Two Superpowers Clash: 1945-1963

THE EARLY COLD WAR

Tehran Conference (1943) – D-Day plans, USSR agreed to enter the war against Japan & claimed the right to Eastern Europe; Britain demanded a free Europe & unified Germany; US proposed the United Nations

Yalta Conference (1945) – United Nations plans; division of Germany; USSR agreed to free elections in Eastern Europe

Potsdam Conference (1945) – Japanese surrender; war-crimes tribunals; occupation of Germany

WORLD WAR II DIPLOMACY

THE POTSDAM CONFERENCE

Former Senator from Missouri

Chosen as VP to appease conservative Democrats who were concerned about Roosevelt’s health

Succeeded to the presidency following FDR’s sudden death on April 12, 1945

Was uninformed about major initiatives related to the war, including the Manhattan Project

PRESIDENT HARRY TRUMAN

US AIMS VS. SOVIET AIMS

The US Wanted To… The Soviets Wanted to…

Create a new world order in which all nations had the right of self determination

Encourage communism in other countries as part of the worldwide struggle between workers & the wealthy

Gain access to raw materials for its industries

Rebuild its war-ravaged economy using Eastern Europe’s industrial equipment & raw materials

Rebuild European governments to ensure stability & to create new markets for American goods

Control Eastern Europe to balance US influence in Western Europe

Reunite Germany, believing that Europe would be more secure if Germany was productive

Keep Germany divided & weak as that it would never again threaten the Soviet Union

Following World War II, the USSR installed communist governments in Eastern Europe

These countries became known as satellite nations

Winston Churchill famously claimed that an “iron curtain” had fallen across Europe

THE IRON CURTAIN

Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech

Proposed in 1946 by US diplomat George Kennan

Intended as a way to stop the spread of communism & to prevent a domino effect

First implemented in reaction to a communist threat in Greece & Turkey

CONTAINMENT DOCTRINE

Announced in March 1947

Claimed that the US had a duty to support free nations under communist threat

Persuaded Congress to send $400 million in aid to Greece & Turkey

Signaled an end to US isolationism

THE TRUMAN DOCTRINE (1947)

The Truman Doctrine (PBS)

THE TRUMAN DOCTRINE (1947)

Offi cially the European Recovery Program (ERP)

Proposed in June 1947Motivated by the fear

that war-torn Europe could fall under the influence of Communism

Led to $13 billion in aid to Western Europe Used to rebuild

infrastructure & industry & to buy American goods

THE MARSHALL PLAN (1947)

THE BERLIN AIRLIFT (1948-49)

In June 1948, Stalin closed all highway & rail routes into West Berlin

Truman ordered US planes to fly supplies of food, clothing, & other goods into the city

By May 1949, the USSR realized that it was beaten & lifted the blockade

THE BERLIN AIRLIFT (1948-49)

Berlin Airlift Video

The USSR exploded its first atomic bomb in 1949Prompted the US to increase efforts to create a more powerful hydrogen bomb

The US succeeded in November 1952

The USSR followed in 1953

THE ARMS RACE

THE ARMS RACE

Included the US, Canada, & 10 Western European nations

Pledged military support to one another in case any member was attacked

The USSR countered with the Warsaw Pact in 1955

THE NATO ALLIANCE (1949)

THE CHINESE REVOLUTION (1949)

When World War II ended, Japanese troops north of the 38 th parallel surrendered to the USSR

On June 25, 1950, North Korean troops crossed the line & attacked the South South Korea appealed to

the UN for help UN troops were sent under

the command of General Douglas MacArthur

THE KOREAN WAR (1950-53)

The early stages of the war went poorly for the Americans

In response, MacArthur ordered a surprise amphibious attack at Inchon Pushed the North to the

Chinese border Prompted Chinese intervention

UN forces forced to retreat across the 38 th parallel Led to a stalemate that

dragged on until a truce was signed in 1953

THE KOREAN WAR (1950-53)

Under President Eisenhower, the US promised to use all of it force, including nuclear weapons, against any aggressor nation Known as brinkmanship Promoted by Secretary of

State John Foster Dulles Led to a constant fear of

nuclear attack

PRESIDENT DWIGHT EISENHOWER

Duck & Cover Video

Eisenhower relied on covert operations by the CIA to prevent communists from taking power in strategic countries

Other Cold War issues during the Eisenhower administration included: Geneva Summit Suez Crisis Hungarian Uprising

THE COLD WAR SPREADS

In October 1957, the USSR launched Sputnik – the world’s first artificial satellite Prompted Americans to pour money into their own space program

SPUTNIK (1957)

Beginning in 1955, the CIA flew secret missions over the USSR Relied on the U-2 Took photographs of

troops movements & missile sites

May 1960, pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the USSR Sentenced to 10 years

in prison

U-2 INCIDENT (1960)

Elected in 1960

Called for a flexible response to the communist threat

Increased defense spending in order to boost nonnuclear forces such as troops, ships, & artillery

PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY

In March 1960, Eisenhower had given the CIA permission to secretly train Cuban exiles for an invasion Carried out in April 1961 Faced 25,000 Cuban

troops backed by Soviet tanks & jets

Many of the exiles were killed or imprisoned

BAY OF PIGS INVASION (1961)

In the years after the Berlin Airlift, almost 3 million East Germans had fled into West Berlin Led the USSR to build a

wall dividing the city First made of brick &

barbed wire, but later built with cement & steel

Reinforced with armed guards, electric fences, & vehicle traps

BERLIN WALL (1961)

Ich Bin Ein Berliner Speech

In October 1962, US spy planes photographed Soviet missile bases in Cuba US prepared for war Soviets moved more

ships toward the island Ended when the USSR

agreed to remove its missiles & the US pledged not to invade the island

CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS (1962)

Cuban Missile Crisis Speech

The spread of communism throughout Eastern Europe and China fueled fears at homeUS Communist Party had 100,000 membersSome feared that they may be loyal to the Soviet Union

THE RED SCARE

Truman was accused of being soft on CommunismEstablished the Federal Employee Loyalty Program to investigate employees in March 1947Ran initial reviews of 4.5 million

Led to the dismissal of 212 people

LOYALTY REVIEW BOARD

Established in 1945 to investigate suspected threats of subversion Famously investigated the Communist influence on the movie industry in 1947 Hollywood Ten refused to

testify & were sentenced to 1-year prison sentences

Eventually, more than 300 artists were blacklisted by the studios

THE HOUSE UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE

Accused in 1948 of spying for the Soviet Union Case was pursued by

Congressman Richard Nixon

Eventually convicted of perjury & sentenced to 5 years in prison

Served to increase fears about Soviet infiltration of the American government

ALGER HISS

In 1949, the Soviets tested a their first atomic bomb – sooner than the US expected US physicist Klaus Fuchs

admitted to passing atomic information to the Soviets

Minor Communist Party activists Ethel & Julius Rosenberg were also implicated in the case Convicted of espionage &

sentenced to death Executed in 1953

THE ROSENBERGS

Made it unlawful to promote the establishment of a “totalitarian dictatorship”

Also required Communist organizations to register with the US government Members were not permitted to become citizens

& could be prevented from entering or leaving the country

Passed over Truman’s veto

THE MCCARREN ACT (1950)

US Senator from Wisconsin who became the most visible public face America’s pursuit of Communists Announced in 1950 that

he had a list of 205 names of Communists who had infiltrated the US government

Won reelection in 1952 without ever revealing any of the names

JOSEPH MCCARTHY

Began an investigation of the US army in 1953

Televised hearings were held in 1954 Several key pieces of evidence

were shown to be doctored or faked

Confronted by Army counsel Joseph Welch in a series of heated exchanges

Led to McCarthy’s downfall & Senate censure for improper conduct

ARMY-MCCARTHY HEARING (1954)