Chapter 21
Origins of the Cold War• The Cold War – an era of
tension between the United States and the USSR 1946 to 1990
• Communist Soviets suspicious of capitalist West
• US believed WWII caused by the Great Depression and that economic growth was the key to peace
Origins of the Cold War
• The Yalta Conference - In the last months of WWII, the US, Great Britain, and the USSR met at Yalta to plan the post-war world
Origins of the Cold War
• PolandTwo governments – one
democratic and one communist
USSR wanted communists to remain in power after the war
US and Britain agreed as long as free elections were held
Origins of the Cold War
• Declaration of Liberated Europe – declaration that asserted “the right of all people to choose the form of government under which they will live”
Origins of the Cold War
• Dividing GermanyGermany was to be
divided into four zonesThe capital of Germany,
Berlin, was also to be divided
Stalin demanded Germany pay war reparations
Origins of the Cold War
• Rising TensionsSoviets began pressuring countries under their
control to establish communist governmentsUS accused Soviets of violating Declaration of
Liberated Europe
Communist controlled countries came to be called satellite countries
Origins of the Cold War
• The Potsdam Conference Harry Truman became
president upon death of Roosevelt
Truman, Churchill, and Stalin met at Potsdam
Stalin and Truman argued over German reparations
Truman also demanded Japanese surrender
The Early Cold War Years
• The Long TelegramUS asked US embassy in USSR to explain Soviet behaviorResponse was the “long telegram” from diplomat George
KennanUSSR afraid of the WestUSSR in struggle with capitalismKennan believed US should keep USSR from expanding
through diplomatic, economic, and military action– policy of containment
The Early Cold War Years
• Crisis in IranUS and USSR had troops
in Iran at end of WWIIUSSR established a
communist government in northern Iran
US protested Soviet actions and sent warships to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea
Soviets backed down
My name is President Harry S. Truman
The Early Cold War Years
• The Truman DoctrineSoviets placed pressure on Turkey – demanded
joint control of the DardanellesPresidential advisor Dean Acheson advised a show
of forceSoviets also backed Greek communists in Greek
civil warUS sent money to fight communists – policy
became known as Truman Doctrine
The Early Cold War Years
• The Marshall PlanGave monetary aid to
Europe to rebuild after WWII
The USSR and its satellite nations rejected the offer
Economic recovery weakened the appeal of Communism
The Early Cold War Years
• The Berlin CrisisUS, Britain, and France
decide to merge their zones of Germany and Berlin and allow a German government
This became known as West Germany
The Soviet zone became known as East Germany
The Early Cold War Years
• The Berlin Airlift (June 1948) The USSR decided to cut
off all land access to Berlin hoping the Allies would abandon the city
Truman responded by ordering the Berlin Airlift
Planes supplied the city into 1949 when the Soviets called off the blockade
The Early Cold War Years
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)Allies convinced the
USSR was bent on world conquest
Mutual defense alliance formed called NATO
The USSR responded with their own alliance called the Warsaw Pact
The Early Cold War Years
• China 1949Civil war between the
Communists led by Mao Zedong and Nationalists led by Chiang Kai-Shek
Communists won the civil war and Nationalists fled to island of Taiwan (aka Formosa)
Nationalists supported by US
Mao Zedong
Chiang Kai-Shek
The Early Cold War Years
• The Korean War North Korea controlled
by Communists USSR trained & equipped
North Korean Army North Korea invaded
South Korea US intervened militarily
but US forced pushed into small corner of the peninsula
Dang. This little kid is heavy!
The Early Cold War YearsUN resolved to help
South KoreaAllied troops, led by US
General MacArthur, invaded Korea at Inchon
North Koreans forced back to Chinese border
Chinese attacked allied forces forcing them back to the middle of the peninsula
The Early Cold War Years MacArthur wanted to expand
the war into China President Truman fired
MacArthur Truman remained committed
to a limited war – a war fought to achieve a limited objective (contain Communism)
UN & North Korea signed armistice 1953
Cold War & American Society
• Red ScareAfter WWII, it became
known that the USSR was trying to infiltrate many areas of American society
Subversion – effort to secretly weaken a society and overthrow its government
Cold War & American Society
• President Truman established a Loyalty Review Program to screen federal employees for Communism
• House Un-American Activities Committee established to investigate Communist influence
• FBI investigated subversion under leadership of J. Edgar Hoover
Rrrrrrrr!!!Woof! Woof!
Cold War & American Society
• Alger Hiss 1948 Whittaker Chambers
testified before HUAC that US diplomat Alger Hiss was a Communist
Hiss denied the allegations Hiss was convicted of
perjury (lying under oath) after evidence showed he lied about facts in the case
Alger Hiss testifying before HUAC
This isn’t the Voice? Dang! I wanted to sing
Cold War & American Society
• The Rosenbergs Klaus Fuchs admitted
giving atomic secrets to the USSR
His testimony implicated the Rosenbergs
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were accused of passing secret info to the USSR
They were tried, convicted, and executed
Cold War & American Society
• Project Venona The US had cracked
Soviet codes Intercepted messages
proved that Soviet spies were subverting America and that many, including, the Rosenbergs, were guilty of spying
Cold War & American Society
• McCarthyismJoseph McCarthy - Wisconsin senatorClaimed to have a list of 205 Communists in
American governmentMcCarthy conducted hearings – damaged
reputations with vague and unfounded chargesDuring the Army-McCarthy Hearings, he was
exposed as a demagogueMcCarthy was censured (formal disapproval) by
Congress
Cold War & American Society
• The McCarran Act1950Restricted rights of
Communist Party and organizations
Law was passed over Truman’s veto
Senator Joseph McCarthy
I’m Senator Joe McCarthy and you look like a stinking
Commie to me
Cold War & American Society
• Facing the Bomb USSR obtained the atomic
bomb in 1949 USSR tested the H-Bomb in
1953 Americans afraid of Soviet
first strike Duck and Cover Fallout – radiation left over
from a bomb blast Fallout Shelters – shelters to
protect from fallout
Eisenhower’s Policies• Eisenhower was popular for his
work as commanding general in WWII Europe
• Believed way to beat USSR was to push for strong economy
• Believed in threatening to use nuclear weapons if Communists seized territory by force (massive retaliation)
• New Look – instead of maintaining large army be prepared to use nuclear weapons
President Dwight Eisenhower
Doh!
Eisenhower’s Policies
• Sputnik Crisis New technology such as B-
52 bomber and ICBMs America surprised by
Russian launch of Sputnik US established National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
National Defense Education Act pushed science and math in schools
Eisenhower’s Policies
• Secretary of State John Foster Dulles defended Eisenhower’s policies of threatening nuclear war
• Brinkmanship – willingness to go to brink of war to get other side to back down
Eisenhower’s Policies
• Eisenhower hinted to China & North Korea US might use nuclear weapons – Communists agreed to armistice
• Communist China attacked islands belonging to Taiwan – China backed down after US threatened nuclear war
Eisenhower’s Policies
• Eisenhower used Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to prevent Communist uprisings in other countries using covert or secret, hidden operations
• Many of these operations took place in developing nations – nations with primarily agricultural economies
Eisenhower’s Policies
• Iran –Iranian Prime Minister Mossadegh exiled the pro-American Shah and negotiated an oil deal with the USSR
• The CIA arranged street riots and staged a coup giving power back to the Shah
Arrest of MossadeghAnd I would have gotten away with it too if it weren’t
for you kids
Eisenhower’s Policies
• Guatemala 1951 Jacobo Guzman won
election as president with Communist support
He began land reform by taking over property of American United Fruit Company
Communists sent Guatemala weapons
CIA armed Guatemala opposition – invaded and tossed Guzman
Communist Precision Drill Team
Eisenhower’s Policies
• Hungary 1956 Nikita Khrushchev succeeded
Stalin as leader of USSR Khrushchev made speech
attacking policies of Stalin Hungary began a full-scale
anti-Communist uprising USSR used army to crush
Hungarian rebellion
Hungarians destroy statue of Josef Stalin – hated symbol of Communist oppression
Eisenhower’s Policies
• The Hungarian uprising caused Khrushchev to reassert Soviet power
• Eisenhower sought to improve relations with visits between the two countries
• A summit (face-to-face meeting) was planned
Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev
I want to go to Disneyland
Eisenhower’s Policies
• The summit was cancelled when an American spy plane was shot down over Russia
• The captured pilot, Francis Gary Powers, was produced to embarrass the US
• Eisenhower left the presidency warning against the influence of the Military-industrial complex
Geez! This suit is tight!