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Cold War SuperpowerChapter 23

Unit 7: 1945-1980

Superpowers

• Cold War (1946-1989) was a worldwide struggle over the future of freedom

• Both the U.S. and U.S.S.R believed their ideology was superior and saw the other as a threat

• American democracy and free enterprise

• Soviet totalitarianism and communism (which was really socialism)

• Soviet support of dictatorships in Eastern Europe increased fear that communism would spread

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Germany, 1945-1948 Germany 1948-1990

Iron Curtain

• Allies decided to establish West Germany as a state in 1948

• In response, soviets restricted railroad and highway access to Berlin

• Berlin Airlift: For over a year the Allies dropped supplies into city

• Soviet blockade withdrawn in 1949

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Containment• Kennan’s Long Telegram (1946)

advocated for strong resistance to Soviet expansion

• Truman Doctrine (1947) first official act of containment and provided aid to Greece and Turkey in their civil wars

• Marshall Plan(1948) provided aid to European countries rebuilding after WWII

• NSC-68 (1950) was the blueprint for militarization of containment policy

Defense • Both Soviets and Americans built nuclear arsenals

• Castle Bravo was the largest hydrogen bomb tested by the U.S. (1000 times stronger than the atomic bombs dropped on Japan)

• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was an alliance of nations in case of nuclear attack

• National Security Agency (NSA) and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) were created to monitor foreign intelligence

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Korean War• Like in Europe after World War II, Korea was

divided into a Northern Soviet sector and southern American sector

• In 1950 the Communist North invaded the Democratic south

• UN troops pushed through North Korea, but were forced back by Chinese troops

• General MacArthur was removed from command when he criticized Truman’s ordersnot to attack China

• 1953 Armistice established border at original 38th parallel

Cold War America • Post-war economic, technological, and educational growth was aided by competition with the USSR

• Federal govt. funded programs to improve America’s standing in the world

• Numerous efforts were made to promote American values through culture

• Hollywood movies depicting the communist threat were common (Ex: I Married a Communist, The Red Menace…)

• CIA support for American artists and musicians

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Socialist Realism vs. Abstract Expressionism

Anti-Communist Hysteria

• Loyalty Review Board and House Un-American Activities Committee investigated communist influence in government and entertainment

• Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were tried and executed for espionage in 1954

• Sen Joseph McCarthy led a communist “witch-hunt” accusing members of the state department and army in public hearings

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Realities at Home

• GI Bill of Rights provided money for college, mortgages and small businesses

• Truman’s Fair Deal was a continuation the of New Deal

• Increased minimum wage, enact national health insurance, and expanded social security and other aid programs

• In the 1946 midterm election, conservatives (Republicans and Southern Democrats) took control of congress

• Vetoed most of Truman’s Fair Deal programs

Political Divisions

• Southern Democrats (Dixiecrats) walked out of the convention in 1948

• Strom Thurmond of S.C. nominated by the States Rights Democratic Party

• 1948 Presidential campaign was the last before television

• Despite a four party race, Truman was reelected