United States History The Cold War Conflicts
The Cold War
Cold War Begins –A non-military battle of diplomacy and propaganda between the United States and Soviet Union –Lasted from –led to “hot” wars around globe in Korea, Vietnam - Many of the smaller wars were called proxy wars because the U.S. and U.S.S.R. never fought face to face
U.S. vs. USSR (Soviet Union) U.S. U.S.S.R CapitalismCommunism Private property State owns DemocraticTotalitarian
The Ideological Struggle Soviet & Eastern Bloc Nations [“Iron Curtain”] US & the Western Democracies GOAL spread world-wide Communism GOAL “Containment” of Communism & the eventual collapse of the Communist world. [George Kennan ] METHODOLOGIES: Espionage [KGB vs. CIA] Arms Race [nuclear escalation] Ideological Competition for the minds and hearts of Third World peoples [Communist govt. & command economy vs. democratic govt. & capitalist economy] “proxy wars” Bi-Polarization of Europe [NATO vs. Warsaw Pact]
Yalta A. Near the end of the war, the Big Three— Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin—met at the Soviet city of Yalta to work out control of the postwar world.
Yalta B. Agreements: 1. Stalin agreed to support the United Nations and to join the fight against Japan after Germany surrendered. In exchange, Stalin would receive territories in Asia. 2. Germany and Eastern Europe – the three leaders agreed to joint control of Germany until a commission could settle the issue of war payments. 3. With war still raging in the Pacific, Roosevelt and Churchill had little choice but to accept Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe.
Truman and United Nations United Nations - Truman, who had little international experience when he assumed the presidency, stepped forward to support formation of the United Nations and to resolve control of Germany. Purpose was to maintain international peace and security.
Potsdam Potsdam - Meeting of Big Three to tie up loose ends from Yalta
Potsdam Agreements: - Germany and the capital of Berlin carved into four zones controlled by France, Great Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union. - Each occupying nation would take war payments from its zone.
The “Iron Curtain” From Stettin in the Balkans, to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lies the ancient capitals of Central and Eastern Europe. -- Sir Winston Churchill, 1946
FIGHTING COMMUNISM CONTAINMENT POLICY: The U.S. would work to stop the spread of communism (George Keenen). 1. Truman Doctrine 2. Marshall Plan 3. NATO and other alliances
The Truman Doctrine & Domino Theory Truman Doctrine: U.S. would aid countries around the world who are fighting communism (like Greece and Turkey). Domino Theory: If the U.S. doesn’t fight communism, then countries will fall to communism like dominos.
The ‘Truman Doctrine’ Truman had been horrified at the pre- war Allied policy of appeasement and was determined to stand up to any Soviet intimidation. The Truman Doctrine in March 1947 promised that the USA “would support free peoples who are resisting subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures”. Triggered by British inability to hold the line in Greece, it was followed by aid to Greece and Turkey, and also money to help capitalists to stop communists in Italy and France. It signalled the end of “isolationst” policies.
The Marshall Plan 1948 Plan to aid Europe— in ruins –Prevent countries from falling to communists –Aid American business $17 billion to 16 countries in Europe (not Soviet Union)
The ‘Marshall Plan’ The Marshall Plan offered huge sums to enable the economies of Europe to rebuild after World War II, and, by generating prosperity, to reject the appeal of Communism. The Soviet Union (USSR) prevented Eastern European countries from receiving American money.
NATO vs. WARSAW PACT North Atlantic Treaty Organization: defense alliance among U.S. and Europe against the Soviet Union. Still exists. Warsaw Pact: Defense alliance among Soviet Union and its satellite governments in Eastern Europe.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (1949) United States Belgium Britain Canada Denmark France Iceland Italy Luxemburg Netherlands Norway Portugal 1952: Greece & Turkey 1955: West Germany 1983: Spain
Warsaw Pact (1955) }U. S. S. R. }Albania }Bulgaria }Czechoslovakia }East Germany }Hungary }Poland }Rumania
Section 2 The Cold War Deepens
Postwar Germany Nuremburg Trials for war crimes Divided Germany into 4 zones: –West Germany – U.S., Britain, and France –East Germany- Soviets –Capitol city of Berlin divided into 4 zones (in East Germany) Berlin Airlift: In , the U.S. and Europe flew food and supplies to save West Berlin, until Soviets reopened roads.
Improve your knowledge The Russians took very high casualties to capture Berlin in May They spent the early occupation trying to take over all zones of the city but were stopped by German democrats such as Willy Brandt and Konrad Adenauer. Reluctantly the Russians had to admit the Americans, French and British to their respective zones.
Iron Curtain – A term used by Winston Churchill to describe the separating of Those communist lands of East Europe from the West.
Berlin West Berlin, was an outpost of Western democracy and economic success deep within the communist zone – like a capitalist island within communist East Germany The Berlin Blockade was an attempt to starve West Berlin into submitting [giving up] to the communists The Allied [western powers] airlift signalled the West’s determination to use all resources to defend Berlin. It was felt by both sides that Berlin could act as the trigger for general war between capitalist and communist countries
Berlin Blockade & Airlift ( ) Berlin Blockade & Airlift ( )
Post War Japan U.S. occupied – under General MacArthur –New constitution –Democracy with Emperor as figurehead –Rebuild economy –Abolished army and navy Tokyo trials convicted war criminals
China: Mao’s Revolution: 1949 Who lost China?
Growing Interest in China Nationalists Led by Chiang Kai-shek Communists Led by Mao Zedong People’s Republic of China: In the 1940’s, China was embroiled in a civil war.
The U.S. gave the Chiang Kai-shek millions of dollars, but the communists won the war.
China became a communist country, and Chiang Kai-shek and his forces fled to Taiwan.
Korean War [ ]
Korean War A. Korea, which had been brutally ruled by Japan since 1910, suffered a fate much like Germany. At the end of the war, it was divided at the 38 th parallel, leaving a Communist government in the north and a pro-Western government in the South.
Korean War, Divided north and south at 38 th parallel at end of WWII. In 1950, Communist North Korea invaded South Korea. The U.S. and United Nations, aided the South; China aided the North Koreans. Treaty signed in 1953, keeping dividing line at 38 th parallel (still today). 33,000 American soldiers died, 100,000 wounded.
Korean War [ ] Syngman Rhee Kim Il-Sung “Domino Theory”
U.S. General Douglas MacArthur led the U.N. force, approximately 80% of which were U.S. soldiers. MacArthur at Inch'on landing
The Shifting Map of Korea [ ]
Ending the War: President Truman disagreed with MacArthur about attacking China. Gen. MacArthur wanted to attack China with support of Chinese nationalists. U.N. troops regained South Korea by March of 1951.
Truman fired MacArthur for defying him by publicly taunting and threatening the Chinese.
In July of 1953, the Korean War ended
Impact of Korean War A. The Korea War settled little. Korea remained divided geographically and politically in much the same way as before the war. B. Long-lasting effects on the United States.: It convinced Americans to back a huge military buildup and to overlook the fact that Truman had never sought a formal declaration of war from Congress—a fact that greatly enhanced the power of the presidency.
Section 3 Cold War in the Atomic Age
Living in Fear A. Federal Civilian Defense Administration – Gov’t dept. created to show people they could survive a nuclear war. B. Americans learned how to build bomb shelters, how to keep from panicking, how to cope with radiation injuries, and more. C. Truman ordered scientists to develop a deadly hydrogen bomb, a superbomb to keep up with the Soviets
The Arms Race: A “Missile Gap?” }The Soviet Union exploded its first A-bomb in }Now there were two nuclear superpowers!
Nuclear Arms Race Hydrogen bomb invented – both U.S. and Soviets had them 1,000 times more powerful than atomic bomb—vaporized an island. Dangers of fallout and radiation Many built bomb shelters!!
Eisenhower A. Eisenhower walked into the presidency at the height of cold war tensions: 1. China had just fallen 2. the Korean War dragged on 3. the H-bomb heated up the arms race.
New Strategy New Look – Program designed by Eisenhower to reduce the manpower of the army and navy, while increasing the number of air force personnel. (Cheaper)
New Look To put teeth into the scaled-down military, Eisenhower and Dulles pledged to meet aggression with massive retaliation —an instant nuclear attack (brinkmanship). To back up this tough stance, they circled the Soviet Union and China with American military bases and allies.
New Look Critics dubbed the new foreign policy brinkmanship—the art of never backing down from a crisis. It posed two dangers: (1) It gave the United States only two choices—either fight a nuclear battle or do nothing. (2) It also led the Soviets to develop more powerful bombs, creating what Churchill called a “balance of terror.”
Geneva Conference A The radioactive fallout from H-bomb tests led people worldwide to clamor for a halt in the arms race. B. Eisenhower met with Soviet leaders Nikolay Bulganin and Nikita Khrushchev in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss disarmament. Although the conference yielded few results, the two powers were talking again.
Space Race Began when Soviets beat the U.S. into space –Soviet satellite Sputnik launched in 1957 –Explorer I, the first U.S. satellite, was launched in The National Defense Act of 1958 approved federal funding of education in math, science and foreign languages – NASA created! Funding increased
Improve your knowledge The nuclear bomb gave America a lead which was expected to last at least 5 years. The rapid Russian development of nuclear technology, helped by the work of the “atom spies” was a shock. Significantly, Russia hurriedly declared war against Japan at the beginning of August 1945 and rushed to advance into Asia to stake out a position for the post- war settlement. This helped make both the Korean and Vietnamese conflicts more likely.
Section 4 A New Battleground
U-2 Spy Incident (1960) Col. Francis Gary Powers’ plane was shot down over Soviet airspace.
Paris, 1961 Khrushchev & JFK meet to discuss Berlin and nuclear proliferation. Khrushchev thinks that JFK is young, inexperienced, and can be rolled.
The Berlin Wall Goes Up (1961) Checkpoint Charlie
Ich bin ein Berliner! (1963) President Kennedy tells Berliners that the West is with them!
Khruschev Embraces Castro, 1961
Bay of Pigs Debacle (1961)
Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
We went eyeball-to-eyeball with the Russians, and the other man blinked!
Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
Vietnam War:
The Cold War Years Quiz
Who controlled East Berlin? A.United States B.Soviet Union C.Cuba D.Frankenstein
How did America get supplies to West Berlin? A.Mailed them U.P.S. B.Sent them in by trains. C.Flew them in by planes. D.Dropped them from a parachute.
Who invaded South Korea and tried to take over their country? A.Britain B.North Korea C.United States D.Donald Duck
Who was president during the Cuban Missile Crisis? A. Lyndon B. Johnson B. Thomas Jefferson C. John F. Kennedy D. Ronald Reagan
Where did the Soviet Union build their missile sites? A. Russia B. England C. United States D. Cuba
The Red Scare Intense fear of Communists taking over U.S. –China became a Communist country in –Soviets developed an atomic bomb in –Rosenbergs convicted of selling atomic secrets to Soviet Union. Executed 1953.
How did the United States avoid nuclear was with the Soviets? A.Set up a naval blockade around Cuba. B.Threatened to bomb Russia. C.Told Soviet leaders to take a hike. D.Attacked Russia’s military.
What was the arms race? A.It was the way presidents are elected. B.It was the build up of weapons in order to have the most power for protection. C.It was the invention of the atomic bomb. D.It was the way many Americans spent their free time in the 1950’s.
The Cold War Years Quiz
Who controlled East Berlin? A.United States B.Soviet Union C.Cuba D.Frankenstein
How did America get supplies to West Berlin? A.Mailed them U.P.S. B.Sent them in by trains. C.Flew them in by planes. D.Dropped them from a parachute.
Who invaded South Korea and tried to take over their country? A.Britain B.North Korea C.United States D.Donald Duck
Who was president during the Cuban Missile Crisis? A. Lyndon B. Johnson B. Thomas Jefferson C. John F. Kennedy D. Ronald Reagan
Where did the Soviet Union build their missile sites? A. Russia B. England C. United States D. Cuba
How did the United States avoid nuclear war with the Soviets? A.Set up a naval blockade around Cuba. B.Threatened to bomb Russia. C.Told Soviet leaders to take a hike. D.Attacked Russia’s military.
What was the arms race? A.It was the way presidents are elected. B.It was the build up of weapons in order to have the most power for protection. C.It was the invention of the atomic bomb. D.It was the way many Americans spent their free time in the 1950’s.