Cold War DBQ
Using information from the documents and your knowledge of United States
history, write an essay in which you discuss the causes of the Cold War and
its impact upon foreign and domestic policy of the United States.
President Truman's address to Congress, March 12, 1947
Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Congress of the United States:
The United States has received from the Greek government an urgent appeal for financial
and economic assistance. The very existence of the Greek state is today threatened by the
terrorist activities of several thousand armed men, led by communists, who defy the
government's authority at a number of points. Greece is in desperate need of financial
and economic assistance to enable it to resume purchases of food, clothing, fuel and
seeds. It must have assistance if it is to become a self-supporting and self-respecting
democracy. Greece's neighbor, Turkey, also deserves our attention. Since the war Turkey
has sought financial assistance for the purpose of effecting that modernization necessary
for the maintenance of its national integrity. I believe that it must be the policy of the
United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed
minorities or by outside pressures. If Greece should fall under the control of an armed
minority, the effect upon its neighbor, Turkey, would be immediate and serious.
Confusion and disorder might well spread throughout the entire Middle East. I therefore
ask the Congress to provide authority for assistance to Greece and Turkey in the amount
of $400 million and to authorize the detail of American civilian and military personnel to
Greece and Turkey.
John F. Kennedy Address to the Nation, July 25, 1961
The immediate threat to free men is in West Berlin. But that isolated outpost is not an
isolated problem. The threat is worldwide. Our effort must be equally wide and strong
and not be obsessed by any single manufactured crisis. We face a challenge in Berlin, but
there is also a challenge in Southeast Asia, where the borders are less guarded, the enemy
harder to find, and the dangers of communism less apparent to those who have so little.
We face a challenge in our own hemisphere, and indeed wherever else the freedom of
human beings is at stake.
Thus, our presence in West Berlin and our access thereto, cannot be ended by any act of
the Soviet government. The NATO shield was long ago extended to cover West Berlin -and we have given our word that an attack upon that city will be regarded as an attack
upon us all.
Winston Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech – Westminister College
– Fulton, Missouri – 1946
“To give security to these countless homes, they must be shielded from
the two giant marauders, war and tyranny. We all know the frightful
disturbances in which the ordinary family is plunged when the cruse of war
swoops down upon the breadwinner and those for whom he works and contrives.
The awful ruin of Europe, with all its vanished glories, and of large parts
of Asia glares us in the eyes. When the designs of wicked men or the
aggressive urge of mighty states dissolve over large areas the frame of
civilized society, humble folk are confronted with difficulties with which
they cannot cope. For them all is distorted, all is broken, even ground to
pulp.”
Secretary of State George C. Marshall Speech at Harvard, 1947
"Poverty and unemployment would reinforce communism's appeal, he said, while
recovery would create stability and thriving democratic institutions.
Fearing U.S. dominance, the Soviets rejected Marshall Plan aid. They were soon
followed by Eastern European countries under their influence."
"Our policy is directed not against any country or doctrine but against hunger, poverty,
desperation and chaos."
Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Vyshinsky
speech to the U.N. General Assembly September 1947
[Marshall Plan] attempts to impose its will on other independent states, while at the same
time obviously using the economic resources distributed as relief to individual needy
nations as an instrument of political pressure.
This policy conflicts sharply with the principle expressed by the General Assembly in its
resolution of 11 December 1946, which declares that relief supplies to other countries
"should ... at no time be used as a political weapon."
"the implementation of the Marshall Plan will mean placing European countries under the
economic and political control of the United States"
"[and] to confront the European countries in need of relief with the necessity of
renouncing their inalienable right [...] to plan their national economy in their own way."
Moreover, this plan is an attempt to split Europe into two camps and, with the help of the
United Kingdom and France, to complete the formation of a bloc of several European
countries hostile to the interests of the democratic countries of Eastern Europe and most
particularly to the interests of the Soviet Union.
North Atlantic Treaty; April 4, 1949
"The Parties will contribute toward the further development of peaceful and friendly
international relations by strengthening their free institutions, by bringing about a better
understanding of the principles upon which these institutions are founded, and by
promoting conditions of stability and well-being."
"In order more effectively to achieve the objectives of this Treaty, the Parties, separately
and jointly, by means of continuous and effective self-help and mutual aid, will maintain
and develop their individual and collective capacity to resist armed attack. "
"The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North
America shall be considered an attack against them all ... and will assist the Party or
Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually, and in concert with the other Parties,
such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and
maintain the security of the North Atlantic area."
Testimony of J. Edgar Hoover before HUAC
"As such, it stands for the destruction of our American form of government; it stands for
the destruction of American democracy; it stands for the destruction of free enterprise;
and it stands for the creation of a "Soviet of the United States" and ultimate world
revolution. ... "
"The mad march of Red fascism is a cause for concern in America. But the deceit, the
trickery, and the lies of the American communists are catching up with them."
"They (the communists) have been able to penetrate and infiltrate many respectable
public opinion mediums. They capitalize upon ill-founded charges associating known
honest progressive liberals with left-wing causes."
"I do fear for the liberal and progressive who has been hoodwinked and duped into
joining hands with the communists."
"As Americans, our most effective defense is a workable democracy that guarantees and
preserves our cherished freedoms. "
"I do fear the palliation and weasel-worded gestures against communism indulged in by
some of our labor leaders who should know better, but who have become pawns in the
hands of sinister but astute manipulations for the communist cause."
General Douglas MacArthur Writings
August 1950
"The prestige of the Western world hangs in the balance. Oriental millions are watching
the outcome. It is plainly apparent that here in Asia is where the Communist conspirators
have elected to make their play for global conquest. The test is not in Berlin or Vienna, in
London, Paris or Washington. It is here and now–it is along the Naktong River in South
Korea. We have joined the issue on the battlefield. Actually, we here fight Europe's war
with arms, while there it is still confined to words. If we lose the war to Communism in
Asia, the fate of Europe will be gravely jeopardized. Win it and Europe will probably be
saved from war and stay free. Make the wrong decision her–the fatal decision of
inertia–and we will be done. I can almost hear the ticking of the second hand of destiny.
We must act now or we will die."
March 1951
"It seems strangely difficult for some to realize that here in Asia where the Communist
conspirators have elected to make their play for global conquest, and we have joined the
issue here raised on the battlefield, that here we fight Europe’s war with arms while the
diplomats there still fight it with words; that if we lose this war to Communism in Asia
the fall of Europe is inevitable; win it and Europe most probably would avoid war and yet
preserve freedom. As you point out, we must win. There is no substitute for victory."
George F. Kennan to Secretary of State James Byrnes February 1946
USSR still lives in antagonistic "capitalist encirclement" with which in the
long run there can be no permanent peaceful coexistence. . . . We have here
a political force committed fanatically to the belief that with US there can
be no permanent modus vivendi, that it is desirable and necessary that the
internal harmony of our society be disrupted, our traditional way of life be
destroyed, the international authority of our state be broken, if Soviet
power is to be secure. . . In addition, [Soviet power] has an elaborate and
far flung apparatus for exertion of its influence in other countries, an
apparatus of amazing flexibility and versatility, managed by people who
experience and skill in underground methods are presumably without parallel
in history. . . . I think we may approach calmly and with good heart problem
of how to deal with Russia. . . . Much depends on health and vigor of our
own society. World communism is like malignant parasite which feeds only on
diseased tissue. . . . Finally we must have courage and self-confidence to
cling to our own methods and conceptions of human society. . . .
Report on the international situation to the Cominform
"In the pursuit of these ends of imperalist camp is prepared to rely on
reactionary and anti-democractic forces in all countries, and to support its
former adversaries in the war against its wartime allies."
"The anit-fascist forces compirse the second camp. This camp is based on the
USSR and the new demcracies."
"In the accomplishment of this fundametnal task of the postwar period the
Soveit Union and its foriegn policy are playing a leading role. This floows
from the very nature of the Soviet socialst state, to which motives of
agression and exploitation are untterly alien, and which is interested in
creating the most favorable conditions for the building of a communist
society."
Eisenhower’s Address to Congress
January 5, 1957
"Thus, we have these simple and indisputable facts:
1. The Middle East, which has always been coveted by Russia, would today be prized
more than ever by International Communism.
2. The Soviet rulers continue to show that they do not scruple to use any means to gain
their ends.
3. The free nations of the Mid East need, and for the most part want, added strength to
assure their continued independence....
...The action which I propose would have the following features.
It would, first of all, authorize the United States to cooperate with and assist any nation or
group of nations in the general area of the Middle East in the development of economic
strength dedicated to the maintenance of national independence.
It would, in the second place, authorize the Executive to undertake in the same region
programs of military assistance and cooperation with any nation or group of nations
which desires such aid.
It would, in the third place, authorize such assistance and cooperation to include the
employment of the armed forces of the United States to secure and protect the territorial
integrity and political independence of such nations, requesting such aid, against overt
armed aggression from any nation controlled by International Communism.
These measures would have to be consonant with the treaty obligations of the United
States, including the Charter of the United Nations and with any action or
recommendations of the United Nations. They would also, if armed attack occurs, be
subject to the overriding authority of the United Nations Security Council in accordance
with the Charter."
NSC – 68
"In particular, the United States now faces the contingency that within the next four or
five years the Soviet Union will possess the military capability of delivering a surprise
atomic attack of such weight that the United STates must have substantially increased
general air, ground, and sea strength, atomic capabilities, and air and civilian defenses to
deter war and provide reasonable assurance, in the event of war, that it could survive the
initial blow and go on to the eventual attainment of its objectives."
"Our position as the center of power in the free world places a heavy responsibility upon
the United States for leadership. We must organize and enlist the energies and resources
of the free world in a positive program for peace which will frustrate the Kremlin design
for world domination by creating a situation in the free world to which the Kremlin will
be compelled to adjust...This program must light the path to peace and order amon g
nations in a system based on peace and justice...The only sure victory lies in the
frustration of the Kremlin design by the steady development of the moral and material
strength by the free world and its projection into the Soviet world in such a way to bring
about an internal change in the Soviet system."
"In summary, we must, by means of a rapid and sustained build-up of the political,
economic, and military strength of the free world, and by means of an affirmative
program intended to wrest the initiative from the Soviet Union, confront it with
convincing evidence of the determination and ability of the free world to frustrate the
Kremlin design of a world dominated by its will."
John Foster Dulles (Secretary of State) news conference of October 16, 1957
I think that this satellite coming along as it did is a very useful thing to
have happened, so as to avoid any possible complacency on our part with our
present superiority. It arouses the whole country, I think, and the
Congress, to the importance of pushing forward actively in this field, which
may be the field where superiority will be militarily decisive perhaps 5 or
10 years from now......
McCarthy's Speech on Communists in State Department
......I cannot recall that there was any particular discussion about the
satellite project as such. There was considerable discussion about the
missile program and the importance of not allowing the Soviet Union to gain
any decisive superiority in the use of outer space for its missiles. But I
do not recall a particular discussion about the launching of the satellite,
although I believe there was some discussion at one of the National Security
Council meetings that I was not present at.
"In my opinion the State Department, which is one of the most important government
departments, is thoroughly infested with communists.I have in my hand 57 cases of
individuals who would appear to be either card-carrying members or certainly loyal to the
Communist Party, but who nevertheless are still helping to shape our foreign policy."
Novikov Telegram written by Soviet ambassador to Washington September 1946
" The foreign policy of the United States, which reflects the imperialist tendencies of
American monopolistic capital, is characterized in the postwar period by a striving for
world supremacy. This is the real meaning of the many statements by President Truman
and other representatives of American ruling circles; that the United States has the right
to lead the world...The "hard-line" policy with regard to the USSR announced by Byrnes
after the rapprochement of the reactionary Democrats with the Republicans is at present
the main obstacle on the road to cooperation of the Great Powers. It consists mainly of
the fact that in the postwar period the United States no longer follows a policy of
strengthening cooperation among the Big Three (or four) but rather has striven to
undermine the unity of these countries. The objective has been to impose the will of other
countries on the Soviet Union...) The present policy of the American government with
regard to the USSR is also directed at limiting or dislodging the influence of the Soviet
Union from neighboring countries. In implementing this policy in former enemy or
Allied countries adjacent to the USSR, the United States attempts, at various international
conferences or directly in these countries themselves, to support reactionary forces with
the purpose of creating obstacles to the process of democratization of these countries. In
so doing, it also attempts to secure positions for the penetration of American capital into
their economies."