Origins of the Cold War

CommunismCommunism• An economic and

political system based on one-party government and state ownership of property

• Totalitarianism – government exercises complete control over its citizens lives.

CapitalismCapitalism• An economic system

in which private individuals and corporations control the means of production and use them to earn profits.

• Democracy Democracy - a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people

Yalta Conference, 1945 – promises of free elections in Eastern Europe ignored by Stalin - Poland controlled by pro-Soviet government

The U.S. Wanted To The Soviets Wanted To

• encourage democracy in other countries to help prevent the rise of new totalitarian governments•Gain access to raw materials and markets for its booming industries•Rebuild Euro. governments to ensure stability and to create new markets for American goods•Reunite Germany, believing that Euro. would be more secure if Germany were productive and less bitter about defeat

•Encourage communism in other countries as part of the worldwide struggle b/t workers and the wealthy•Transfer the industrial equipment of E. Euro. To the Soviet Union to help rebuild its war-ravaged economy•Control E. Euro. To balance the U.S. influence in W. Euro.•Keep Germany divided and weak, since Germans had waged war against Russia twice in 30 years and had caused most of the 20 million Soviet deaths in WWII

The Iron Curtain“A shadow has fallen upon the scenes so

lately lighted by the Allied victory…. From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe…. All these famous cities and the populations around them lie in the Soviet sphere and all are subject in one form or another, not only to soviet influence but to a very high and increasing measure of control from Moscow.”

– Winston Churchill, 1946

Understanding Containment

CONTAINMENT: American policy to block the spread of Soviet influence

Pro-Containment: George F. Kennan (foreign service officer)

Anti-Containment: Walter Lippmann (journalist)

The Truman DoctrineExcerpts from 1947 address to Congress

Marshall Plan, 1947As explained in an address to the Harvard

graduating class of 1947

• Secretary of State George Marshall proposed that the United States should supply economic aid to European nations to help them rebuild after World War II.

National Security Act - 1947• New Department of

Defense oversees armed services

• National Security Council operates out of the white house and governs foreign and military policy,

• CIA is created

Berlin Airlift - 1949• Soviets blockade West Germany – 2.1 million

inhabitants would run out of food….• America and Britain to rescue!• 327 days, 277,000 flights, 2.3 million tons of food

and supplies

NATO

• 1949 – 12 nations sign North Atlantic Treaty Organization

• By 1955 Soviets form Warsaw Pact

• Europe is now officially divided….

Re-evaluating Cold War Policy

• 1949 – Soviets explode first atomic weapon and Chiang Kai Shek’s government falls– China now communist under

Chairman MoaNSC-68 – NSC Report which outlined U.S. new policy to establish firm and active leadership of noncommunist world

- Big expansion of military to stop spread of communism

Korean War• June 1950 communist N. invades

pro-western S. • Truman calls for UN intervention,

U.S. adds troops to effort– Gen. Douglas MacArthur in charge

• Containment or liberation?– We pursue N. into own territory

• China gets involved– MacArthur wants full-victory, Truman

wants to avoid bigger war…– MacArthur is fired, war drags on and

ends in stalemate in 1953

H-Bomb• U.S. successfully tests in 1952

– Blast equal to 10.4 million tons of TNT

• Soviets succeed in 1953

Eisenhower and Dulles• John Foster Dulles = Secretary of State

– For liberation, not just containment– Promoted “massive retaliation”“You have to take chances for peace, just as you

must take chances in war…. If you are scared to go to the brink, you are lost.”

Eisenhower Doctrine

• United States would defend the Middle East against attack by any Communist country.– March, 1957 – officially approved by

Congress– Gave pres. Authority to use Amer. Forces

against armed aggression in the Middle East by any nation “controlled by international communism”

U-2 crisis…

• Krushchev wants to meet w/ Eisenhower about Berlin – Meeting planned but Soviets shoot down U.S.

U-2 plan in Russian airspace… MEETING CANCELED!

Military Industrial Complex?“This conjunction of an immense military

establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.”

By 1960, 52% of federal budget spent on defense