Early Cold War America: A New Role, Irrational Fears,

and the Dream1945 - 1956

President Harry S. Truman, 1945 - 1952

Decisive – “The buck stops here.” A-Bomb Berlin Crisis Civil Rights Firing of MacArthur

Growth of presidential power (FDR – Nixon)

Post World War II European Politics

Atlantic Charter (1941) and Yalta Conference (1945) US hoped for a “Wilsonian” peace

End of US isolationism US = world leader United Nations involvement vs. League of Nations in

1919 Division of Europe

Germany and Berlin divided into 4 sectors East Europe = Communist (Soviet satellite states) West Europe = Democracies

The Division of Germany and Berlin

“An iron curtain has descended across the Continent…” Churchill

Truman’s Foreign Policy Europe = #1 priority Containment (1947 – George F. Kennan)

Limit the spread and influence of Communism No more “total victory” or “unconditional surrender”

Truman Doctrine – March 1947 $400 million in aid to Turkey and Greece US military and economic aid to nations that were

threatened by Communism Marshall Plan – June 1947

Massive international aid to rebuild Europe Total of $13 billion

Marshall Plan

Truman’s First Major Cold War Test Crisis in Berlin (March

1948) Soviet reaction to

unification of W. Germany blockade W. Berlin

“We are very close to war.” Truman’s diary

Truman’s options… The choice…Berlin Airlift

(June 1948 – May 1949)

Berlin Airlift4500 tons of supplies/day for 2.2 million Berliners

1 flight every 3 minutes

“Operation Little Vittles”

Peacetime Alliances

NATO (1949)

W. Europe, US, Canada

An attack on one = an attack on all

Warsaw Pact (1955)

E. Europe

Post WWII Asia

Firmly in US “sphere of influence” Japan

US occupied with US written Constitution democracy and capitalistic

All imperial holdings lost Philippines

Independent in 1946

Post World War II Asia

1949: A year of uncertainty Containment tested: China

Civil war resumed after WWII Chiang Kai-Shek – US backed Nationalists Mao Zedong – Communists Communists won in 1949 and Nationalists fled

to Taiwan Truman’s commitment to containment questioned

Formal alliance with USSR in 1950; no US recognition for 30 years

Chinese Civil War

Mao Zedong, 1949 - 1976

Post WWII Asia – Korean War, 1950 - 1953

The Cold War turns hot… Causes

Pre WWII Japanese occupation post WWII divided Korea between US and USSR

38th Parallel North Korea – Communist – Kim Il Sung South Korea – Democratic – Syngman Rhee Ongoing civil war; both leaders want to unite Korea,

but under different ideals June 1950: Stalin backs N. Korean plan to invade

S. Korea

The Korean War

The Korean War Legacy

The “Forgotten War” – why? Active US involvement in Asia (Vietnam) Permanently divided Korea Tense US/China relations Fading domestic support for US military action Rise of UN Growth of presidential power

No formal declaration of war; “police action” Firing of MacArthur

Domestic Politics: 1948 Election

1. Civil Rights divided the Democratic Party Dixiecrats

2. A stunning upset: Truman over Dewey

3. Continuation of New Deal Fair Deal

Cold War Fears at Home In fighting Communism, did we undermine

democracy?

The HUAC

Blacklisting and the Hollywood Ten

Cold War Fears at Home Fear of Communism nothing new

Anti-Labor Union sentiment (Haymarket Affair 1886), Red Scare of 1920s, Liberals/Dems. = Communists Federal Employee Loyalty Program (1947 - 1951) under Truman

Background checks Violated 6th Amendment rights

HUAC – congressional committee formed to investigate suspectedCommunists

Cold War Fears at Home

HUAC Target: Hollywood Movies = power of public opinion/propaganda “Naming names” blacklisting of over 300 Hollywood Ten (1947)

Violations of 1st and 5th Amendment rights no testimony

Jailed and fined for contempt of Congress

McCarthyism

Senator Joseph McCarthy – Republican from Wisconsin

Cold War Fears (Seemingly) Confirmed

Alger Hiss Case: 1948 – 50 Ethel and Julius Rosenberg:

1950 - 1953