Cold War in Europe

Cold War – conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. No actual military conflict (democracy v. communism)

Cold War in Europe

1. Eastern European nations fall to communism after WWII

Known as the “Communist Bloc” or Soviet Bloc

2. Containment• U.S. policy of stopping the spread

of communism to other nations

Economic Aid

3. Truman Doctrine (1947) Military & economic aid to nations

fighting communist threat (Greece & Turkey)

4. Marshall Plan (1947)

U.S. aid to war torn nations in Western Europe to help stop the spread of communism

($24 billion in aid)

Economic Aid

5. Berlin Airlift (1948) After Soviet blockade into West

Berlin, Truman orders an airlift of supplies into West Berlin (located in East Germany)

Lasts approximately 9 months before Soviets lift blockade

Image of the Berlin Airlift

The Cold War6. NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Alliance of Democratic nations in

response to Soviet threat 1st peace time entangling alliance for

the U.S.7. Warsaw Pact – Soviet Union, Albania,

Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania

Cold War in Asia

1. China Mao Zedong and the Communists

take control of China U.S.S.R. supports the Chinese

Communists with military aid U.S. supports democratic leader

Chiang Kai-Shek, who flees to Taiwan

The Soviet Union: Atomic Bomb test (1949) Soviets explode their atomic bomb 1952: U.S. explodes hydrogen bomb

(H-bomb) Soviets explode an H-bomb in 1953 Beginning of an arms race

Hot War in Asia: KOREAN WAR Japan loses Korea after WWII U.S. & U.S.S.R. agree to split Korea @

the 38th parallel line U.S. withdraw & the United Nations

take over S. Korea Communists attack South Korea from

North Korea

Hot War in Asia: KOREAN WAR Truman does not declare war – he

uses power of the Commander in Chief to send troops into a “police action”

United Nations calls for a limited war McArthur disagrees & pushes

communists all the way to the border with China

Hot War in Asia: KOREAN WAR MacArthur wants to invade China,

but Truman says “NO” MacArthur ignores Truman and is

fired! The Korean War ends as a stalemate

No land exchanges hands; no concessions made

Cold War & ContainmentEisenhower Administration

1. Domino Theory Belief that if one country fell to

communism it would set off a chain reaction

2. SEATO (South East Asian Treaty Organization

Alliance similar to NATO which developed between U.S, England, Japan, France (Indochina), Thailand, Australia, Philippines

Cold War & ContainmentEisenhower Administration

3. Eisenhower Doctrine Send troops to any Middle Eastern

nation that wanted help to fight communism

Cold War & ContainmentEisenhower Administration

4. Sputnik satellite – launched by USSR Shocked the U.S. Caused education spending increase

for sciences and for the space race

Image of Sputnik.

The Cold War

5. U-2 Spy Incident U.S. plane shot down while spying on

the Soviet Union Pilot was exchanged for Soviet spy Khrushchev cancels summit in

response

Cold War Events - at Home

1946 Truman starts loyalty checks through the FBI (3 million gov’t workers investigated)

1. McCarthyism• Use of unsupported accusations to

intimidate people• Senator Joseph McCarthy (R) from

Wisconsin claims there are some 205 communists in the state department

Cold War Events - at Home Became very

popular with public, listened to him on the radio

McCarthy attacks so-called communism in the U.S. military

Condemned by the Senate, led to his downfall

Laws Passed to Restrict Communist Activities

2. Smith Act – made it illegal to join the Communist Party

3. McCarren-Walter Act – Communist organizations must register & disclose financial statements as well as no more communists can enter this country (from Eastern Europe and USSR)

Laws Passed to Restrict Communist Activities

4. House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)• led by Richard

Nixon (future president). Those accused of communist activities had to testify in front of the House of Representatives

The Rosenberg Case (1953) Julius & Ethel Rosenberg were

accused and convicted of passing secrets about the atomic bomb to the Soviets

The evidence against them was circumstantial (weak)

Both were executed in 1953

Photograph of Julius & Ethel Rosenberg

At Home: Life & Culture of the 1950s

A. G.I. Bill – war veterans are given money for college or housing

B. Baby Boom – dramatic increase in birth rates following WWII – population explosion

C. Suburbs grow due to increased demand in housing

Suburban Sprawl

At Home: Life & Culture of the 1950s

d. Americans begin buying consumer goods at a fast rate!

Rise of Rock n’ Roll – music featured heavy rhythms, simple melodies & lyrics about love, cars and the problems of being young

At Home: Life & Culture of the 1950s

e. Car culture increases – an abundance of gasoline, raw materials and easy credit allowed car sales to jump to from 6.7 million cars sold in 1950 to 7.9 million sold in 1955

f. Drive-in movies!

Government Policies

Truman’s Domestic Policy – called Fair Deal

1. Minimum wage increases to $0.752. Increase in social security coverage3. Funding for low income housing

Government Policies

Eisenhower’s Domestic Policy1. Favors business2. Creates interstate highway system3. Establishes Dept of Health,

Education & Welfare