The Cold War
By Paul Szczombrowski
Thesis
Following the fall of the Third Reich at the end of
WWII, tensions between communism and capitalism
tightened through the looming of communist control. The
USSR’s Iron Curtain influence over the Western portion of
Europe and Asian powers grew as sects were continually
being subjected to its political growth within their own
nations. As USSR powers grew, the attempts to suppress it
directly attributed as the opposition of communist
influence spurred through foreign and domestic policy in
the US through 1940 to 1960. The ever growing conflict
portrayed true influence upon these policies as they we’re
all inclined to suppress and contain the infection that is
communism.
What do we know about the Soviets?
• Lead by Joseph Stalin(1922-1952) and Nikita
Khrushchev (1953-1971), informal “dictators” of the
Soviet Union
• Followed the Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx in
which stated the utter triumph of socialism
▫ Socialism- a system of government in aim to have the
national government owns all means of production.
• Believed in the image of strength in which was
amplified by militarism.
▫ Condemned military weakness through proposing
communist influence over them.
[3 and 10]
Communism vs. Capitalism
Communism
Capitalism
• Soviet Union
• Marxist beliefs
• Commonly only one party
system
• Government controlled
business
• Censorship upon said and
written material
• United States, Great Britain,
France, etc.
• Multiple party system and free
elections
• The individual can own a
business
• Freedom of speech
A fear for each other
[5]
Propaganda Against US during the Cold War
“Same Years but different weathers”
“Is this a Freedom?”
[11]
Propaganda Against USSR during the Cold War
A Commie Comic
Captain AMERICA
[11]
Foreign Policy
1940-1960
Harry S. Truman (1945-1953)
•
•
•
•
•
Born : May 8th, 1884
Died : December 26th, 1972
33rd President of the United States
Political Views : Democratic
When replacing Roosevelt, he ensured to be as
informed as possible by Roosevelt’s cabinet.
• “I never did give anybody hell. I just told the
truth and they thought it was hell.”
[9and 11]
The Long Telegram
This document outlined by George Kennan, 2nd ranking officer in the
U.S. embassy in Moscow, states the overall standpoint of soviet powers within
the nation itself as well as organized points in which suggests a liable position
on expanding communist powers. Kennan suggests that capitalist powers
should not advocate direct confrontation with the Soviet Union, however, to
indirectly assert its actions upon the nations around it to suppress the efforts
of its regime. Kennan also states the USSR’s stability as a nation, claiming its
population lives in an “antagonistic ‘capitalist encirclement’ where in the long
run can be no permanent peaceful coexistence.” Throughout the document,
his points help to establish the first looks upon the issue of containment where
the disease of Communism must be stopped from spreading over the entire
world.
• Part 1: Section d), “Intervention against USSR, while it would be disastrous
to those who undertook it, would cause renewed delay in progress of Soviet
socialism and must therefore be forestalled at all costs.” –George Kennan
• As stated by Winston Churchill in his speech of March, 1946, the Iron
Curtain influence by Soviets must be blocked in order to restrain the
influence of the USSR.
[1 and4]
The Truman Doctrine (1947)
• In initial attempts to suppress Soviet spread, the
Truman Doctrine was issued to the United States
Congress on March 12, 1947.
• Not only did Truman’s speech influence the aid
towards Greece and Turkey, it also initiated foreign
aid for the free who are battling off subjugation and
the thought upon the policy of containment as a
useful technique to suppress rising Soviet powers.
▫ These points were further expanded by the Marshall
Plan in 1948 by George Marshall where it was a major
influence in erecting new capitalist and democratic
governments throughout post-war Western Europe.
 Established to repair the damages of war and to further
prevent Soviet influence upon Western Europe.
[9]
Soviet Influence around the Globe
• As Containment was being introduced as a sedimentary offensive against
communist immigration into neighboring countries, political supporters
were already visible around the world, able to affect the stability of that
nation.
▫ Depicted in this map are the average count of communist party supporters around
1947 by a United Press survey
[10]
Truman’s Inauguration (1949)
• http://www.history.com/videos/inauguraladdress-harry-truman#inaugural-addressharry-truman
[8]
NSC-68
(1950)
• The NSC-68 was a policy in which provoked a firmer and
more aggressive turn to the containment policy, veering
away from the original suggestion in the Truman
Doctrine and Long Telegram to create a fierce policy
against communism in which shaped U.S. foreign policy
for the following 20 years.
▫ This was implemented following the fall of China to a
communist rule under Mao Zedong in August, 1949 over
Nationalist Jiang Jieshi.
• “The purpose of the NSC-68 was to so bludgeon the mass
mind of “top government” that not only could the
President make a decision but that the decision could be
carried out.” -Sec. of State Dean Acheson
▫ This quote by Acheson signifies that public officials would
be forgotten in the attempts to restore peace to those
suppressed by communism and corruption alike.
[10]
The Korean War (1950-1953)
• Following communist influence over North
Korea, it set its sights upon the South, hoping to
regain communist control as a whole. These
infringements by Soviet powers once again
created tensions with US diplomats as the aim to
contain Soviet uprising was tested.
• Once again were the tensions between the US
and USSR increased as the capitalist versus
communist conflict was reopened through war.
[10]
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961)
•
•
•
•
•
Born : October 14th, 1890
Died : March 28th, 1969
34th President of the United States
Political Views : Republican
Followed the concept of “Good vs. Evil” to
emphasize “Capitalism vs. Communism”
• "No people can live to itself alone. The unity of
all who dwell in freedom is their own sure.“
• Served in WWII as General
[2, 6, and 11]
The Domino Theory
• In the presence of conflict in the Southeast Asian
sector, Eisenhower believed in the concept of the
domino theory in which if one nation falls to
communism then the rest will fall with it
subsequently, issuing a chain of events that
cannot be controlled. Eisenhower utilized this
theory as the justification upon communist
infection over its neighboring nations.
[1 and 10]
The Geneva Conference (1954)
• After the fall of French power over Dien Bien Phu to
communist leader Ho Chi Minh, the 17th parallel was
established by Soviet, Chinese, and US powers.
• However, as a result from the conference the US
quickly embarked upon a nation-building exercise in
which attempted to create a free nation in Southern
Vietnam. It was expected that this implementation
of a democratic region would be a barrier between
communist support from the North to the South to
cumulatively cease further Soviet encroachment.
[7 and 12]
Domestic Policy
1940-1960
Taft-Hartley Act
(1947)
• Passed over Harry Truman’s Veto, the Taft-Hartley
Act was labeled as a slave-labor law where all union
shops were outlawed as well as made unions liable
for damages in jurisdictional disputes among
themselves. Most importantly the Taft-Hartley Act
required for all union leaders to take a noncommunist oath which pledged the allegiance to
capitalist prosperity.
▫ With this act, Congress would then be satisfied in a
lesser influence of organized labor both upon politics
and the economy of the United States.
[12]
Fair Deal (1949)
• The Fair Deal was a policy in which was
implemented into the United States to greater
benefit the population as it called for improved
housing, increase minimum wage, new TVA’s,
and extensions to social security. However, with
a Republican majority in office, its major
successes were diminished to raising minimum
wage, providing public housing, and extending
social security benefits.
[12]
House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
• At home, “subversion” was becoming a greater
worry in Americans where the thought of having
communist supporters throughout the nation
grew. The committee created a surge in which
was aimed to expose communist influence in
American government and society.
▫ The trial of Alger Hiss, an ex-New Dealer, was
accused under false pretenses of being a
communist. After he obtained his right to defend
himself and plead innocent, he was convicted of
perjury and sentenced 5 years in prison.
[10 and 12]
Joseph R. McCarthy (1950-1954)
• The Hectic HUAC
• Although McCarthy was a complete failure and
drunk, his accusations towards stable political
leaders and military officers showed a strict
communist offensive. McCarthy’s utter failure
can be seen more of as a policy in which had
affected the domestic sector as he even purged
important Asian experts in the States
Department.
[10]
The Space Race (1957)
• As the Soviet Union launched Sputnik I and II, it
had utterly surprised Americans as it led them to
believe that the Soviets were ultimately more
superior than they were. Only to be demoralized
further, the US’s lack of being able to send out a
proper spacecraft brought forth the concerns if US
technology and education was less advanced than
that of their Soviet counterparts.
▫ As a result, the National Defense and Education Act
(NDEA) gave $887 million dollars in loans to needy
college students and the improvement of schools.
[12]
Overall…
During the 1940-1960 time period, foreign
and domestic policy was rampant with direct
connections to the Soviet offensive as it was to
both contain and contest the USSR in attempts to
put an end to their tyranny to their people and
others. Due to the Cold War’s influence, it had
helped to shape the United States into its image
today, where strict foreign and domestic policies
are aimed to remain one of the World’s leading
superpowers all to ensure the efforts of
maintaining peace.
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