Ch 12 The Cold War Differences between

Ch 12 The Cold War

Differences between US & RUS • The only connection that the US and RUS had was its fight against Hitler in WWII • US was a capitalist democracy – believed in free elections, freedom of religion, private property and individual differences • RUS was a dictatorship with communist backing, no choice in elections, no private property, no freedom of religion or speech – opposition meant prison or death

Eastern Europe… • Stalin wanted GER weak and divided - wanted E. Europe under the control of RUS • US & BR wanted a stronger united GER and independent nations in E. Europe • At Yalta Stalin agreed to divide GER temporarily into zones and “broadly representative” gov’ts and free elections in E. Europe • Regardless E. Europe remained under Soviet control - Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, & Bulgaria and E. GER became satellite states controlled by RUS

Potsdam Conference… • Truman, Stalin and Clement Atlee – new Prime Minister of BR met at Potsdam, GER • It was hoped that Stalin would commit to the promises he made at Yalta • However, Stalin refused to commit to free election in E. Europe • Truman left Potsdam believing that Stalin was planning “world conquest” – creating the start of the Cold War – 46 year struggle

Cold v. Hot • What is the difference between a cold war and a hot war? • Examples? • Key players?

Iron Curtain… • Churchill also believed that Stalin wanted world domination • March 5, 1946 – Fulton College, MO – Churchill gave the Iron Curtain speech • Referring to a map of Europe – he said that “an iron curtain had descended across the continent” • RUS was setting up police states, with communist gov’ts, & crushing individual freedoms • It was feared that RUS was spreading communism to W. Europe and E. Asia

Harry S. Truman… • Truman was the only President in the 20 th century to not have a college degree • Too poor – he worked the family farm, served in WWI and began his political career • He believed in honesty, integrity and hard work…”The buck stops here” was his motto • Truman had to deal with RUS-made crisis situations in Greece and Turkey • US was the only country with the resources to help in both Greece and Turkey

Truman Doctrine… • March 12, 1947 – Truman addressed Congress – telling them of the plight of the people in Greece and Turkey • Requesting money from Congress “to support free people who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures” – Congress gave $400 million in aid • This policy became known as the Truman Doctrine

Containment… • George F. Kennan - “X” - wrote an that article proposed a US policy of RUS “containment” – to keep communism contained within its existing borders • Keenan said that while Stalin wanted to expand communism – he would not do so if it endangered RUS itself – RUS would not risk a war the US – a war that might destroy RUS power – just to spread communism • Keenan warned that this would not be a quick fix – that containment would take a full US commitment of economic, political and military power

Marshall Plan… • W. Europe suffered severe shortages of food, fuel, and medical supplies after WWII • Sec. of State George Marshall created a plan for European recovery – without economic health “there can be no political stability and no assured peace” • 1948 -1952 - $13 billion in grants and loans to the nations of W. Europe – food to reduce famine, fuel to heat houses and run factories, $ to jump start economic growth – also benefitted US economy • Aid was also offered to E. European nations but Stalin refused to let them accept it

Germany’s Zones… • The zones controlled by US, BR, FR were combined to form W. GER • City of Berlin – while divided – was located deep in RUS controlled E. GER – the zones of Berlin held by BR, US, and FR were called W. Berlin

Berlin Airlift… • The prosperity and freedom of W. Berlin stood in stark contrast to the bleakness of E. Berlin – Stalin was annoyed • He ordered the lockdown of W. Berlin – closed roadways, railroads, waterways – without supplies W. Berlin would quickly fall to communist RUS • However Stalin was not able to blockade the skies…

• For a year US and BR airlifted supplies to W. Berlin – supplies like food, fuel, medical supplies, clothes, toys – everything that was needed was flown in and dropped (C 54 “Candy” Bomber) • Rain nor snow stopped the flights • The Berlin Airlift proved RUS and the rest of the world that the US would go to extremes to protect non-communist parts of Europe and contain communism • Stalin was forced to admit that the blockade had failed – it was a major success for the US policy of containment

NATO… • North Atlantic Treaty Organization formed in 1949 – 12 W. European and N. American nations agreed to act together in defense of W. Europe • Member nations agreed that an “armed attack against one would be considered an attack against all” • Collective Security = mutual military assistance

Warsaw Pact… • In response to W. GER joining NATO… • RUS and its satellite states formed a rival alliance called the Warsaw Pact • All Communist states except Yugoslavia were members • Like NATO – all members pledged their mutual defense of each other – they also agreed not to interfere in each others internal affairs, with RU still being in control over its Warsaw Pact allies

Sec. 2 Korean War • Before JAP had invaded CH in 1937 – Nationalist leader Jiang Jieshi had been fighting a civil war against Communist leader Mao Zedong – joined forces temporarily to fight off JAP – civil war resumed after the war ended • RUS supported Mao – while the US sent billions to support Jiang • US was afraid that the fall of Jiang would mean a communist empire that spread across Europe and Asia

• Unfortunately Jiang and his officers were not up to the task – Aid($) was not given to the people and famine caused many Chinese to support Mao when he promised food to feed starving families • The war turned in Mao’s favor – Jiang asked the US for military intervention – US would not send troops to support the corrupt Jiang – Jiang fled China and took over the island of Taiwan – Mao took control and renamed it the People’s Republic of China • ¼ of the worlds landmass – 1/3 population now controlled by the Communists

Fighting in Korea… • Korea had been divided by the US and RUS after WWII into 2 independent countries at the 38 th parallel • N. Korea was supported by the RUS and had a communist gov’t and Soviet supported military • S. Korea which was noncommunist was supported on a much smaller scale by the US

North Invades South… • US troops left Korea after WWII at the same time that Mao won in China • June 25, 1950 - NK forces attacked across the 38 th parallel – armed with RUS weapons and tanks • Days later NK troops pushed to Seoul and had SK troops in retreat

US Forces Defend SK… • Truman remembered the failure of appeasement in WWII and announced US aid to SK • UN Security Council agreed and urged its members to support SK – RUS was absent for the vote • Truman did not ask Congress for approval but sent troops from JAP to support the UN resolution – these troops were not trained nor equipped for what they would encounter in Korea • Soon they joined their SK/UN allies in retreat to the peninsular city of Pusan – soon other countries sent aid and they were able to make a stand in Pusan

Gen. Douglas Mac. Arthur… • Sept. 1950 – UN forces were ready to counterattack – Mac. Arthur had a bold plan • Suspected that the rapid advance of the NK had left them short on supplies • Planned a surprise attack on port city of Inchon – Sept. 15, 1950 – Marine attack caused Communist forces to retreat north • By Oct, 1950 – NK forces had been driven north of the 38 th parallel

What to do next? • With NK troops behind the 38 th parallel – what should happen next? • Should the UN forces end the war since NK and SK were back to their original lines • Should they invade NK to punish the communists • CH leaders had warned not to get close to their borders… • Mac. Arthur pushed for a NK invasion…UN resolution wanting an unified, independent and democratic Korea

China Forces a Stalemate… • Mac. Arthur pushed over the 38 th and had the NK troops backed up to the Yalu River on the CH border • 300, 000 CH troops attacked – pushing the UN forces back to below the 38 th • Truman did not want a totally committed war with massive troop involvement and possible use of another A-Bomb • Mac. Arthur wanted a Total Victory and did not trust Truman and his idea of a limited war

• Mac. Arthur was unable to sway Truman and wrote a letter to Congress attacking the President and his policies • Letter became public knowledge and Truman fired Mac. Arthur for insubordination • Americans were outraged and Mac. Arthur returned home a hero

Political Issue… • By Spring 1951 -The Korean War came to a stalemate with small bloody skirmishes near the 38 th • The stalemate became an issue in the election of 1952 • R – Dwight D Eisenhower said if elected he would end the war • Truman decided not to run again – D – Gov. Adlai Stevenson of Illinois was chosen • Eisenhower won – 442 -89 – went to Korea to study the situation

Breaking the Stalemate… • When peace talks broke down – “Ike” wanted strong action to break the stalemate • Eisenhower hinted at the use of nuclear weapons – that and the death of Stalin (assassination? ) – convinced communists to settle the conflict • July 27, 1953 – cease fire was signed in Kaesong – still in effect today

Lessons of the War… • No victory in the Korean War • NK remained a communist country allied to CH and RUS • SK remained noncommunist allied with the US and other democratic countries • The two Koreas remain divided at the 38 th

Important Lessons learned… • Truman had committed US troops w/o Congressional approval – set precedence • Korean War lead to increased defense spending • SEATO – Southeast Asia Treaty Organization was another defensive alliance aimed at preventing the spread of communism – Pakistan, Thailand, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, FR, BR, and US

Sec. 3 Cold War Expands • Sept. 2, 1949 – American B-29 aircraft flying over Alaska detected unusual atmospheric radiation – after analysis by US scientists – it was discovered that the RUS had set off an atomic bomb • Usually a shift in the balance of power happens over decades – but it had shifted in a day

Changes in Power… • Shortly after the RUS A-bomb detonation was discovered – the Communists had taken over China • Within a month – the US realized that the world was a much more dangerous and threatening place

Nuclear Arsenals Expand… • Truman ordered the Atomic Energy Commission to make a hydrogen bomb • It was believed that the H-bomb would be 100 times more powerful than the A-bomb • Oppenheimer and Einstein were opposed to the H-bomb – believing that it would cause a nuclear arms race • Others believed that RUS would continue to arm itself no matter what the US did • 1952 – US tested its first H-bomb and in 1953 the RUS tested their first H-bomb

Nuclear Testing… • Tests went back and forth – all above ground testing that spewed radiation into the atmosphere • Most US tests were performed in the deserts of the American west – causing health problems for all who lived down wind of the testing sites • US & RUS continued testing and stockpiling nuclear weapons – armed planes, warships and missiles with nuclear weapons – it was hoped that this mutually assured destruction would keep the other country from attacking

President Eisenhower… • After leading invasions in IT, North Africa, and Normandy – Ike had the ability to speak with both the military and politicians • Believed in the containment of communism like Truman – with the help of his Sec. of State John Foster Dulles • However Ike and Dulles had different ideas on how to deal with the conflict…Ike believed that Truman’s approach had caused the US’s endless conflicts with RUS

Massive Retaliation… • Ike opposed spending $ on troops, ships and tanks…He stockpiled nuclear weapons and the means to carry them. . . if there was a WWIII – it would be nuclear • Some felt that a lack of spending on conventional warfare would weaken the US’s defense – others felt that the nuclear build up would force a third world war • Dulles announced the policy of massive retaliation in 1954 – any communist threat would be met with crushing retaliation possibly even nuclear weapons use

Brinkmanship… • Ike and Dulles believed that only by going to the brink of war could the US protect its allies, discourage communist aggression, and prevent war • This became known as brinkmanship

Stalin’s Death… • Josef Stalin died March 5, 1953 • Nikita Khrushchev emerged the leader of communist RUS – although he was not a fan of the US – he was not as cruel or as suspicious as Stalin • Ike met with Khrushchev in Geneva in July 1955 – nothing major came out of the meeting but it was a step towards a more peaceful co-existence of the two superpowers

Poland… • 1956 Workers in POL rioted against their Soviet rulers and won greater control of their gov’t – but since POL did not attempt to leave the Warsaw Pact – RUS permitted their actions

Hungary… • HUN students and workers staged a protest following POL example • Demanded that pro-RUS Hungarian leaders be replaced, RUS troops withdraw and that non-communist political parties be formed • Khrushchev responds brutally with tanks and troops – HUN leaders were executed, civilians were killed, and Pro-RUS leadership was put back in place

International Reactions… • Massive retaliation was not going to work – nuclear weapons were not an option in these cases • 1956 Olympic Games held in Melbourne, AUS – water polo match between RUS and HUN turned violent – referred to as a “Blood in the Water” match

Suez Crisis… • Egypt’s President Gamal Nasser tried to play the US and RUS off of each other to his advantage • Nasser wanted a dam built on the Nile River at Aswan – US/BR had initially agreed to fund the project – then Egypt recognized the Peoples Republic of China and agreed to talks with RUS – US backed out • Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal and put it under Egypt’s Gov’t control – would connect the Mediterranean to the Red Sea

• Nasser’s action threatened to cut off the flow of oil from the middle East to Europe • BR/FR joined with Israel – a new country with problems with Egypt - to take back control of the canal without the US’s knowledge – Suez Crisis • Ike was enraged and refused to support his European allies – without US support the BR/FR/IS were forced to withdraw their troops from Egypt

Eisenhower Doctrine… • January 1957 – Ike said that the US would use force to help any Middle East nation that was threatened by communism • Used this doctrine to support Lebanon in 1958 • Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) created in 1947 by Congress as an intelligence gathering organization – Ike approved covert actions by the CIA – 1953 CIA aided in a coup in Iran and Guatemala • Both set up anticommunists gov’ts but created a lot of US resentment in those countries

Start of Space Race… • Oct. 4, 1957 RUS launched Sputnik into space to orbit the Earth • Nov. 1957 RUS launched Sputnik 2 with a dog – Laika – to see how living creatures reacted to the conditions in space – Laika died in space – there was no way to return Sputnik 2 to Earth

Americans Panic… • If RUS had the technology to launch satellites into outer space – also had the ability to fire nuclear weapons into US cities • Congress approved National Defense Education Act - $1 billion intended to educate more scientists and teachers of science • Set up college loans for science majors • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) set up to coordinate US space related efforts

Sec 4 Cold War at Home… • US soldiers fought and died in Korea • Industry hummed turning out weapons • Headlines continued to read “Who Lost China? ” or “Who won the Space Race? ” • Culture supported the “us vs. them” attitude – east v. west, capitalists v. communists • The Cold War was becoming just as life consuming as WWII had been

Red Scare… • Citizens worried that communists inside and outside of the US were trying to take down our country • 1940 s-1950 s Red Scare – similar to the Red Scare in 1919 -1920 after the RUS revolution – but lasted longer and ran deeper • Truman’s Atty Gen. J. Howard Mc. Grath warned that communists were everywhere just waiting to take over our country

Spies? • There were some high ranking US gov’t officials who were in fact employed by the RUS gov’t as spies • Most US gov’t officials were loyal US citizens – Federal Employee Loyalty Program March 1947 – gave the FBI permission to do background checks on all federal employees for signs of disloyalty • About 3, 000 gov’t employees were fired or resigned

• This enabled the Atty Gen power to create a list of disloyal people in the gov’t – who were closely watched – many were labeled “security risks” and then dismissed • Truman used the 1940 Smith Act to cripple the Communist Party in the US – made it illegal to teach or support the overthrow of the US gov’t • 1949 SC found 11 communists guilty of violating the Smith Act and sent them to prison

HUAC… • House Un-American Activities Committee set up to investigate possible fascists, communists, and Nazis – highly publicized trials that investigated the gov’t, armed forces, unions, science, newspapers • Movie industry was the best known investigation – 1947 – uncovered a group of communists leftwing writers, producers, and directors known as the Hollywood Ten – refused to answer questions based on their 5 th amendment rights

• Hollywood Ten were cited for contempt – arrested and sent to prison • Blacklist was circulated of entertainers who should not be hired because of the connection to the communist party • Those listed had their careers shattered • Watkins v. US – witnesses could not be forced to name radicals that they knew • Filmmakers had once been willing to do films on sensitive issues – but no longer…

Freedom of Speech… • Freedom of speech was lost during the Red Scare – if you read a controversial magazine or were a member of a questionable group – you could be fired from your job as a teacher, electrician, mail carrier, librarian, construction worker • Members of labor unions, educational institutions, laboratories, and city halls might be accused and be dismissed/fired

Oppenheimer Trial… • During WWII – Oppenheimer lead the Manhattan Project to build the A-Bomb – after the war he lead the US Atomic Energy Commission - but he had ties to people with communist connections like his wife and brother • He was denied access to classified info in the AEC because of his communist ties even though it was not proven that he was disloyal

Alger Hiss… • Educated at Johns Hopkins and Harvard • Worked on several New Deal agencies and helped to organize the United Nations • US State Department official

• Whittaker Chambers was a communist spy as a young man but had converted • Chambers was called to testify to the HUAC and implicated Hiss – saying that Hiss was a communist spy who had passed him info while employed for the gov’t • Hiss was subpoenaed and denied all knowledge to the HUAC – saying he did not know Chambers

• Richard Nixon – a young member of the HUAC – argued convincingly to continue to prosecute Hiss and Hiss’s story began to unravel as the trial went on • It was proved that Chambers and Hiss had met and that Hiss had given Chambers confidential gov’t documents – pumpkin papers • Hiss was tried for perjury (#1 Hung jury) and convicted and sentenced to 5 yrs in prison – many still believed that Hiss was innocent – but evidence was stacking up against him

The Rosenbergs… • Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were Jewish Americans who got involved with the Communist Party through labor issues • During Klaus Fuchs trial for espionage – he implicated Julius R. as a courier of additional atomic plans to the RUS • Ethel’s brother – David Greenglass – worked on the Manhattan Project and was convinced to pass on the secrets he learned

• Rosenbergs were found guilty and sentenced to execution by electric chair • Many people protested their sentence – Pope Pius XII pleaded to Pres. Eisenhower for their release – NO WAY! • Never proved that Ethel did anything more than know what was going on – never participated – tried her to place pressure on her husband • Executed on June 19, 1953 at Sing • Sons were orphaned – later adopted

Senator Joseph Mc. Carthy… • Wisconsin Senator – speech – charged that the State Dept. was filled with communists – he had a list of the names of these traitors • When challenged he reneged – 205 bad security risks – 57 were communists • List grew and shrank – but was never shown • Korean War – 1950 – people were scared of a communist takeover – wanting to be reelected – Mc. Carthy jumped on “anticommunism” and was easily reelected to a second term

Mc. Carthyism… • Mc. Carthyism became a catchword for extreme reckless charges • He did more to discredit legitimate concerns about domestic communism than any other American at that time • 1950 -1954 Mc. Carthy was one of the most powerful Americans of his time • Just being accused by Mc. Carthy caused people to lose their jobs and destroy their reputations

• Mc. Carthy heaped lies on top of useless charges – when caught in a lie me made an even larger on to cover it up • Caught in a power vortex – He attacked larger targets – George Marshall – national hero and author of the Marshall Plan • Other Senators were afraid of locking horns with Mc. Carthy for fear of charges against them

Mc. Carthy Falls from Power… • 1954 He went after the US Army – claiming that it was full of communists • Army said that the attacks were personally motivated • Televised hearings were held – Americans were riveted to their TVs – they were shocked by Mc. Carthy's bullying tactics – badgering witnesses, twisting the truth, snickering at the suffering of others • By the end of the hearings – many of his supporters were gone – the Senate censured or condemned him and he gradually faded away