Early Cold War EOC Review U.S. History Causes of the Cold War • During WWII, the U.S. and the Soviet Union were allies. • After WWII, there was distrust between both countries. • Causes for distrust: • Different economic systems (U.S. – Capitalist | U.S.S.R. – Communist) • • • • Fear of spreading their systems U.S.S.R was allied with Hitler U.S. was late in entering the war U.S. kept the atomic bomb a secret President Truman & the Cold War • After FDR’s death, Vice-President Harry Truman will become the President and the first to deal with the Cold War. • An agreement (Potsdam Conference) between Stalin & Truman was met that would divide Germany into 4 zones at the end of WWII. • President Truman will respond to Soviet expansion by creating the containment policy. The Iron Curtain Iron Curtain: Imaginary line separating capitalist Europe from Communist Europe. Capitalism & Democracy Communism & Totalitarianism Containment Truman’s Secretary of State, George Marshall, began a policy of Containment in 1947 – Strong resistance to the USSR would stop Russian expansion & the spread of communism – The U.S. initiated containment in 3 phases: Truman Plan, Marshall Plan, & NATO Truman Doctrine ■Soviet pressure on Greece & Turkey led to U.S. fears of Russian influence on 3 continents – If they turn Greece & Turkey communist, they could spread further into Asia, Africa and all of Europe (Domino Theory). ■The Truman Doctrine offered U.S. assistance to any nation threatened by Communism Marshall Plan ■European nations had difficulty recovering after WW2 which led to U.S. fears of Communist taking advantage of Europe ■The Marshall Plan offered aid to help Europe recover – Industry revived & Western Europe became a market for U.S. trade & consumer goods – The “Communist threat” ended NATO & The Warsaw Pact ■Fears of Soviet aggression led to the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 1949: – Provides collective security for Western Europe & the USA – The Cold War now had an ideological (Truman Doctrine) & economic (Marshall Plan) base & military enforcement (NATO) – In response to NATO, the Soviet Union will form the Warsaw Pact (alliance of communist countries) Berlin Blockade & Berlin Airlift • In 1948, the USSR responded to Containment by cutting off all traffic to Berlin in East Germany • Truman sent food, fuel, & supplies to be airlifted into West Berlin • The standoff lasted 2 weeks until Stalin lifted the blockade The Cold War Expands • U.S & Soviet Union will develop the hydrogen bomb. • U.S. will increa$e military $pending • Dept. of Defense, CIA & National Security Council & Air Force created Cold War in Asia • There is a Chinese Civil War • 2 sides, Nationalist – backed by the United States & Communists backed by the Soviet Union. • Truman loses China to the communists in 1949. • Nationalist escape to small island called Taiwan Chinese Civil War VS. Nationalist Leader Chiang Kai-shek (Kuomintang) Communist Leader Mao Zedong Truman and Korea ■In 1950, the government creates NSC-68: – Pledged the U.S. not only to contain communism but to liberate communist countries – Recommended the expansion of U.S. military, stockpiling nuclear weapons, & covert operations • After WW2, Korea was divided along the 38 Parallel with USSR in the North & the USA in the South • Soviet-trained North Korea attacked across the 38° in 1950 and invades South Korea • The U.S. sends troops to defend South Korea • 1953 – Under President Eisenhower an armistice is signed to end the Korean War In the 1950s, President Eisenhower escalated the Cold War by using brinkmanship: threatening to use nuclear weapons & willingness to go to the brink of war If the USSR attacked a NATO member, the U.S. would use massive retaliation: attack every major Soviet city & military target As a result, the USA & USSR began stockpiling nuclear weapons & building up their militaries With the USA & USSR in possession of large nuclear stockpiles, each side could destroy each other: this was known as Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) Throughout the Cold War, the USA & USSR looked for ways to gain first strike capability (Arms Race) U.S.-Soviet relations changed in 1953 when Stalin died after 30 years of absolute rule over the Soviet Union In 1955, Khrushchev Nikita Khrushchev formed a communist took over and began to alliance to rival NATO, aggressively challenge called the Warsaw Pact U.S. influence in the world In 1956, the Soviet Union threatened expansion into the Middle East President Eisenhower responded with the Eisenhower Doctrine, pledging the USA to protect the Middle East from Communism Fears of a nuclear attack and spread of communism led to a Red Scare in the late 1940s & 1950s Americans grew worried about Communists & Soviet spies living in America The Loyalty Review Board was created to investigate & dismiss “disloyal” government employees The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) investigated suspected communists in the entertainment & other industries From 1947-1951, 3.2 million gov’t employees were investigated & 212 were dismissed as security risks (2,900 resigned rather than face investigation) In 1947, numerous Hollywood writers & executives were investigated by HUAC; 500 were blacklisted from the film industry & some were sent to prison for refusing to testify (the “Hollywood Ten”) Red Scare fears in America were heightened by the discovery of spies working for the USSR: State Department employee Alger Hiss was convicted of spying for the USSR Julius & Ethel Rosenberg were executed for passing atomic bomb secrets to the USSR In 1950, Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy emerged as the leader of the anti-communist Red Scare He attacked Truman for allowing communists to infiltrate the government He used public trials to make unsupported accusations against suspected communists in the State Department & the U.S. military “McCarthyism” did not result in a single confirmed communist or spy in the U.S. gov’t To combat American fears of a nuclear attack, the U.S. government responded in a number of ways National and local governments prepared citizens for a Soviet nuclear attack on the United States Citizens built fallout shelters in their backyards Cities and schools practiced building evacuations and “duck & cover” drills In 1957, the USSR used Sputnik shocked Americans its first ICBM to launch who feared the U.S. had Sputnik, the first fallen behind the USSR in satellite into space science & technology As a result of Sputnik, the Cold War escalated into a space race to show American & Soviet dominance Cuba in the Cold War • CIA attempts to overthrow Fidel Castro in Cuba. • Bay of Pigs Operation (Failure) • JFK refuses to provide necessary support • Operation Mongoose • CIA tries to kill Castro (exploding cigars, poisoned daiquiri, cyanide croquetas) Cuban Missile Crisis • Soviets place missiles in Cuba facing U.S. • Kennedy has to weight his options • Decides on blockading Cuba • 13 Days world is on edge • Decision = Soviets take missiles out of Cuba & U.S. promises not to invade Cuba. • U.S. also removes missiles it had in Turkey that were facing Soviet Union. EOC Review Questions • The development of the Marshall Plan and the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) were part of President Harry Truman’s effort to a. end the Korean War b. limit the spread of communism c. provide aid to Asian nations d. promote an isolationist foreign policy EOC Review Questions • How did the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Warsaw Pact intensify the Cold War? A. by establishing military alliances based on political philosophies B. by creating economic unions based on political borders C. by providing funds for nuclear laboratories D. by identifying locations for military bases EOC Review Questions • “An attack on one shall be considered an attack on all.” This statement summarizes the foreign policy known a • A. colonialism • B. nonalignment • C. appeasement • D. collective security EOC Review Questions • Shortly after World War II, the cold war developed mainly as a result of the • a. United States refusal to send economic aid to European nations • b. Soviet domination of Eastern Europe • c. competition between the superpowers to explore outer space • d. continuation of the pre-World War II balance of power EOC Review Questions • During the Cold War era, the United States and the Soviet Union were hesitant to become involved in direct military conflict mainly because of • a. the threat of China to both nations • b. pressure from nonaligned nations • c. the potential for global nuclear destruction • d. mutual dependence on Middle East petroleum EOC Review Questions EOC Review Questions EOC Review Questions EOC Review Questions
