US HistoryUS History

Cold War America1945-1960

Descent into the Cold WarDescent into the Cold War

Causes1.) Yalta Conference – Soviets promised to hold free elections in Eastern Europe, yet made no move to do so 2.) Stalin determined to prevent Germany from rebuilding; insisted on security zone of friendly gov’ts in E. Europe for protectionTruman took hard line against Soviet expansion

George Kennan & ContainmentGeorge Kennan & ContainmentKennan supported idea of containment or keeping soviet communism from spreading; 1st test – Greece 1947U.S. sent military/economic assistance to make sure communism did not take hold in Greece & Turkey - Truman DoctrineMarshall Plan – sent relief economic aid to war torn Euro countries to ensure friendly relations with U.S.Berlin Blockade & Airlift – 19491949 – NATO formed – alliance of U.S. & 12 nations; Soviets respond with Warsaw Pact in 1955

The Arms RaceThe Arms Race

1949 – Soviets detonate Atomic bombNational Security Council creates Dep. Of Defense + Central Intelligence AgencyNSC-68 – recommendation c/o building hydrogen bomb; increase conventional forces, estab. Alliances

Containment in AsiaContainment in Asia

Policy in Asia rooted in economic considerations as much as communismChinese Civil War – Nationalists (Kai-shek) vs. Communists (Mao Zedong)US sent aid to Nationalists; cut off aid in 1949 when Mao won & People’s Republic of China established; Kai-shek fled to TaiwanU.S. would not recognize Red China, but did recognize exiled Nationalist gov’t in Taiwan; US prevented China’s admission to U.N. for 20 yrs.End of WWII; both Soviets & US had troops in Korea & divided country into spheres of influence @ 38th parallelSoviets supported Communists led by Kim Il Sung in North & US backed Korean Nationalist Syngman Rhee in South

Korean War 1950-53Korean War 1950-53

1950 - No. Korean attacked South KoreaTruman asked UN for “police action” against NorthSecurity Council voted to send peacekeeping force to Korea (mostly US troops) led by Douglas MacArthurMonths of fighting = stalemate + drop in support @ home; MacArthur tried to initiate his own foreign policy involving Korea & Taiwan; Truman fired MacArthur for insubordination; armistice signed w/ No. Korea 1953Truman sent troops to Korea w/out Congressional approval setting a precedent for future undeclared warsForeign policy becomes more global & defense expenditures grew from 13 billion in 1950 to 50 billion in 1953

Truman EraTruman Era

Truman won re-election in 1948 against Thomas Dewey & democrats regained control of CongressConsumer spending increased w/ shift to civilian productionFair Deal (Truman’s platform) – extension of FDRs New Deal w/ attention given to civil rights, higher standard of living, & benefits to more peopleCongress passed higher minimum wage, extended soc. Sec., & Nat. Housing Act of 1949

The Great Fear (Red Scare)The Great Fear (Red Scare)

Fear of Communism gripped nation & started widespread campaign of repression known as McCarthyism; 1938 – HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee) investigated Communist influence in labor unions;1947 - highly publicized hearings reported alleged Communist activity in film industry; those accused found themselves on an unofficial blacklistTruman initiated investigation of loyalty of fed employees; communist members of unions expelled1950 – Alger Hiss (state Department official) convicted of perjury for lying about communist affiliations; trial fueled paranoia & contributed to rise of Senator Joseph McCarthy.McCarthy accused top ranking democrat officials of being soft on communism; failed to ID a single communist in gov’t; but the Hiss case & trial of Julius & Ethel Rosenberg supported McCarthy’s accusations

Modern RepublicanismModern Republicanism

1952 – Dwight D. Eisenhower secured Republican nomination & Nixon = V.P. vs. Demo. Adlai StevensonEisenhower popular with “I like Ike” slogan; won 55 % of popular voteEisenhower wanted to decrease need for fed intervention in social & economic issues yet avoid demands for complete de-regulation1958 – NASA founded 1 year after Soviets launched Sputnik (1st satellite in space)Highway Act of 1956 authorized 26 billion to construct interstate highway systemDep. Of Health, Education, & Welfare created in 1953

Eisenhower & Cold WarEisenhower & Cold War

Containment continued with less expensive ways to implement policy1st act of Eisenhower’s presidency was to end Korean War1956 Hungarian Revolt revealed US = few choices w/ foreign policy & SovietsUS developed massive nuclear arsenal & dev. long range bombing capabilities (ICBMs)1960 – Soviets shot down US spy plane flown by pilot Francis Gary Powers – increased tensionUS policy of containment extended to new nations in Third World, but failed to recognize emerging nations not necessarily under communist control; US supported stable gov’ts as long as they were not Communist;

Containment in Post-Colonial WorldContainment in Post-Colonial World

1953 – Iran – CIA helped to oust Iran’s premier Mohammed Mosadegh when he nationalized British oil fields.1954 – Guatemala – CIA supported coup against demo elected Jocobo Arbenz Guzman when he took land held by US United Fruit Co.1954 – Vietnam – Truman missed opportunity to bring Ho Chi Minh (No. Vietnamese leader) to US camp through domestic & military support against French attempt to keep it a colony; Truman incorrectly viewed Ho Chi Minh as an ardent Communist; 1954 Geneva Accords divided Vietnam @ 17th parallel & called for elections in 2 years that would lead to unified Vietnam; US rejected Geneva Accords & took power in So. Vietnam in 1954; when French left in 1956 US took complete control.

Suez Canal CrisisSuez Canal Crisis

1957 – Suez Crisis – Egyptian leader Gamal Nasser declared Egypt neutral in Cold War & US w/drew financial aid; in retaliation, Nasser seized Suez Canal; Britain, France, & Israel attacked Egypt & retook canal; Eisenhower forced France & Britain to pull back & Egypt retook canal & built Aswan Dam with Soviet supportAfter Suez crisis – Eisenhower Doctrine stated American forces would assist any nation in Middle East requiring aid against communistAttention Eisenhower admin paid to dev. in middle east demonstrated how access to oil increasingly affected foreign policyAs Eisenhower left office in 1961 he warned of the growing power of the military industrial complex (linkage between military & defense industry that came with arms race)