The Cold War Begins 1945 - 1960 Chapter 21

1. The Cold War Begins 1945 - 1960 Chapter 21

2. Main Idea The atomic bomb and the end of WW II led to disagreements among the “Big Three” wartime Allies and a shift in American attitudes toward the Soviet Union. Section 1-1

3. A Clash of Interests • The United States and the Soviet Union became increasingly hostile, leading to an era of confrontation and competition that lasted from about 1946 to 1990known as the Cold War. Section 1-5

4. Soviets feared future attacks from Germany. • They also wanted all countries around the USSR to be under Soviet control. • Soviets believed that communism was superior to capitalism. • They were suspicious that capitalism would lead to war and eventually destroy communism. Section 1-6

5. The Yalta Conference • A meeting of FDR, Churchill, and Stalin at Yaltahad been held in early 1945 to plan the postwar world. • Some agreements made there would later become key in causing the Cold War. The "Big Three" Section 1-9

6. FDR and Churchill agreed to recognize Poland’s Communist government set up by the Soviets. • Stalin agreed that free elections would take place in Poland. • FDR, Churchill, and Stalin issued the Declaration of Liberated Europe - people have the right to choose their form of government. Which of these agreements will be broken? Why? Section 1-10

7. At Yalta, it was decided to divide Germany and Berlin into four zones, with Great Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union, and Franceeach controlling a zone. Section 1-12

8. It was also agreed that Germanywould pay reparations for damage caused by the war. • Arguments about reparations and economic policy in Germanywould becomeone of the major causes of the Cold War. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

9. Tensions rose when the Soviets broke agreements made at Yalta. Soviet- American relations began to deteriorate. • Then, in spring of 1945, President Roosevelt died and Vice President Harry S Truman became President. Section 1-13

11. Truman insisted that Stalin keep promises he made at Yalta. • July 1945 – Truman, Churchill and Stalin met near Berlin at the Potsdam Conference to work out a deal regarding Germany. • Truman opposed heavy reparations on Germany; he felt that reparations would not allow German industry to recover. Section 1-15

12. Truman then told Stalin that the US had successfully tested an atomic bomb. Stalin thought it was a threat to get him to agree to the deal. • Stalin agreed, but tensions rose. Section 1-16

13. Stalin broke his Potsdam promises and forced pro-Soviet Communist governmentsuponPoland, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia. • These Communist countries of Eastern Europe became known as the satellite nations. Poland USSR Czechoslovakia Romania Hungary Bulgaria Section 1-17

14. "Beware ... time may be short ... . From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent." - Winston Churchill, Fulton, Missouri, 1946 Iron curtain speech

15. As Communists took over Eastern Europe, Winston Churchill’s term, the “ironcurtain,” was used to describe separation of the Communist nations of Eastern Europe from the democratic West. How did "iron curtain" properly describe the division of Europe? Section 1-18

16. As the Cold War began, the United States struggled to oppose Communist aggressionin Europe and Asia through political, economic, and military measures. Soviet satellite countries behind the Iron Curtain Section 2-1

17. Containing Communism • The State Department asked the US Embassy in Moscow to explain Soviet behavior. • In February 1946, U.S. diplomat GeorgeKennan responded with the LongTelegram, a 5,540-word cable message explaining Soviet goals, insecurity, and fear of the West and why it was impossible to reach an agreement. George Kennan Section 2-5

18. He proposed a long-term control of Soviet expansion. • This led to Truman’s policy of containment– keeping communism within its present territory through diplomatic, economic, and military actions. Section 2-6

20. After World War II, Soviet troops stayed in northern Iran, demanding access to Iran’s oil. • They helped the Communistsin northern Iran set up a separate government. • The U.S. demanded their withdrawaland sent a U.S. battleship into the eastern Mediterranean. • The Soviets withdrew from Iran. Section 2-7

21. 3/12/47 - Truman asked Congress for $400 millionto fight Soviet aggression in Greece and Turkey. • Became known as the Truman Doctrine- the United States’ pledge to stop the growth of communism in the world. 2.Section 2-8

22. Moment in History 1

23. Postwar Western Europe faced economic ruin and starving people. • In June 1947, Secretary of State George C. Marshall proposed the European Recovery Programcalled the MarshallPlan. • Billion$ of US dollar$ would go to rebuild Europe and hopefully prevent chaos that might lead those countries to turn to communism. Marshall Plan

24. The Berlin Crisis • 1948 - The US, Great Britain, and France merged their zones in Germany and in Berlin, which became West Berlin, allowing Germans there to have their own government. • The new nation became West Germany with a separate economy from the Soviet zone, which became known as East Germany. Section 2-12

25. June 1948, Soviets closed all traffic to West Berlin, hoping to force US to give up Berlin. • Truman sent long-range bombers with atomic weapons to bases in Britain. • Truman then ordered the Berlin airlift. • For eleven months, cargo planes supplied Berliners with food, medicine, and coal. • Stalin finally lifted the blockade on May 12. Sect ion 2-13

26. Berlin Airlift

27. In April 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a mutual defense alliance, was created with twelve countries joining. • The members agreed to come to the aid of any member nation that was attacked. NATO Flag Section 2-14

28. The U.S. and its allies allowed West Germany to join NATO. • Soviet leaders responded with their own military alliance in Eastern Europe known as the WarsawPact. Section 2-15

29. The Cold War Spreads to East Asia • The Cold War spread to Asia. • In China, Communistforces and Nationalistforces had been battling since the late 1920s. • They stopped their civil war during WW II to resist Japanese occupation. • With the end of WW II, civil war broke out again. • Nationalists were defeated after poor leadership caused US to stop sending aid. Section 2-17

30. 1949 - Communists set up the People’s Republic of China. • China’s Nationalist leaders fled to Formosa (Taiwan) and set up a government there. • 1950 - China and USSR signed an alliance treaty. • The U.S. kept “Red” China out of the UN while allowing Nationalists from Taiwan to retain their seats. Section 2-18

31. The U.S. saw Japanas its key in defending Asia from more communism. Gen. Douglas MacArthur was put in command of the US occupation of post- WWII Japan. He literally ran the government and virtually wrote Japan’s new constitution himself. He was able to gain the respect of the Japanese people. Section 2-19

32. The Korean War At the end of World War II, American and Soviet forces entered Koreato disarm Japanese troops stationed there.

33. The Allies divided Korea at the38thparallel: * Soviet troops controlled the North and installed a Communist government. * US troops controlled the Southand installed a democraticgovernment. 38th parallel

34. On June 25, 1950, North Korean troops invaded South Korea. • Truman asked the UN to act against the Communist invasion of South Korea. • American, UN, and South Korean troops pushed back advancing North Korean troops. UN

35. The Communist Chinese government saw the UN troops as a threat and demanded that they stop advancing. • After being ignored, China began a massive attack with hundreds of thousands of Chinese troops heading across the border, driving UN forces back.

36. General MacArthur demanded approval to expand the war against China. (use nukes?) • Truman refused MacArthur’s demands. • MacArthur was fired after publicly criticizing the president. • Truman was committed to waging a limitedwar, a war fought to achieve a limited objective such as containing communism. Section 2-24

37. TRUMAN FIRES MACARTHUR

38. By 1951 UN forces had pushed Chinese and North Korean troops back across the 38th parallel. • War slugged on for two more bloody years with little progress on either side. • An armisticewas signed in July 1953. (pages 663–665) Section 2-25

39. The Korean War was an important turning point in the Cold War. • Instead of just using political pressure and economic aid to contain communism, the United States began a major military buildup. • Korean Warexpanded the Cold War beyond Europe and into Asia. Section 2-26

40. The Cold War heightened Americans’ fears of Communist infiltration and atomic attack. Section 3-1

41. A New Red Scare • During the 1950s, rumors and accusations in the United States led to fears that Communists were attempting to take over the world. • The Red Scarebegan in September 1945, and escalated into a general fear of Communist subversion– an effort to secretly weaken a society and overthrow its government.

42. Early 1947, Truman established the loyalty review program to screen all federal employees for their loyalty. • The program’s aim was to calm Americans’ fears. • Instead, it led to the fear that Communists were infiltrating the U.S. government.

43. FBI Director J. EdgarHoover went to the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)to urge them to hold public hearings on Communist subversion. • The FBI sent agents to investigate suspected groups and to wiretap thousands of Americans' telephones. Section 3-7

44. HUAC’s investigations took on a circus-like atmosphere as suspects were ordered into the House Committee and asked the question... “Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Communist Party?” HUAC

45. The film and entertainment industry was a major target of HUAC. Some of Hollywood’s biggest names were accused of having Communist ties. These men actually served jail time for lying under oath. They were known as the “Hollywood Ten.” Many others were blacklisted and never worked in the industry again.

46. HUAC HUAC

47. Political cartoon

48. HISS AND THE ROSENBERGS

49. A prominent lawyer and diplomat named Alger Hisswas investigated. • Hiss had served in FDR’s administration, attended the Yalta conference, and helped with the organization of the UN. • Hiss denied the charges, but he was convicted of committing perjury, or lying under oath. Section 3-8

50. The search for spies intensified when the Soviet Union produced an atomic bomb. • A British scientist, admitted giving information to the Soviet Union. • This led to the arrest and conviction of Juliusand Ethel Rosenberg, who were Communists. • They were charged with heading a Soviet spy ring and were executed in 1953.