The Cold War

Notes – Chapters 36-38

Former Allies Clash

Yalta Conference – Feb 1945FDR, Churchill, StalinOccupation zones in GermanyFree PolandUNSoviets enter war against Japan in exchange for landPost-war World

Former Allies Clash

US and USSR emerged as rival superpowers

Bitter rivalry

USSR – communist countryState controlled all propertyTotalitarian government – no opposing parties

US – capitalist countryPrivate citizens control propertyDemocratic – vote with free political parties

Former Allies Clash

Stalin had only joined the Allies after Hitler invaded the USSR

US suspicious

Stalin resented Allied delay in creating the second front in WW2US ended lend-lease to USSRUS had kept atomic bomb a secretUSSR wanted sphere of influence

for protection

United NationsHopes for world peace50 Nations met to establish UN in April 1945US and USSR used UN as a forum to spread their influence

Potsdam Conference

US, UK, and USSRUS – TrumanUK – Clement AttleeUSSR – Stalin

Potsdam Conference

At Yalta, Stalin agreed to free elections in Poland

Truman wanted self-determinationUS would benefit economically•Access to raw materials•Markets to sell goods

Stalin did not keep his promiseWanted land to prevent invasions from west

Containment

Stalin installed communist governments in countries of Eastern Europe

Satellite nations – countries dominated by the USSRWar was inevitable?

US moves to contain the Soviet threatGeorge Kennan proposed policy of containmentPrevent the extension of communism to other countries

The Iron CurtainEurope was dividedCommunist Eastern Europe v. Democratic Western Europe

Churchill coins the phrase iron curtainMetaphor for the division of Europe

Cold WarUS v. USSR –neither nation confronted the other on the battlefieldDominated global affairs from 1945-1991Truman Doctrine

The US will “support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures”US spends $400 million in aid to Greece and Turkey•Prevent communist take over

National Security Act – 1947Set up Dept of Defense, CIA (keep draft)

National Defense Budget [1940-1964]

Marshall PlanSec. of State George MarshallUS provides aid to all European nations that needed it

Revived European hopes16 countries received $13 billion in aidCommunist party lost its appeal to voters in Western Europe

Germany?

Issue of German reunificationGermany was divided into four zones after WW2

US, UK, and France combined their zones in 1948USSR held East Germany

City of Berlin was split into the two zonesWestern Berlin was occupied by Allies, but surrounded by Soviet territory

Stalin closed off routes into West Berlin

Berlin AirliftNo fuel or food could reach W. BerlinUS and UK flew food and supplies to BerlinW. Berlin survivedUSSR lifted blockade and US prestigewas raised

NATO

12 nations signed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Pledged military support

First time US entered a military alliance during peacetimeNO isolationism for US!

Soviets respond with Warsaw Pact

Nuclear Arms Race

Began during Truman’s PresidencySoviets exploded atomic bomb in 1949

US entered into race for Hydrogen BombEven more destructive – immoral?US explodes H-Bomb in 1952Soviets exploded H-Bomb 1953

Brinkmanship

John Foster Dulles – Ike’s Secretary of State

ANTI-COMMUNISTA moral crusade against communism

Brinkmanship – willingness to go to the edge of all-out war

US trimmed army and navy to focus on its air forceBuilt up nuclear weapons

Chinese Civil War – 1946-1950

Chiang Kai-Shek (nationalist) v. Mao Zedong (communist)US supports nationalists with aid, but no troopsNationalists lose and flee to TaiwanMainland China becomes communistDemocrats accused of being soft on communism

Korean War

[1950-1953]

Korean WarNorth Korea attacked the SouthUSSR absent from UN

UN votes to restore peace

US aids South – MacArthur’s troopsChina intervenes for North

MacArthur presses for retaliation/invasion of China/use of nuclear weaponsPublicly complainsFIRED!

Korean War[1950-1953]

Syngman Rhee

Kim Il-Sung

“Domino Theory”

The Shifting Map of Korea[1950-1953]

Cold War Spreads

CIA (Central Intelligence Agency)Collected information – spiesCovert operations

IranPrime Minister Mossadegh nationalized oil fieldsCIA helped the Shah of Iran return to powerTurned oil fields back over to Western companies

GuatemalaCIA took covert action to change the govt.

Cold War Spreads

Geneva Summit“open skies proposal” – allow flightsSoviets reject it, but it’s a step towards peace

Suez WarNasser looking for aid for dam on Nile• Asked US/Britain, then USSR• US withdraws offer

Nasser nationalized the Suez CanalIsrael, Britain, and France sent troopsUN defused situation

Eisenhower DoctrineEisenhower’s WarningUS would defend the Middle East against communist attack

Hungarian UprisingSoviets had dominated HungaryHungarians revolted in 1956 – Democracy!Soviets brutally responded and put down rebellionUS did nothing – Hungary was a satellite

Space Race

Khruschev took power after StalinPeaceful coexistenceCompetition!

Soviets launched Sputnik in 1957World’s first artificial satellite

US frantically tries to catch upPours in money – research and educationCreation of NASA

U-2 Incident

CIA made secret flights over USSR (U-2)Eisenhower and Krushchev holding another summit

Dulles – make one last flight!

Soviets shoot down the planeFlown by Francis Gary Powers

Renewed ConfrontationEisenhower at first denies then admits incident Krushchev demands apologyEisenhower says NO! -- TENSION

Kennedy and the Cold War Foreign Policy focused on Cold War

Communists gaining loyalty in third worldPeace Corps and the Alliance for Progress

Redefine the nation’s nuclear strategyFlexible Response:Create a range of options by strengthening the conventional military

Created the Green BeretsElite branch of the Army

Cold War Continues

Fidel Castro leads communist revolution in Cuba – 1959

Nationalizes US/UK propertiesUS cuts off Cuban trade

April 17, 1961 – Bay of PigsCIA trained Cuban exiles attempted to invade Cuba and overthrow CastroFailed – JFK takes responsibility (even though the plan was put in place by Ike)Pushed Cuba further into alliance with USSR

Cold War Continues

Cuban Missile CrisisOct 1962, US spy planes review nuclear missiles in CubaJFK rejects air strike, instead issues a naval quarantine of CubaKhrushchev agrees to pull missiles out of Cuba and US agrees to remove missiles from Turkey

Berlin Wall Crisis

After the airlift, many East Germans fled to West BerlinKhrushchev wanted to close accessJFK says NO! – we are determined to not let the communists drive us from BerlinKhruschev erected the Berlin Wall

Separated East and West BerlinPrevented refugees from crossing