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The Cold War

The Cold War. 1945-1952. Postwar Setting, 1945-1946. WWII changed from Isolationist to military superpower Demobilization and Reconversion End of the War “Alive in ’45” “no boats, no votes” 1947 22 nd Amendment to limit presidential terms to 2 Costs Psychological

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The Cold War

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  1. The Cold War 1945-1952

  2. Postwar Setting, 1945-1946 • WWII changed from Isolationist to military superpower • Demobilization and Reconversion • End of the War • “Alive in ’45” • “no boats, no votes” • 1947 • 22nd Amendment to limit presidential terms to 2 • Costs • Psychological • Divorce rate increased • Feared unemployment • Women back to “women’s jobs” • Reinforcement of women in the home • GI Bill of Rights • 1944 Serviceman’s Readjustment Act • Designed to: • Forestall expected recession • Reward soldiers, help transition soldiers back • Reduce fear of female competition • Gave: • Priority for jobs • Occupational guidance • Unemployment (52 weeks) • Low-interest loans (VA) • Paid education • Results: • HUGE economic boom/expansion • 2.2 million attended college • Huge cost to government • $14.5 billion between 1945-1960 • Repaid in taxes

  3. Truman’s Domestic Program • Legislation • 21 point program • Included national healthcare coverage • Increased minimum wage • Bill to maintain full employment • Watered down version passed • Employment Act 1946 • Only legislation passed • Committed to economic growth • Goal full employment • “Peace is Hell” • Inflation • Demand outran supply • Severe problem • OPA, Truman lost control • Weak measures • Truman asked Congress to continue price controls to check inflation • Congress didn’t agree, inflation up 25% • Labor strikes • United Mine Workers 45 days • 4.5 million striked, wanted increased wages • Truman used soldiers to operate • Loss of support • “To err is Truman” • Everyone against him • Anti-communists • Labor • Civil Rights • Women

  4. Truman’s Domestic Program • 80th Congress • Conservative majority • Reversal of New Deal • Support of creation of Israel • Wagner Act 1935 • Restricted unionist activities • GOP tore it apart • Public unhappy with inflation/strikes • Taft-Hartley Act 1947 • Banned closed shop • Loyalty oaths • “cooling off” periods • Labor now special-interest • Truman vetoed, Congress wins • Called it “slave-labor bill”

  5. Civil Rights • Truman realized that race issue made U.S. look weak abroad • 1946 – used executive power to establish Committee on Civil Rights • Jackie Robinson • 1945 Walter White- NAACP • Wants equality, fair practices • “Dixiecrat” Revolt • Democrat convention • 35 walked out • Nominated Strom Thurmond for President • Leads to Truman’s 1948 executive order to bar discrimination in federal employment (military and federal government) • Morgan v. Virginia (interstate bus) • Shelley v. Kraemer (housing) • Both found segregation unconstitutional

  6. Threat of Communism • Heading to Cold War • 1946: Destiny of Eastern Europe and Poland in question • Conflict centered around intense rivalry b/w Soviet Union and U.S. • Creation of U.N. 1945 • Hope fore future • U.S., G.B., France, China, Soviet Union • Permanent seats, veto power • Meant to maintain national security • Stalin’s Plans • Buffer zone in Eastern Europe • Soviet sphere of influence • Puppet governments in Albania and Yugoslavia • “free elections” favored communists • Truman’s Plans • Russia in its borders • Acceptance of communism would betray WWI and WWII vets • Didn’t want to be “soft” • Demanded free elections in Poland • Britain demanded too • Iron Curtain • Satellite nations • Closed to US trade • “no lasting peace with Capitalism” • Argued needed to protect Russia from invasion • George Kennan • US policy must be to “contain” • Impossible to negotiate with Stalin • Military, economic, and diplomatic strategies to prevent communism from spreading = containment theory • Churchill • 1946 “Iron Curtain” • Anglo-speaking alliance • Truman • Iran 1946 • Soviets occupied • U.S. threatened to send troops • Both groups rush to develop atomic bombs • Cold War begins

  7. Containment • Policy created by • General George C. Marshall • Deam Acheson • George Kennan • Iran 1946 • Greece and Turkey 1947 • British needed help • George C. Marshall pressured Congress to help • $400 million assistance • Truman Doctrine • Developed in response to 2 threats • Communist uprising in Greece/ Turkey • Soviet demand for dardenelles • Active US engagement to contain communism • Military and financial aid • National Security Act 1947 • National Security Council • CIA • Dept of Defense • Marshall Plan • Plan to restore European Economies • Resistance to Communism • George C. Marshall’s plan • Successful, $17 billion in aid • Truman’s Strategy • Development of atomic weapons • Strengthen traditional military power • Military alliances • Military and economic aid to allies • Espionage network • Propaganda offensive

  8. The Marshall Plan • After war: • Europe short of food, in debt • Harsh winter 1946-1947 • Plan • Created by George C. Marshall • Goal to revive European economies and strengthen democratic governments • Congress approved $17 billion European Recovery Program • Was offered for ALL of Europe, • Eastern Europe refused • Effects • Worked! • Europe self-sufficient by 1950s • Ended Communist threat in Western Europe • Deepened rift with Soviet Union

  9. Confrontation in Germany • Stalin’s progression • Hungry/Czechoslovakia 1947/48 • Brutal Coup • Then set sights on Germany • Berlin June 1948 • 1st real crisis • 4 demilitarized zones • Allies zones united • 1948: Stalin blocks rail and highway routes into Berlin • Trying to force Allies to accept Communist Berlin • Truman’s response • Operation Vittles • Berlin Airlift • Sent 60 bombers to England (B-29s) • Hinted use of atomic weapons • May 1949 blockade ends • Allies create Federal Republic of Germany • Reaffirms containment • Public opinion supported • Alliances • North Atlantic Treaty (NATO) 1949 • Marked formal end of isolation • Broke Washington’s warning of alliances with foreign nations • Collective security • Mutual defense pact • 1st peacetime alliance • Gen. Eisenhower 1st Supreme Commander • Nuclear umbrella • Stalin’s Response • Created German Democratic Republic (East Germany) • Exploded 1st atomic bomb 1949 • Warsaw Pact 1955 • Alliance of satellite states

  10. Re-election 1948 • Election • Republicans think Democrats will split over race issue • Nominees • New Progressive Party • Nominee- Henry Wallace • Thought foreign policy was too aggresive • Dixiecrats • Nominee- Strom Thurmond • Anti-civil rights • Republicans • Nominee- Thomas Dewey • Expected to win • Cautious campaign and unexciting • Truman-Democrats • “man without a chance” • Toured country by rail • “Give ‘em hell” speeches • Attached “do nothing” conservative congress • Inaugural address 1949 • Fair Deal • Ambitious reform program • Proposed civil rights, national health care legislation, federal aid to education, etc. • Belief in continual economic growth • Funds for public housing & new farm program • Congress • Most of it blocked • Expanded existing programs • Raised minimum wage (from .40-.75 cents) • Increased social security • Available to more workers • Displaced Persons Act • 205,000 Jews • Did not accept new programs • Failure • Set US apart from Europe

  11. Cold War in Asia • Japan • Under control of the U.S. • Tried former Japs for war crimes • Democratic success • Set up parliamentary democracy • Emperor still head of state but gave up divinity • New constitution renounced war • MacArthur in charge • Strengthened Japanese economy and government • Occupation ended 1952 • US retained bases • China • US failed • Mao Ze Dong successful • People’s Republic of China • “Red China” • Communism appealed to landless peasants • US refused to recognize • China signed pact with Russia 1950 • U.S. recognized Kai-Shek in Taiwan • Americans shocked • Indochina • France needed help • US crushes commies in Philippines • Becomes independent republic • U.S. still retains bases

  12. Nuclear Fear • 1947 – Loyalty Review Board • Truman pressured to created • Investigated federal employees b/w 1947- 1951 • Thousands lost jobs • Soviets even the score • Atomic bomb 1949 • American hysteria • Air raid practice • Bomb shelters • Sky watchers • Truman’s answer • Development of H-bomb 1950 • “Mike” 1952 • 10X Hiroshima (Marshall Islands) • Soviet’s answered with own H • NSC-68 • Emphasized Soviet strength and aggressive intentions • “world domination” • Urged military defense • Increase army • Increase nuclear arsenal • 4x defense budget • Increase CIA actions

  13. Korean War 1950-1953 • June 24, 1950 • North Korea invades South • 38th parallel • “Greece of the East” • Step up to Communism • Didn’t seek congress • Truman called special session of U.N. security council • UN authorized action • “police action”, not an act of war • War Action • MacArthur in charge • Crosses into North Korea • Beginning of war difficult, MacArthur changes war with brilliant amphibious assault at Inchon • Tide turns when China enters war • Stalemate • Attempt at Peace • Spring 1951 • MacArthur criticizes Truman • Wanted to fight and bomb China • April 10, 1951 MacArthur fired • Supported by Joint Chiefs of Staff • Armistice not signed until 1953 • Korea divided • But containment worked! • Consequences • Lives • 54, 246 US dead • 103,284 US wounded • Cost • $54 billion • Politics • Accelerated NSC-68 • Defense budget spending increased • Atomic stockpile increased • Worldwide military bases • Indochina • U.S. paid for 3/4th of France’s war in Indochina • Enhanced powers of Presidency • Precedent for war • Second economic boom • Added fuel to second “Red Scare”

  14. Anti-Communism Hysteria • Loyalty and Security • Widespread Fear • US Communist Party • Amerasia incident • Raid on communist magazine • Exposed leaks in the government • Canada exposes network • Executive Order 9835, 1947 • Federal Employee Loyalty Program • Barred members of Communist Party • Smith Act 1940 • Illegal to adovocate to teach overthrow of government by force • Upheld by Dennis et al v. United States

  15. Anti-Communism Hysteria • Crusade • Hoover • Colleges center of “red” prop. • “Zeal for Democracy” campaign • 1947 House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) • Originally created to seek out Nazi’s • Attacked Hollywood, “blacklisted” • Prosecuted leaders of US Communist Party, union members • Alger Hiss • Symbol of liberal establishment • Member of the state department • Accused by Whittaker Chambers • Questioned by Sen. Richard Nixon • Claimed to be innocent • Indicted for perjury • “Pumpkin Papers” • Micro-film copies of papers in pumpkin • Rosenbergs’ • Feb 1950 • Klaus Fuchs arrested, atomic secrets • Trail led to Rosenbergs • Found guilty March 1951 • Executed June 19. 1953 • McCarthyism • Joseph McCarthy • Republican Senator from Wisconsin • Falsely claimed to be a war hero • Used tactic for re-election • Power based on people’s fear • List of “205” officials • Symbol for personal attacks on individuals by means of indiscriminate allegations • Army-McCarthy hearings 1954 • Exposed • Censured for his “witch-hunt”

  16. Hysteria subsided • McCarthy’s end • Edward R. Murrow attacks • Hearings proved he was a fraud • Results • 1950 McCarran Internal Security Act • Vetoed by Truman • Forced organizations deemed communist to register with Dept. of Justice • Unlawful to advocate or support establishment of totalitarian government • Authorized arrest and detention during National emergency • McCarran-Walter Immigration Act and Nationality Act of 1952 • Vetoed by Truman • Maintained quotas • Prevented homosexuals from entering country • Power to deport those suspected of communism

  17. Election of 1952 • Public apprehension • Loyalty in government • Korea stalemate • Truman didn’t seek election • Jokingly called it a promotion • We want Ike!! • Democrats • Ike didn’t agree with domestic solutions • Nominated Adlai Stevenson • Popular senator from Illinois • Thought 20 years of democrat rule enough • Out of touch with people • Truman shadow • Republicans • Nominates Dwight D. Eisenhower • War hero • Pledged to end stalemate • Spotless reputation for integrity • Running mate Richard Nixon • Balanced Conservative • “Checkers” speech • Slush-fund • Results • Ike wins White House • Wins over pledge to end Korean War • Narrow Republican control of houses • Ends 1st phase of Cold War

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