american history chapter 15 section 2. containment in 1945 britain and the united states pushed the...
TRANSCRIPT
Containment • In 1945 Britain and the United
States pushed the Soviets to hold free elections in Eastern Europe, but they refused.
• George Kennan, a U.S. diplomat suggested that the United States keep the Soviet Union from expanding its power until communism fell apart from its own weaknesses.
• Thus, the policy of containment referred to keeping communism within its territory through diplomatic, military, and economic actions.
Soviets in the Middle East• Soon after, Soviet-related crises
erupted in the Middle East, specifically Iran and in Turkey.
• In Iran, Soviet troops remained in the northern part of Iran and Stalin demanded access to Iran's oil supplies.
• Soviet troops also helped Iranian Communists establish a separate government.
• However, the Soviets backed down only under threats of force from the United States (flexing our nuclear bomb power).
Communists in Greece• In August of 1947, Greek
Communist launched a guerrilla war against the Greek government.
• President Truman asked Congress for money to help Greece and Turkey fight communism.
• His Truman Doctrine was meant to aid (money) “free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.”
Marshall Plan • To weaken the appeal of
communism, Secretary of State George C. Marshall proposed the European Recovery Program or Marshall Plan which gave Europe aid (money) to rebuild its economies.
• The U.S. had come to a conclusion in early 1948 that the Soviet Union was deliberately trying to undermine Germany's economy.
Combining the Three Zones
• In 1948 the United States, France, and Britain combined or merged their zones (along with the zones in West Berlin) to create West Germany. – The Soviets blockaded
Berlin in anger.
Berlin Airlift
• Truman ordered the Berlin airlift, in which cargo planes brought food and other supplies to the city.
• President Truman wanted to keep West Berlin alive without provoking war with the Soviets.
NATO
• Stalin finally lifted the blockade, but Americans and Western Europe were moved to form North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
• NATO members (12 nations) agreed to help each other if attacked.
• The Soviets set up the Warsaw Pact alliance.
China • Besides Europe, the Cold War
spread to Asia (including China and Korea).
• In China, Mao Zedong led Communist forces in a revolt against Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist, government.
• Their fight began in the 1920s.
• However, the two sides stopped fighting during World War II and joined forces to stop the Japanese invasion.
Sending Aid
• After the war ended, the two groups began fighting again.
• The United States wanted to stop the spread of communism in Asia.
• It sent Chiang Kai-shek $2 billion in aid.
• However, the Communists captured the capital Beijing and moved south.
Taiwan and One China• The Nationalists left the
mainland and fled to Taiwan.
• The United States set up formal relations with the Nationalists on Taiwan.
• In 1949 the Communists set up the People’s Republic of China.
• By using the veto power in the United Nations Security Council, the U.S. kept representatives of Communist China out of the United Nations.
China & Soviet Union
• In the same year, the Soviet Union tested its first atomic weapon.
• In 1950 it signed a treaty of alliance with China.
• Americans feared that these allies would support Communist revolutions around the world.
Japan • The United States also
changed it policy toward Japan.
• General Douglas MacArthur mission was to introduce democracy to Japan and keep it from threatening war again.
• Americans saw Japan as a way to defend Asia against communism.
Korea
• After World War II, the Allies divided Korea at the 38th parallel.
• The Soviet-controlled north became Communist.
• In the U.S.-controlled south, an American-backed government was set up.
North Korean Invasion
• The Soviets gave military aid to North Korea, which built a huge army and invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950.
What to do in Korea…
• President Truman saw this as a test of the containment policy.
• President Truman was able to get the United Nations to act on Korea since the Soviet delegate had boycotted the Security Council on another matter; they (Soviets) were not present to veto the American proposal.
United Nation Troops
• He sent MacArthur and the American military to Korea.
• Truman also asked the United Nations for troops to help.
• In September 1950, MacArthur ordered an invasion.
China Getting Involved• The North Koreans were taken
by surprise, and they retreated across the 38th parallel.
• MacArthur pushed the North Koreans toward the Chinese border.
• The Chinese were afraid of a UN invasion and warned the UN troops to retreat.
• Then the Chinese invaded Korea and pushed UN troops south.
Firing a General • General MacArthur wanted
to expand the war into China. • He criticized Truman for
wanting a limited war, a war fought to achieve limited goals. – In response, Truman fired
MacArthur.
• During the Cold War, one of the biggest concerns that shaped American foreign policy was all-out war might lead to nuclear war.
• By 1951 the UN forces drove the Chinese and North Koreans back over the 38th parallel.
• An armistice was signed in July 1953.
• By then more than 35,000 Americans had died in the war.