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The Cold War 1945-1991

The Cold War 1945-1991. The Truman and Eisenhower administrations led the nation to make social, economic, and political adjustments following WWII. Postwar A merica. Readjustment and Recover.

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The Cold War 1945-1991

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  1. The Cold War 1945-1991

  2. The Truman and Eisenhower administrations led the nation to make social, economic, and political adjustments following WWII. Postwar America

  3. Readjustment and Recover • 1944: GI Bill of Rights – paid for GIs to get education, guaranteed a year of unemployment $ while job hunting • Suburbs developed in response to housing shortages • Divorce rates on the rise

  4. The Baby Boom • As soldiers returned, there was an unprecedented population explosion • Advances of medicine increased #s of vaccinations • Education field boomed • Number of working mothers steadily increased

  5. Readjustment and Recovery • After war, gov’t cancelled $35 billion in war contracts • March 1946: 3 million unemployed • When war regulations ended, prices skyrocketed, workers earned less • However – Americans had been saving • $135 billion in savings • Wanted consumer goods! • Cold War fears kept up defense spending

  6. Consumerism Abounds • Material goods = success • Planned obsolescence – manufacturers intended that products would wear out after a certain period • people would have to buy more • Buy now, pay later returned • Advertising became key

  7. Mass Media on the Rise • Television booms! • 1948: 9% • 1954: 55% • 1960: 90% • Radio switches to news and music • Rock ‘n roll appealed to blacks and whites • Jazz paved way for minority representation in entertainment

  8. The Other America • 1950s: white flight of many middle-class Whites to suburbia took economic resources • Rural poor moving into inner cities, compounding the problem • Solution: urban renewal • Tear down rundown neighborhoods, replace with low-income housing • 1962: 1 in 4 Americans living in poverty

  9. The Other America • Hundreds of thousands of Mexicans came into U.S. as hired hands • Willing work work for less $ • Increased racial tensions • Native Americans continued to face problems • 1953: Termination policy discontinued federal economic supports to tribes • Was absolutely devastating • 1963: Termination policy abandoned

  10. Development of the Cold War The Cold War, lasting from 1945 to 1991, was a war of perception. Neither side fully understood the intentions and ambitions of the other. This led to mistrust and military build-ups.

  11. The Soviet Union • Felt they had won World War II • had sacrificed the most, deserved the “spoils of war” • Create greater security for itself • Feared a strong Germany • Establish defensible borders • Encourage friendly governments on its borders • Spread communism around the world

  12. The United States • Soviet expansion would spread throughout the world • Soviet Union was a threat to U.S. way of life • especially after the Soviet Union gained control of Eastern Europe.

  13. “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest and Sofia, all these famous cities and the populations around them lie in what I must call the Soviet sphere, and all are subject in one form or another, not only to Soviet influence but to a very high and, in some cases, increasing measure of control from Moscow.” Excerpt from Winston Churchill’s “Iron Curtain Speech.”

  14. Iron Curtain = Line between the “free” West and the Soviet controlled East

  15. A Policy of Containment • Definition: Keep communism and the Soviet power inside the USSR. Do not let it spread! • Apply diplomatic, economic, and military pressure • A way to stop Soviet expansion without having to go to war.

  16. The Truman Doctrine (1947) • The first time the U.S. has to enforce containment • Communists were gaining influence and power in Turkey and Greece – U.S. did not want them to become part of the USSR! • Sent $400 million worth of war supplies to Greece and helped push out Communism • Truman Doctrine marked new level of commitment to Cold War

  17. The Truman Doctrine will be “the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.”

  18. The Marshall Plan 1947-1948 • War damage and debt in Europe invited Communist influence • Marshall Plancreated to give economic aid to all European countries • $13 billion given to western Europe (was offered to the Soviets but they refused the help!) • Proved crucial to Western Europe’s economic recovery Video Clip!

  19. The Russian sector was significant because it contained Berlin. Germany divided into four occupied zones controlled by the British, Russian, Americans, and French Open border between the Soviet area and the other three sections allowed many to flee to Allied controlled areas

  20. Even though Berlin was in the Soviet Sector of divided Germany, it was also divided into four parts It would go on to represent the two major sides of the Cold War throughout its duration

  21. British, Americans, and French create a common currency Russians threaten to blockadeBerlin

  22. June 24th, 1948 - the Blockade Starts France merges with British and American zones Soviets cut off all shipments from West Germany to Berlin May1948: food can no longer be sent into Berlin; electricity cut off The Berlin Blockade will become a tangible symbol of the Iron Curtain Notice the destruction from WWII

  23. The Berlin Airlift! • U.S. and allies began a massive airlift of supplies that lasted almost a year (7,000 tons a day) • May 1949: after 321 days, Stalin lifted the blockade • Couldn’t prevent the creation of West Germany • Makes East Germany communist

  24. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) • 1949: U.S. and 11 other nations sign collective security agreement • If one were attacked, others would come to their defense • Coordinated defensive/military strategies • Combated communism on a national level • 1955: West Germany joined NATO; USSR countered by creating its own alliance system in eastern Europe– the Warsaw Pact • Today there are 26 member nations in NATO

  25. NATO versus the Warsaw Pact

  26. China Becomes Communist • Communists and nationalists fighting over control of China • U.S. supported nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek • 1945-1949: Sent $3 billion in aid • Was not an effective leader, but he wasn’t communist • Mao Zedong, communist leader, gaining popularity • Worked to win support of peasants

  27. China Becomes Communist • After defeated Japanese were forced to retreat, civil war breaks out • Truman refused to send U.S. troops • Sent $2 billion in military equipment and supplies • May 1949: Chiang fled to Taiwan • Mao established “People’s Republic of China” • U.S. refused to recognize as legitimate gov’t

  28. The Korean War (1950-1953) • Before WWII, Korea controlled by Japan • After WWII, Korea divided along 38th parallel • North surrendered to Soviets, put in Communist gov’t • South surrendered to U.S.

  29. Build Up to War • After WWII, U.S. cut back on armed forces in South Korea • June 1949: only 500 American troops • Soviets felt U.S. would not fight to defend South Korea • Began arming North Korea with tanks, airplanes, and $$

  30. Breakout of War • June 25, 1950: North Koreans cross 38th parallel • South Koreans asked UN for help • When issue came before Security Council, USSR wasn’t there to vote; could not veto action in Korea • 16 nations would send troops (90% Americans) • Led by Douglas MacArthur

  31. Fighting Continues • North Korean troops had been very successful; had pushed to perimeter of Pusan • Sept 1950: UN troops push North Koreans back almost to Chinese border • Nov 1950: Chinese send 300,000 troops and capture Seoul • 1951: MacArthur privately and publically calls for full scale attack on China and criticizes Truman • April 11, 1951: removed from command • July 1951: Truce talks begin • 1953: cease fire signed and border established at 38th parallel  • 54,000 American lives • $67 billion in expenditures • Americans lose faith in Democrats

  32. It’s All About CONTAINMENT The Korean War in One Slide!

  33. During late 1940s and early 1950s, fear of communism led to reckless charges against innocent citizens The cold war at home

  34. Fear of Communist Influences • March 1947: Truman creates Federal Employee Loyalty Program • Loyalty Review Board • Investigate gov’t employees and fire any found to be disloyal • Membership in 91 “subversive” organizations was grounds for suspicions

  35. Fear of Communist Influences • House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) investigated Communist influence in movie industry • Believed Communists sneaking ideas/propaganda into movies

  36. Fear of Communist Influences • 57 witnesses called to testify • Hollywood Ten refused to cooperate – felt hearings were unconstitutional; sent to prison • Created a blacklist of 500 actors, producers, and writers who would no longer work

  37. Spy Cases Stun the Nation • 1950: German nuclear physicist implicated Ethel and Julius Rosenberg • When accused, pled the 5th • Claimed being persecuted for being Jewish and racist • Found guilty and sentenced to death • June 1953: electrocuted

  38. McCarthyism • Most famous anti-Communist activist: Senator Joseph McCarthy • “McCarthyism” -tactic of accusing people of disloyalty without evidence • Claimed to have names of up to 205 Communists in State Dept. • Never actually gave names

  39. McCarthyism • 1954: made accusations against Army, resulted in televised Senate hearings • Bullying witnesses lost him support • Senate accused him of actions unbecoming of a Senator • Died 3 years later

  40. During the 1950s, the U.S. and USSR came to the brink of nuclear war Two nations live on the edge

  41. The Problem of the Atomic Age • Most frightening aspect of Cold War was constant threat of nuclear war • 1949: Russia detonated its first atomic bomb – way ahead of when the U.S. thought they would • 1952: U.S. explodes worlds first hydrogen bomb (H-bomb) • 1953: Soviets explode H-bomb The Nuclear Arms Race is ON

  42. Brinkmanship • 1953: Dwight Eisenhower becomes 34th President • Embraces policy of brinkmanship • prevent spread of communism by promising to use all force, including nuclear, against any aggressor • Made navy and army smaller, increased air force to deliver bombs • USSR does the same

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