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CLASS NOTES
COLD WAR CONFLICTS
“ORIGINS OF THE COLD WAR”
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Former allies clash.
A.
USA and USSR had two different economic and political systems
that were incompatible.
1.
Soviet Union was communist where the state controlled all
property and economic activity with a totalitarian government.
2.
American system of capitalism, private citizens controlled
property and the economy with a democracy electing a president
and a congress representative of the people.
B.
US angry with Stalin’s early alignment with Hitler.
1.
Non-Aggression Pact of August, 1939.
C.
USSR resentful of the US not willing to invade Europe until
D-Day, June 6, 1944.
D.
United Nations established by 51 nations met in San Francisco on
April 25, 1945.
1.
UN chartered on June 26, 1945 with headquarters in New York.
Truman became president.
A.
Unprepared for presidency.
B.
Vice President for only 82 days.
C.
Only TWO meetings with FDR.
D.
Unknown, plainspoken, hardworking Missourian.
E.
Honesty, integrity and willing to make the tough decisions.
Truman met Stalin at Potsdam, Germany at the War’s conclusion
A.
Participants different from Yalta Conference in the spring.
1.
FDR, Churchill and Stalin.
B.
Stalin, Truman and Churchill (sort of).
1.
Clement Atlee won election in British Parliament and replaced
Churchill during the conference.
C.
Truman pushed Stalin to keep his agreement and allow free elections
in Poland.
1.
Uncle Joe refused.
2.
What can Truman do at that point?
Tensions mount.
A.
Truman leery of Stalin’s word i.e.: free elections in Poland.
B.
Truman felt democracies right for new world order, post WWII.
C.
US economy boomed post war and made US the world economic leader.
USSR tightened their grip on Eastern Europe.
A.
Background: Soviets suffered huge losses during war, 20 million deaths.
B.
Motivation was buffering Soviet Union from western attack.
C.
Creation of Soviet “satellites” in Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia,
Hungary, Poland and Romania.
D.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
1946, Stalin said because of our incompatibility, war was inevitable.
1.
From that point on, the Soviet economy was driven by a military
build-up.
2.
US concentrated on producing consumer goods versus a war
machine.
3.
We interpreted Stalin as declaring war on US.
US Policy of Containment.
1.
Truman: “Stop babying the Soviets!”
2.
February, 1946, American Ambassador to Moscow George Kennan
suggested that US build alliances with smaller underdeveloped nations
to align them with the US to spread democratic influence.
a.
This became Truman’s foreign policy.
“An iron curtain has descended across Europe.”
A.
Churchill’s remarks at commencement ceremonies from Fulton, Mo.
1.
Stalin believed this was a “call to war.”
Cold War in Europe.
A.
This was the state of hostility between the two super powers from 1946
until the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991.
B.
The Truman Doctrine.
1.
US should support those free nations throughout the world
resisting takeovers.
2.
US spent $400 million in aid to Greece and Turkey.
The Marshall Plan.
A.
Western Europe was in economic chaos.
B.
Winter of 1946-47 most bitter in centuries.
1.
Sub-zero temperatures.
2.
Heavy snows.
3.
Massive crop failures.
C.
US to provide aid to all nations that needed it to fight hunger, poverty,
desperation and chaos.
1.
Good idea, especially after Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia
in 1948.
Superpowers struggle over Germany.
A.
US and USSR clashed over German reunification.
1.
USSR intimidated by Germany and wanted to keep them down.
B.
1948, three western zones (British, French and US) become one nation.
1.
Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany).
a.
Bonn was the capital.
C.
Soviet Zone becomes the German Democratic Republic
(East Germany) with Berlin as its capital.
D.
The Berlin Airlift.
1.
City also divided into four zones.
2.
Soviets cut off the city from the rest of the world.
3.
327 days flying food, water and supplies into Berlin by the west.
4.
Soviet Union finally lifted the blockade of the city.
XI.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
A.
April 4, 1949.
B.
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Iceland, Italy,
Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and USA.
C.
Alliance guaranteed protection by one and all to all!
D.
First time in US history we entered into an alliance during peacetime.
E.
THE COLD WAR HAD FINALLY ENDED ISOLATIONISM!
COLD WAR CONFLICTS
“THE COLD WAR HEATS UP”
I.
II.
Civil War in China.
A.
Communists versus Nationalists.
1.
Teamed together after Japans’ 1937 invasion.
2.
Communists – Mao Zedong.
3.
Nationalists – Chiang Kai-shek.
a.
US supported Nationalists with $3 billion in aid.
b.
Americans liked Chiang.
c.
Chiang almost like a dictator, inefficient and corrupt.
4.
Finally, Chinese began to support Communist uprising.
B.
Fighting broke out between the two.
1.
US failed in negotiating a peace.
2.
US aid not enough to save Chiang and Nationalists.
C.
America reacted to Communist takeover.
1.
China become communist.
2.
Containment failed?
a.
Communism spread due to internal forces, not
outside intervention – Civil War.
3.
Conservatives in congress said US did not support Nationalists
with enough aid.
4.
Beginning of the “Red Scare.”
Koreans go to war.
A.
Japan occupied Korea from 1910 until August, 1945.
B.
1948, the Republic of Korea (South Korea) was established.
1.
Capital: Seoul.
C.
At the same time, the Communists formed the Democratic People’s
Republic of Korea (North Korea).
1.
Capital: Pyongyang.
2.
Border established at the 38th parallel.
D.
North Korea attacked South Korea on June 25, 1950.
1.
Truman decided to support the south and take military action.
a.
Senator Robert Taft outspoken critic of Truman’s.
b.
Why didn’t congress declare war?
2.
UN resolution on June 27 to assist South Korea.
3.
520,000 troops from 16 nations participated.
a.
90% were American troops.
4.
Additional 590,000 South Korean troops.
5.
Command of US General Douglas MacArthur.
III.
The United States fought in Korea.
A.
The North’s invasion engulfed almost the entire Korean peninsula.
B.
MacArthur to the rescue.
1.
Arrived at Inchon on the west coast of South Korea
on September 15, 1950.
a.
Successful counter attack.
b.
MacArthur became an instant hero at home.
2.
UN authorized MacArthur to invade the north.
C.
Bad intelligence from MacArthur to Truman.
1.
The Chinese would never fight on behalf of the North Koreans.
a.
Boasted the war would be over by Thanksgiving and the
boys home for Christmas.
b.
WRONG!
D.
The Chinese fought back.
1.
300,000 Communist Chinese crossed the Yalu River into
North Korea.
2.
MacArthur was driven back into the South.
3.
January 4, 1951, Seoul was lost a second time in the conflict.
4.
Two years of stalemate fighting continued.
a.
Bitter winters, Americans had a difficult time.
E.
MacArthur recommended attacking China.
1.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Omar Bradley:
“The wrong war, at the wrong place, at the wrong time, and
with the wrong enemy.”
a.
This would start WWIII!
2.
General Ridgeway took Seoul back in March 1951 as stalemate
began.
F.
MacArthur versus Truman.
1.
General went over President’s head.
a.
Contacted media heads and Republicans back in the states.
2.
Truman: “Mr. Prima Donna, Brass Hat, Five Star MacArthur”
has to go – Fired by the Pres.
a.
April 11, 1951 relieved of his command due to
insubordination.
b.
Who calls the shots? General or President/Commanderin-Chief?
3.
American population sided with MacArthur.
a.
Ticker tape parade in New York City.
b.
Addressed a Joint Session of Congress.
“Old soldiers never die, they just fade away.”
G.
Settling the stalemate.
1.
USSR suggested a cease-fire.
2.
Truce talks began July 1951.
a.
Took two years.
3.
Armistice signed in July 1953.
a.
The agreement was a stalemate.
H.
Cost to America
1.
54,000 lost lives.
2.
$20-22 billion cost.
COLD WAR CONFLICTS
“THE COLD WAR AT HOME”
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Fear of Communist influence.
A.
Fear: Communism would spread throughout the world.
B.
Soviet dominance in Eastern Europe and Communist takeover in China.
C.
80,000 American members of Communist Party.
D.
Some strong anti-Communist Republicans criticized Truman for being
soft on Communism.
Loyalty Review Board.
A.
Purpose was to investigate U.S. government employees and question their
loyalty.
1.
“Disloyalty” never clearly defined.
B.
List of 91 “subversive” organizations.
C.
1947-1951 investigated 3.2 million federal employees.
1.
212 terminated as security risk.
2.
2900 employees resigned because of violation of their
constitutional rights.
3.
Those under investigation were never allowed to see evidence
against them or know who their accusers were.
The House Un-American Activities Committee.
A.
Began to investigate the film industry (Hollywood).
1.
Many in the industry were associated with Communism or
Socialism.
B.
The Hollywood Ten.
1.
“Unfriendly” witnesses.
2.
They refused to name names and did not cooperate.
3.
They were imprisoned.
4.
Blacklist.
a.
500 actors, writers, producers and directors had their
careers ruined and could no longer work in Hollywood.
The 1950 McCarran Internal Security Bill.
1.
Unlawful to lead any plan that might lead to an establishment of a
totalitarian government in the United States.
2.
Truman vetoed bill: “In a free country, we punish men for the crimes they
commit, but never for the opinions they hold.”
3.
Congress overrode the president’s veto anyway.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
The case against Alger Hiss.
1.
Former Communist spy, Whittaker Chambers, accused Hiss of spying for
the Soviets.
2.
Documents allegedly came from Hiss’s typewriter.
3.
Convicted not of treason, but of perjury.
a.
For lying about passing the documents.
4.
Jailed for perjury.
5.
First time Richard Nixon was on the national scene.
Ethel and Julius Rosenberg.
1.
British physicist, Klaus Fuchs implicated the Rosenberg’s in 1950.
2.
Rosenberg’s pled the 5th!
a.
Claimed anti-Semitism and holding radical beliefs.
3.
They were found guilty of treason.
a.
Judge Irving Kaufman declared: “worse than murder.”
4.
Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were executed in the electric chair.
a.
First civilian citizens executed for espionage.
b.
They left behind two young sons.
Senator Joseph McCarthy, Republican from Wisconsin.
1.
1950, not popular back home so he came up with “witch hunt” to gain
popularity for his 1952 reelection Senatorial race.
2.
Started by accusing 205 Communists in the State Department.
a.
Democratic Party guilty of “20 years of treason” for allowing
Communist infiltration.
3.
His techniques became known as “McCarthyism.”
a.
When challenged, he would make another accusation.
b.
Name-calling only in Senate chamber to protect him from slander.
4.
One small group of senators spoke out against McCarthy:
Margaret Chase Smith of Maine, Republican.
5.
McCarthy’s downfall was when he decided to take on the U.S. Army.
a.
Americans have had enough: “Have you no decency, Sir?”
Other Anti-Communists.
1.
39 states had passed laws making it illegal to advocate the violent
overthrow of the government.
a.
Unconstitutional – free speech?
2.
Government investigated union leaders, librarians, news reporters,
and scientists.
3.
American public was so paranoid that they were willing to compromise
their own freedoms to root out Communism.
COLD WAR CONFLICTS
“TWO NATIONS LIVE ON THE EDGE”
I.
II.
Race for the H-Bomb.
A.
The fear of nuclear attack was a direct result of the Cold War.
B.
Truman decided to develop a more horrifying weapon.
1.
Because Soviets exploded their first atomic bomb in 1949.
C.
Estimated that this new bomb would have 1 million tons of TNT.
1.
67 times more power than the A-Bomb dropped in Hiroshima.
D.
Oppenheimer opposed: “Mr. President, I have blood on my hands.”
E.
Truman authorized development of the H-Bomb on 1-31-50.
F.
11-1-52, U.S. tested its first thermonuclear device.
1.
Actually contained equivalent of 10.4 million tons of TNT!
G.
Soviets had theirs by August, 1953.
H.
Policy of Brinkmanship.
1.
Policy developed by Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles.
a.
He was anti-Communist and said compromise was immoral
b.
Proposed policy based on threats of massive retaliation.
2.
U.S. downsized its army and navy to boost up its Air Force.
I.
American fear of nuclear destruction.
The Cold War spread around the world.
A.
Central Intelligence Agency established to gather information.
B.
Covert actions in Iran.
1.
Prime Minister, Mohammed Mossedegh nationalized Iranian oil
industry.
2.
Western nations stopped purchasing Iranian oil.
3.
CIA persuaded the Shah to dismiss Mossedegh.
a.
Gone!
C.
Covert actions in Guatemala.
1.
President Jacobo Arbenz Guzman had Communist sympathies.
2.
CIA headed coup.
3.
Carlos Castillo Armas became dictator of the country.
a.
Successful coup.
D.
Summit in Geneva between Eisenhower and Khrushchev.
1.
1955, West Germany was allowed to rearm and join NATO.
2.
Reaction:
USSR formed Warsaw Pact with East European
nations they controlled.
3.
July, 1955, Eisenhower proposed “open skies” policy.
a.
Khrushchev rejected, fearing US would learn about their
nuclear program.
4.
“Spirit of Geneva” perceived world-wide as a positive time.
E.
III.
Crisis in the Middle East.
1.
State of Israel established in 1948.
a.
Both US and USSR concur: it’s okay!
b.
British Mandate of Palestine partitioned into
two nations
1.
Jewish: Israel.
2.
Muslim: Jordan.
2.
1955, US and Great Britain agree to finance new Aswan High Dam
for Egypt’s Nasser.
3.
Nasser seized the Suez Canal in July, 1956.
4.
British, French and US angry with Nasser.
5.
October, 1956, British, French and Israel invaded Egypt.
6.
UN cease-fire imposed in November, 1956.
7.
Several months later, Egypt reopened Suez with his control.
F.
The Eisenhower Doctrine.
1.
The US would defend the Middle East against attack by any
Communist country.
G.
Soviet aggression in Hungary.
1.
First, Khrushchev publicly criticized Stalin.
a.
False sense of security for satellite nations.
2.
October, 1956 Hungarians revolted against government.
3.
USSR agreed that reform-minded leader, Imre Nagy,
should be Prime Minister.
The Cold War takes to the skies.
A.
Cold War affected science and education.
1.
Schools improve, math, science and foreign language classes.
B.
August, 1957, Soviets had true ICBM.
1.
Travels distance of 1500-3000 miles.
C.
Soviet satellite, Sputnik.
1.
Travels around the globe at 18,000mph.
2.
Made Americans feel vulnerable to Soviet attack.
D.
Gary Francis Powers – U-2 Incident.
1.
American spy plane/pilot shot down 1300 miles into USSR.
a.
Shot down May 1, 1960.
b.
Captured and imprisoned for 1-1/2 years before release.
E.
Khrushchev denounced Eisenhower.
1.
Second summit was scheduled for May 15, 1960.
2.
Khrushchev saved face in Soviet Union by denouncing Eisenhower
at the start of summit, then walked out.