The Early Cold War: Foundations of the U.N. and Global Tensions (1945-1960)

1. Early Cold War

2. Founding of the U.N. • Idea from League of Nations and Atlantic Charter • Begins in 1945 • General Assembly • Security Council – 15 nations • Permanent members with US, USSR, France, Britain, China

3. Europe – Post WWII • Nuremberg Trials 1945-6 • Top Nazi leaders tried for war crimes • Showed cooperation between allies • Satellite nations in Eastern Europe • Communist manipulated elections • “Soviet Bloc” of Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia • Occupation of Germany • Split 4 ways by US, France, Britain, and USSR • Soviet controlled area becomes East Germany • Other 3 sectors – West Germany • “Iron Curtain” – Communist Eastern Europe

4. Asia – Post WWII • Japan – Under control of US occupation until 1951 • US troops stayed (against communists?) • Philippines – 1946 became independent country • China • Civil War • Nationalists led by Chiang Kai-Shek (for Democracy, but corrupt) • Communists led by Mao Zedong • Two Chinas • Peoples Republic (Red China) • Formosa/Taiwan - Nationalists • Guess which one US supported? • What was the effect on Truman?

5. Marshall Plan • After war and harsh 1946-7 winter, Europe in bad shape • George Marshall outlined program of economic help • Economic aid to European countries • Soviets and Eastern Bloc turned down aid • Western Europe economic growing by 1950s • Was the Marshall Plan actually a plan against communism?

6. Cold War • Conflict between the USSR and US from mid-1940s to early 1990s • Early Roots • Red Scare after WWI • Potsdam Conference • How was the relationship of Truman different than FDR? • Truman’s policies • Some saw it as reasonable response to USSR effort to increase communism • Conservatives said he was soft on communism • Others say he overreacted to USSR’s historic need for border security

7. Truman Doctrine • After threat of communist takeover in Greece and Turkey ’46 • Truman asks Congress for economic aid to assist freedom • Idea was to Contain communism. • Containment idea - Dean Acheson and George Kennan (Mr. X) • NSC-68 (1950- after China) – secret at time • Increase defense spending • Alliances w/ non-communist countries • Work against “domino effect”

8. Restructure of the Military • Atomic Energy Commission established in 1946 • National Security Act – 1947 • Organized Military under Department of Defense – “Pentagon” • CIA – Central Intelligence Agency • National Security Council – coordinate foreign policy in Executive • Fell in line with Truman Doctrine and cold war strategy • Selective Service System and peacetime draft – 1948

9. Early “shots” of Cold War • Berlin Airlift 1948 • Soviets cut off land access to West Berlin • Massive Airlift • “candy bombers” • Soviets later open roads • Atomic Arms race • Soviets test atomic bomb in 1949 • Rosenbergs/Hiss • US – H-bomb in 1952

10. Good guys vs. Bad guys • NATO - 1949 • North Atlantic Treaty Organization • Military alliances with Western Europe, Canada, and US • What would Washington think of this? • Warsaw Pact– 1955 • Military alliance of Communist nations of Eastern Europe

11. Korean War • 1950 – North Korea (Communist) invade South Korea • UN authorized force to defend South Korea • Why did USSR not use their veto vote of Security Council? • Gen. MacArthur stops invasion and pushes back • But goes beyond orders including bombing China • Truman removes MacArthur despite public approval • Armistice would establish 38th Parallel in 1953 • More than 54,000 Americans killed

12. Brinkmanship • Eisenhower’s policy led by John Foster Dulles • Idea of Massive Retaliation • Dulles advocated more reliance on nuclear weapons

13. Suez Crisis • 1956 – Egypt got funds for Aswan Dam from Soviet Union. • Egypt then nationalized French/British-owned Suez Canal. • Britain, France, Israel attach Egypt and retake Canal. • Eisenhower was furious that allies had not contacted him. • U.S. joins U.N. and world in condemnation. • After crisis, U.S. dominate force in middle east, not Brit or Fra.

14. Eisenhower Doctrine • After Suez Crisis, Eisenhower pledged economic aid to Middle Eastern counties. • Also pledged to aid militarily against communism spread. • Builds upon Truman Doctrine with military and middle east focus.

15. Asia and Latin America Conflicts • France retook control of Indochina after WWII. • U.S. aided France in Vietnam against communist forces. • SEATO – Southeast Asia Treaty Organization – 1954 • Made to try to prevent Indochina from becoming Communist. • CIA involved in several overthrows in the 1950s. • Produced Anti-U.S. feeling • Cuba- 1959 • Dictator Batista overthrown by Fidel Castro-led communists. • American-owned businesses nationalized and alliance with USSR • Later Bay of Pigs and Cuban Missile Crisis with JFK

16. 1950s Events • 1956 – Hungarian Revolt – New gov’t established, but Moscow sends in troops and restores communist gov’t. • US did not help as Ike feared WWIII • 1957 - Sputnik I and II – shock U.S. • US National Defense and Education Act 1958 • Explorer I – U.S. first satellite 1958 • NASA started in 1958 to direct U.S. space effort • 1961 – Alan Shepard in Space • 1962 – John Glenn first to orbit • 1969 – Neil Armstrong on moon

17. 1960 and 1961 • U2 Crisis – U.S. spy plane w/ Frances Gary Powers shot down. • Scheduled peace summit with Khrushchev and Eisenhower cancelled • Eisenhower’s Farewell address • Warned about the “unwarranted influence…by the military-industrial complex.”