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The Cold War 1945-1989 What is the Cold War It was an intense rivalry between the United States and Russia – between West and East and between capitalism and communism that dominated the years following WW II. Words of Wisdom Winston Churchill; “Germany is finished. The real problem is Russia. I can’t get Americans to see it.” -- 1945 Churchill and the Bomb: Addressing MIT Cold vs. Hot It is called the “Cold” War because there was never any direct attacks made by the U.S. or Soviet Union on each other. Yalta Conference The Big Three meet – Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin Divided Germany into four zones Problem: Poland! Roosevelt wanted a guarantee of free elections and Stalin wanted complete control of Poland The issue of Poland would not go away The United Nations The Big Three all agreed on establishing this international peace keeping organization. Goal: to promote justice and cooperation First official meeting held in London in 1946 Permanent headquarters established in New York in 1953. FDR dies; Truman Takes Command Roosevelt never saw his dream of the UN come to life FDR died on April 12, 1945 Truman, his Vice President for only a few months, became the leader of our country Who is Harry S. Truman? Political unknown when chosen as V.P. Born in Missouri A Southern Baptist Never went to college Failed businessman Served in World War I as captain of an artillery battery In Response to FDR’s Death “ I don’t know whether you fellows ever had a load of hay fall on you, but when they told me yesterday what had happened, I felt the moon, the stars and the planets had fallen on me.” Baby boom Post war through 1960s – huge increase in population fueled both by soldiers returning home and the prosperity of the 1950s Truman as President Truman began a massive demobilization of the armed forces. During the war = 12 million 1947= 1.5 million; 1950= 600,000 Congress cuts taxes over his veto! (Keynes weakness) Atomic Energy Commission (1946)- created by Congress to deal with controversy over atomic weapons- the president alone was given power to order the use of atomic weapons in warfare International Tension: Greece and Turkey Civil War breaks out in Greece (between democratic and communist forces), 1946 Russia wants Turkish territory U.S. sends aid to both – communism does not spread Also helpful – Tito in Yugoslavia – he broke away from Russia in 1948 and stopped sending aid to communists Israel 1947 1947 – UN General Assembly voted to partition Palestine into Jewish and Arab states Met with fierce opposition from Arabs When British mandate expired on May 14, 1948 (established at end of WW I – Britain promised national homeland for Jews – huge influx during 1930s due to Nazis), Jewish leaders proclaimed independence and Truman (who had been in close contact with Jewish leaders) rushed to be first country to recognize Israeli independence Arab states go to war with Israel; Israel holds its own – but warfare has festered ever since National Security Act 1947 In response to report from Pearl Harbor about military miscommunication, Truman wrote the NSA creating the National Security Council, made permanent the Joint Chiefs of Staff and established the CIA to coordinate intelligencegathering activities. Chairman of JCS- Chairman JCS Functions Principal military advisor to National Security Council Provide strategic directions for Armed Forces Prepare strategic plans for Armed Forces Direct preparations of contingency plans Advise on programs, requirements, and budgeting Develop joint doctrine, training, and education Conflicting Postwar Goals Americans: wanted democracy and economic opportunities for the countries of Europe and Asia Soviets: Wanted to rebuild their nation in order to protect their own interests. They wanted to establish satellite nations, countries controlled by the Soviets along the western boundaries of the Soviet Union. Following Communist doctrine, Stalin wanted to overthrow capitalism around the world and install Communist governments. Satellite Nations Like dominoes, one by one countries in Eastern Europe fell to Stalin and communism Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Albania. The Iron Curtain A phrase coined by Winston Churchill in 1946 it refers to the division between Communist and non-Communist nations Became symbol of division between East and West Containment This became the dominant U.S. policy during the Cold War Developed by George Kennan, it stated that the U.S. could not do anything in Eastern Europe where Russia already took over, but that it should attempt to stop the formation of Communist governments any where else in the world. The Truman Doctrine “I believe that it must be the policy of the U.S. to support free peoples who are resisting (conquest) by armed minorities or by outside pressures.” –President Truman, 1947 American declaration of willingness to use any means, including force if necessary, to prevent the spread of Soviet influence The Marshall Plan U.S. wanted to help war-torn nations recover so they could create stable democracies. This Plan called on the nations of Europe to draw up a program for economic recovery. The U.S. would support this plan with financial aid. Seventeen nations applied for aid. Total aid given from 19481952 = $13 billion Truman and Civil Rights July 1948 – Truman banned racial discrimination in hiring federal employees and in the military Korea was the first war fought without segregation Election of 1948 Civil rights plank alienated many in South Dixiecrat/States’ Rights Party formed with Strom Thurmond, governor of South Carolina, as the candidate Truman ran an exhausting 31,000 mile campaign Biggest upset in American history: Truman 303 to Dewey (Rep) 189. (Thurmond received 39 votes) Truman stand on Berlin was partly responsible for his victory NSC - 68 Top secret document Called for rebuilding conventional military forces to provide options other than nuclear war Departure from aversion to large standing armies in peacetime (think: Boston Massacre) Actions in Korea in 1950 cemented support Oh yeah, and in 1949 we had proof that the Soviets had the bomb Berlin Airlift Many Eastern Europeans who did not like living under Soviet communist rule fled their homes and escaped to West Berlin. Stalin wanted to stop this escape route by forcing the Western Powers to abandon West Berlin. Stalin blockaded all Allied shipments to West Berlin through East Germany. This threatened severe shortages of food and other needed supplies in West Berlin. Truman did not want a war with the Soviets, nor did he want to give up West Berlin. During the next 15 months both British and U.S. aircraft delivered food, fuel, etc. by plane to the city. The Soviets finally gave up in 1949 and ended the blockade. West Germany fully sovereign in 1955 Berlin Airlift Map NATO- North Atlantic Treaty Organization Because the Soviet Union used its veto power to block any action that stopped communism in the United Nations, the West needed another way to deal with Soviet aggression. In 1949 12 nations formed NATO. The guiding principle of NATO is; “an armed attack against one or more…shall be considered an attack against them all.” This is an example of collective securitymutual military assistance among nations. Current Members of NATO NATO was the most successful military alliances in history Effectively checked Soviet expansion in Europe and maintained an easy peace until 1991 China Falls To Communism A civil war had existed between the Nationalists and Communists in China since the 1920s. In 1949, under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the Communists won and established the People’s Republic of China. The Nationalists fled to Taiwan and claimed to be the legitimate government of China, establishing the Republic of China. The U.S. and UN recognized this Republic as the true government of China. Many Americans wanted Truman and the government to focus not only on Europe but also on Asia in their policy of containment. U.S. Policy Congress will Nationalists government $400 million, but 80% ended up with communists – corruption The U.S. continued to support Chiang and refused to recognize communist regime until 30 years later (1979) 1950 Soviets and Chinese sign a Sino-Soviet pact – proof of a worldwide communists conspiracy Chairman Mao Zedong Chinese Revolution Poster: 1949 Korean War After WW II Japan was forced to give up control of Korea. The Soviets accepted the surrender above the 38th parallel and the U.S. accepted it below that line. Division was never the goal but became a reality: a communist controlled north and a democratically controlled south. Map of Korea Conflict in Korea American defense in Korea weak Stalin encouraged North Koreans to use force to unify the country Soviets had plans to seize all of Korea in one week Citizens on both sides of the parallel wanted to reunite their country. War breaks out when North Korean troops came across the 38th parallel to try to unite the country by force. The Forgotten War The UN (mostly American) sent troops to Korea The UN troops do well initially but are driven back close to the original 38th parallel. The war becomes a stalemate and in 1953 an armistice is signed agreeing to keep Korea divided. Chinese Spring Offensive Korean War Memorial, Washington D.C. McCarthyism: The Height of Cold War Hysteria Senator Joseph McCarthy from Wisconsin made himself famous by accusing hundreds of people inside the government and Hollywood of having ties with communists. His list included many top officials. He set off a second period of anti-communist hysteria He had little to no evidence to support his accusations Joseph McCarthy The Arms Race The greatest area where the Soviet Union and the U.S. compete for world domination was in the arms race - the struggle to gain weapons superiority. Eisenhower’s Administration Sec of State – John Dulles Talked of liberating “captive nations” Claimed if U.S. pushed the “Reds” to the brink of war they would break down brinkmanship Cold War and Space In 1957 the Soviet Union proved that they were ahead of the U.S. in the technology war when they launched Sputnik into space. Sputnik was the first artificial satellite to orbit the earth. Problem: The rocket used to launch Sputnik could just as easily carry a nuclear bomb to America’s shores! In response the U.S. created NASA in 1958 and increased spending on science and math in America’s school. Sputnik Cold War and Cuba In October of 1962 U.S. spy photography revealed that the Soviet Union was building missile bases on Cuba. What followed, the Cuban Missile Crisis, is the closest the world ever came to nuclear war. Cuban Missile Crisis The Soviets placed these missiles in Cuba, 90 miles from the U.S., to counter the missiles the U.S. had in Turkey – very close to the U.S.S.R. These missiles in Turkey were old and probably wouldn’t work – but the U.S.S.R., under Nikita Khruschev, did not care about that detail. Kennedy Decides After much deliberation, president Kennedy decided to use a U.S. naval quarantine of Cuba to prevent any Soviet ships carrying weapons into Cuba Disaster Avoided After some secret negotiations, in the final hour, the U.S. agreed to remove its missiles from Turkey while Russia would remove their missiles from Cuba. It appeared that if Russia either broke the quarantine or refused to remove their missiles, Kennedy would have used nuclear weapons on Cuba and maybe the Soviet Union directly!!! Detente Better relations with Soviet Union under Brezhnev and president Ford in 1970s by limiting nuclear weapons Called for an equivalence in numbers of offensive strategic weapons (2,400 a piece!) Conclusion The Cold War was a tense time and a time of great uncertainty and fear No one knew if the Soviets or the U.S. would use one of their many weapons of mass destruction -- they came close but never did! The Cold War ended when the U.S.S.R. collapsed (between 1989-1991) and communism failed to make the people happy or meet their basic needs. Foreign Policy in the Middle East Eisenhower Administration Suez Crisis – nationalizing the Suez Canal threatened Western Europe’s supply line to Middle Eastern Oil Eisenhower Doctrine – U.S. pledged economic and military aid to any Middle Eastern country threatened by communism IRAN 1953 CIA role in overthrowing gov’t Shah gained control Oil prices favorable Arms purchases from U.S. NIXON 1973 Six Day War U.S. support of Israel OPEC placed an oil embargo on Israel’s supporters Economy went into downward spiral 55 speed limit More fuel efficient cars Carter Iran Hostage crisis 1979 Islamic fundamentalists overthrow Shah Oil production ground to a halt Iranian militants seize U.S. embassy REAGAN Soviet Union invades Afghanistan Reaction Embargo on grain exports and technology to Soviet Union Boycott the Olympics in 1988 IRAN Contra Affair Selling missiles to Iran’s government in exchange for freeing American hostages Profits from sale to aid contras in Nicaragua