Download CHAPTER 18 COLD WAR CONFLICTS

CHAPTER 18
COLD WAR CONFLICTS
The United States and the Soviet Union were
wartime allies. But there had been trouble between
them for some time. A major reason was that they
had opposing political and economic systems. In
addition, the Soviets were angry that the United
States had taken so long to launch an attack
against Hitler in Europe. Stalin also did not like
that the United States had kept the development of
the atomic bomb a secret. Americans were upset
that Stalin had signed a treaty with Hitler before
World War II. Still, at the end of the war, people
hoped that the United Nations (UN) would help
bring a time of peace. Instead, the UN became a
place where the two superpowers competed and
tried to influence other nations.
International
peacekeeping
organization formed
in 1945.
Ans—United Nations
Truman and Stalin disagreed over the future of
Europe. Truman wanted strong democratic
nations. He wanted the United States to be able
to buy raw materials in Eastern Europe. He also
wanted Eastern European markets for
American products. Stalin wished to spread
communism. He also wanted to control Eastern
Europe to prevent another invasion of Soviet
territory. He wanted to use the resources of
Germany and Eastern Europe to rebuild
his war-torn nation.
Stalin set up Communist governments in the
European nations occupied by Soviet troops.
They became satellite nations, countries that
depended on and were dominated by the
Soviet Union. The United States answered
with a policy of containment. This was an
effort to block Soviet influence by making
alliances and supporting weaker nations.
In 1946, Winston Churchill described “an iron
curtain” coming down across Europe. It
separated the nations in the “Soviet sphere”
from the capitalist democracies of the West.
A country dominated
politically &
economically by
another nation.
Ans—Satellite Nation
Policy of US to block
the spread of Soviet
influence during late
1940’s/1950’s.
AnsContainment
A phrase used by Winston
Churchill to describe
division of Europe into
West and East.
Ans—Iron
Curtain
The conflicting aims of the
United States and the Soviet
Union led to the Cold War. This
was a state of hostility between
these superpowers, but one
without military action. Each
tried to spread its political and
economic influence worldwide.
State of Hostility
between US & USSR
after WWII without
direct military conflict.
Ans—
Cold
War
Truman’s first test of containment was when Greece
and Turkey needed economic and military aid in
1947. In the Truman Doctrine, the president argued
that aid should be sent to any nation trying to stop
Communists from taking over. Congress agreed. Aid
was sent to Turkey and Greece. Western Europe was
also in terrible economic shape. Secretary of State
George Marshall wanted to send aid to nations that
cooperated with American economic goals. When
Soviet troops took over Czechoslovakia in 1949.
Congress saw the need for strong, stable
governments to resist communism. It approved the
Marshall Plan. The plan was a great success in
rebuilding Western Europe and halting the spread of
communism.
Policy of providing
economic & military aid
to free nations
threatened by
internal/external
opponents.
Ans—
Truman
Doctrine
US supplies economic
aid to European
nations to help them
rebuild after WWII.
Ans—
Marshall
Plan
East and West also disagreed over Germany. Stalin
wanted to keep it weak and divided. The Western allies
thought Europe would be more stable if Germany were
united and productive. Berlin was also divided into four
occupied zones. But it was located in Soviet-controlled
East Germany. The Soviets cut off all transportation to
West Berlin. West Berlin was the name given the zones
occupied by Britain, France, and the United States. The
Soviets said they would hold the city hostage until the
West gave up the idea of German reunification. Instead,
the United States and Britain started the Berlin Airlift. For
327 days, planes brought food and supplies to West
Berlin. Finally, the Soviets gave up the blockade. The
blockade made the West worry about Soviet aggression.
The United States and Canada joined with ten European
nations in a defensive military alliance called the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Members agreed
Operation in which US
planes flew in food/fuel
to German capital when
Soviets blockaded city.
Ans—Berlin Airlift
A defensive military
alliance formed by
US and 10 Western
European Countries.
Ans—North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO).
For two decades the Chinese Communists
struggled against the Nationalist government led
by Chiang Kai-shek. The United States supported
Chiang because he opposed communism.
However, Chiang’s government was inefficient
and corrupt. He overtaxed the Chinese people
even during times of famine, and did not have
their support. Mao Zedong led the Communist
forces in the North. He won the support of many
Chinese peasants. Mao distributed land to them
and reduced rents. He had an experienced army
with high morale. In 1949, Chiang and his forces
had to flee to Taiwan, an island off the coast of
China. China was now Communist. Containment
in China had failed.
Leader of Nationalist forces in
China.
Ans—Chiang Kai-Shek
Island off China’s Coast
Ans--Taiwan
Leader of Communist forces in
China
Ans—Mao Zedong
Japan had ruled Korea since 1910. At the end of
World War II, Japanese forces in the north
surrendered to the Soviets. In the south, the
Japanese surrendered to the Americans. Two
nations then developed. They were separated by
the 38th parallel, an imaginary line that divides
Korea at 38 degrees north latitude. In 1948, South
Korea became an independent nation. North Korea
became a Communist nation. Each claimed the
right to rule all of Korea. In June 1950, North Korea
started the Korean War by invading South Korea.
The United Nations agreed to help South Korea.
Troops from 16 nations - most of them American were sent to South Korea. They were led by
General Douglas MacArthur.
Imaginary line that divides Korea.
Ans—38th Parallel
War begun when
Northern Communists
invaded Southern part
of country in 1950.
Ans—Korean War
For two years, fighting continued. But neither side
advanced. MacArthur wanted to extend the war into
China. He even suggested dropping atomic bombs on
China. Truman was against this strategy. The Soviets
were allies of the Chinese. Truman felt bombing China
would start World War III. MacArthur continued to argue
for his plan. He spoke to the press and to Republican
leaders. Truman felt that he could no longer allow
MacArthur’s insubordination. He fired MacArthur as
commander. A cease-fire went into effect in June 1951.
Both sides agreed on a demilitarized zone at the 38th
parallel. An armistice was signed in July 1953. The
agreement was a stalemate. Korea was still divided
between Communist North Korea and non-Communist
South Korea. Many people felt that American lives had
been lost for little gain. Americans also became even
more worried about Communist expansion abroad and
Many Americans felt threatened by the rise of
Communist governments in Europe and Asia. Some
even felt that Communists could threaten the U.S.
government from within. These fears increased when
people found out about some spies selling U.S.
government secrets to the Soviets. In 1947, Congress
set up the House Committee on Un-American Activities
(HUAC). Its purpose was to look for Communists both
inside and outside government. HUAC concentrated
on the movie industry because of suspected Communist
influences in Hollywood. Ten people called before HUAC
refused to testify. They said the hearings were
unconstitutional. The Hollywood Ten, as they were
called, were sent to prison for their refusal. In response
to the HUAC hearings, Hollywood executives created a
list of some 500 people they thought were Communistinfluenced. They refused to hire the people on this
Congressional committee that
looked for communist spies
Ans—HUAC (House Un-American
Activities Committee).
People called before HUAC who
refused to testify and were jailed
Ans—Hollywood 10
People in Hollywood
who were refused
jobs because they
didn’t cooperate with
HUAC.
Ans--Blacklist
Two spy cases added to the fear of communism
sweeping the nation. One involved an official of
the State Department named Alger Hiss. A former
Soviet spy accused Hiss of spying for the Soviet
Union. Hiss was convicted of perjury for lying,
and went to jail. In 1949, the Soviet Union tested
an atomic bomb. A British scientist admitted
giving the Soviets secret information about the
American bomb. He also implicated two
Americans: Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. The
Rosenbergs were members of the American
Communist Party. They denied the charges of
spying. But they were convicted and sentenced
to death. The Rosenbergs were executed in 1953.
Former State
Department official
accused of spying
for Soviets
Ans—Alger Hiss
Tried and executed for selling
Atomic bomb secrets to USSR
Ans—Julius & Ethel Rosenberg
In the early 1950s, Republican Senator Joseph
McCarthy made headlines. He claimed that
Communists were taking over the government. He also
said the Democrats were guilty of treason for
allowing this Communist infiltration. McCarthy never
produced any evidence to support his charges. These
unsupported attacks on suspected Communists
became known as McCarthyism. Later, McCarthyism
also came to mean the unfair tactic of accusing people
of disloyalty without producing evidence. Some
complained that McCarthy was violating people’s
constitutional rights. In 1954, McCarthy made
accusations against the U.S. Army. The Senate hearings
were broadcast on national television. The American
people watched McCarthy bully witnesses but produce
no evidence. McCarthy lost public favor. The Senate
voted to condemn him.
Republican Senator from Wisconsin
who claimed the Communists were
taking over the US Government
Ans—Joseph McCarthy
Term used to refer to
tactic of accusing
people of disloyalty
without producing
evidence
Ans--McCarthyism
The Soviet Union exploded its first atomic
bomb in 1949. American leaders wanted to
develop a more powerful weapon. In 1952, the
United States exploded the first hydrogen
bomb, or H-bomb. But the Soviets tested their
own H-bomb in 1953. Dwight D. Eisenhower
was president. His secretary of state, John
Foster Dulles, was very anti-Communist. He
said America must not compromise. The
United States must be prepared to use all of
its nuclear weapons against any aggressor.
This willingness to go to the edge, or brink, of
war was called brinkmanship.
Republican President
after Truman in 1950’s
Ans—Dwight D. Eisenhower
Type of bomb 500x
more powerful than the
atomic bomb
Ans—Hydrogen Bomb
Willingness to go to the
edge of war
Ans--Brinkmanship
The United States began making more nuclear
weapons. So did the Soviet Union. This was
called the arms race. Many Americans feared
a nuclear attack at any time. They had air-raid
drills and fallout shelters to prepare for these
attacks. The United States was in competition
with the Soviet Union all over the world.
President Eisenhower began to rely on the
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The CIA
used spies to get information abroad. It also
carried out covert actions, or secret
operations, to weaken or overthrow
governments unfriendly to the United States.
Spy Agency of US
Ans—CIA (Central Intelligence Agency)
Soviet dictator Josef Stalin died in 1953. At
first, tensions eased between the
superpowers. People called it a thaw in the
Cold War. But when West Germany joined
NATO, the Soviet Union formed a military
alliance with its satellite nations in 1955.
This alliance was called the Warsaw Pact.
The Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev, came
to power in the years after Stalin’s death.
Unlike Stalin, he believed communism
could triumph through peaceful means.
Military Alliance of
USSR and eastern
European satellite
nations
Ans—
Warsaw
Pact
Soviet
Leader
after
Joseph
Stalin
died.
Ans—Nikita
Khrushchev
In 1956, a crisis developed in the Middle East.
Egypt seized control of the Suez Canal. The
Canal was located in Egypt but owned by
Britain and France, who had built it. Egypt
was an ally of the Soviet Union. Britain,
France, and Israel invaded Egypt to take the
Canal back. The Soviets threatened to bomb
Britain and France. The United States
threatened to retaliate. During the crisis,
Eisenhower issued a warning, known as the
Eisenhower Doctrine. It said the United States
would defend the Middle East against
Communist attack.
Policy stated that US
would defend the
Middle East against
Communist Attack.
Ans—Eisenhower Doctrine
On October 4, 1957, the Soviets shocked the
world by launching Sputnik I. It was the first
artificial satellite to orbit the earth. American
scientists also worked hard to catch up. The
United States had been flying spy missions over
the Soviet Union. The CIA used U-2 aircraft that
flew so high they could not be shot down.
However, on May 1, 1960, a U-2 spy plane was
shot down over the Soviet Union. The pilot,
Francis Gary Powers, was captured and convicted
of spying. This U-2 incident happened right before
a meeting between Eisenhower and Khrushchev.
At the meeting, Khrushchev criticized the United
States and walked out. The U-2 incident hurt
Eisenhower’s ability to deal with the Soviets.
Spy Plane shot down and pilot
captured in 1960
Ans—U2 Incident
Pilot of U2 spy plane shot down
over Soviet Union in May 1960
Ans—Francis Gary Powers
Chapter 18
Visual Reflection
Visual Reflection
• Directions: On your sheet, write down your
immediate thoughts on each image that
you see on the screen. Ask yourself, who
is involved, what are people doing, what
might they be experiencing, what kind of
emotion are they expressing.
Visual Reflection Ch. 18
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#1: Which 2 superpowers emerge
AFTER WWII by looking at the images
below?
#2: What does this map tell us
about geography of Germany
AFTER WWII?
#3: What does Stalin look like he’s
doing in this political cartoon?
#4: Which countries received the most
$$ in assistance from the U.S. after
WWII?
#5: What is Stalin trying to block
from European Recovery?
#6: What do the Soviet Union and
China have in common by looking
at the images below? They are
both___________
#7: What does this map tell us about the political
situation of Korea?
8. What are Americans fearful of in
the image below?
9. What kind of “race” are the U.S.
and Soviet Union in with one another?
#10: What kind of “race” will now push the
U.S. and Soviet Union into further
competition w/one another?