The Cold War Part I: 1945-1960. The Cold War Defined Period of hostile relations between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. (and respective allies) after the Second

The Cold War

Part I: 1945-1960

The Cold War Defined

Period of hostile relations between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. (and respective allies) after the Second World War using any means short of direct military conflict.

Why No “Direct Military Conflict”?

The “Baker” Tests of 1946

Origins of the Cold War

U.S. – Russia RivalryEarly as 1820’s: Oregon Territory1890’s: Over China and Open Door PolicyBolshevik Revolution: Add ideology

Origins of the Cold War

WWII Alliance: a temporary aberration

Pure necessity: Common FoeAlways tense• Media portrayed as friendly, but…• Mutual suspicion

As victory became eminent, cooperation breaks down

Wartime Conferences

Tehran (1943)Most congenial: war still in doubtConfirmed May, 1944 date for Operation OverlordAgreed that Poland would be “moved” west.

Wartime Conferences

Yalta: February, 1945Last Meeting with FDR (dies in April)Declaration of Liberated Europe• pledged to the “earliest possible

establishment through free elections of Governments responsive to the will of the people”;

• to facilitate where necessary the holding of such elections.

• Separate declaration on Poland

The Declaration on Liberated Europe

To foster the conditions in which the liberated people may exercise these rights, the three governments will jointly assist the people in any European liberated state or former Axis state in Europe where, in their judgment conditions require,

(a) to establish conditions of internal peace; (b) to carry out emergency relief measures for the relief of distressed peoples; (c) to form interim governmental authorities broadly representative of all democratic elements in the population and pledged to the earliest possible establishment through free elections of Governments responsive to the will of the people; and (d) to facilitate where necessary the holding of such elections.

The “Big Three” at Yalta

Yalta

Four Power Occupation of GermanyReparationsU.S.S.R. to enter war v. JapanWar Crimes Trials

Yalta Controversies

The meaning of “free elections” and “responsive to the will of the people”The Yalta Controversy

Did FDR and Churchill “sell out” Eastern Europe?Was the “Declaration” meant literally?

Yalta Controversies

Most Cold War Issues date back to Yalta

“Liberated Europe”, esp. PolandDivision of Germany

FDR dies in April; tried to be balance between Stalin and ChurchillDocuments v. “Understandings”

Wartime Conferences: PotsdamPotsdam: July 1945

FDR DeadTruman’s “plain speaking”Churchill voted out mid-conferenceMutual suspicion evident

Potsdam: Major “Decisions”

Demilitarization and de-nazificationWar Crimes Trials to be heldUnconditional Surrender of JapanAllied Control Council for Germany

The Division of Germany

Analysis of OriginsSalience: the quality of being important or striking; the U.S. and U.S.S.R. were the only two “great powers” leftHegemony: the dominance of one group over other groups, with or without the threat of forceIdeological differences: capitalism v. communism; democracy v. totalitarianismTruman v. Stalin: personality conflicts

Formalizing the Cold War: Two Policy Initiatives

The Truman Doctrine:

The Philosophical Underpinning of U.S. Cold War Policy

The Marshall Plan: European Economic Recovery Plan

Formalizing the Cold War

Background to the Truman Doctrine

• Feb. 1947: Britain can no longer support Greece against communist rebels

• Turkey under pressure to allow Soviet control of Bosporus and Dardanelles


The Truman DoctrineMarch, 1947 Special Session of CongressTruman’s Speech• “I believe that it must be the policy of the

United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.”

The Truman Doctrine

Requests $400,000,000 in aid to Greece and TurkeyBased on a new policy: containment

George Kennan’s The Sources of Soviet Conduct• Soviet expansion is traditional Russian

policy• Must be opposed

Containment

The Sources of Soviet Conduct

“The main element of any United States policy toward the Soviet Union, must be that of a long-term, patient but firm and vigilant containment of Russian expansive tendencies.”


The U.S. must counter “Soviet pressure against the free institutions of the Western world” through the “adroit and vigilant application of counter-force at a series of constantly shifting geographical and political points, corresponding to the shifts and maneuvers of Soviet policy.”


Containment would “promote tendencies which must eventually find their outlet in either the break-up or the gradual mellowing of Soviet power.”


The Marshall Plan (June 1947)Western Europe also in chaos, years of war destroyed basic infrastructure for economyWeak economies are subject to communist sympathies1947 Secretary of State George Marshall proposes that the US provide aid to all European nations that need it$13 Billion to Europe by 1952

The Marshall Plan


The Division of Germany

Western occupied Germany (Allies): Federal Republic of GermanyEastern occupied Germany (Soviets): German Democratic Republic

Formalizing the Cold WarNATOThe Warsaw Pact

Major Crises of the Cold War

1948: Berlin Blockade and Airlift1949: Soviet A-BombSuez Crisis (1956)U-2 Incident (1960)Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961)Berlin Wall (1961)Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

Berlin Blockade and Airlift

Two IssuesTest of “will”Currency reform in Germany• June 20, 1948: 10 billion, 701 million, 720

thousand of the new German Marks (Duetschmarks)

• Gamble based on free market principles• Implicit was unification of the western

zones

Berlin Blockade and Airlift

March 20, 1948: USSR walks out of Control CouncilMarch 30, 1948: USSR slows traffic into BerlinJune 7, 1948: Western allies plan West German StateJune 24, 1948: USSR blocks access to Berlin for 321 days: “road repairs”

The Airlift

Chosen over military option272,000 flights into West BerlinMay 12, 1949: Soviets reopen West Berlin

The Airlift