The Cold War Ch. 38-39
KEY QUESTIONS: HOW DID THE UNITED STATES AND THE SOVIET UNION BECOME COLD WAR ENEMIES?
WERE THE METHODS USED BY THE U.S. TO CONTAIN COMMUNISM JUSTIFIED?
HOW DID THE ANXIETIES RAISED BY THE COLD WAR AFFECT LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES? POST WWII EUROPE POST WWII GERMANY 38.2 Forming an Uneasy Peace
After WWII, U.S. and Soviet Union remained as the two major superpowers Agreed at the Yalta Conference that Eastern Europe should be Democratic Later at the Potsdam Conference, much changed FDR replaced by Truman Churchill replaced by Attlee Even though Stalin promised elections, most that had occurred had been rigged by the Soviets 38.2 continued
How did the Soviets and Americans view Eastern Europe?
SOVIETS UNITED STATES
They needed it for They wanted it to be security (During both independent. The United world wars they were States believed they invaded from their would become border with Western democratic by choice and Europe). become allies of the United States.
American/Soviet Experiences of the War
United States Soviet Union
Number of Casualties 290,000 Soldiers Killed 7 Million Soldiers, 20 Million Total Russians
Damage to Country Harbor bombed by Entire Cities destroyed, Japanese, no other farms and livestock killed. damage to country
Financial Cost Spent $320 Billion Required millions of financing the war, dollars worth of aid in invigorating U.S. food, medicine, Economy equipment.
Competing Ideologies
Communism Capitalism
The State makes most Individuals make most of decisions decisions Gov’t decides what is What to produce produced What to purchase Limited choices for what to purchase Most things are View Capitalism as privately owned taking advantage of the “proletariat” or working class
Cold War Heats Up
With Access to Nuclear Weapons and growing economies, U.S. and USSR became Superpowers US believed that it needed to contain Soviet expansion Became central piece of U.S. Foreign Policy until the 1990s Iron Curtain Winston Churchill made a speech in 1946 in which he talked about the growing Soviet domination of Eastern Europe. “ From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent.” Cold War Heats Up
U.S. wanted to limit USSR’s Nuclear capabilities 1946 Bernard Baruch proposed banning nuclear weapons development. How did the U.S. attempt this? The Baruch Plan. Which would est. the UN Atomic Energy Commission What was Soviet Reaction? They rejected the plan unless the US agreed to destroy all of its weapons. Hint: Pg. 495 Soviet Expansion
In many countries, the Soviet Union used its power to influence the governments of several countries. U.S. was concerned that this would lead to USSR taking over the world one country at a time Truman Doctrine Limit the expansion of communism and Soviet influence at all costs
Rebuilding Europe
Europe was heavily damaged and in economic ruin after WWII Both the U.S. and USSR saw an opportunity to gain support from European countries U.S. Marshall plan offered aid to European countries that would support the United States Western European Countries supported this Soviets responded with the Molotov Plan Eastern European Countries forced to follow this 39.2 Dealing with Postwar Europe
After WWII, Germany was divided into 4 zones American, British, French, Soviet Americans, British, and French wanted to reunify Germany as a democratic, capitalist country Soviets were angered and blockaded Berlin Americans dropped millions of pounds of supplies into Berlin in the “Berlin Airlift” Uprising in Hungary tests U.S. Containment policy U.S. does not intervene, afraid of risking a war with USSR 39.2 Dealing with Postwar Europe
Two alliances were formed in 1949 to provide for mutual defense and essentially divided Europe in half. NATO: The United States and Western European nations formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Warsaw Pact: The Soviet Union responded by forming an alliance with the Communist countries of Eastern Europe.
39.3 Cold War in Asia
1949, China falls to communist Mao Zedong US feared communist expansion from China; turned to Japan as an ally in Asia Cut off all trade and communication with China in 1949 In 1950, Communist North Korea invaded South Korea, sparking the Korean War. U.S. Forces invaded North Korea, almost to the border with China Feeling threatened, China sent 400,000 troops into North Korea. In 1953, an armistice was signed; countries technically still at war Fighting the Cold War in the Third World
Both sides used economic and covert or secret means to influence developing countries US very involved in South America Often would support anticommunist dictators, despite their treatment of their people Soviets countered US efforts with their own CIA used its influence to spread capitalism and democracy, even through undemocratic means Overthrew leaders in Iran, Guatemala, and Dominican Republic Arms Race
Both sides attempted to stockpile as many nuclear weapons as they could, and position them in locations that would give them an advantage Brinksmanship (promoted by John Dulles) Playing chicken with Nuclear Weapons Deterrence policy of Mutually Assured Destruction “If you shoot at me, I WILL shoot at you” Nuclear Stockpiles: US: 10,000 warheads USSR: 9,000 warheads China/UK/France: ~100 warheads CH. 40 Vocab
Communist Sympathizers: A person who believes in communist ideology but is not a member of the Communist Party House Un-American Activities Committee Formed in 1938, a committee of the U.S House of Representatives that investigated subversive organizations in the United States in 1975. Alger Hiss Case A court case involving Alger Hiss, a U.S. State Department official accused of passing secrets to the Soviet Union, that contributed to a growing fear of subversion during the early Cold War. In 1950 a grad jury convicted Hiss of perjury but his guilt in regard to espionage was not proven.
CH. 40 Vocab
Rosenberg trial The controversial 1951 trial of two Americans, Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, charged with passing atomic secrets to the Soviets; the two were sentenced to death and executed in 1953, making them the only America civilians to be put to death for spying during the Cold War McCarthyism The practice of publicly accusing people of subversive activities without evidence to back up the charges; named for Senator Joseph McCarthy who began such a practice in the early 1950’s.
CH. 40 Vocab
Atomic Age The era in which atomic weapons have been used, beginning in 1945 with the first use of the atomic bomb and lasting to the present time. Federal Civil Defense Administration (FCDA) A federal agency established by Congress in 1951 to plan for civil defense during the arms race by preparing Americans to survive a nuclear attack.
Topics to Review
1. Soviet and American 8. NATO and the Warsaw goals at Yalta Pact 2. Baruch Plan 9. Brinksmanship 3. Iron Curtain 10. McCarthyism 4. Truman Doctrine 11. Third World Countries 5. Marshall Plan 12. Alger Hiss 6. Outcome of the Korean 13. FCDA War 14. The Rosenbergs 7. Berlin Airlift