THE COLD WAR ERA: THE UNITED STATES

AFTER WORLD WAR II (1946-1960)

Chapter 23

Post-War Economy Baby boom throughout the 1950s Rapid process of reconverting factories

back to producing consumer goods Result: Americans begin to spend more

freely and the economy recovers

Post-War Economy GI Bill: Servicemen’s Readjustment Act

Provided low interest home loans and money for college education

Still in use today, extremely important and provides opportunity for many to get a college education

Part of the movement of readjustment back to peace in America

Resulted in a housing shortage that mass produced remedied

Helped reinforce the typical “middle class values” that were revered throughout the 1950s

The Cold War: Soviet Containment Post-war period ushers in years of

tension between the US and the Soviet Union known as the Cold War

As Stalin tried to expand to Eastern Europe, Soviet expert George Keenan outlined a policy of “Soviet Containment”Blocking the expansion of communism at all

costs

The Cold War: Soviet Containment Post-War Strategy

Russians occupy Eastern Europe – greatly concerned about national security○ The invasion of Poland by Germany was the

primary reason for occupation○ Wanted to establish regimes that were friendly

and/or subservient to Russia○ Russia is frightened of the U.S. utilizing an

atomic bomb and retaining themBegins to build their own, starts the arms race

The Cold War: Soviet Containment Post-War Strategy

US troops occupy Western Europe○ Did not like Russia’s national security emphasis

through occupationThey wanted to keep free elections throughout Europe

and promote democracy

○ U.S. already utilized an atomic bombThey were stockpiling and beginning to build the

hydrogen bomb to keep up in the arms race

Civil war in Greece and Turkey provide an opportunity for the U.S. to try out their policy of containment

Truman Doctrine First application of the containment doctrine –

written in 1947 as a result of the civil war in Greece and Turkey

Truman asks Congress to supply funds to keep Greece and Turkey within the western sphere of influenceUsed the defense of freedom as reasoning

Also an informal declaration of Cold War against the Soviets

Truman’s rhetoric suggested that the U.S had assumed a permanent global responsibility

The Marshall Plan U.S. attempted to prevent the spread of

Soviet/Communist influence in western Europe by economic means

1947 – Secretary of State George Marshall proposed an economic aid package to help Europe rebuild their industries

Soviets decline this aid because of the political agenda attached to it (democracy for all)

Fosters prosperity in Western Europe that in turn helped stimulate the American economy in the post-war period

NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization Military alliance between the U.S., Canada, and

most of Western EuropeSoviets and Communists were left out

Pledged mutual defense against any future Soviet attack

Third and final step in the first large-scale phase of containment

U.S. troops began to be stationed in western Europe in 1949Greatly enhanced the Russian fear of Western

expansion

Cold War Expansion

Russians’ response is to cut off access to Berlin Truman refuses to withdraw American

troops and orders an airlift to supply the city

Truman is reelected in 1948, Russia retreats and ends their blockade in 1949

This sets the stage for the West/East Berlin animosity that lasts until the 1980s

Cold War Expansion

US improves its security after WWIINational Security Act of 1947 – unified

armed forces, CIA, National Security Council (advisors to the President)

U.S. puts their defense budget into the Air Force

U.S. seems determined to win the Cold War at all costs

Cold War Expansion

Problems in AsiaBoth the U.S. and Soviets have large stakes

in Asia after WWIIU.S. moves to consolidate its influence over

Japan and the Pacific IslandsChina (between the U.S. and Soviet spheres

of influence) is torn between pro-Western Chiang Kai-shek and pro-Soviet Mao Tse Tung (future Chairman of China and genocidal maniac throughout the 1960s)

Chairman Mao

Chiang Kai-shek

Cold War Expansion

Problems in AsiaMao wins over in China, Chiang Kai-shek

is exiled from China for the rest of his lifeChina is clearly within the influence of

the Soviets and Communism○ Truman is attacked for losing China○ As a result, he begins to build up U.S.

influence in post-war Japan

The Korean War

America becomes involved with South Korea in 1950 as Communist forces in North Korea begin to invade the southThe 38th parallel becomes the dividing

line between the two groups

The Korean War

General Douglas MacArthur pushed to take the war into China after the U.S. gets involvedWanted to achieve a total victory and to

demonstrate American military superiority (much like Patton in WWII)

Wanted to make future wars less likelyTruman disagrees, feared Russia and nuclear

holocaustMacArthur pushes Truman too far and is

relieved of command in Korea

The Korean War

U.S. involvement in South Korea becomes a United Nations effort The majority of troops, supplies, and

strategy is supplied by the U.S. though The Korean War becomes a

stalemate due largely to guerilla warfare on both sides

The Korean War

The war continues into Dwight D. Eisenhower’s presidency

Most significant result of the war was the massive American rearmamentAmericans felt they were now ready to

stop Soviet expansion anywhere in the world

The Communist Threat

The Cold War encouraged a culture of secrecy and dishonesty

Freedom of speech and dissent comes under attack again in a new “Red Scare” after America wins the war for freedom

Those who could be linked to communism (no matter how absurd the link) were considered enemies of freedom

The Communist Threat Essentially turned into another witch hunt

that had the potential to tear the country apart

The entire country became gripped in this phenomenaAs much of a local threat as it was nationalLocal anticommunist groups would readily storm

public libraries and destroy “un-American” booksThe courts did nothing to stop this type of

behavior

The Communist Threat

Why do we favor fascism over communism?Traces its roots back to the Civil WarAmericans prefer order over anarchyWe eerily respect the staunch militarism

(conservatism) of the Germans over the idea of absolute social and economic revolution

The Communist Threat

Joseph McCarthyAnnounced in 1950 that he had a list of

205 communists working for the State Dept.

Really working for his own fame and glory; didn’t care who he stepped on to make sure he was #1

The Communist Threat

Joseph McCarthyGained a ton of support from Midwestern

Republicans, Irish, Poles, and Italians as he lambasted privileged bureaucrats

His demise (and embarrassment) finally came as he tried to take on the US Army, claiming that a great percentage of them were communists in disguise

The new “Red Scare” takes place during the election of 1952