1. Early Cold War America: A New Role, Irrational Fears, and the Dream 1945 - 1956

2. President Harry S. Truman, 1945 - 1952 Decisive – “The buck stops here.” A-Bomb Berlin Crisis Civil Rights Firing of MacArthur Growth of presidential power (FDR – Nixon)

3. Post World War II European Politics Atlantic Charter (1941) and Yalta Conference (1945)  US hoped for a “Wilsonian” peace End of US isolationism US = world leader United Nations involvement vs. League of Nations in 1919 Division of Europe Germany and Berlin  divided into 4 sectors East Europe = Communist (Soviet satellite states) West Europe = Democracies

4. The Division of Germany and Berlin

5. “An iron curtain has descended across the Continent…” Churchill

6. Truman’s Foreign Policy Europe = #1 priority Containment (1947 – George F. Kennan) Limit the spread and influence of Communism No more “total victory” or “unconditional surrender” Truman Doctrine – March 1947 $400 million in aid to Turkey and Greece US military and economic aid to nations that were threatened by Communism Marshall Plan – June 1947 Massive international aid to rebuild Europe Total of $13 billion

7. Marshall Plan

8. Truman’s First Major Cold War Test Crisis in Berlin (March 1948) Soviet reaction to unification of W. Germany  blockade W. Berlin “We are very close to war.” Truman’s diary Truman’s options… The choice…Berlin Airlift (June 1948 – May 1949)

9. Berlin Airlift 4500 tons of supplies/day for 2.2 million Berliners 1 flight every 3 minutes “Operation Little Vittles”

10. Peacetime Alliances NATO (1949) W. Europe, US, Canada An attack on one = an attack on all Warsaw Pact (1955) E. Europe

11. Post WWII Asia Firmly in US “sphere of influence” Japan US occupied with US written Constitution  democracy and capitalistic All imperial holdings lost Philippines Independent in 1946

12. Post World War II Asia 1949: A year of uncertainty Containment tested: China Civil war resumed after WWII Chiang Kai-Shek – US backed Nationalists Mao Zedong – Communists Communists won in 1949 and Nationalists fled to Taiwan  Truman’s commitment to containment questioned Formal alliance with USSR in 1950; no US recognition for 30 years

13. Chinese Civil War

14. Mao Zedong, 1949 - 1976

15. Post WWII Asia – Korean War, 1950 - 1953 The Cold War turns hot… Causes Pre WWII Japanese occupation  post WWII divided Korea between US and USSR 38 th Parallel North Korea – Communist – Kim Il Sung South Korea – Democratic – Syngman Rhee Ongoing civil war; both leaders want to unite Korea, but under different ideals June 1950: Stalin backs N. Korean plan to invade S. Korea

16. The Korean War

17. Legacy The “Forgotten War” – why? Active US involvement in Asia (Vietnam) Permanently divided Korea Tense US/China relations Fading domestic support for US military action Rise of UN Growth of presidential power No formal declaration of war; “police action” Firing of MacArthur

18. Domestic Politics: 1948 Election 1. Civil Rights divided the Democratic Party  Dixiecrats 2. A stunning upset: Truman over Dewey 3. Continuation of New Deal  Fair Deal

19. Cold War Fears at Home In fighting Communism, did we undermine democracy? The HUAC Blacklisting and the Hollywood Ten

20. Cold War Fears at Home Fear of Communism nothing new Anti-Labor Union sentiment (Haymarket Affair 1886), Red Scare of 1920s, Liberals/Dems. = Communists Federal Employee Loyalty Program (1947 - 1951) under Truman Background checks Violated 6 th Amendment rights HUAC – congressional committee formed to investigate suspected Communists

21. Cold War Fears at Home HUAC Target: Hollywood Movies = power of public opinion/propaganda “Naming names”  blacklisting of over 300 Hollywood Ten (1947) Violations of 1 st and 5 th Amendment rights  no testimony Jailed and fined for contempt of Congress

22. McCarthyism Senator Joseph McCarthy – Republican from Wisconsin

23. Cold War Fears (Seemingly) Confirmed Alger Hiss Case: 1948 – 50 Ethel and Julius Rosenberg: 1950 - 1953