Cold War & 1950’s
Yalta Conference
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February 1945
“Big Four”
Franklin Roosevelt U.S.
Joseph Stalin Soviet
Union
Winston Churchill Great
Britain
Poland was in
discussion
Churchill wanted
democratic government
for Poland
Stalin wanted Soviet
controlled Poland
Agreed on free elections
“Crimes Against Humanity”
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Nuremburg TrialsInternational Military Tribunal
representing 23 nations
November 20, 1945 tried
from Nazi leaders for war
crimes violations.
21 Nazi leaders guilty, 12 of
them sentenced to death
Pacific Tribunal executed
Hideki Tojo and six other
Japanese leaders
Tried 5,700 lesser Japanese
Japanese war criminals=
4,200 were convicted-720
executed
video
http://www.videojug.com/film/twenty-one-nazis-chiefs-guilty-nuremburg-1946
Post World War II
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Potsdam Conference- July
1945- Truman met with
Churchill (Great Britain) and
Stalin (U.S.S.R.) in Potsdam,
Germany
Divided Germany and Austria
into Four Zones of
occupation.
Britain, France, the United
States, and Soviet Union
would each control one zone
Berlin- German Capital, was
within the Soviet zone, was
divided into four zones.
Germany 4 Zones
U.S. vs. U.S.S.R.
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During WWIII
--Economy and Political
system came between them--too different
U.S. Capitalism and
democracy
--USSR= Communism
--USSR mad that U.S. did not
recognize their government
--USSR wanted allies to enter
the war earlier
--USSR mad that the A-bomb
was kept secret
Conflict Over Germany
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Western Allies wanted a united, demilitarized,
and independent Germany
 Soviets feared a United Germany
 Despite “Yalta” agreements for free elections,
Soviets established “Satellite States” with
governments under their control
 --Satellite nations-Albanians, Bulgaria, Czech,
Hungary, Romania and Poland (countries
dependant on USSR)
Post WWII
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--United Nations suppose to promote
peace—instead used as a forum to
compete to spread their influence
--Stalin did not want to allow Poland
and Eastern Europeans to have free
elections
-- Truman, this was a violation of the
right to self-determine (Countries
right to choose their own
government)
-- Stalin made speech saying that
another war was inevitable and they
would make weapons instead of
consumer goods
-- U.S. interpreted this as a
declaration of War
--To Truman, this was a violation of
the right to self determine
--Satellite nations-Albanians,
Bulgaria, Czech, Hungary, Romania
and Poland (countries dependant on
USSR)
Truman Doctrine
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U.S. would support free people
resisting takeovers by
communist nations
Some Americans didn’t like this
(Isolationism)
Not our job to be on a global
crusade against communism
Britain couldn’t afford to support
Greece against government
Truman worried that if Greece
fell, Turkey would as well
1947 Congress and Truman sent
over $400 million dollars in aid to
Turkey & Greece to protect them
from communism
This aid enabled the Greek army
to defeat the rebels
Marshall Plan
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George C. Marshall-Truman’s
Secretary of State
Marshall played major role in
planning D-Day invasion
After the war, most European
nations were in economic chaos!
Many Nations needed food and
essential products.
To prevent the USSR from aiding
these desperate nations, the
U.S. stepped in with Marshall
Plan
European trade and peace was
very important to U.S.
Said that Europe’s need for “food
and other essential preducts… is
much greater than her present
ability to pay”
More Marshall Plan
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Marshall Plan-Between 1948
and 1952, U.S. gave away 12.5
billion dollars to aide to
European Nations. In return,
they had to remove trade
barriers and cooperated
economically with one another.
The hope was that this money
would help insure strong stable
governments in Europe to resist
communism!!
 Plan was a great success!
Industries grew, economy
improved, communist parties lost
much of their appeal.
 Offered money to Soviet Union,
they refused.
 Soviets prevented their Eastern
European satellites from
accepting any U.S. aid as well
Containment
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U.S. new foreign policyprevent the Soviet Union from
expanding into strategically
important areas.
U.S.- Defensive strategy
Soviets- Offensive strategy
After WWII, Germany divided
into 4 zones
1948 Western powers
merged occupied areas of
Berlin
East Berlin-allies
West Berlin-Germany
Berlin Airlift
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West- occupied by U.S.,
Britain, and France
East- occupied by USSR
1948 recombined the 3
western zones into one
nation
USSR held West Berlin
hostage
Stalin cut off supplies to
Berlin (Roads, Water,
Railroad)
His hope was that by
starving the people of E.
Germany, it would force the
Western nations to either
give up control of Berlin
More Berlin Airlift
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Berlin airlift broke the
blockade and flew food and
supplies into W. Berlin
In 277,000 flights in 327
days, 2.3 tons of supplies
were brought in
To the world, this made the
U.S. look good and the USSR
look bad!
May 1949 the USSR lifted the
blockade
There was an official
separation of Germany
UN and NATO
In efforts to peace keeping-NATO was formed
 NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization- 1949
Belgium, Denmark, France, Great Britain,
Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands,
Norway, Portugal, U.S. formed a defensive
military alliance (a attack on one= and attack on
all!)
 First time U.S. has ever entered into a military
alliance!
 Members pledged to defend the others if they
were attacked
 United Nations (UN) – peacekeeping
organization formed in October 1945 with 51
original members
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Warsaw Pact
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Russia saw NATO as a
threat
Warsaw Pact- 1955
Military alliance formed
by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union, East
Germany,
Czechoslovakia, Poland,
Hungary, Romania,
Bulgaria, and Allbania.
Warsaw Pact Vs. NATO
Berlin Wall
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In 1961, East
Germans built a walll
to separate East and
West Berlin.
 Berlin Wall
symbolized a world
divided into rival
camps.
Election 1948 & 1952
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Election of 1948Truman defeated
Dewey because of
New Deal reforms
Fair Deal
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1948-Truman's series of
reform programs
Intended to bring full
employment, higher minimum
wage, and national health
plan.
Civil Rights Plan- antilynching
and voter protection laws
Congress approve some of
them
Congress rejected others
(Civil Rights, fed aid to
education, and national
health insurance program)
Peacetime Economy
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Truman concerned
about unemployment
16.3 Million served in
military
Soldiers would need to
return homes to jobs
Government
encouraged women to
return to their homes
Peacetime economy
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GI Bill of Rights- In 1944,
government set up benefits for
veterans such as money for
farms, businesses, college
loans, unemployment
insurance
Inflation and strikes became a
problem after the war
Taft-Hartley Act- 1947 allowed
the government to apply for a
court order delaying for 80
days any strike that threatened
public health or safety. The act
also banned the closed shop
which is a business or factory
that agrees to hire only union
members
Economy expanded- people
were spending money saved
during war
Republicans won majority in
both the House and Senate
Life in 50’s—baby boomer
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Baby boom- 1950’s,
population grew by 29 million
Suburbs grew 40x faster than
cities. Shopping centers grew
Levitown- Start of tract
homes. (Homes that are
similar)
Sun Belt- South and West,
low tax rates and warm
climate.
Cars and highways increased
due to commute from suburbs
Interstate Highway Act- 1956called for network of highspeed roads linking the entire
nation
Appliances such as
refrigerators, electric toasters,
irons and washer and dryers
made life easier
Suburbs
Chinese Revolution
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U.S. aided Chiang Kaishek, but he lost support
and went to Taiwan
Mao set up the People’s
Republic of Chinacommunist rule
The Forgotten War
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38 Parallel- Line dividing
North and South Korea
Soviets withdrew from Korea
in 1949, left behind well
trained army.
N. Korea- governed by
communists in support of
Soviet Union
S. Korea- noncommunist
government backed by the
U.S.
When N. Korea invaded S.
Korea, Truman acted quickly
and asked the UN to send
forces
More Korean War
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U.S. instituted another draft
General Douglas MacArthur
attempted to push N.
Koreans out of S. Korea, but
N. Koreans were well
equipped with Soviet
supplies.
15 other nations offered
troops to the UN effort
They finally pushed them
back, but then Truman
decided to punish them for
their aggression. The UN also
wanted Korea to unite
Korean War Continued
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MacArthur pushed the
N. Koreans to border of
China on Yalu River
Reinforcements from
China pushed UN forces
back to the 38th parallel
Battles were brutal
Harsh conditions
Extreme winters
Macarthur Conflict
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Truman didn’t want the war to
expand beyond Korea
MacArthur wanted air strikes
on Chinese cities and attack
the Chinese mainland
Truman refused and
MacArthur criticized the
president openly
Truman fired MacArthur on
April, 11th 1951
MacArthur received parades
and celebrations
Soon after, UN forces pushed
Chinese & North Koreans
back across the 38 parallel
Election of 1952
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Election of 1952- Korean War
was a major issue
Truman did not run for reelection. People blamed him for
the war.
Republicans nominated General
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Eisenhower- WW2 veteran no
political scandals, no scandals
Eisenhower promised to end the
war, promised to go to Korea
1st Republican President in 20
years was re-elected in 1956
End of the War
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December 1952 Eisenhower
flew to Korea
Eisenhower warned Chinese
and North Koreans that U.S.
might use Atomic weapons
July 27, 1953 cease-fire
signed
U.S. 136,000 casualties
North Korean and Chinese
military casualties 1.5 million
U.S. remained stationed
along the border
Domestic Communism
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New Red Scare late
1940s and early 1950s
 Factors involved Communist Party of the
United States of America
 Soviet Union influence in
Eastern Europe
 Communist takeover of
China
 Korean War
HUAC
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1938 House UnAmerican Activities
Committee (HUAC)
Investigate disloyalty
and harmful foreign
influences in U.S.
1947 publicized
hearings to prove the
presence of
Communists in
Hollywood and State
Department
No peoples rights
Hollywood Blacklisting
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Blacklisting-refusing
to hire suspected
Communists
 Hollywood Ten-group
of writers who
refused to cooperate
with HUAC
Spies
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1948 journalist Whittaker
Chambers confessed to
being a spy
1951 Julius and Ethel
Rosenberg convicted of
passing secret atomic
weapons info to Soviets
June 1953 executed
McCarthyism
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Feb. 1950 Wisconsin
Republican Senator
Joseph McCarthy
Charged the state
department is “infested
with communists”
57 cases
When challenged, he
made up more names
McCarthyism-making
vicious accusations
without offering proof
More McCarthy
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People didn’t challenge
his accusations
Late 1953, McCarthy
charged that there were
communists in the
Military
Army McCarthy
hearings- televised
hearings
Viewers revealed who
McCarthy was was
1954 Condemned
McCarthy
Destroyed many lives
Arms Race
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Jan. 1950 Truman
approved work on
hydrogen bomb
More powerful than
atomic bomb tested in
South Pacific
Later that year, Soviets
tested their own bomb
U.S. wasn’t the only
country to have nuclear
weapons
American Fear
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Nuclear arms race
frightened may
Americans
Underground bomb
shelters were built
“Duck and cover” drills
were practiced in
schools
Antinuclear groups
protested the arms
races
Sputnik
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As the Cold War
continued, the U.S.
and the Soviet
Union entered an
enormous arms
race
Sputnik- 1957 a
soviet rocket
launched the first
world’s artificial
satellite
Video
More Sputnik
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Eisenhower made fun of it
Americans worried that it
gave Soviets important
advantage in space
Jan.1958-U.S. launched its
first satellite
Later that year, National
Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) was
established
Congress provided more
funding for math, science,
and foreign language
instruction
Eisenhower’s Foreign Policy
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Brinkmanship-Nation
might have to go to the
brink of war to oppose
communism
Eisenhower used covert
operations (secret
actions) to advance the
United State’s position in
Cold War
Central Intelligence
Agency (CIA) was
established
Suez Canal Crisis
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1955 Aswan High Dam
project
U.S. pulled out of the project
because of Egyptian
business with Soviet Union
Egypt would pay for the dam
by nationalizing the Suez
Canal
Charged an entrance toll
Upset Britain, France, and
Israel
Three nations invaded the
areas around Suez Canal in
Nov. 1956
More Suez
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Soviets threatened to
“crush the aggressor”
 Threatened to fire
missiles at France and
Britain
 U.S. might have to join
in
 U.S. joined Soviets in
condemning the
aggression
 U.S./Soviet Union
Cooperation was rare
Music and Rock and Roll
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Music-Birth of Rock and
Roll
Elvis Presley
Buddy Holly
American Bandstand
Ed Sullivan-Variety show
host Elvis performance
estimated 82.5%
percent of the television
audience 55-60 million
1950’s Television
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T.V.- Political
conventions
Political Hearings
News
Sports- NFL Football
Baseball
More 1950’s Television
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American Bandstand
Howdy Doody,
I love Lucy- Most
popular program
Honeymooners
1955-56
Leave it to Beaver
1957