THE COLD WAR

The Cold War (1945-1990?)

• Definition:– An ongoing conflict between the world’s two

superpowers—the US (Capitalism) and the USSR (Communism)

• Why “Cold”?– Both sides had nuclear weapons, but never used– US & USSR never went directly to war

• Never direct fighting between US & USSR

Causes of the Cold War

• Economic Differences

• Political Differences

• “Business as Usual” Nationalism

Economic Differences

• Capitalism– Individual profit & private enterprise– “Free trade”

• Communism– Government planning & control– Tightened control over international trade &

production

• Each country wants the rest of the world to follow its system for economic reasons

Political Differences• Capitalism

– Emphasis on democracy & individual choice– Importance of voting– Importance of limiting government intervention– Overall freedom = welfare of the individual

• Communism– Emphasis on common good– Lesser importance of voting– Strong government as “voice of the people”– “dictatorship of the proletariat”– Overall freedom = welfare of the society

Nationalism

• Is the Cold War simply two powerful countries competing for power?

• Conflict & wars began looooooong before advents of Communism & Capitalism!

Postwar Agreements• Yalta (February of 1945)

– Stalin (USSR), FDR (US), Churchill (Eng)– Agreements

• United Nations set up• Stalin to get “influence” in Eastern Europe• USSR to invade Japan 3 months after Germany

• Potsdam (July, 1945)– Stalin (USSR), Truman (US), Atlee (Eng)– Clear that Stalin planned to stay in Eastern

Europe

Why Both Sides Distrusted Other

• US troops in Russia after WW I

• Long wait for 2nd Front in WW II

• Russia attacked in both WW I & WW II

• Russia lost 20 million people in WW II

• Only US had A-Bomb• Hatred of Capitalism

• Russia had pulled out of WW I

• Stalin’s nonaggression pact with Hitler

• Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe

• Soviet anti-capitalism statements

• Fear of Soviet interest in Western Europe

• Hatred of communist ideas and brutality

USSR USA

Post WW II Europe

The United Nations (UN)• Formed in April 1945

– Much like the League of Nations before– Except US joins

• Organization of UN:– General Assembly

• All nations with equal vote

– Security Council• Five major countries, all with veto power over any

resolution– US, USSR, China, France, England

CONTAINMENT

Containment

• Name for US foreign policy after WW II

• Definition– Not to defeat communism– But to stop it from spreading

Cold War Time Line

Harry Truman

• President from 1945-1953

The Truman Doctrine (March 1947)• President Truman’s statement that

– The US must provide aid to “support free peoples who are resisting subjugation by armed minorities or outside pressures”

• (US will provide financial aid to all anti-communists)

– The US should provide $400 million to help fight communism in Turkey & Greece

• Means: A small amount of (only) money to prevent communism from spreading in one particular area

The “Domino Theory”

• If one country goes Communist, its neighbors will follow

• “Countries will fall like dominoes

The Marshall Plan• US Secretary of State George Marshall’s

Plan to give $13 billion to rebuild the economies of Western Europe

• Why?– Genuine humanitarian concern– Prevent instability that could let communism

spread– Build up trading partners for US economy

• Means: A lot of (only) money to prevent communism from spreading all over Europe

Sec. of State George Marshall

Berlin Blockade (June 1948)

• USSR tries to close off West Berlin– Attempt to take it over

• Truman’s options:1. Let Berlin go

a. Not a lot of love for Germans!

2. Attack Soviet Uniona. Risk of WW III?

3. Find a way to supply West Berlina. This is the one chosen

Berlin Airlift (June 1948 – May 1949)

• Code named “Operation Vittles”!

• US planes flew 2,500 tons of supplies into Berlin each day for eleven months

• Why did Stalin not shoot down the planes?– Truman said he had 60 A-Bombs ready to use

• He did not!

• Soviets end blockade in May, 1949

North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO (1949)

• Mutual protection treaty signed by US, Canada, & countries of Western Europe– England, France, West Germany, Italy, Norway,

Netherlands, etc

• “An attack on one, is an attack on all”• Means: US will protect Europe BY FORCE

IF NECESSARY• 1955—Soviets create the Warsaw Pact

– Same as NATO w/Eastern Europe• Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, East Germany, etc.

Truman Signing the NATO Treaty

The Traumas of 1949

• September– Russians test their own A-Bomb

• November– Mao Tse-Tung & Communists take over China

• US now fears that Communism is really spreading– Wants to take more drastic precautions

Josef Stalin

Mao Tse-tung’s Ride to Power

National Security Act of 1947

• Set up the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)– Responsible for gathering info on enemies and

spying

• Set up the National Security Council (NSC)– Group of “experts” to advise US government on

foreign policy

NSC-68 (April of 1950)

• NSC report

• 4 Suggestions– Only the US can contain communism– We must use force if necessary– We must prevent communism

EVERYWHERE (not just in Europe)– US must increase military spending by 4X

• Means: US will use FORCE to fight communism ANYWHERE it threatens

Korean War Begins (June 1950)

• Communist North Korea attacks the South

• US sends troops in a three year war– Two months after NSC-68

THE RED SCARE

Post-War Red Scare

• Fear that communists were taking over America– Not just in foreign countries

• Fear of Soviet Union & Stalin– Suspicion that spies were at work to subvert

America

The House Unamerican Activities Committee (HUAC)

• Created in 1947

• To investigate reports of communist infiltration– Of government– Of Hollywood

• Hearings accused hundreds– Ruined many lives & careers

• Truman set up a “loyalty program”

The Red Scare

Alger Hiss

Sen. Joe McCarthy Ethel and Julius Rosenberg

Alger Hiss

• Government official accused of being a communist agent

• No proof found– But given five years for

lying under oath (perjury)

Ethel & Julius Rosenberg

• Couple accused of being communist spies

• Charged with giving Russians H-Bomb secrets

• Executed in 1953– Much doubt about their

guilt

Senator Joseph McCarthy• Insane anti-communist

Senator from Wisconsin

• Led Senate hearings to expose communists

• Claimed he had a list of “known communists”

• Destroyed many lives

• Finally discredited & died of alcoholism in 1957

The “Hollywood Ten”—movie folkaccused of Communist Party ties