TRUMAN TO EISENHOWER 1945-1960
After WWII: • US and Allies liberate Western Europe and West Germany and bring freedom and democracy. • Soviets liberate Eastern Europe and east Germany and put them under Soviet communist control.
Cold War (1945-1990): period of intense tension and rivalry between US and Soviet Union
CONTAINMENT: US foreign policy of stopping the spread of communism
TRUMAN DOCTRINE MARSHALL PLAN
US gives economic and military aid to nations US gives $13 billion in aid to rebuild Western to resist the spread of communism Europe after the destruction of WWII
1947: US gives Greece and Turkey $400 Stop the spread of communism by rebuilding million to suppress communist rebellions Western Europe
NATO: mutual defense agreement between WARSAW PACT: Soviet Union and Eastern US and nine Western European countries Europe alliance
Division of Germany after WWII:
BERLIN BLOCKADE: June 1948 Soviets cut off access to Berlin from the Allies
“Berlin Airlift:” US airlifts supplies into West Berlin for almost a year
May 1949 – Soviets give in and lift blockade
(August 1961, Berlin Wall)
JAPAN: • US forces led by General Douglas MacArthur occupy Japan from 1945-1952 • Established a democratic government and rebuilt the economy • Japan becomes strong ally to the United States
CHINA • 1945-1949: Civil War rages in China between Communists and Nationalists • US gives $2 billion in aid to Chiang Kai-shek and the Nationalists to defend themselves against Mao Zedong and the Communists • 1949: Mao and the Communists take control of China • The most populated country in the world becomes communist • US refuses to recognize Communist China until 1978
KOREAN WAR: 1950-1953
• Causes: Korea is divided at the 38th parallel o North Korea = Communist o South Korea = Democratic
• 1950: North Korea invades South Korea • United Nations sends 400,000 troops to defend South Korea • 90% of UN troops are American • United Nations shows ability to act for peace
Truman vs. MacArthur • General MacArthur leads UN Troops • Pushes North Koreans all the way to the Chinese border • Calls for “all-out war” against China (wants to drop 30-50 atomic bombs on China) • President Truman calls for a “limited war” • Goal: contain communism and keep the North Koreans north of the 38th parallel • General MacArthur criticizes President Truman and the war plans • Who is in charge of military policy? à President (Commander-in-chief) NOT the generals • Truman fires MacArthur for insubordination
RESULTS OF KOREAN WAR o 1953: armistice is signed, ending hostilities o 38th parallel remains as the border dividing North Korea and South Korea o Communism is contained o Policy of containment is questioned o US lost 54,000 soldiers, more than 100,000 wounded o Cost $15 billion to stop spread of communism o US willing to use force to contain communism
Eisenhower’s Presidency (1953-1960): I Like Ike
Eisenhower Doctrine, 1957: Expanded Truman Doctrine to promise military and financial aid to nations fighting communism in the Middle East • 60% of world’s oil reserves are in the Middle East • US/USSR battle for control
Massive Retaliation • New foreign policy proposed by Secretary of State John Foster Dulles • US will use an all-out nuclear attack if necessary against Soviet aggression • Military emphasis shifts to nuclear weapons
• Arms Race: US builds up its nuclear weapons
SPACE RACE: Cold War competition
USSR launches Sputnik, first satellite into space – begins the Space Race. US feels it is falling behind
Space race leads to an increased emphasis on math and science education in the United States
The Second Red Scare: Many in the United States took an active role seeking out potential Communist threats
o Taft-Hartley Act 1947 o Anti-union legislation passed by Republican Congress over Truman’s veto o Required union leaders to take oaths that they are not communists
o HUAC: House Unamerican Activities Committee o Alger Hiss o Hollywood Ten o The Rosenbergs
MCCARTHYISM “I hold in my hand a list of 205 names that were known Communists in the State Department” – Senator Joseph McCarthy
Spread the idea that the US government was full of communists Made reckless accusations with no evidence Led to mass panic, hysteria Ruined many reputations Loss of civil liberties He never exposed a single spy or secret American communist Discredited when he turns his attack on the US Army
EISENHOWER PROSPERITY Postwar economic boom: shortage of consumer goods during the war and forced saving led to great demand for goods (cars, houses, clothing, appliances, televisions)
Baby Boomers & Suburbia: Post WWII population explosion Growth of suburbs (ex. Levittown) Middle class conformity Dependence on the car Women resume their role as wife, mother, housekeeper
Interstate Highway Act 1956 o 41,000 miles of interstate highway is built • “eliminate unsafe roads, inefficient routes, traffic jams and all of the other things that got in the way of “speedy, safe transcontinental travel.” • At the same time, highway advocates argued, “in case of atomic attack on our key cities, the road net [would] permit quick evacuation of target areas.”
Growth of the Sunbelt: Americans move from Northeast to California, Texas and Florida seeking a better life
Eisenhower’s Farewell Address: Growing defense spending and the arms industry was a potential threat (military industrial complex)