The Early Cold
War Years
Pre-IB World History
The Long Telegram
George Kennan- diplomat who tried to
explain Soviet behavior in the Long Telegram.
5,540-word message explaining his views of
the Soviets.
Led to an American policy of “containment.”
Containment- the policy or process of
preventing the expansion of a hostile power
The Truman Doctrine
Goal
was to aid “free peoples who are
resisting attempted subjugation by armed
minorities or by outside pressures.”
Resulted
Truman
in a pledge to fight communism.
said it was essential for
containment.
The Marshall Plan
Economic
Recovery plan, which would
give European nations American aid to
rebuild their economies.
Truman
said it was essential for
containment.
Purpose
recover.
was to help Western Europe
Berlin Airlift
Soviets
were deliberately trying to
undermine Germany’s economy.
US, France, and Britain merge zones.
Soviets blockade Berlin
Americans
delivered packages of
supplies to West Berlin with an airlift.
NATO
North
Atlantic Treaty Organization
Formed for the purpose of mutual
defense
Members
agreed to come to the aid of
any member who was attacked.
For the first time, the US committed itself to
maintaining peace in Europe.
USSR responded with the Warsaw Pact
The Korean War
Mao
Zedong- Communist leader of the
People’s Republic of China
Chiang Kai-shek- leader of the Nationalist
government.
Divided
at the 38th parallel
Soviets controlled Korea to the North
Americans controlled Korea to the South
The Korean War
Soviets
wanted Communist government in
the North.
Americans
General
had a policy of containment.
Douglas MacArthur- commander
of United States forces in Korea
The Korean War
Communist
China saw the advancing
UN troops as a threat and entered the
war.
Truman didn’t want to expand the war
into China.
MacArthur persisted, “There is no
substitute for victory.”
Truman eventually fired MacArthur b/c
he publicly criticized the President’s
policy on limited war.
Truman preferred limited war- war
fought to achieve a limited objective.
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