1. Chapter 27 The Age of Containment 1946– 1954

2. Creating a National Security State, 1945–1949 Onset of the Cold War Various interpretations Traditional: Focus on Soviet Expansionism Revisionist: Focus on Soviet vulnerability Other: Focus on historical Soviet–American rivalries Truman administration took a hard line Baruch Plan Suspended Lend-Lease Tied economic aid to pullbacks in Eastern Europe After 1947, the administration focused on “national security”

3. Creating a National Security State Creating a National Security State (cont) Background Civil war in Greece Traditional sphere of influence By 1947, British could no longer afford to stay in Greece Truman decision to step in Way to protect free world Had to resist Communist aggression Overcame domestic opposition Idea of Containment George Kennan article in Foreign Affairs (1947) Catchphrase for global, anticommunist national security policy Linked all leftist movements to Moscow

4. Creating a National Security State Creating a National Security State (cont) Loyalty review boards to ensure that government employees were not “security risks” Attorney General’s list of subversive organizations Based on premise that Soviets were widely conducting espionage in the United States Verona files

5. Creating a National Security State Creating a National Security State (cont) National Security Act Created several new bureaucracies Steps toward creation of Department of Defense National Security Council Central Intelligence Agency Most flexible arm of national security bureaucracy

6. Creating a National Security State Creating a National Security State (cont) Marshall Plan Linked economic policies in Western Europe to containment U.S. financial assistance to prevent spread of communism Opened markets and investment opportunities for U.S. Stunning success

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8. Creating a National Security State Creating a National Security State (cont) Berlin Crisis German recovery central to recovery of Western Europe British, American, French zones would merge currency, June, 1948 First step toward merger Soviets responded by cutting West Berlin off from outside world Americans responded with airlift Soviets abandoned ineffectual blockade in May, 1949

9. Creating a National Security State Creating a National Security State (cont) Election of 1948 Truman won after major political comeback Some Democrats backed Progressive Party Nominated Henry A. Wallace Considered containment too militant Some Democrats backed States’ Rights Party (Dixiecrats) Nominated Strom Thurmond Opposed federal action in area of civil rights Republicans nominated Thomas Dewey Lackluster campaigner Truman waged aggressive, energetic campaign Eked out victory Strong national security record probably helped in election

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11. Era of the Korean War, 1949–1952 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Pledged to be collective defense against Soviet aggression China U.S. supported non-Communist government in civil war with Communists Nationalist Chinese defeated late 1949 China lobby blamed administration for failing to support enough aid The Bomb Soviets exploded device in September 1949 Ended U.S. nuclear monopoly

12. Era of the Korean War Era of the Korean War (cont) NSC-68 Major administration review of nation’s foreign policy Urged full-scale offensive to enlarge U.S. power Covert action Economic pressure More vigorous propaganda Massive military buildup Labeled efforts “defensive” to guarantee public support

13. Era of the Korean War Era of the Korean War (cont) Korean War Communist North Korea attacked South Korea, June 1950 Truman administration saw Soviets as instigators Review of background Japanese Occupation, 1905–1945 Postwar division at 38th parallel Fighting enlarged into international conflict U.S. goals unclear Push invasion force back above 38th parallel? Total defeat of Communists and reunification under non- Communist leadership? Course of war up and down for U.S.- led UN forces Resulted in dismissal of General Douglas MacArthur War at line of demarcation by end of Truman’s term

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15. Era of the Korean War Era of the Korean War (cont) War justified recommendations of NSC-68 Administration took many steps to pursue the nation’s interests abroad Increase in military budgets and bureaucracies RAND Nation came to oppose any political movement that was left-leaning Containment framed in defensive terms

16. Pursuing National Security at Home Anticommunism and the Labor Movement Labor Management Relations Act (Taft-Hartley), 1949 Limited gains unions had made during 1930s Forced union leaders to eschew ties to communism Truman vetoed, but Congress overrode Communists in Unions became national security issue House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) Hearings into film industry initiated in 1947 Hollywood Ten Studios drew up blacklist of so-called subversives Alger Hiss case

17. Pursuing National Security at Home Pursuing National Security at Home (cont) Truman’s loyalty program in action List of subversives to be detained in event of national security emergency FBI dossiers on wide range of artists and intellectuals Homosexuals as targets of investigations Justifiable basis for denying people government employment

18. Containment at Home Containment at Home (cont) The Rosenberg case Cold War melodrama Remains subject for debate even today Government pursued suspected Communists Dennis v. U.S. (1951) McCarran Internal Security Act (1950) Special detention camps for suspected subversives Subversive Activities Control Board Vetoed by Truman, but overridden McCarthyism Charged that Communists were at work in the State Department Attacked those who criticized him, initially with great success Supported by influential people in and out of government

19. Truman’s Fair Deal Originally called for government intervention to ensure “full” employment Eventually scaled back to provide “maximum” employment “Full” sounded too much like socialism Created Council of Economic Advisers Focus on economic advice rather than formal planning Assumption that prosperity was inevitable

20. Truman’s Fair Deal Truman’s Fair Deal (cont) Extension and expansion of New Deal Some programs very popular G.I. Bill (Serviceman’s Readjustment Act), 1944 Social Security Others opposed vigorously National health care opposed by medical community Housing industry opposed publicly financed housing projects Focused on programs for specific groups, such as veterans or the elderly, rather than more extensive programs for all Civil Rights Truman endorsed civil rights agenda in 1948 campaign Supported school and housing desegregation efforts

21. A Changing Culture Jackie Robinson and the baseball “color line” Robinson integrated major league baseball in 1947 By 1960, every major league team fielded black players Postwar suburbs Government encouraged suburban home ownership Federal Housing Authority Epitomized optimism about the future for residents Avoid contact with minorities The suburban family and gender issues

22. A Changing Culture A Changing Culture (cont) Life revolved around the automobile Daily life fell into sex-segregated spheres Hollywood Had been supportive through Depression Audience attendance dropped after war Television Femmes fatales Changes in cultural patterns in the United States

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24. From Truman to Eisenhower The Election of 1952 Democrats on the Defensive Adlai Stevenson took anti-Communist stance, but it was not enough to win Republicans ran Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard M. Nixon Won significant victory Eisenhower in office Advocated “moderate Republicanism” Ended war in Korea Wrested control of anti-Communist issue from McCarthy Considered skilled leader who increased executive branch power

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26. Discussion Questions What were the economic, political, and social causes of the Cold War? How did the U.S. and the USSR go from being allies to enemies? What was the Marshall Plan? What role did it play in American–Soviet relations? Assess Truman’s administration. What were his successes and failures? Was he a good president? What caused the Korean War? Why did the United States become involved? Was this consistent with U.S. foreign policy?