1. Stopping the Spread of Communism
The Cold War
Stopping the Spread of Communism

2. What Is Communism? Economic and political system
Based on a ONE party government
State ownership of property
How does this compare to government in America?

3. After World War II
Germany divided into four zones for France, Britain, US, Soviet Union
Stalin promised free elections in eastern Europe
Stalin broke this promise, installed communist governments (called satellite nations)
U.S. had economic stake in spreading democracy
U.S. proposes policy of containment to prevent communist expansion
Division between western and eastern Europe = “Iron Curtain”

4. Cold War in Europe Cold War: conflict between US and Soviet Union
Truman Doctrine: send $$$ to Greece and Turkey to prevent communism
Marshall Plan: send $$$ to western Europe to prevent communism
US, France, and Britain recombine their German zones
Soviets keep theirs, which includes half of Berlin and surrounding area
Stalin briefly closes off routes into West Berlin
NATO: N. Atlantic Treaty Org.: military alliance

5. Communism Elsewhere China: communist surge led by Mao Zedong
Nationalist vs. Communist civil war
US peace negotiations and aid failed; communists win
Korea: occupied by Japanese in WW2, surrendered to Soviets in north and Americans in south
Soviets/N. Korea attacked S. Korea after US left
1950: Truman and others order troops to support S. Koreans, Korean War begins
N Korea pushes S Korea to extreme corner of nation. Macarthur and US arrive in September from the west, others moved from the south, push N Korea almost all the way back to the back of their own country.

6. Korean War in a Nutshell
N. Koreans push S. Koreans to edge
US and others arrive, push N. Koreans to edge.
Chinese arrive for N. Korea, pushes S. Korea back
Gen Macarthur wants to attack China, Truman disagrees
July 1953: two sides sign armistice, Korea remains as two nations

7. Cold War at Home Extreme paranoia spreads throughout America
House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) investigates Communist influence in America
Lots of people blacklisted, persecuted
Rosenbergs: accused of helping the Soviets learn how to make atomic bomb
Were members of the American Communist Party
Convicted of espionage, sentenced to death
McCarthyism: Sen. Joseph McCarthy leading a witch hunt for communists
Accused other officials of communism ( gave no names)
Bullying of witnesses and accusing the US Army lost him popularity
How could America let communism win in Asia? What if we’re next? Truman criticized as soft. HUAC began by investigating movie industry. Many people were blacklisted (considered unfit to hire). McCarran International Security Act: unlawful to plan action that would establish a totalitarian government. Truman vetoed, Congress didn’t care. German physicist Klaus Fuchs, who helped give the Soviets info about the atomic bomb, said the Rosenbergs were involved. Judge said what the Rosenbergs did was “worse than murder”

8. Cold War at Home US/Soviet Union race to make the first H-bomb
Brinkmanship: willingness to go to an all-out war if necessary
Stalin dies in 1953, Nikita Khrushchev takes over
Soviets sign Warsaw Pact: military alliance with eastern Europe
Eisenhower Doctrine: US would defend Middle East against attack by communist countries
Space race: Soviets launch Sputnik satellite in 1957
Americans horrified they weren’t first; pour money into space program
US sent U-2 planes to scout out Soviet area
One was shot down in 1960, pilot sentenced to 10 years, US admits to spying
Eisenhower president in H-bomb = 67 times the power of Hiroshima’s bomb. Argued the morality of it. US won, USSR made one 9 months later. Brinkmanship: trim army/navy, expand air force, buildup of nuclear weapons. Schools practiced air raid drills, families built shelters. Eisenhower Doctrine: after Suez War. US agrees to finance a dam in the Suez, Egypt’s president tries to get Soviet support too, US withdraws aid. Doctrine is used to show support in Middle East to show that the Soviets aren’t the only ones supporting them (sucking up to everyone in the Middle East).