Cold War After WWII and the use of the Atomic Bomb the way people thought about war changed drastically. “War today between the Soviet Empire and the free nations might dig the grave not only of our Stalinist opponents, but of our own society, our world as well as theirs…Such a war is not a possible policy for rational men.” President Harry S. Truman

The Marshall Plan 1947 Avoid mistakes of WWI Restore war torn nations by: Creating stable democracies Economic recovery for Europe 21 million homeless Poland 20% population dead Industries and transportation in ruins Agriculture loss of livestock Damage cost many times expected income Communism thrives where despair rules Solution: 13 billion in aid

Berlin Air Lift US, GB, France join Germany into West Germany a democracy. Soviets create communist East Germany Capital Berlin was like split, but in the middle of East Germany Hundreds of thousands flee communist countries through West Berlin Stalin blocks travel by road to West Berlin threatening shortages of essentials Truman avoids war by providing a massive airlift By May of 1949 Soviet give it up.

NATO UN was to be peace keeping body, but Soviets vetoes caused problems 1946 Canadian foreign minister, Louis Laurent, purposes and alliance Truman avoids isolationism. takes world leader, but does not want to stand alone 1949 NATO is born - Collective Security Soviets respond by creating the Warsaw Pact

Communist Asvances Soviets Get the bomb China Civil War is won by Communist

Soviet Atomic Threat Now America was at threat for nuclear bomb Truman responds by developing hydrogen bomb, and successful testing of it in 1952hydrogen bomb Truman organizes the Federal Civil Defense Administration

China Fall to Communism Nationalist and Communist had been fighting since 1920, but cooperating during WWII to fight Japan Mao Zedong led the the Communist and Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek) led the Nationalist 1949 Peking, now Beijing, falls and Nationalist move to Taiwan Loss of China some think was a failure of Truman

The New Red Scare During depression many look to Communist Economy improves and distrust of Stalin leads to fall in communist support. Truman Starts the Loyalty Program: new and current Federal employees were checked for ties to Communism. Civil Rights of many were abused

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) Established in1938 investigate disloyalty Republicans in post war use it to probe Communist infiltration Hollywood personalities charged Many actors and writers blacklisted McCarran-Walter Act-immigration qutq system discriminatory to Asians and South/Central Europeans. Truman Vetoes/Congress overrides veto “one of the most un-American acts I have ever witnessed in my public career.” Truman

Spy Cases 1948 Whittaker Chambers (former Communist) accuses Alger Hiss (high ranking State Dept official) of passing secrets to the Soviets Hiss jailed for lying to federal grand jury Americans buy into it Dean Acheson close friends with Hiss and says he will resign/Truman says no way Public begins to believe Truman ‘s administration is corrupt

Julius & Ethel Rosenberg Communist Party Members accused of passing atomic secrets to Soviets Found guilty and executed Both Hiss and Rosenberg trial controversial Book suggest Hiss and Rosenberg was guilty Both cases make Americans paranoid