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The Cold War 1945-1991 (In these notes we will only discuss things that happened until 1960) The Cold War (1945-1991) The United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) emerged as the two strongest powers in international affairs. Ideologically opposed, they challenged one another in a series of confrontations known as the Cold War. The costs of this prolonged contest weakened the USSR so that it collapsed due to internal upheavals as well as American pressure. The Cold War had social and political implications in the United States. Origins of the Cold War • It starts before the true end of WWII. • “Germany is finished; the real problem now is Russia.” -- Winston Churchill 1945- The beginning of the tensions • Wartime cooperation is temporary. Relations are tense between the US and USSR. Differences at Yalta • Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin meet. Germany is separated into 4 zones. • West Germany = US, Britain and France. • East Germany = Soviet Union (USSR) Other things discussed at Yalta • Stalin wants $10 billion in war damages! He is rejected. Why? • The huge question that separates the US and USSR is – What type of government will Poland have? • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v =R5ZdgjY8I7E The United Nations (U.N.) is developed • International peace-keeping organization. • League of Nations failed after WWI because the US would not join. • Now the US sees it as a way to prevent wars. There is also a change in command • April 12, 1945- Roosevelt dies and an “unprepared” Harry Truman takes over. The Potsdam Conference • Truman meets Stalin. • Stalin wants $ • Truman wants elections in Poland. Conflicting Goals • US view is, “democracy for all European nations.” • Soviet view- “we lost 20 million men and have widespread destruction. We must rebuild and protect ourselves. Satellite nations are needed- countries on the western border of the USSR that are friendly to communist goals. The Soviets tighten their hold • Polish elections take 2 years to begin- the communists eliminate all opposition in that time. • Hungary and Romania hold elections but the communists refuse to leave after their defeat communist takeover in 1947. • Albania and Bulgaria communist control in 1948 • Czechoslovakia will fight but lose communist control in 1948 • East Germany- communist government in 1949 • Finland and YugoslaviaFinland will cooperate with USSR but will manage their own domestic affairs. Yugoslavia- Tito (who is a communist) is in charge in 1945- But he will not take orders from Stalin. The Iron Curtain • Invisible barrier that divides communist dominated Eastern Europe from capitalist Western Europe. (Winston Churchill) • 1946- Stalin predicts triumph of communism over capitalism. (It is the Red Scare of the 20’s all over again) • So the _Cold War begins. It is a competition for power and influence between the US and USSR. It will last for almost 50 years (until the collapse of the USSR in 1991) Content Statement 24. The United States followed a policy of containment during the Cold War in response to the spread of communism. To Know- The policy of containment began in the late 1940s to halt the spread of communism in Europe and Asia. It became the policy of the United States for decades. Following World War II, most of the eastern Europe countries had communist governments and were under Soviet control. The Chinese Revolution ushered in a communist government. In Europe, the Marshall Plan and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) were efforts to contain communism. In Asia, the policy of containment was the basis for U.S. involvement in the Korean and Vietnam wars. What is the US to do? • containment- eastern Europe is lost but we must stop Soviet expansion elsewhere. The British could no longer provide aid to Greece and Turkey they want us protect them now. So now the US has been handed the job of world leadership. Truman Doctrine- Declaration that the US would support nations that were being threatened by communism. 1. US helps – sends $- establishes bases 2. This would lead the US into many conflicts for many years. The Cold War Abroad and at Home Europe is devastated by war- 21 million homeless- In Poland 20% of the population is dead. The Marshall Plan Post WWII plan to aid Europe We must not repeat post WWI mistakes- we must help restore nations to prosperity. • George Marshall- (WWII army chiefof-staff) writes up the Marshall Plan. • The European nations are to draw up a plan for economic recovery then the US would help with the money. • The USSR and the satellite nations will not participate. • $13 billion sent to western Europe economies are restored and trading partners are established. The Berlin Airlift Begins We realize that Stalin will not unite Germany so we begin to merge 3 zones together to make West Germany. The Soviets form East Germany. Thousands want to flee the area and do so thru West Berlin. More on the Airlift Stalin blockades West Berlin The US response is the Berlin Airlift. We move supplies into West Berlin by plane. US sends in 13,000 tons of supplies a day for 15 months. We must help Berlin and keep it secure. The Soviets eventually give up the blockade- but Berlin is still separated. Alliances are set • North Atlantic Treaty Organization- NATO- is formed. 12 countries. • An armed attack against one or more of them shall be considered an attack against them all. • Collective Security- mutual military assistance • Soviets respond and create the Warsaw Pact. Military alliance with its satellite nations. Communism Advances • The atomic threat- The Soviets have the atomic bomb in 1949!! In 1952 the US develops the hydrogen bomb which is even more destructive. • The US spreads information about how to survive a nuclear attack. China falls to communism in 1949 • Mao Zedong (communist) organizes the poor and rural peasants and begins a Civil War (fighting since the 1920’s) – they go against Jaing Jieshi (Chinese gov’t) • During WWII they cooperate to resist the invading Japanese • The fighting begins again after WWII and Jieshi wants US aid. But Truman believes that Mao is too strong to stop and decides to not aid China. Instead they will aid western Europe to hold off communist aggression there. • 1949- Peking (Beijing now) falls to communism and the PRC, People’s Republic of China is created. • Jiang as his followers go to Taiwan • This is a black mark on Truman’s administration- WE LET CHINA GO TO FAST! Cold War at Home • At this time many Americans were communists, WHY? • Anyone with any communist ties is persecuted. • All new federal employees are investigated. This is called the Loyalty Program. • HUAC- House Un-American Committee. Looking for communist infiltration in government and Hollywood. Looking for anyone sympathetic with communist ideals. Hollywood 10 • 10 people who refused to answer ?’s by Congress. They served jail time for 6-12 months. 1. Hollywood was not happy with these people and began a blacklist a list of employees that employers refuse to hire. Hollywood will now stay away from controversial movies and concentrate on pure entertainment. McCarran-Walter Act • Immigration law that established a quota system for each country • How is this relevant today? Spy Cases • Alger Hiss- ex State Dept.- accused of being a spy and sent to prison for 4 years. • Julius and Ethel Rosenbergmembers of the communist party. Accused of passing atomic secrets to Russia. Executed in 1953. • Both of these spy cases were hotly debated. The Cold War Expands Content Statement 26. The Cold War and conflicts in Korea and Vietnam influenced domestic and international politics. To Know- The Cold War dominated international politics and impacted domestic politics in the United States for almost 45 years. The intense rivalry between the U.S. and the Soviet Union led to the creation of alliances, an arms race, conflicts in Korea and Vietnam and brought the world close to nuclear war with the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Cold War affected international politics in the Middle East and Latin America. The Cold War affected domestic politics. It led to the Second Red Scare and the rise of McCarthyism. A space race impelled the U.S. to increase spending on science education. The Korean War also fed into the communist hysteria of the late 1940s and 1950s. The United States was able to secure support from the United Nations for the defense of South Korea while the Soviet Union was boycotting the Security Council. The Vietnam War divided the country and sparked massive protests. Spending for the war came at the expense of the domestic programs launched by President Johnson. This led to urban unrest in the 1960s. The Vietnam War was a dominant issue in the presidential campaigns of 1968 and 1972. The difficulties and eventual withdrawal from Vietnam led to concerted efforts on part of the U.S. to find allies in future conflicts. Korea • 1945- North Korea is Soviet held South Korea is American held • 1950- Korean War begins. North Korean troops go across the 38th parallel- latitude line dividing the 2 nations. Communists want to unite the 2 parts of Korea by force. So what happens in Korea? 1. McArthur is in charge of the US forces 2. Must defend Pusan 3. Lands troops in Inchon and attacks the supply lines of N. Korea 4. North Koreans are cut off and flee to the north 5. China does not want the US this close and push us back to South Korea 6. Stalemate for years 7. Outcome- a truce is signed in 1953. Korea is divided in almost the same place 8. 55,000 Americans killed- 103,000 wounded. Why? Limited results Content Statement 25. The Second Red Scare and McCarthyism reflected Cold War fears in American society. To Know- The actions of the Soviet Union in Eastern Europe and the spread of communism in Asia sparked fears among many Americans. A second Red Scare focused attention on the media, labor unions, universities and other organizations as targets of communist subversion. Like the first Red Scare following World War I, civil liberties were again challenged. The investigations of the House UnAmerican Activities Committee (HUAC) prompted employers to blacklist suspected communists, including actors and writers. Senator Joseph McCarthy played on fears of subversion with his charges of communists infiltrating the U.S. government. The McCarthy hearings and HUAC investigations held the attention of the American people through the middle 1950s. McCarthy era begins at home • Republican senator from Wisconsin is on a witch-hunt for communists. He says communists are in the state department and in the army as well. McCarthy • McCarthy-Army hearings-1954McCarthy has baseless allegationspeople watch the hearings on TV he loses support The Cold War in the late 40’s and 50’s • Eisenhower becomes president in 1952. He states that the US will not intervene with satellite nations because the risk of war with the Soviets is to high. • 1953- Korean War ends. • 1953- Stalin dies Vietnam • Vietnam (a French colony that fell to Japan during WWII.) • Ho Chi Minh is the leader of the Vietnamese Communist Party and he declares the independence of Vietnam from France. France rejects this idea. • The US believes in the domino theory. If one country falls to communism so will another. So we send aid to support France. Vietnam But eventually France pulls out of Vietnam North Vietnam is now communist South Vietnam is now anticommunist The US will resist greater involvement until the 1960’s The Middle East Great Britain is given Palestine after WWI. Anti-Semitism in WWII sent the Jews to Palestine. Now there is a call for a Jewish state . The solution is to make 2 states.- 1948 • 1 Arab state called Palestine- backed by the Soviets • 1 Jewish state called Israel- backed by the US We support Israel but don’t want Arab nations to fall under communist control. Why? 1952- Iran is under communist control • . The CIA overthrows the government and gives control to the Shah of Iran who is pro-US. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v =pW_Rbka6eZ8 6:19 Suez Crisis of 1956 • Nasser (leader of Egypt) seeks Soviet support • US and Great Britain cut off aid • Egypt seizes the British owned Suez Canal (vital for the transportation of oil to Europe) • British and French attack to regain control of the canal • Soviets threaten consequences • US asks France and Britain to withdraw • Egypt has the canal. • https://www.youtube.com /watch?v=pW_Rbka6eZ8 Eisenhower Doctrine • “US would use force to safeguard the independence of any country in the Middle East requesting aid against communist aggression.” Latin America • Cuba- Fidel Castro overthrows the corrupt Cuban dictator Batista. • He then seizes American property US cuts ties with Cuba • Castro turns to the Soviets for military and economic help. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v dE6wqo2NOI Content Statement 23. Use of atomic weapons changed the nature of war, altered the balance of power and began the nuclear age. To Know- The dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan hastened the end of World War II and is considered the beginning of the nuclear age. The use of these bombs introduced a new type of weapon capable of mass destruction. In the four-year period following World War II, the United States was the only country in possession of atomic bombs and this contributed to its status as a superpower. The threat of using this weapon was seen as a deterrent to the ambitions of the Soviet Union. The testing and explosion of the atomic bomb by the Soviets in 1949 established the Soviet Union as a second superpower. It also began a nuclear arms race that continued for decades and threatened world peace. The Arms Race • The struggle to gain weapons superiority between the US and USSR. 1. Nuclear weapons 1953- USSR has thermonuclear bombs 1954- US has a bomb 750 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Japan. Brinkmanship • Secretary of State John Dulles talks of brinkmanship. The US is willing to go to the brink of war to protect its national interests. ICBM’s • Intercontinental Ballistic MissilesICBM. US has an Air Force to carry bombs. But the Soviets need long range rockets called ICBM’s. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v =O5LFB39yCA4 Sputnik • 1957- Soviets launch Sputnikartificial satellite to orbit the Earth. • The US is scared. • Are we lagging behind in technology? • Can a missile carry an atomic bomb? https://www.youtube.com/watc h?v=gJYjyGqZDIY U2 Incident • 1960- Soviets shoot down an American spy plane with a guided missile. This is called the U2 incident. • https://www.youtub e.com/watch?v=Mc myNBRx3SU Content Statement 27. The collapse of communist governments in Eastern Europe and the USSR brought an end to the Cold War. To Know- There were multiple causes for the collapse of communist governments in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. The effect of these was the reduction of the tensions between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. that characterized the Cold War period. Several communist governments in Eastern Europe gave up power following mass demonstrations for democracy. The collapse of the Soviet Union resulted in independent republics that moved to institute democratic reforms and introduce free-market economies. This brought an end to the Cold War era. The political and economic turmoil occurring in some of the new governments posed new challenges for the United States. The U.S. supported economic and education reforms by providing assistance to some of the former communist countries.