Download Unit 7 - Cold War

Unit 7
1
Unit 7– Cold War Conflicts
I.
Origins of the Cold War
 After WW II, the United States and the Soviet Union emerged as rival superpowers,
each strong enough to greatly influence world events.
Former Allies Clash



Political difference =
Economic difference =
During WW II, Stalin was mad about the delay in opening the Western Front and the
secrecy of the A-bomb; the US was mad about his alliance with Hitler.
1. The United Nations

April 25, 1945 50 nations met in San Francisco to establish this new peacekeeping
body which was intended to promote peace
2. Truman Becomes President

Many Americans doubted his ability to serve as president, but what important
qualities did he possess that would help him?
3. The Potsdam Conference – July 1945


Final wartime conference (Stalin, Atlee and Truman) in Germany
What did Stalin promise at this meeting?
Tension Mounts
1. Soviets Tighten Their Grip on Eastern Europe


Stalin installed communist governments in many Eastern European nations
Why were these satellite nations set up?
2. US Establishes a Policy of Containment

George Kennan proposed a policy of CONTAINMENT

Europe was now divided into two political regions and the symbol of this division
was the so-called “Iron Curtain” – Who coined this phrase?
Unit 7
2
Cold War in Europe
 Cold War – a conflict between the US and USSR in which neither nation directly
confronts the other on the battlefield (1945-1991)
1. The Truman Doctrine


US policy (1947) aimed at stopping the spread of communism by helping nations
with military and/or economic support.
Where was it used first?
2. The Marshall Plan

Secretary of State George Marshall proposed that the US provide aid to all
European nations that needed it. Why was this necessary?

The Marshall Plan – 16 nations received some $13 billion in aid and by 1952
Western Europe was flourishing and the Communist appeal was fading.
3. Superpowers Struggle over Germany


At the end of WW II, Germany had been divided into zones (occupied by the US,
France, England - west, USSR - east)
1948 US, France, England decided to unify their zones into one nation, but what
was the problem with Berlin?
Berlin Blockade


Stalin responded in June 1948 by closing all highway and rail lines into Berlin so
that he could take all of Berlin.
The 2.1 million residents had food for 5 weeks
Berlin Airlift

American and British officials flew food and supplies into West Berlin for 327
days and by May 1949, Stalin had lifted the blockade
The NATO Alliance = North Atlantic Treaty Organization (April 4, 1949)

10 western European democracies joined with the US and Canada and formed a
defensive military alliance
 would support each other if one was attacked
 1st US military alliance in peacetime
 kept a standing military force of 500,000 troops
Unit 7
II.
3
The Cold War Heats Up
China Becomes a Communist Country
 In China, there were (2) leaders struggling to gain control for decades:
1. Chiang Kai-shek
 Leader of the Nationalist government and supported by the US
 Poor leader whose government was inefficient and hopelessly corrupt
2. Mao Zedong
 Led a Communist movement in China that was gaining the support of the
peasant farmers, especially in northern China. (had support of USSR)
 These two actually cooperated to defeat the Japanese in WW II, but when the war was
over Civil War erupted between the two groups they led.
 What was the result in China?
American Reacts to Communist Takeover


The American public was stunned that the world’s largest country had become a
communist nation.
What did this lead to in America?
The Korean War
 Japan had controlled Korea since 1910 and ruled it until 1945.
 Japanese troops north of 38th parallel surrendered to the USSR, and those south of the
line surrendered to the US.
 Similar to Germany, 2 nations (1 communist, 1 democratic) were formed
 Republic of Korea (southern, democracy); People’s Republic of Korea (northern,
communist)
1. North Korea Attacks South Korea

On June 25, 1950, North Korean forces swept across the 38th parallel in a surprise
attack on South Korea – conflict became known as the Korean War

PHASE 1 of the fighting
 North Korean troops drove deep into South Korea and captured Seoul
 The UN Security was asked for help and voted yes
 Why did the USSR not VETO the military action?
 16 nations sent 520,000 troops; over 90% were Americans. Who was in charge?
Unit 7
The United States Fights in Korea
 PHASE 2 of the fighting
 The North Koreans pushed the UN and South Korean forces almost off the
Korean peninsula; they held onto a small defensive position around Pusan
1. MacArthur’s Counterattack - PHASE 3 of the Fighting
 On September 15, 1950, MacArthur launched a surprise, amphibious invasion
behind enemy lines at Inchon (west coast of Korea)
 MacArthur had trapped much of the North Korean army and began to chase the
rest up through North Korea towards the Yalu River.
2. The Chinese Fight Back - PHASE 4 of the Fighting
 The Chinese were worried that MacArthur would continue into China and they
unleashed a “Red Wave” (300,000 soldiers) into North Korea.
 What was the result of this?
3. MacArthur Recommends Attacking China
 What was MacArthur’s recommendation to Truman?
 By April 1951, the UN forces had retaken Seoul and had moved back to the 38th
parallel.
4. MacArthur versus Truman
 MacArthur continued to urge for a full-scale war against China and began to
publicly criticize President Truman
 What did Truman do and how did the American people react?
5. Settling for Stalemate
 The Soviet Union suggested a cease-fire in the summer of 1951 and peace talks
began that resulted in two points:
1.
2.
 Results of conflict = Korea was a stalemate, the US did repel the North Koreans
and contain communism, but Korea was still divided
4
Unit 7
III.
5
The Cold War at Home
Fear of Communist Influence
 Was there good reason to be concerned about USS? Yes; domination of Eastern
Europe, Communist China, 80,000 Americans claimed membership in communist
party during WW II.
1. Loyalty Review Board – March 1947
 Set up by Truman to investigate government employees and to dismiss those who
were found to be disloyal to the US government
 212 were dismissed for security reasons, many others quit – WHY?
2. The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
 Began to investigate Communist influence in the movie industry (1947)
 Who were the “Hollywood Ten”?
 Hollywood executives instituted a blacklist – a list of people whom they
condemned for having a Communist background; their careers were ruined.
3. The McCarran Act
 This act made it unlawful to plan any action that might lead to the establishment
of a totalitarian dictatorship in the US
 Truman vetoed the bill, but Congress overrode his veto.
Spy Cases Stun the Nation
1) Alger Hiss
 In 1948, a former Communist spy named Whittaker Chambers accused Hiss of
spying for the USSR. What was his proof?
 What role did Richard Nixon play in this case?
2) The Rosenbergs
 The USSR exploded an atomic bomb much sooner than American scientists
predicted; Americans wondered if spies were responsible for leaking secrets.
 Ethel + Julius Rosenberg were implicated in the case and sentenced to death
 1st US civilians executed for espionage
Unit 7
McCarthy Launches his “Witch Hunt”
 the most famous anti-Communist activist was Senator Joseph McCarthy, a
Republican from Wisconsin –
 Why did he charge Communists were taking over the government?
1. McCarthy’s Tactics
 He made one unsupported accusation after another; this became known as
McCarthyism (DEFINE)
 He accused members of the State Department and even the Democratic Party for
allowing the Communist infiltration – Why did he do this in the Senate?
2. McCarthy’s Downfall
 In 1954 McCarthy made accusations against the US Army which resulted in a
nationally televised Senate investigation.
 What was the result of these hearings?
3. Other Anti-Communist Measures
 By 1953, 39 states had passed laws making it illegal to advocate the violent
overthrow of the government – what right did these laws violate?
6
Unit 7
IV.
Two Nations Live on the Edge
Brinkmanship Rules US Policy
1. Race for the H-Bomb
 The scientists who developed the atomic bomb believed a thermonuclear weapon
or hydrogen bomb (67x powerful than A-bomb) could be built.
 US exploded the 1st H-bomb on November 1, 1952 in South Pacific; Russians in
August of 1953
2. The Policy of Brinkmanship
 John Foster Dulles – Secretary of State under Eisenhower proposed the policy of
brinkmanship (DEFINE)
 What were the effects of this policy?
The Cold War Spreads Around the World
 Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
 Used spies to gather information abroad
 Began to carry out covert operations to weaken or overthrow governments
unfriendly to the United States.
1. Covert Actions in the Middle East and Latin America
 One of the CIAs first covert actions tool place in Iran when Iran’s Prime minister
Mohammed Mossadegh nationalized Iran’s oil fields.
 What did the CIA do here?

In 1954, the CIA took covert action in Guatemala out of fear of Communist
influence in this Central American country.
2. The Warsaw Pact
 West Germany was allowed to rearm in 1955 and join NATO
 How did the USSR respond to this action?
3. A Summit in Geneva
 In July 1955, Eisenhower traveled to Switzerland to meet with Soviet leaders.
 Although, nothing concrete came out of this, it was a step towards peace.
4. The Suez War
 Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal and would not allow ships headed for Israel to
pass through – all nations were supposed to have access
 What happened next?
7
Unit 7
8
5. The Eisenhower Doctrine
 January 1957, Eisenhower warned that the US would defend the Middle East
against an attack by any Communist country.
6. The Hungarian Uprising
 The Hungarian people, tired of Soviet domination in their country, rose in revolt
and called for a democratic government.
 The Soviet response was swift and brutal
 Soviet tanks rolled into Hungary and killed 30,000 Hungarians and executed
the resistance leader – Imre Nagy.
 What did the US and the UN do?
The Cold War Takes to the Skies
 After Stalin’s death in 1953, Nikita Khrushchev took control of the USSR and pushed
for peace between the two superpowers.
1. The Space Race
 Competition for national prestige; the Soviets had the early lead.
 IDENTIFY Sputnik
2. A U-2 is Shot Down
 The CIA began making secret high-altitude flights over Soviet territory; the
planes were U-2 spy planes that took detailed photos of troops and missiles.
 Many American officials wanted to stop these flights, but one more flight was
authorized. WHAT HAPPENDED?
3. Renewed Confrontation
 Eisenhower at first denied the U-2 had been spying, but eventually agreed to stop
the flights.
 What was a significant result of the U-2 incident?