two superpowers clash: 1945- 1963 the early cold war
TRANSCRIPT
Two Superpowers Clash: 1945-1963
THE EARLY COLD WAR
Tehran Conference (1943) – D-Day plans, USSR agreed to enter the war against Japan & claimed the right to Eastern Europe; Britain demanded a free Europe & unified Germany; US proposed the United Nations
Yalta Conference (1945) – United Nations plans; division of Germany; USSR agreed to free elections in Eastern Europe
Potsdam Conference (1945) – Japanese surrender; war-crimes tribunals; occupation of Germany
WORLD WAR II DIPLOMACY
THE POTSDAM CONFERENCE
Former Senator from Missouri
Chosen as VP to appease conservative Democrats who were concerned about Roosevelt’s health
Succeeded to the presidency following FDR’s sudden death on April 12, 1945
Was uninformed about major initiatives related to the war, including the Manhattan Project
PRESIDENT HARRY TRUMAN
US AIMS VS. SOVIET AIMS
The US Wanted To… The Soviets Wanted to…
Create a new world order in which all nations had the right of self determination
Encourage communism in other countries as part of the worldwide struggle between workers & the wealthy
Gain access to raw materials for its industries
Rebuild its war-ravaged economy using Eastern Europe’s industrial equipment & raw materials
Rebuild European governments to ensure stability & to create new markets for American goods
Control Eastern Europe to balance US influence in Western Europe
Reunite Germany, believing that Europe would be more secure if Germany was productive
Keep Germany divided & weak as that it would never again threaten the Soviet Union
Following World War II, the USSR installed communist governments in Eastern Europe
These countries became known as satellite nations
Winston Churchill famously claimed that an “iron curtain” had fallen across Europe
THE IRON CURTAIN
Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech
Proposed in 1946 by US diplomat George Kennan
Intended as a way to stop the spread of communism & to prevent a domino effect
First implemented in reaction to a communist threat in Greece & Turkey
CONTAINMENT DOCTRINE
Announced in March 1947
Claimed that the US had a duty to support free nations under communist threat
Persuaded Congress to send $400 million in aid to Greece & Turkey
Signaled an end to US isolationism
THE TRUMAN DOCTRINE (1947)
The Truman Doctrine (PBS)
THE TRUMAN DOCTRINE (1947)
Offi cially the European Recovery Program (ERP)
Proposed in June 1947Motivated by the fear
that war-torn Europe could fall under the influence of Communism
Led to $13 billion in aid to Western Europe Used to rebuild
infrastructure & industry & to buy American goods
THE MARSHALL PLAN (1947)
THE BERLIN AIRLIFT (1948-49)
In June 1948, Stalin closed all highway & rail routes into West Berlin
Truman ordered US planes to fly supplies of food, clothing, & other goods into the city
By May 1949, the USSR realized that it was beaten & lifted the blockade
THE BERLIN AIRLIFT (1948-49)
Berlin Airlift Video
The USSR exploded its first atomic bomb in 1949Prompted the US to increase efforts to create a more powerful hydrogen bomb
The US succeeded in November 1952
The USSR followed in 1953
THE ARMS RACE
THE ARMS RACE
Included the US, Canada, & 10 Western European nations
Pledged military support to one another in case any member was attacked
The USSR countered with the Warsaw Pact in 1955
THE NATO ALLIANCE (1949)
THE CHINESE REVOLUTION (1949)
When World War II ended, Japanese troops north of the 38 th parallel surrendered to the USSR
On June 25, 1950, North Korean troops crossed the line & attacked the South South Korea appealed to
the UN for help UN troops were sent under
the command of General Douglas MacArthur
THE KOREAN WAR (1950-53)
The early stages of the war went poorly for the Americans
In response, MacArthur ordered a surprise amphibious attack at Inchon Pushed the North to the
Chinese border Prompted Chinese intervention
UN forces forced to retreat across the 38 th parallel Led to a stalemate that
dragged on until a truce was signed in 1953
THE KOREAN WAR (1950-53)
Under President Eisenhower, the US promised to use all of it force, including nuclear weapons, against any aggressor nation Known as brinkmanship Promoted by Secretary of
State John Foster Dulles Led to a constant fear of
nuclear attack
PRESIDENT DWIGHT EISENHOWER
Duck & Cover Video
Eisenhower relied on covert operations by the CIA to prevent communists from taking power in strategic countries
Other Cold War issues during the Eisenhower administration included: Geneva Summit Suez Crisis Hungarian Uprising
THE COLD WAR SPREADS
In October 1957, the USSR launched Sputnik – the world’s first artificial satellite Prompted Americans to pour money into their own space program
SPUTNIK (1957)
Beginning in 1955, the CIA flew secret missions over the USSR Relied on the U-2 Took photographs of
troops movements & missile sites
May 1960, pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the USSR Sentenced to 10 years
in prison
U-2 INCIDENT (1960)
Elected in 1960
Called for a flexible response to the communist threat
Increased defense spending in order to boost nonnuclear forces such as troops, ships, & artillery
PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY
In March 1960, Eisenhower had given the CIA permission to secretly train Cuban exiles for an invasion Carried out in April 1961 Faced 25,000 Cuban
troops backed by Soviet tanks & jets
Many of the exiles were killed or imprisoned
BAY OF PIGS INVASION (1961)
In the years after the Berlin Airlift, almost 3 million East Germans had fled into West Berlin Led the USSR to build a
wall dividing the city First made of brick &
barbed wire, but later built with cement & steel
Reinforced with armed guards, electric fences, & vehicle traps
BERLIN WALL (1961)
Ich Bin Ein Berliner Speech
In October 1962, US spy planes photographed Soviet missile bases in Cuba US prepared for war Soviets moved more
ships toward the island Ended when the USSR
agreed to remove its missiles & the US pledged not to invade the island
CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS (1962)
Cuban Missile Crisis Speech
The spread of communism throughout Eastern Europe and China fueled fears at homeUS Communist Party had 100,000 membersSome feared that they may be loyal to the Soviet Union
THE RED SCARE
Truman was accused of being soft on CommunismEstablished the Federal Employee Loyalty Program to investigate employees in March 1947Ran initial reviews of 4.5 million
Led to the dismissal of 212 people
LOYALTY REVIEW BOARD
Established in 1945 to investigate suspected threats of subversion Famously investigated the Communist influence on the movie industry in 1947 Hollywood Ten refused to
testify & were sentenced to 1-year prison sentences
Eventually, more than 300 artists were blacklisted by the studios
THE HOUSE UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE
Accused in 1948 of spying for the Soviet Union Case was pursued by
Congressman Richard Nixon
Eventually convicted of perjury & sentenced to 5 years in prison
Served to increase fears about Soviet infiltration of the American government
ALGER HISS
In 1949, the Soviets tested a their first atomic bomb – sooner than the US expected US physicist Klaus Fuchs
admitted to passing atomic information to the Soviets
Minor Communist Party activists Ethel & Julius Rosenberg were also implicated in the case Convicted of espionage &
sentenced to death Executed in 1953
THE ROSENBERGS
Made it unlawful to promote the establishment of a “totalitarian dictatorship”
Also required Communist organizations to register with the US government Members were not permitted to become citizens
& could be prevented from entering or leaving the country
Passed over Truman’s veto
THE MCCARREN ACT (1950)
US Senator from Wisconsin who became the most visible public face America’s pursuit of Communists Announced in 1950 that
he had a list of 205 names of Communists who had infiltrated the US government
Won reelection in 1952 without ever revealing any of the names
JOSEPH MCCARTHY
Began an investigation of the US army in 1953
Televised hearings were held in 1954 Several key pieces of evidence
were shown to be doctored or faked
Confronted by Army counsel Joseph Welch in a series of heated exchanges
Led to McCarthy’s downfall & Senate censure for improper conduct
ARMY-MCCARTHY HEARING (1954)