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The Early Cold War The 40s and 50s The Big Three • During the War, the Big Three: The war left England, Russia and the United States (The three unconquered allied countries) as deciders of the world’s fate. The Yalta Conference • Stalin, FDR and Churchill met in Yalta in 1945 to decide post-war policies • Re-established pre-war borders for most European countries, divided up rule of Germany • Left Eastern Europe under Soviet control – Considered highly controversial Harry Truman • FDR dies in office in April, 1945 • Leaves Truman in charge. – Inexperienced political appointee – Did not know about Manhattan Project before he became President – No foreign policy experience • Initially believed Stalin to be a good man because he had an “honest face” The Potsdam Conference • First strain between US and USSR beginning to show • Truman knew about bomb but refused to tell Stalin to better intimidate the Russians • Russia agreed to support US against Japan, but entered war only after there was no doubt about win to snatch up more territory • US belligerent about Red Army in Europe Potsdam Conference Iron Curtain • Soviets clamped down on occupied territories. Forcibly establishing communist governments loyal to Russia • Churchill (now no longer P.M.) referred to this in a speech as the closing of the Iron Curtain Greece and Turkey • Both countries devastated by War, experiencing post-war depression • Both countries see a short-lived but violent communist revolution • Leads to a panic in West that communism is spreading out from Russia The United Nations • Built off of Atlantic Charter and League of Nations • Designed to prevent war between members • Created a Security Council that can make decisions backed by force – Permanent members include France, Great Britain, United States, Russia (now China) United Nations George Kennan and Containment • Argued for the Domino Theory – Countries that go communist will lead to communism in their neighbors • Urged in his Long Telegraph that U.S. policy should be to use military to contain communist expansion. The Truman Doctrine • Official U.S. policy by Truman. Argued that any military expansion by the Soviet Union anywhere would be met by military force – Meant to be an official expression of containment – Backed by the implicit threat of nuclear weapons The Marshall Plan • Secretary of State George Marshall argued that a slow recovery in Europe, coupled with post-war poverty would encourage Communism • Directed U.S. government to spend billions in aid rebuilding Western Europe countries • Soviet Union rejected aid for all nations it controlled – Created a prosperous West and poor East The Berlin Blockade and the Airlift • Berlin deep in Soviet Territory • Soviets attempt to drive out Allies occupying city by closing all land routes • U.S. begins massive effort to fly in supplies – Soviets back down, end blockade – Major political loss Taking Sides • NATO: North Atlantic Treaty OrganizationFormed by the United States. An alliance of the U.S. and Western European countries opposed to the expansion of Communism – Formed mutual defense treaty against Soviet invasion • Warsaw Pact: In response Soviet satellite countries formed Warsaw Pact, mutual defense against Western Invasion Re-Arming • Unlike previous wars, the United States did not demilitarize after World War II – Preparations made for a potential atomic war with Russia – U.S. began regular nuclear bomb tests in Nevada desert Independence around the World • Empires across the world contract • Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, India, Pakistan and most of Africa gain independence within a decade after World War II • Increasing concern in West that these countries could “go communist” Losing China Losing China • After the War, China breaks into a nationalist and communist faction • The Communist faction led by Chairman Mao overthrow the Nationalists and take control • Truman blamed for allowing China to go Communist without a fight Post-War Economy • Inflation: Un-checked military spending, along with an influx of post-war money from returning G.I.’s caused devaluation of the currency and rising prices • The G.I. Bill: As an incentive for returning vets, the government offered a free college education. Republican Surge • In the face of a poor post-war economy, the Republicans surge into power in the mid-term election • General attitude is that Truman is sure to lose the next election. Election of 1948 • Truman running against popular Republican Thomas Dewey • Democratic Party splits between pro-New Deal Democrats and conservative pro-segregation Dixiecrats who nominate Strom Thurmond • Truman, against all odds manages to win the election. Takes it as a mandate to restore New Deal Programs The Fair Deal • Designed to revamp New Deal Programs – More unemployment insurance – Major expansion of public works – Subsidies to kill gluts and surpluses – Major revision of tax code – Extremely unpopular with Republicans who wanted less government spending, blocked most of it in Congress The Korean War Korea and the 38th Parallel • Korea, like China had a post-war Communist Revolution. Rather than let Korea fall entirely, the country was divided into N. and S. Korea on the 38th Parallel • Communist North Korea promptly invades South Korea to absorb it into a larger nation. Invasion of South Korea • Well armed North, supported by China pushes deep into South Korea. • Truman, facing political pressure to not let another country fall to communism decides to intervene. U.N. Responds • Truman, using the old allies from the war (minus Russia) launches a counter-invasion from the coastal city of Inchon • Offensive led by Supreme Commander Douglas MacArthur U.S. Counter-Offensive • MacArthur pushes North Koreans back out of South Korea, and, against Truman’s judgment, crosses the 38th Parallel to invade North Korea. • Growing tension with China MacArthur’s Gambit • MacArthur begins launching bombing attacks across the Chinese border in order cut off N. Korean supplies • Believes that threat of U.S. atomic weapons will be enough to keep China from invading. China Invades • China sends nearly one million troops across the border. • United States pushed back below 38th parallel • War turns into a long, grinding stalemate in a freezing cold winter • MacArthur argues for the dropping of atomic weapons on Chinese cities Truman Fires MacArthur • MacArthur publicly criticizes Truman for his hesitation in the war • Truman relieves MacArthur of duty and begins seeking a peace treaty to end the war with China. Creation of the DMZ • Armistice (ceasefire) is signed between North and South Korea in 1953 • Establishes border at 38th parallel between 2 countries • Does not officially end war • (Do Not Write) The Korean DMZ remains the most militarized border on Earth The DMZ The Second Red Scare • First Soviet Nuclear Test: 1949 the Soviets detonated its first nuclear bomb • Caused a panic in the U.S., belief that the Soviets could not have gotten the bomb that quickly without help from spies • Widespread belief that communist spies were in government First Soviet Nuclear Test Ethel and Julius Rosenberg • Ring of spies with loose connections to the Manhattan Project discovered in the U.S. • Leads to active communist Julius Rosenberg and his wife • Both put on trial and executed as spies, with sensationalistic live media coverage Ethel and Julius HUAC and the McCarran Act • HUAC holds hearings almost weekly to convince people of threat posed by spies. • Leads to passage of the McCarran Act: – Made being a member of the Communist Party (any group advocating overthrow of U.S. system illegal) – Led to arrest of Party leaders – Passed over Truman’s veto Whittaker Chambers and Alger Hiss • Whittaker Chambers claimed before HUAC that State Dept. employee Alger Hiss was a communist agent – Claimed he had helped Hiss smuggle documents to the Soviets – Hiss charged and convicted of perjury for lying under oath – Pointed to as proof that communists had infiltrated Truman government Hiss and Chambers Joe McCarthy • Junior Senator from Wisconsin • 1950 makes a speech in Wheeling, WV announcing that he knows of 76 communists in government • Begins a series of hearings in which he bullies, terrorizes liberals and socialists. Red Scare becomes known as “McCarthyism” The Army Hearings: McCarthy’s End • McCarthy accused the army of harboring communists, after they denied a commission to a personal friend. • President Eisenhower hired lawyers to represent the Army who humiliated McCarthy during the hearing. • McCarthy was officially censured by the Senate Conclusion • U.S. and Soviet Union would remain in a period of Cold War: – A conflict in which both combatants refrain from fighting one another directly – Next few decades would be defined by proxy wars between U.S. and Communist USSR and China – Fear of nuclear annihilation would have a major affect on American culture