroads – outside aid vital for reconstruction of Soviet Union
Some Americans sought to influence Russia with Lend-Lease economic aid
May 11, 1945: United States halted Lend-Lease without Russian settlement – termination of all shipments to Russia including those at sea
Leverage lost in shaping Soviet policy and increase of bitterness between the United States and the Soviet Union. 4 4

6. The Atomic Dilemma
1943: Nuclear race between U.S. and U.S.S.R. – soviets well on their way to making their own bomb
1946: Baruch Plan
Rapid reduction of U.S. military force – turn over fissionable material, processing plants and the American stockpile of bombs to an international agency
Sanctions would be added against violators
Gradual reduction favored U.S. atomic monopoly
Soviet Union
Larger conventional army than U.S.
Immediate abolition of atomic weapons
No agreement possible- Russians exploited the territory they had conquered in Europe while the US retained its economic and strategic advantages over the Soviet Union 5 5

7. Containment 1947: George C. Marshall appointed Secretary of State
Dean Acheson: England’s former role as arbiter of world affairs – opposed to appeasement and advocated a policy of negotiating
George Kennan: Called for “containment of Russia’s expansive tendencies” which would eventually cause the Soviets to back off their Communist ideology of world domination and live in peace with other nations. 6 6

8. The Truman Doctrine
1947: Truman sought funds to keep Greece and Turkey in Western sphere of influence
Truman Doctrine: “Support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or outside pressure” – 1947 – asked Congress for $400 million in economic and military aid to assist the free people of Greece and Turkey against totalitarian regimes.
Doctrine an informal declaration of cold war against the Soviet Union 7 7

9. The Marshall Plan
Europe in ruins after WWII – short of food, deep debt, harsh winter – Discontent encouraged the growth of the Communist Party
1947: George Marshall proposed aid for rebuilding European industries
$17 billion aid package – European Recovery Program – approved at $12 billion to be distributed to Western Europe over 4 years
Russia refused aid
1948: Marshall Plan adopted by Congress
Plan fostered western European prosperity
Worked as planned – massive infusion of US dollars helped Western Europe achieve self-sustaining growth and ended any real threat of Communist political successes in that region; increased American exports
Deepened the rift between non-Communist West and Communist East. 8 8

10. The Western Military Alliance
1949: North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Military alliance included U.S., Canada, most of western Europe
General Eisenhower – Supreme Commander
U.S. troops stationed in Europe as a deterent against Soviet invasion
Led to military build up and major commitments abroad
NATO intensified Russia’s fear of the West
Formed the Warsaw Pact – military alliance for the defense of the Communist states of Eastern Europe 9 9

11. The Berlin Blockade June, 1948: Russian blockade of Berlin
Truman ordered airlift to supply the city
Truman also sent 60 bombers capable of carrying atomic bombs to basses in England (this stand on Berlin helps Truman win the election of 1948)
1949: Russians end blockade
All highways opened up to Berlin
Long term effect – creation of two Germanies – Federal Republic (West Germany & US ally) and German Democratic Republic (East Germany & Soviet satellite) 10 10

12. The Cold War Expands 1947: U.S.–Russian arms race accelerated
– US only nation to have atomic bombs
Developed a new generation of long-range bombers for delivering nuclear weapons
Soviet Union tested their atomic bomb in the fall of 1949
Truman approved the development of a bomb a thousand times more powerful than the A-bomb
1952 – Hydrogen bomb added to US arsenal
Conflict expanded to Asia – Japan became most closely tied to the US defense system
Japan under control of US – Gen Douglas MacArthur reconstructing Japan
Seven Japanese generals tried for war crimes and executed
New constitution set up a parliamentary democracy
Japan relied on military protection o the US
Japan surrendered its claims to Korea and islands in the Pacific – end of US occupation in Japan 11 11

13. The Military Dimension
1947: National Security Act
Department of Defense unified armed forces
Central Intelligence Agency coordinated intelligence-gathering through spies
National Security Council advised president
Defense budget devoted to air power 12 12

14. The Cold War in Asia
1949: Victory of Mao Tse-tung brings China into Soviet orbit
Truman refused recognition of Communist China 13 13

15. The Korean War
June 25, 1950: Communist North Korean forces invaded U.S.-influenced South Korea
Truman made South Korea’s defense a U.N. effort, sent in U.S. troops
U.S. routed Korean forces in South
Attempt to unify Korea drew in China
U.S. pushed back to South, war a stalemate
Truman’s containment policy in Korea worked
Stopped Communist aggression without allowing the conflict to develop into a world war
Result: Massive American rearmament 14 14

16. The Korean War, 1950–1953

17. The Cold War at Home New Deal economic policies undermined
Fears of Communist subversion
Republicans used anticommunism to revive their party 15 15

18. Truman’s Troubles
1949 – Truman urged Congress to enact national health care insurance, federal aid to education, civil rights legislation, funds for public housing and a new farm program
Most Fair Deal bills were defeated:
Political conflicts between Congress and Truman
Foreign policy concerns of the Cold War
Other Obstacles to Truman’s Fair Deal reforms:
Apathetic public
Inflation
Labor unrest 16 16

19. Truman Vindicated Taft-Hartley Act outlawed certain union tactics
Truman vetoed, Republicans overrode his veto
For years, unions sought to repeal the Taft-Hartley Act 17 17

20. The Loyalty Issue
House Un-American Activities Committee investigated Communist subversion in government – seek Communists – investigated government officials and looked for Communist influence in organizations like Hollywood film industry and Boys Scouts
Truman responded with loyalty program – loyalty oaths
Alger Hiss case
Whittaker Chambers was a confessed Communist & star witness for the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1948
His testimony and investigative work of Richard Nixon led to his trial
Denied accusations that he was a Communist and had given secret documents to Chambers
Convicted of perjury and sent to prison 18 18

21. McCarthyism in Action
1950: Senator Joseph McCarthy launched anticommunist campaign – claimed 205 Communists were still working for state department
Innocent overwhelmed by accusations
Attacks on privileged bureaucrats
Supported by Midwest Republicans
Attracted Irish, Italian, Polish workers to Republicans 19 19

22. he Election of 1952

23. Eisenhower Wages the Cold War
Eisenhower prefers to work behind the scenes
Eisenhower wanted to relax tensions with Soviets
Debt imposed by defense spending
Possibility of atomic warfare
Eisenhower’s “new look” policy relied on massive retaliation to deter Soviet attacks
Greater reliance on nuclear weapons and air power
Spend less on conventional forces 21 21

24. Entanglement in Indochina
Eisenhower refused military aid for French retention of colonial Indochina
Victory of Communist Ho Chi Minh prompted intervention to prevent election
Vietnam divided, election postponed
South Vietnam under U.S. puppet regime 22 22

25. Containing China
Tough line against China – US make Chinese realize that Russia was unable to protect their interests
Drove wedge between China, Russia
Strategy ultimately worked
Effects not immediately apparent 23 23

26. Turmoil in the Middle East
In the Middle East, the US tried to balance maintaining friendly ties with the oil-rich Arab states while supported the new state of Israel
1956: Nasser nationalized Suez Canal
Egypt asked US to aid in the building of Aswan Dam on the Nile – US refused as they threatened Israel’s security
Turned to Soviet Union to help – provided limited financing
Seized Br/Fr owned Suez canal that passed through Egyptian territory
This threatened Western Europe’s supply line to Middle Eastern Oil.
France, England invaded Egypt and retook control
Eisenhower won Middle East trust by pressuring English, French withdrawal
Eisenhower Doctrine – US pledged economic and military aid to any Middle Eastern country threatened by Communism
1958: Lebanon invited U.S. troops to maintain order – send trops to prevent a civil war between Christians and Muslims 24 24

27. Covert Actions
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) used to achieve covert objectives
Iran: CIA restored the shah to power
Guatemala: CIA ousted leftist government
Eastern Europe: Refused to help East Germans or Hungarians 25 25

28. Waging Peace Nuclear test ban treaty
U.S. and U.S.S.R. agreed to suspend nuclear testing in the atmosphere
October, 1957: Russians launched Sputnik I & II into space to orbit around the Earch
More funding given to schools for math, science, and foreign language education
1958 – NASA created
May, 1960: Russians shot down a high-altitude US spy plan, the U-2. This exposed a secret US tactic for gaining information incident cancelled plans for summit on new Berlin Crisis 26 26

29. The Continuing Cold War
January, 1961: Eisenhower warned against growing military-industrial complex
Post-war era marked by Cold War rather than peace and tranquility 27 27