Strange Bedfellows

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Have you ever been so scared about something

only to realize that it wasn’t that bad?

Have you ever wanted to accomplish something so

much that you compromised your principles in order to

achieve your goal?

Did the ends justify the means?

Chapter 15: The Cold War Begins

Despite being allies during WWII, the United States was still fearful of world-wide communism and a communist revolution at home.

Despite being allies during WWII, the Soviet Union was still fearful that the United States and other non-Communist countries would

try and destroy them.

The Soviet Union was also fearful of being attacked by Germany

again.

The Yalta Conference

Poland: A government friendly to Soviet Union, but free elections

soon.The Declaration of a Liberated

Europe: “the right of all people to choose the form of government

under which they will live.”

The Declaration of Liberated Europe

Dividing Germany: Germany would be divided into four zones. The U.S., Great Britain, U.S.S.R. and

France would each control a zone.

Berlin, the capital city would also be divided into four zones.

Tensions begin to rise: Two weeks after Yalta, Soviets pressure

Romania into creating a Communist government, violating

the Declaration of Liberated Europe.

April 1945 – Soviets create strong Communist government in Poland,

free elections never happen.

The Soviet Unions Security Concerns

The Potsdam Conference

The Soviets wanted Germany to pay heavy reparations, the U.S.

disagreed. Compromise reached on light reparations, Soviets not

satisfied.

America’s Economic Strategy

Because the Soviet troops had liberated Eastern Europe from Nazi control, they remained there and imposed their form of government

on those countries. Those countries became known as

Satellite Nations

The Satellite Nations

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill coined the phrase “Iron Curtain” to describe the invisible barrier between the Communist countries of Eastern Europe and

the Democracies of Western Europe.

The Iron Curtain Speech

Competing Goals and Concerns.

• Soviets concerned about security.

• Germany must remain weak, and border countries under Soviet control.

• Belief in communist system.

• Feared capitalist countries trying to destroy communism

• Fear of spread of Communism and overthrow of government.

• America has strong economic concerns. WWII caused by Depression.

• Trade reductions caused Depression.

• Economic growth and trade was key to peace.

• Democratic governments made countries more peaceful and stable.

Section 2 Essential Question:

How did President Truman attempt to deter Communism?

April 12, 1945 – Roosevelt dies.

New President is Harry S. Truman

Truman is a strong anti-communist. Believes

appeasement by British led to WWII, does not

want to make same mistake.

“We must stand up to the Russians.”

To stop the spread of

Communism our chief foreign

policy goal was containment.

This would require a long

term commitment .

The Truman Doctrine:

…to aid “free peoples who are

resisting attempted subjugation by

armed minorities or by outside pressures.”

This was a pledge to fight the spread of

Communism.

Secretary of State George C. Marshall

proposed the European Recovery

Program, or the Marshall Plan. 13

billion dollars in aid was provided to the countries of

Western Europe to help them rebuild their economies.

Spring of 1948, France, Great Britain and the U.S.

merge their zones into one, officially creating the

Federal Republic of Germany and unofficially creating West Germany. They also combine their zones in Berlin, making

West Berlin a part of the new German Republic.

The Soviets responded by creating the German

Democratic Republic, also known as East Germany.

June 1948, the Soviets, angered by not having received reparations from West Germany, cut off all

road and rail traffic to West Berlin. They wanted West Germany to

pay reparations, or for the U.S. to abandon West Berlin, the United

States did neither. June of 1948 until May 12, 1949 the United States flew 2 million

tons of food, medicine, coal, and other supplies into West Berlin.

This became known as the Berlin Airlift.

NATO – The North Atlantic Treaty

Organization is created in 1949.

This was a military alliance between the U.S., Canada, Great Britain, France, Italy, Belgium, Denmark,

Portugal, the Netherlands, Norway,

Luxemburg, and Iceland.

The Chinese Revolution-1949

Communist led by Mao ZedongNationalist led by Chiang Kai-shek

Fighting since 1920’s but worked together against Japanese. When WWII ended civil war continued.

The U.S. gave 2 billion dollars in aid to the

Nationalist government to prevent a Communist

takeover but it didn’t work. The Nationalist

government fled to the island of Formosa

(Taiwan) and in October of 1949, the Communist

created the Peoples Republic of China

The U.S. continued to recognize the

Nationalist government in

Taiwan and would not allow the Communist

government of China to join the United Nations.

In September of 1949 the Soviet Union announced it had successfully tested an atomic bomb. It achieved this from information gained by its spies in the United States.

1950 – The Communist

governments in China and the Soviet Union

sign a treaty of friendship and

alliance, creating fear in

the U.S.

With the Communist takeover in China, the U.S. put great emphasis in getting Japan’s economy up and

running again.

The Korean War June 1950 – July 1953

over 36,000 U.S. soldiers killed

many more Koreans and Chinese are killed.

The U.S. and the U.S.S.R. entered Korea at the end

of WWII. Korea was divided along the 38th

parallel.The Soviets created a

Communist government in the North and the U.S.

created a Democratic government in the South. Reunification talks broke

down.

On June 25, 1950, with help from Soviet military aid, North Korean forces

invade South Korea.President Truman sees this as a test of the containment policy and sends the military into action. American troops stationed in Japan are sent to Korea.

Truman also called on the United Nations to act against the aggression.

After surviving near defeat, U.S. and South Korean forces, Under the leadership of General Douglas MacArthur, push the North Korean forces back across the 38th parallel and close to the Chinese border.

China feared the approaching U.S. and U.N. troops and warned them

to halt their advance. The U.S. continued to pursue to North

Koreans close to the Chinese and the Chinese responded by sending hundreds of thousands of troops

across the border.

The Chinese pushed the U.N., U.S. and S.K. forces back across the 38th

parallel. By the fall of 1951, a stalemate developed near the 38th parallel with neither side gaining much ground. The war would last

another 2 years though.

• When the Chinese attacked, General MacArthur urged the president to attack Chinese cities with atomic weapons. Truman was committed to a limited war and did no want to expand the conflict into China. Truman eventually fired MacArthur for publicly criticizing him.

The Korean War expanded the Cold War into Asia, it demonstrated our commitment to use force to stop

the spread of Communism, it triggered a military buildup in the U.S., and it led to our giving aid to

the French who were fighting Communists in Vietnam.

Section 3 – The Cold War and American Society

A New Red Scare – * Igor Gouzenko defects* fear of Communist subversion* loyalty review program for federal employees. (loyalty was questioned because of books read, films watched, group affiliation, travel overseas, etc.)

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)

Used by the FBI to investigate Communists and Communist sympathizers.

Hollywood was targeted because of its powerful influence over American culture. Many actors, writers, directors and producers were investigated and many had their careers ruined because of mere speculation. (Blacklisted)

Alger Hiss and the Rosenbergs

Hiss was a minor spy.

Julius Rosenberg was a major spy.Doubt remains about Ethel Rosenberg.Julius and Ethel were executed in 1953.

McCarthyism – (to make vague and unfounded charges against

someone with the result of casting doubt on them and damaging their

reputation)

Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin used this tactic to get elected to the U.S. Senate. He made a name for himself by making unsubstantiated accusations of Communist ties against government officials.

McCarthy used his position in the Senate to

investigate and accuse innocent

Americans, ruining many

reputations and careers.

In 1954, when McCarthy went looking for spies in the U.S. Army, the American people had finally had enough. McCarthy was censured by the Senate, disgraced and humiliated. He died in 1957.

Fallout Shelters, Movies, Television and Music

• The Five Stars – Atom Bomb Baby

Fear of “The Bomb” Duck-and-Cover

R.A.F.T.• Role: (Sen. Joe McCarthy, a Hollywood director, a

news reporter, a student learning to “duck and cover”, etc.)

• Audience: (depends on your role)• Format: (your choice, ex: news report, diary entry,

letter to the editor, letter to Congress, letter to your parents, etc.)

• Topic: the Red Scare in the United States.

Section 4 – Eisenhower’s Cold War Policies

“More Bang for the Buck” and Massive Retaliation

Nuclear weapons were more cost effective than

conventional military forces.

Brinkmanship – Eisenhower’s willingness to threaten the use of

nuclear weapons in order to contain Communism.

Taiwan and Suez Crisis

The CIA and covert operations in developing nations.

The 1956 - Hungarian Revolt

1957 – Sputnik launched

1960 – U-2 (U.S.)spy plane shot down