Winston Churchill coined the phrase “Iron Curtain” “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent” —Winston Churchill, 1946

George Kennan’s Long Telegram Kennan served with the State Department in Moscow In February 1946 wrote his infamous “Long Telegram” (5,500-words) Argued that because of its security fears, internal policies and leadership, the USSR was a dangerous and expansionist state that would never cooperate with the US Said USSR would back down if it encountered strong resistance from the US Became the main proponent of “Containment”

The Truman Doctrine The Marshall Plan North Atlantic Treaty Organization Political Policy: The United States will seek to resist the spread of communism (policy of Containment) Economic Policy: Communism has appeal to the poor, so rebuild the western economies quickly to avoid the appeal Military Policy: Allies of the United States pledged military support in the event of a threat by the Soviet Union or other communists

Determined to halt the spread of Communism, Truman devised a policy that called “Containment” (the Truman Doctrine) He created a system of alliances to encircle the USSR with nations friendly to the U.S. Basically, the early years of the containment idea had three elements… Containment, The Marshall Plan and NATO George Keenan, the chief architect of containment

On June 5, 1947, Secretary of State George C. Marshall spoke at Harvard University and outlined what would become known as the Marshall Plan.

The United States offered up to $20 billion for relief, requiring only that participating nations would have to cooperate with each other. Marshall also offered aid to the Soviet Union and its allies in eastern Europe, but Stalin denounced the program as a trick and refused to participate. An emblem used to identify goods sent to Europe under the Marshall Plan

The Marshall Plan benefited the American economy as well. The money bought goods from the United States, and they had to be shipped across the Atlantic on American merchant vessels. By 1953 the U.S. had pumped in $13 billion, and Europe was standing on its feet again. It was one of the most successful Cold War era policies. General George Marshall

On April 4, 1949, the U.S. and its allies in western Europe formed The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, known as NATO. It was intended to be a military alliance in which the U.S. placed all of its allies under its formal protection and all member nations agreed to act together if any member was attacked.

Belgium Canada Denmark France Iceland Italy Luxembourg Netherlands Norway Portugal United Kingdom United States NOT COMMUNIST

To the U.S. and its allies, NATO was a reasonable response to the threat of a Soviet invasion of Germany. To the Soviets, it was another proof that the western nations wanted to destroy them economically and politically. While Europe and the US called NATO a defensive alliance, the Russians viewed it as an aggressive political threat.

The Russian response to NATO was to form their own alliance, the Warsaw Pact. Created on May 1, 1955, the alliance provided for the common defense of all communist nations against any western threat. The US saw the alliance as a threat, and proof that NATO had been a good idea!

World War II ended Partition of Germany Policy of Containment began 1947 Soviets blockade Berlin, Allied airlift The Marshall Plan in Europe The Korean War NATO formed: 1949

Like the nation of Germany itself, the city of Berlin was divided. The American, French & British zones combined, but the Soviets refused to allow their part of the city to join the rest. The western powers were allowed access to Berlin along a highway and an air corridor.

The Western Allies issued a new currency the Deutschmark (German mark) for western Germany. The USSR responded by issuing the Ostmark (East Mark) for eastern Germany. Two separate German states began to take shape

The USSR thought they could force the Western Allies to give up on the idea of a west Germany by putting pressure on West Berlin In August 1948, the Soviets closed the highway to Berlin, claiming that “Bridge work was needed.” Effectively, it was a blockade to test the will of the United States.

The Western Allies could not bring supplies to West Berlin by land. So the Western leaders decided to send West Berlin supplies by air. The Berlin Airlift marked the first major confrontation in the Cold War

From June 1948 to June 1949, the Western allies took part in an unprecedented attempt to keep a city alive from the air. On its biggest day, the "Easter parade" of April 16, 1949, the airlift sent 1,398 flights into Berlin. Before it was all over, more than 278,000 flights would carry 2.3 million tons of relief supplies.

Some of the pilots delivering food to Berlin also provided for the children who greeted the planes on the hillsides around the city. They tied little parachutes to Hershey Chocolate bars and dropped them on the crowds of kids. The kids called them “The Chocolate Bombers.”

An estimated 4,500 tons of food, coal and other materials had to enter the city by air each day for more than a year. The airlift continued for more than a year. Finally, the Soviets gave in. They simply announced that the “bridge work” had been completed.

The airlift increased tensions between the West and the USSR, but it helped heal divisions between the West and the German people The U.S., Great Britain, and France shifted from Germany's conquerors to its protectors The airlift was the starting point for Germany's inclusion in the West and for the reconciliation with the Western powers

Soviet Takeover of Eastern Europe USSR increased its control by influencing elections where the Communist party won Poland in 1947Bulgaria in 1947 Hungary in 1947Romania in 1947 Czechoslovakia in 1948 Communist Information Bureau (Cominform) was formed which was designed to keep the Communist parties in these countries under Moscow control

Nuclear Arms Race USSR exploded its 1 st atomic bomb in USA created the H-bomb and USSR followed in 1953 Stalin attempted to limit the nuclear arms race by proposing peace campaigns Mostly influenced by the money USSR was spending

The mainly European “Cold War” shifted to become a global contest Most of the conflicts from 1946 to 1953 outside of Europe were in Asia Chinese Civil War Korean War

Who gains control of China and what were the effects on the world? VS

Chiang and his nationalists on Taiwan represented “China” in the U.N. until the 1970s. That gave them the power of veto in Security Council votes and all the rights of “China” in the UN. To protest this refusal to recognize Mao’s government, the USSR walked out of the Security Council.

Korea was under Japanese occupation during WWII After the war the Soviets agreed to divide Korea along the 38th parallel The Soviets occupied the North, and the US occupied the South The US created the Republic of Korea (ROK) in the South under Syngman Rhee The USSR helped create the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the North under Communist leader Kim Il-Sung

South Korea was led by Syngman Rhee North Korea was led by Kim Il Sung.

North Korea wanted to expand its borders and communism into the south North Korea with support from the USSR and People’s Republic of China invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950

The South Koreans were near defeat and called on the United States and the United Nations for help. Within two days, the United States had a resolution before the U.N. Security Council for a vote.

The USSR had walked out of the Security Council because they were protesting that Taiwan was recognized by the UN as The Republic of China, rather than Mao’s Communist regime. The USSR was not there to veto the US backed resolution and the UN sent forces to back up the South Koreans. Most of the troops were Americans.

Truman first took action sending American forces from Japan to assist the Korean defense and a fleet of ships to control the sea between Korea and China. The combined forces of the United Nations numbered over a million and were commanded by General Douglas MacArthur.

In the first month of the war, the North drove the U.N. forces south and captured the southern capital, Seoul. Then the northern army marched south and surrounded MacArthur and the UN in the southern tip of the peninsula at Pusan.

In September, 1950 MacArthur launched a risky invasion behind enemy lines at Inchon. The idea was to cut off the North Koreans from their supplies and break the siege of Pusan. The gamble was an amazing success and soon the North Koreans were on the run back north.

MacArthur argued that troops should follow the fleeing Communist forces into North Korea and reunite the nation under the democratic Southern government. Truman reluctantly agreed, but he feared that China might join the war to defend the North. MacArthur pursued the Northern army all the way to the Yalu River, the border between China and Korea.

In November, 1950, China sent 300,000 men into the fight in North Korea. With a huge advantage in troops, in some places ten to one, the Chinese soon forced MacArthur and the UN south toward the 38th Parallel once more. One year after the war began, the two sides controlled essentially the same lands they had before the war started.

In 1951, to break the stalemate MacArthur argued for attacking China. He even suggested the use of atomic bombs on Chinese cities. In a move that basically created the idea of “LIMITED WAR” Truman rejected the general’s plea. He believed that attacking China might cause war with the USSR

MacArthur took his plea public appealing to the people for their support for the invasion of China MacArthur was told to be quiet, but he refused. On April 1, 1951, Truman made the official announcement that he fired MacArthur. 69% of Americans opposed the firing at first, but over the years, most have come to believe that Truman was right.

For almost two more years, the war in Korea continued. Negotiations for ending the war began in June 1951 and after two years, the two sides had agreed on a cease fire and a border with a “demilitarized zone.” Armistice negotiations took place in this building at Panmunjom. Almost half of the Korean War casualties happened while the peace talks were conducted over the next two years.

The armistice was signed in July of 1953 at Panmunjom after Eisenhower became President. To achieve the goal of forcing the North to negotiate in good faith, Eisenhower used a method that MacArthur might have respected… he threatened not China, but the North Koreans, with the nuclear bomb. General Mark Clark signed for the United States on behalf of President Eisenhower.

Stalin’s death in March 1953 was critical to the end of the Korean War The power struggle in the USSR made Korea no longer crucial to Soviet power & influence New US president was Dwight Eisenhower whose election was partly based on withdrawal from Korea Therefore, the 2 main powers did not see Korea as vital to their interest

Division between North Korea and South Korea.

First war to utilize the jet aircraft & helicopters Fighter aircraft were primarily used for air-to air combat against other fighters Bombers used to attack the ground forces & buildings Transport aircraft used to transport troops or equipment across distances Reconnaissance aircraft used for surveying or observation missions Weapons used by the US Army Marine Corps were basically the same types used in WWII