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The Escalation of the ColdWar1945-1950

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Roots

Ever since the Russian Revolution, therehad been tensions btw. the US and the(eventual) Soviet Union

Interwar statements and policies did not help

During WWII, the alliance was shaky andfull of mutual suspicion

Slow to open second front; Warsaw uprising

At the end of the war, the United States

was concerned by Soviet expansion inEastern Europe

Differing conceptions of security

B.A.R.E.

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The End of WWII At Yalta, the “big three”

agree to the postwardivision of Germany &Stalin promises electionsfor Poland

Allied forces „race‟ for

Berlin (no trust) FDR‟s death  instability

& inexperience

At Potsdam, the divisionof Germany is made

official Truman defers to

advisors

More aggressive

Enhanced by perceptionof weakness

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1945

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Satellite states At the end of the war, the

Soviets occupied parts ofEastern Europe

In these countries, „friendly‟ governmentswere established

 “Salami tactics”  

Defensive perimeter twoways

US and GB complain thatthe promises made atYalta were violated

Both sides subject tomisperception

US sees aggression

SU sees needed safety

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1945

1946

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The Iron Curtain Drops

Speech given atWestminster College—Fulton, Missouri

In response to est. of

communist gov‟ts in E.Europe

Winston Churchill pointsout the existence of an

 „iron curtain‟ dividingEast from West

Was the “Iron Curtain”real?

Was it reasonable?

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1945

1946

1947

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Containment goes from theory to

practice Postwar Europe looked at

communism as a real  alternative

In 46‟ Communists won 30%in France

In 47‟ a civil war broke out in

Greece, aided by Yugoslavia Truman Doctrine announced in

response

US would aid „free peoples‟resisting communism

Application of Kennan‟s “Containment Theory”  

Advanced in “Long Telegram”(46‟) 

Marxism takes a long view  apply firm pressure

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The Post-WWII Conundrum

Problem

Truman was not anoverwhelmingly popular

President Had no „mandate‟  

Had little experience inforeign affairs

The American public had

no desire to maintain aWWII level military

Also feared payment forreconstruction

Solution

Convince the Americanpublic of the threat of

communism  “Scare the hell out of

them”  

Create the fear &provide the tools

Creation of COMINFORMfuels process

But. . .this may haveworked TOO well

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Marshall Plan

George Marshall =Truman‟s Secretary ofState

Plan announced June of1947

 “Speech at Harvard”  

Over $13 billion spent btw.1948 and 1951 to rebuildEurope

Solidifies “two rivalworlds”  

Locks the US intocontinued mobilization

$ offered to Soviet Union,but they refuse

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1945

1946

19471948

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The “Fall of Czechoslovakia”  

Congress resistedappropriating $ forMarshall plan

Opposition disappears inFebruary of 1948 w/Commie takeover ofCzechoslovakia

Congress quickly

appropriates $ Opposition to W.

Germany dropped

 “C‟mon Sam, it‟s up to usagain”  

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Berlin Crisis

Soviets announced ablockade of Berlin in Juneof 1948

Western allies agree to

resupply Berlin from theair

The Berlin Airlift lasts fromJune until April of 1949

Important:

Showed power of allieddemocracies

The Cold War stayed cold

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1945

19461947

19481949

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NATO

Western Europeannations were concernedabout Soviet threat

The US was brought into

an already existing pactamong the UK, Fr,Luxembourg, Belgium, &the Netherlands

 “an attack on one is anattack on all”  

A focused but moreeffective CS institution

Started w/ 12—now 28nations

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The Nuclear Arms Race Heats Up

Soviets detonate theirown bomb in August of

1949 Truman pledges to

continue research intoadvanced weapons

The Soviet bomb

increased fears of „nuclear spies‟ in America 

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China „falls‟  

Soon after the Sovietsexploded „Joe‟, China fellto the Communist forces

of Mao Tse-Tung Communism seemed  to

be spreading around theglobe

The Truman

administration wascriticized for „losing‟China

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1946

19471948

19491950

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The start of the Korean War

June 25th, 1950:Communist forces fromthe North invadeDemocratic South Korea

The US was able tosecure a vote in favor ofusing force by the UNSC

Political error by SovietUnion

US forces were sent toKorea to participate in aPOLICE ACTION

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Causes of the CW in a Nutshell

Baggage of interwaryears & WWII

Soviet insecurity

Shift in internationalsystem

Atomic weapons

Legitimate threat ofCommunist expansion

Development a dualsystem world

Mutual misperception