1. Truman, Eisenhower, and Kennedy 1945-1963
The Early Cold War
Truman, Eisenhower, and Kennedy

2. What is the Cold War? Combination of factors Political Social
America vs. Soviet Union (commies vs. democracies)
Nonstop massive tension
Who can control more of the world (get other countries to team up with them)
Weapons will help get control (or protection)
US and USSR NEVER directly fight, but there are fights over communism around the world (Korea and Vietnam are the big ones)
Social
Postwar America (baby boom and suburbs)
Fear of Communism – more than ever before
Conformity is good (but leads to backlash in the 60’s)
Civil Rights reform is happening in parallel to the Cold War

3. Politics and Foreign Policy at the Beginning of the Cold War

4. Truman Not college educated Small and scrappy
Surrounded by the Missouri Gang of politics
Had troubles, but was down to earth
“If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen”

5. Shaping the Postwar World - UN
United Nations Conference April 25, 1945 to set up the UN – US Senate passed it on July 28, 1945
Looked like League of Nations
General Assembly was the basis of the UN
Security Council led by the Big 5 (each of whom had the right of veto)
Initially in 1946 Bernard Baruch (US delegate) called for an independent agency of the UN to inspect nuclear arms building but the USSR vetoed it
The Big 5
United States
England
France
Soviet Union
China

6. Yalta - February 1945
A bomb was not yet ready and FDR needed Stalin’s help with Japan
Stalin would enter the Pacific front within 90 days of the Germany’s demise
USSR would receive:
Control over areas they had wandered through in Eastern Europe during WWII: Poland, Bulgaria, and Romania. USSR promised that they would become democratic nations…
Control over RR’s in Manchuria and special privileges in Manchurian seaports
Southern Sakhalin and the Kurile Islands
Some felt that FDR had sold out China and Eastern Europe while others felt that at least this set limits on Stalin’s ambitions

7. Document Activity: Group Sharing of Cold War Documents
In your group – half of you were assigned Kennan and half were assigned Wallace
Meet with the person who read the same document as you in your group and fill out your part of the chart
Meet as a whole document group to check-in about your understanding of your reading
Return to your group and explain what you read to them (pay attention to the questions in the charts)
Comparing Kennan’s Containment and Wallace’s Moderation
Kennan pages 18-21
Wallace pages 22-26
Interactive Map

8. Cold War Documents: Questions
How would the decisions made at Yalta and Potsdam affect the Cold War?
What accounts for the breakdown in relations between the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II? Is there anything that the United States could have done to avoid it?

9. Problems Forming Between US and USSR
Tensions for US and USSR by the end of WWII
Differing World Views
USSR was angry about the late entrance of America and England in Europe
USSR was angry about America and England keeping USSR out of the Manhattan Project
US stopped Lend Lease in 1945 and wouldn’t give USSR a reconstruction loan in 1946 when we gave one to England
USSR wanted “protection” to prevent a further attack through Eastern Europe and therefore created a “sphere of influence” across Eastern Europe
America thought this looked like an empire
FDR wanted an open world: decolonized, demilitarized, and democratized with a UN

10. The Problem of Splitting Germany
Soviets wanted to milk Germany for war reparations
US wanted to create an economically viable Germany to strengthen Europe
Caused a split between the USSR sphere and the spheres of the other Allies
Soviet Germany fell into the Eastern European sphere of USSR control
Both sides shared occupation of Germany
West Germany AND West Berlin were occupied by the democratic countries
East Germany AND East Berlin were occupied by the USSR.
Berlin

11. Berlin Airlift
Soviet Union cut off access to Berlin from Western Europe in 1948 in an effort to make the West give up West Berlin
2.1 mill residents of W Berlin only had food to last 5 weeks
Led to almost a year of the Berlin airlift
Blockade was lifted in May 1949
This was the real beginning of the Cold War and the Iron Curtain

12. The Berlin Airlift

13. The Berlin Airlift – Propaganda

14. Crystallizing the Cold War
Kennan and Containment
The Truman Doctrine
Stalin kept pushing – wanted to stay in Iran
Truman had to respond to every little thing and it wasn’t working
George Kennan – came up with the idea of containment
Military and political preparedness for Soviet issues
Containment: stop communism from spreading!
US would support free people fighting against attempted subjugation by armed minorities or external pressures (communists)
In other words USA would arm your country to fight off communists
$400 million in aid to Turkey and Greece

16. Problems in the Western Europe after WWII
If, after WWII, you looked around the rest of Europe you would have seen poor nations:
Industrial capacity was greatly diminished
millions of displaced people were living in refugee camps
the harsh winter of destroyed many crops, and the people were tired.
Situations like this make easy targets for political theories that promise a better future – like Communism (or like fascism after WWI).

17. The Marshall Plan How do you stop the spread of communism??? Money!
Marshall Plan: Europeans would work out a joint plan for their recovery (eventually led to EU) and the US would help pay
Over $12 billion which was voted in April 1948 by Congress
Went to non-communist countries

18. Rearmament and Expanding the US Government
Consistent war spending in US
Creation of new sections of government:
National Security Act of 1947
Created the Department of Defense and the Secretary of Defense (cabinet position)
Joint Chiefs of Staff reported to the Sec of Defense (army, navy, and airforce)
Created the NSC (National Security Council) to advise the president on security issues
Created the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) to coordinate government operations overseas
Peacetime Draft
Voice of America radio to the countries behind the iron curtain

19. NATO US joined NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) in April 1949
Defensive pact with 12 other Northern and Western European countries
Dramatic departure of American foreign policy – entanglements were here to stay
U.S.A., Canada, Belgium, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal. Greece and Turkey joined in West Germany joined in 1955.

20. Warsaw Pact
In response to the rearmament of West Germany and its membership in NATO in 1955, the Soviet Union created the Warsaw Pact to ally itself with seven other Eastern European countries. Members:
U.S.S.R., Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania

21. The Bipolarization of Europe
The Iron Curtain is a metaphor for the area of Eastern Europe under Soviet control.
For example: Poland was “behind the iron curtain”
From a speech Churchill made

22. Korean War

23. China Oops the Truman Doctrine didn’t work here…
Nationalist China under Chiang Kai Shek (Jiang Jieshi) fell to Communist Mao Zedong and his followers in 1949
Nationalists fled to Taiwan
First time American Aid to prevent communism did NOT work – eeek!

24. Conflict in Korea
Japan controlled Korea from 1910 until the end of WWII. In 1945, when the war ended, Korea was divided between America and the USSR.
The USSR would support the northern half of the country – above the 38th parallel. The USA got the region south of 38º.

25. Syngman Rhee taking Oath of Office July 24, 1948
Conflict in Korea
As in Germany, two nations developed – one communist, one democratic.
The USSR supported the North Korean communist government and militarized North Korea.
South Korea was led by Syngman Rhee. Because Rhee’s goal was to force both Koreas to unite by force, the U.S. did not heavily arm the South Korean army.
Syngman Rhee taking Oath of Office July 24, 1948

26. Conflict in Korea
After WWII, America began to reduce its forces in South Korea and both sides withdrew by 1949
North Korea’s army invaded South Korea on June 25, With the invasion, the USA turned around to help South Korea.
To gain support in its aid to Korea, the USA went to the United Nations and asked for assistance to defend South Korea.
The Soviet Union was protesting the UN meeting and since they could not veto the vote, the UN decided to help South Korea.

27. Conflict in Korea
Even though 16 nations sent 520,000 troops to aid South Korea, war was not declared by the U.S. against North Korea.
Technically America was just participating in a UN police action
90% of the U.N. troops were American and the South Korean Army gave another 590,000 troops.
Canada,
Colombia,
Ethiopia,
France
Greece,
Luxembourg,
Netherlands,
New Zealand,
Philippines
South Africa,
Thailand,
Turkey,
United Kingdom,
United States
United Nations:
South Korea,
Australia,
Belgium

28. The Shifting Map of Korea [1950-1953]

29. Korea and the end of MacArthur
MacArthur was embarrassed that the Chinese were so successful
Wanted massive retaliation – blockade of China and bombarding of Manchuria
D.C. didn’t want to escalate this battle and bring in the USSR
Typical Cold War ideology
MacArthur publicly began attacking the president’s decision
Truman removed MacArthur from command on April 11, 1951
MacArthur’s popularity from WWII made this one of the biggest blows to Truman

30. Pictures of the Korean War

31. Both sides tried to come to a truce in 1951, but deliberations dragged on for two years while thousands were killed in battle.
Communist forces wanted all prisoners of war returned whether they wanted to or not
July 1953 finally saw a peace and an exchange of prisoners that wanted to go back to their countries.
The cease fire line was also stationed at the existing battle line of the 38th parallel, plus a demilitarized zone was established between the two countries.
Ceasefire
Guards along the DMZ

32. Maintaining the Status Quo – At What Price?
There were approximately 54,000 American casualties with the Chinese, North Korean, and South Koreans losing approximately 1 million.
The U.S. had spent $67 billion on what turned out to be a fight to maintain the status quo.
While communism didn’t spread, South Korea and democracy did not make any gains either.
Containment had worked though…
The Korean War also led to increased fears of Communist aggression at home in America.

33. Korea Changes America
NSC-68: National Security Council Memo from 1950 recommending a quadrupling of defense spending in US
Korea allowed it to happen
13% of the GDP - $50 billion a year – was soon spent on the military
NSC-68 important because it demonstrates the belief of the interconnectedness between American economy and military – and the limitless possibilities of the two

34. Foreign Policy under Eisenhower
Eisenhower – conservative return to normalcy
Richard Nixon was Eisenhower’s VP

35. John Foster Dulles
With the election of Ike in 1952, a new Secretary of State came in with new ideas: John Foster Dulles
Containment was no longer enough – Communism would be stopped and captured peoples would be liberated
Ike and Dulles in 1956

36. Massive Retaliation Eisenhower’s New Look for foreign policy
Military spending would focus on the air with the
Strategic Air Command (SAC): a fleet of super-bombers carrying nuclear bombs
All based on the theory of massive retaliation – if the commies come after us, we destroy them. Yeah.
Thought to be cheaper than conventional military
But would it actually be used?

37. Stalin Dies
At the same time Ike wanted to work with the new Soviet premier – Nikita Khrushchev (also became leader in 1953)
Ike wanted “open skies” over US and USSR and Khrushchev said no to Ike’s “open” attempt at espionage

38. Problems with Massive Retaliation
Couldn’t use it anywhere
Hungarian revolution in 1956 was crushed by the USSR
America couldn’t help without nuking Eastern Europe and therefore America didn’t help
Was actually really expensive
When he left office in 1960, Ike warned of the growth of the military-industrial complex that this interrelatedness between massive military spending and the American economy had caused

39. National Defense Budget (1940-1964)
The Korean War
Ike’s Terms in Office

40. Truman vs. Eisenhower Marshall Plan Truman Doctrine Berlin Airlift
Truman: Containment (Kennan)
Eisenhower: Massive Retaliation (Dulles)
Marshall Plan
Truman Doctrine
Berlin Airlift
NATO
NSC 68
Korean War
Mutual Security Agreements
Brinksmanship
M.A.D (mutually assured destruction)
Domino Theory
CIA and covert operations
Eisenhower Doctrine
Dollar Diplomacy

41. Politics and Change In America

42. Post WWII Politics
Truman had served most of FDR’s 4th term ( )
After the war, a conservative backlash allowed the Republicans to win control of Congress in the midterm elections of 1946
The Democratic Party would respond with “Cold War Liberalism”
Moderate liberal policies + Anti-Communism
Taft Hartley Act 1947: Passed by Congress over Truman’s veto – put restrictions on unions and their ability to organize

43. Election of 1948
Republicans nominated Thomas Dewey – governor of New York
Democrats weren’t thrilled about Truman, but Ike wouldn’t run – so Truman got the Democrat ticket
This angered Southern Democrats who fractioned off again and called themselves Dixiecrats
Dixiecrats nominated Strom Thurmond (SC Gov) on the States Rights ticket
Former VP Henry Wallace was nominated by the new Progressive Party
“bizarre collection of disgruntled former New Dealers, starry-eyed pacifists, well-meaning liberals, and communist-fronters”

44. The famous Chicago Tribune early edition headline
Election of 1948
Dewey spent most of the election riding on his assumed victory since the Democrats were split 3-ways
Truman travelled around the country giving rousing speeches
Wallace was pro-Soviet
Thurmond was racist…
While a Dewey victory was expected, the people chose Truman
Considered the biggest presidential election upset of all time
The famous Chicago Tribune early edition headline

45. Election of 1948 Truman: 24,179,345 Dewey: 21,991,291
Thurmond: 1,176,125
Wallace: 1,157,326

46. Truman’s Fair Deal I know…too many deals…but this one called for:
Improved Housing
Full Employment
Higher Minimum Wage
Better farm price supports
New TVA’s
Extension of Social Security
The Republicans and Dixiecrats shot down all but:
Raising minimum wage
Housing Act of 1949 – provided public housing
Social Security Act of 1950 – extended coverage to more

47. Election of 1952 Democrats nominate Adlai Stevenson (Gov of Illinois)
Republicans choose Dwight D. Eisenhower
Republicans choose communist hunter, Richard Nixon, as his running mate to appeal to the hardcore conservatives…
“I like Ike”
Awesome war leader who had also been president of Columbia University from – well rounded
Nixon fought dirty…shocking I know
Was found to be scamming money when he was in the Senate and gave his famous Checkers speech (about his dog) so Ike wouldn’t dump him
First TV election
Ike promised at the last minute to go to Korea and fight himself!

48. Election of 1952
Eisenhower: 33,963,234
Stevenson: 27,314,992

49. Eisenhower as President
Conservative backlash
More socially than politically – Ike was looking back to a simpler time
Above the fray
Serene and about keeping the peace
Didn’t really push any major agendas
Dealt with the end of Korea, McCarthy, and Civil Rights issues even though he did not fight for Civil Rights

50. Eisenhower Republicanism at Home
Ike believed in “dynamic conservatism”
Be liberal with things dealing with people
Be conservative with money and government
Was worried about “creeping socialism”
Kept most New Deal programs under the fear that it would be the end of the Republicans if he got rid of Social Security or unemployment
Interstate Highway Act (1956) was a Public Works Program
Rarely balanced the budget
Biggest peacetime deficit in 1959
But can the Cold War really be called “peacetime”?
Caused many recessions

51. The Second Red Scare
US freaks out about Communist spies post WWII, when most actual spying was during the 1930’s and early 1940’s…

52. Fear of Communism Builds in America
In America, at the height of WWII, approximately 100,000 people claimed loyalty to the Communist party
Many high-profile spy cases during the late 1940’s and early 1950’s also heightened America’s fear about Communists and our nation’s security.
The Soviets developing their own Atomic Bomb freaked out Americans too
Because they did it with secrets stolen from the Manhattan Project

53. The Rosenberg Spy Case
In 1950, a physicist working on the Manhattan Project, Klaus Fuchs, admitted to giving the USSR information about the American atomic bomb.
Implicated in his case was Julius Rosenberg – he passed the info from Fuchs to the Soviets
The Rosenbergs were activists for the communist party
In an attempt to force more information out of Julius, the prosecution also put Ethel (his wife) on trial.
Neither gave any information, and instead they pleaded the 5th amendment.
The Rosenbergs were found guilty of espionage and sentenced to death by electric chair. They were executed in June 1953
Later Soviet information seems to indicate that Julius was exchanging information with the USSR, but that Ethel played no major role in the espionage.

54. Loyalty Review Board
Existed to determine whether or not employees of the government were loyal to the United States.
The U.S. attorney general created a list of 90 “subversive” organizations.
If you were a member of one of these, you were considered suspicious.
From 1947 – 1951, the Loyalty Review Board investigated 3.2 million employees and dismissed 212 as security risks.
Almost 3000 more resigned because they did not want to be investigated or because they were protesting the investigations as civil rights violations.
Ripple effect: Over a thousand gay men and lesbians were fired from federal government work in the 1950’s

55. HUAC
The House of Representatives set up the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) in 1938 and this blossomed during the late 40’s
Committee member Richard Nixon helped to catch supposed Communist spy, Alger Hiss in 1948
HUAC also targeted Hollywood.
They believed that Communists were sneaking propaganda into movies.
In September 1947, 43 witnesses were called before HUAC.
Most were friendly and agreed that the movie industry was tainted by Communism, though they had problems naming specific examples.

56. The Hollywood 10
Ten witnesses were called to testify about Hollywood, but they refused because they felt that HUAC was unconstitutional.
These men were sent to prison because they refused to answer questions – they became known as the Hollywood Ten.
To show support for HUAC, Hollywood executives started a blacklist of people who they felt had a Communist background.
In all, approximately 500 actors, writers, producers, and directors had their careers ruined because they could no longer work in Hollywood.

57. McCarran Internal Security Act
The Red Scare was growing at such a pace that Congress soon decided the Loyalty Review Board was not effective enough.
They passed the McCarran Internal Security Act in This made it unlawful to plan any action that might lead to the establishment of a totalitarian dictatorship in the U.S.
President Truman vetoed the bill by saying that in America, “we punish men for the crimes they commit, but never for the opinions they have.” Congress passed the bill over his veto.

58. See Excerpt of 1950 speech page 822
McCarthyism
Senator Joseph McCarthy was an anti-communist activist
In an attempt to make an election issue (to get himself reelected in 1952) McCarthy said in a speech in 1950 that Communists were taking over America.
McCarthy soon stated that he had the names of over 200 Communists who were working in the U.S. State Department.
His “finger-pointing” tactics fed off of Americans’ fear of Communism.
See Excerpt of 1950 speech page 822

59. McCarthyism and the Red Scare Grow
Few people spoke out against McCarthy because they either feared Communism or feared McCarthy turning his wrath on them.
Rosenberg case and others were fuel to his fire
In 1954, McCarthy made accusations against the U.S. Army harboring Communists - this led to a public investigation.
McCarthy’s tactics of bullying witnesses and forcing people to “name” other “communists” came to light and alienated many Americans.
Not to mention taking on the Army was biting off more than he could chew…

60. Watch Good Night and Good Luck or read The Crucible
The Red Scare Fades
Part of the public’s investigation of McCarthy was led by newsman Edward R. Murrow – his show fought against the general acceptance of McCarthy and enlightened Americans to his unconstitutional actions.
After this final investigation, the Senate censured McCarthy for improper conduct in In 1957, McCarthy died.
His 20th century witch trials became a focus point for the dark side of the Cold War.
Watch Good Night and Good Luck or read The Crucible

61. SKILL PRACTICE! Image Analysis: Herblock 1950 Cartoon
What stance does the cartoonist take on McCarthyism?
What elements in the cartoon show us that?
Who is the elephant and the people around it?
What is the general message of the cartoon?

62. Red Scare Clips
On dvd

63. Containment in Practice
Foreign Policy under Eisenhower

64. “False Lull” in Europe
In 1955 it seemed as if things were getting better with the Cold War
Soviets left Austria (whoa)
Khrushchev denounced the “bloody excesses” of Stalin – who never became the hero Lenin did
May 1955 – Geneva conference that accomplished nothing, but left people feeling happy and sunny 

65. Back to Reality…Hungary (#13)
Stalin’s desecrated head
Late 1956 Hungarians revolted for their freedom from the USSR
Expected America to help – but US couldn’t help with massive retaliation
Hungarians were slaughtered or fled as refugees
America allowed 30,000 refugees in
Time’s Man of the Year – Hungarian Freedom Fighter

66. Issues Begin in Iran
The government of Iran began to take control of its oil resources and resist the influence of Western companies there
America believed that this was under the influence of the USSR
The CIA caused a coup in 1953 to install a new leader in Iran – the Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlevi
He’d be exiled later and Iran would turn against the West

67. Suez Canal Zone

68. Nasser and Khrushchev in 1956
President Nassar of Egypt was a nationalist, but he was looking for outside funding for a dam project to irrigate and provide power
America and England offered help until Nassar began to deal with the communists
In response to the US’s and England’s withdrawal of funds, Nassar nationalized the Suez Canal
Previously controlled by English and French stockholders
Dulles wanted to prevent armed intervention from England and France as well as the Soviets who were hoping to gain another ally
England and France still attacked Egypt, with a coordinated attack with Israel in October 1956
America refused to supply the allies with oil and they had to withdraw after a week
UN police force arrived to keep order
Suez Crisis
Nasser and Khrushchev in 1956

69. America Becomes Obsessed with Middle Eastern Oil
In 1940 the US still supplied 2/3 of the world’s oil and only 1/20 came from the Middle East
By 1948 America became a net oil importer while the Middle East increased oil production
America worried about the Soviets gaining control of the Middle East oil supply:
Eisenhower Doctrine promised military and economic aid to Middle Eastern countries threatened by communism
Helped Lebanon when Egypt and Communists were threatening it in 1958

70. OPEC
Middle Eastern countries weren’t really at risk from communism (except Afghanistan later), but were at risk from nationalism!
They wanted control of their own oil (instead of Western businesses) and took it
OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) was formed in 1960
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, and Venezuela
Would set oil prices and control trade, much to the chagrin of America

71. Khrushchev in America - 1959
Khrushchev wanted a summit conference with Western leaders
Ike invited Khrushchev to America
K spoke to the UN and promised complete disarmament
With no dates or plans…
Meeting at Camp David – nothing happened, but people were happy
Nina Kukharchuk (Mrs. Khrushchev), Mamie Eisenhower, Khrushchev, and Ike

72. The United States’ Poor Choices in Latin America
Spent billions on Europe and only millions in Latin America
Did have the CIA lead coups
CIA coup ousted a left leaning Guatemalan government in 1954
Supported Democratic leaders even if they were butchers…
Like Fulgencio Batista in Cuba
Had gotten huge investments of American capital and some government support

73. The Arms Race and Space Race
Whoever dies with the most toys wins…

74. The Arms Race
USSR exploded their first atomic bomb 3 years ahead of our expectations in September 1949
They had spies within our Manhattan Project
Truman therefore called for American development of the H-Bomb (Hydrogen Bomb) which America first tested in 1952
The Soviets developed their own almost H-Bomb in 1953
The arms race had begun even though a war at this level of nuclear magnitude would destroy the world, except for cockroaches and Twinkies…

75. The Arms Race Arms Race—USA 1st Atomic Fission Bomb: July 1945
1st Hydrogen Bomb: November 1952
Arms Race—USSR
1st Atomic Fission Bomb: August 1949
1st True Hydrogen Bomb: November 1955
Tsar Bomba

76. The Space Race
Both the Soviets and Americans had captured German rocket technology at the fall of WWII.
The development of long-range rockets to carry nuclear warheads to the enemy was an important part of the Cold War.
This development was carried out through the “Space Race” which was the competition between both countries over space exploration
A rocket that could carry a space shuttle or satellite could carry a warhead wherever you wanted it to…

77. The Space Race America did not fare too well in the Space Race.
On October 4, 1957, the Soviets launched the first satellite (Sputnik) into space and America was desperately far behind
This caused panic in America since Soviet rocket technology was obviously superior
US had to prevent the “missile gap” from widening
This is when American schools began to focus on science and math instead of anything else (except foreign languages)
NDEA National Defense and Education Act (1958) was passed to give scholarships to college students in certain fields
The Space Race

78. The Space Race 1st Satellite in Orbit: USSR: Sputnik: October 1957
1st Human in Space: USSR: April 1961
1st Man on the Moon: USA: July 1969

79. Nuclear Testing (5 min)
Between America and the Soviet Union it’s amazing we all don’t have 2 heads and fins…
In October 1958, both the USSR and USA agreed to suspend underground and atmospheric testing (#2 and #3)
Though inspections didn’t happen because we hated each other

80. John F. Kennedy

81. John F. Kennedy 43 when elected – youngest president ever
Wealthy family
Catholic
Charming and young and cute
Smart - Harvard
Surrounded himself by intelligent young men from the Ivy League

82. The New Frontier Medical insurance for the elderly (Medicare)
Increase in Federal education expenditures
Civil Rights Reform
Stalled in Congress
Peace Corps
Tax Cut to stimulate the economy (example of how he is still middle / conservative)
Space Program – landing on the moon

83. Here Comes Castro
At the age of 33, Dr. Fidel Castro began a revolution to take control of Cuba in 1959
Spoke out against “Yankee imperialists”
Seized land for redistribution
He was a communist…
America stopped importing Cuban sugar
Washington broke diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1961
750,000 Anti-Castro Cubans have fled to America between

84. America’s Reaction to Castro
US threatened to invoke the Monroe Doctrine because Cuba was allied with USSR, but Khrushchev threatened bombing America
August 1960: America established the Organization of American States to condemn communist infiltration in the Americas
Instituted a minor “Marshall” type plan for Latin America - $500 million
In March 1960, Eisenhower gave the CIA permission to secretly train Cuban exiles to invade Cuba and overthrow Castro.
The CIA assumed their invasion would start a mass anti-Castro uprising.
Kennedy was informed of this after taking office in January 1961.
President Eisenhower cut off diplomatic relations with Cuba in January 1961 during his last days in office.

85. Bay of Pigs – April 1961
On April 17, 1961, over 1300 American trained Cuban exiles landed on Cuba’s southern coast at the Bay of Pigs. Nothing in the invasion went as planned:
U.S. air strike failed to knock out the Cuban air force
An advance distraction group never reached the shore
When the troops landed, they faced 25,000 Cuban troops supported by Soviet tanks and jets.
The invading exiles were either killed or imprisoned.
Castro celebrated the defeat of the “North American mercenaries” and Kennedy was left embarrassed.
The U.S. paid $62 million in food and medical supplies as ransom for the surviving exiles.

86. Castro and Khrushchev at the UN 1960
The USSR Protects Cuba
The Soviet Union promised to defend Cuba against further attacks from the U.S. with more arms.
During the summer of 1962, the transport of Soviet weapons, including nuclear missiles, to Cuba increased greatly.
Castro and Khrushchev at the UN 1960

87. The Cuban Missile Crisis – October 1962
On October 14, 1962, U.S. planes photographed Soviet missile bases in Cuba with missiles ready to launch.
On October 22, Kennedy informed the nation of the Soviet missile sites and his plans to remove them.
Kennedy also stated that any missile attack from Cuba would trigger a full attack on the Soviet Union.
U.S. Navy ships prepared to quarantine Cuba and prevent ships (especially USSR ships in the Atlantic) from coming within 500 miles of the island.
100,000 American troops waited to deploy in Florida. The world waited for the terrifying possibility of nuclear war for the next 6 days – this was known as the Cuban Missile Crisis.

88. Crisis Ends
The first break occurred when the Soviet ships in the Atlantic stopped instead of confronting the US Navy.
A few days later Khrushchev offered to remove the missiles from Cuba for an American pledge not to invade Cuba. America agreed and also secretly agreed to remove its missiles from Turkey.
The Cuban Missile Crisis was the closest the Cold War ever came to being “Hot”. Really close it turns out…

89. Kennedy at the Berlin Wall - June 1963
By 1961, Communist Germany was having problems.
Almost 3 million East Germans – 20% of the population – had fled into West Berlin to escape from Communist rule.
These refugees were an embarrassment to Communist East Berlin and severely weakened that region’s economy.
The Soviet Union tried to solve the problem by asking the United States to leave West Berlin.
Kennedy refused and said that Berlin was a “testing place of Western courage and will.”
The Berlin Wall
Kennedy at the Berlin Wall - June 1963

90. The Berlin Wall
On August 13, 1961 – East German troops began to erect a wall of concrete posts and barbed wire along the border in the city.

91. The Berlin Wall
Within days the wall was complete and Berlin was divided.
Armed guards along the Berlin Wall slowed the flow of refugees between the cities, but also became a symbol of Communist oppression.

92. The Berlin Wall

93. JFK’s Flexible Response
Flexible Response became the mantra instead of Dulles’ massive retaliation
America looking stupid by either giving up or nuking someone wasn’t a good choice…
Kennedy saw flexible response as developing an array of military options that could be used for different situations
Led to an increase in both conventional forces and Special Forces like the Green Berets
Who apparently eat snakes…
Brigadier General Yarborough and JFK in Yarborough helped Kennedy coordinate the “Green Beret” aspect of the Special Forces’ uniform

94. The Vietnam War Begins
Eisenhower and JFK

95. The Vietnam War - Background
Post WWII: with U.S. aid, France attempted re-colonization of “Indochina”
By 1954 America was financing 80% of France’s war – about $1 billion in a year
The French lost control to Ho Chi Minh’s Viet Minh forces in 1954 at Dien Bien Phu
President Eisenhower declined to intervene on behalf of France. - Too soon after Korea
Vietnam was divided at 17th parallel
Ho Chi Minh’s nationalist forces controlled the North
Ngo Dinh Diem, a French-educated, Roman Catholic claimed control of the South
A date was set for democratic elections to reunify Vietnam
Diem backed out of the elections (knowing Ho Chi Minh would win), leading to military conflict between North and South
Ho Chi Minh had been fighting for Vietnamese independence since World War I.
The U.S. gave France aid to win its support in American anticommunist efforts in Western Europe.

96. US Military Involvement Begins Under Eisenhower
Repressive dictatorial rule by Diem
Diem’s family holds all power
Wealth is hoarded by the elite
Buddhist majority persecuted
Torture, lack of political freedom prevail
The U.S. aided Diem’s government
Ike sent financial and military aid
675 U.S. Army advisors sent by 1960.
SEATO created in late 1954 (SouthEast Asia Treaty Organization) like NATO and included England, France, and US
Concerned about the “Domino Theory”

97. American Involvement Continues Under JFK
The US was still supporting, right wing Diem even though he made an easy target for North Vietnamese / Communist propaganda.
JFK increased the amount of military advisers (troops) to Vietnam in 1961
Ngo Dinh Diem with Sec of State Dulles in 1957

98. Buddhist Monks Protest Diem
Diem was such an oppressive leader that Buddhist monks began to burn themselves in the street to protest his religious restrictions
Kennedy supported a coup against Diem in 1963 which led to Diem’s death
Both Ike and JFK “escalated” America’s involvement in Vietnam

99. Practice Essay Outline:
What was the progression of government’s involvement in labor unions from 1870 – 1950 CCOT?