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Cold War Cold war United Nations Founded by the Allies in 1945 International organization to promote world peace and progress. Replaced the League of Nations means for the world’s nations to try to prevent future global wars. United States immediately joined the United Nations. Different Views • After WWI – Americans retreated back to isolationism • But after WWII – Americans felt they had an important role to play in world affairs The United States had refused to join the League of Nations, but was one of the founders of the United Nations Japan American forces occupied Japan after its surrender in August 1945. Under American direction, Japan soon adopted a democratic form of government, resumed self-government (governed itself), and became a strong ally (friend) of the United States. Japanese Surrender General McArthur and Emperor Hirohito Europe At the end of World War II, Europe lay in ruins. The Soviet Union’s troops occupied most of Eastern and Central Europe and the eastern portion of Germany. American, British, and French forces occupied West Germany. Germany The Allies partitioned (divided) Germany into East and West Germany. In a few years West Germany became democratic and resumed self-government. East Germany became communist and was dominated by the Soviet Union Cold War Soon after World War II ended, the Cold War began. The Cold War was an uneasy peace after World War II, marked by a fierce rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. What was it? One might call the Cold War a war of words between the United States and the Soviet Union, which lasted from the end of World War II until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The Cold War set the framework for global politics for 45 years. Influences of the Cold War in US • domestic politics (issues inside the U.S.) • the conduct of foreign affairs • and the role of the American government in the economy Differences American-led Western Nations Eastern Bloc Allies – Including Soviet Union • Democracy • Individual freedom • Capitalism - Free market economic system based on private ownership of property and profit • Totalitarian dictatorship • Ruled by Communists • Communist/Socialist – economic system based on government ownership of means of production Under socialism, the government may own power plants, transportation and communications companies, mines and steel mills U. S. Containment Policy After World War II Anti-communist foreign policy Tried to check the expansion of the Soviet Union and communism through diplomatic, economic, and military means. Tried to contain or restrict communism to those countries of the world where it already existed. (Keep it from spreading) Truman Doctrine Soviet Union had spread communism to the nations of Eastern Europe and threatened to take Greece & Turkey. In response, in 1947, President Harry S. Truman announced the Truman Doctrine. Truman Doctrine - President Truman’s promise - United States would defend free peoples from subversion (overthrow of the government) or outside pressure. Set precedent that the “containment of communism” would serve as the basic principle of American foreign policy throughout the Cold War. Truman Doctrine Marshall Plan The Truman administration followed the announcement of the Truman Doctrine with the Marshall Plan. The Marshall Plan was a massive American financial aid program announced in 1947 Two Purposes: to help rebuild European economy to prevent the spread of Communism NATO • North Atlantic Treaty Organization • Defensive military alliance between US and Western European Countries • Aimed to provide military aid in event of attack • An attack on one nation would be considered an attack on all Warsaw Pact • Formed in response to NATO – Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc communist countries • Purpose of Warsaw Pact – provide communist bloc with Soviet-led defensive military alliance For Fifty Years, the two sides – NATO and the Warsaw Pact – maintained large military forces facing each other in Europe China Communism spread Asia in 1949 communist forces under Mao Zedong Overthrew anti-communist government of Chiang Kai-shek. Mao forced Chiang to flee for the island of Formosa, where Chiang set up the anti-communist government of Taiwan. Why so scared (1949)? China – the worlds most populous nation becomes communist Before 1949 ended, the Soviet Union exploded its first atomic bomb. Spies The fear of communism and the threat of nuclear war affected American life throughout the Cold War. The trials of both Alger Hiss and the Ethel and Julius Rosenberg caused many Americans to fear that communist spies held important positions in the federal government. Alger Hiss • Hiss was accused of passing secret documents to the Soviets during the late 1930s. Although Hiss claimed his innocence he was convicted of perjury (lying under oath), and many Americans believed he was guilty of treason. In 1950 the United States learned that a spy ring had sent atomic secrets to the Soviets, which had allowed them to develop an atomic bomb so quickly. This information led to the arrest of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who had worked on the United States’ atomic project. In 1951, after a long and widely publicized trial, a jury convicted the Rosenbergs of conspiracy and espionage (spying). The United States government executed the Rosenbergs in 1953. McCarthyism American fears of communism in the early fifties advanced the political career of Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy He recklessly accused many American governmental officials and citizens of being communists. McCarthyism came to be known as accusing others of disloyalty - especially of pro-communist activity without convincing proof or sold evidence. The term is still used to when someone makes false accusations based on rumor or guilt by association. Army-McCarthy Hearings • In 1954 the ArmyMcCarthy hearings investigating communist influence in the United States army were televised The army’s attorney stood up to McCarthy which exposed McCarthy as a liar and bully and not a heroic defender of American democracy. The Senate then censured McCarthy (condemned his behavior) These hearings demonstrated the growing influence of television and ended the influence of McCarthy Korea 1950 The Korean War - major test for the containment policy came in when communist North Korean invaded noncommunist South Korea. American military forces led a counterattack that drove deep into North Korea itself. Communist Chinese forces then came into the war on the side of North Korea, and the war threatened to widen. 1952, World War II hero Dwight D. Eisenhower won the presidential election, after he had promised to go to Korea. In 1953 the Korean War ended in stalemate, but South Korea was still free of communist occupation. Because the United States had prevented South Korea from falling under communist control, the nation’s confidence in containment policy increased. Korea As part of containment, President Eisenhower adopted a policy of “massive retaliation” (Eisenhower administration’s threat of swift, all-out military action against a nation committing aggression ) to deter (prevent, discourage) any nuclear attack by the Soviets. Later presidents backed away from massive retaliation policy, although the United States refused to promise it would not make a first strike nuclear attack. Cuba At the end of the 1950s and in the early 1960s, the Cold War focused on Cuba. In 1959 Fidel Castro led a communist revolution that took over Cuba. Many Cubans fled to Florida to escape communist rule. Cuba President Eisenhower encouraged the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to develop a secret plan to overthrow Castro. The CIA is a federal agency that coordinates the spy activities of the United States government. The CIA decided to train and equip a group of anti-communist Cuban exiles, who were living in the United States. With United States assistance this force would land at the Bay of Pigs on the Cuban coast and lead the Cuban people in an uprising against Castro. Bay of Pigs When John F. Kennedy became President in 1961, he approved the CIA’s plans to go ahead with the Bay of Pigs invasion. The Bay of Pigs invasion proved a complete disaster. The expected popular uprising against Castro never happened. Within two days, Castro’s army had captured or killed most of the Americansupported invaders. Cuban Missile Crisis In 1962 - Soviet Union places nuclear missiles in Cuba. President Kennedy learned the Soviet Union had placed nuclear missiles through American spy-plane photographs After six days of discussion with his advisers, President Kennedy appeared on television to tell the American public about the Soviet missiles. He announced a naval blockade of Cuba. American naval vessels would stop all approaching ships and search them for weapons. Cuban Missile Crisis Kennedy threatened further steps if Soviets did not remove their missiles from Cuba For several days the world was on the brink (edge) of nuclear war. Nikita Khrushchev, the leader of the Soviet Union and Kennedy worked out a deal that ended the crisis. The Soviets agreed to withdraw their missiles from Cuba, and in exchange the United States would remove its outdated missiles from Turkey. Cuban Missile Crisis Nevertheless, the Cuban Missile Crisis heightened the threat of nuclear war. The Soviet Union would match the United States in nuclear weaponry in the 1950s. The threat of nuclear conflict that would destroy both countries was ever-present. During the 1950s and 1960s, American schools regularly held safety drills to train children regarding what to do in case of a nuclear attack. The federal government encouraged American citizens to build bomb (or fallout) shelters in their own basements. However, by the mid-sixties Vietnam replaced the threat of nuclear war as the chief concern of America’s containment policy.