The start of the cold war

1. The start of the cold war CHAPTER 8 SECTION 1

2. East-West Suspicions A. The United States and the Soviet Union emerged from World War II as the two most powerful nations. i. While the two governments had cooperated to defeat the Axis Powers, their relationship deteriorated after the war.

3. East-West Suspicions B. Soviet expansion into Eastern Europe made Americans afraid i. Communism was a system in which, instead of people running businesses, the Communist party, representing government, controls property and production.

4. East-West Suspicions Winston Churchill C. The Soviets had promised free elections in Eastern European nations at the end of the war. i. Instead, they imposed the harsh Communist rules D. In 1946, former Prime Minister Winston Churchill declared that the Soviets had trapped Eastern Europe behind an “iron curtain.”

5. The Strength of Communism Symbol of Communism A. The Communists promised to abolish poverty, privilege, and private property. They promised work, shelter, education, health care, and a classless society B. Communist leaders sought to spread their form of government by inciting revolts in other nations where poor people, often the workers, were attracted to their ideas.

6. The Strength of Communism C. President Truman responded with a policy of containment—preventing the further spread of communism—rather than going to war and changing nations i. The Americans believed that the Soviets were interested in conquering other nations D. The policy of containment led to what was known as the cold war—a state of hostility between the United States and Soviet Union, but without any actual warfare.

7. The Containment Policy American Containment Communism

8. Aid to Europe A. In 1947, U.S. diplomats warned that Greece and Turkey were in danger of falling to communists guerrillas. B. In response, Truman proposed a plan to provide aid (guns and money) to Greece and Turkey to prevent communism. i. The plan became known as the Truman Doctrine and committed the United States to a more active role in world affairs.

10. Aid to Europe C. The United States turned its attention to helping the rest of Europe to recover from the devastation of the war. i. U.S. officials feared that poverty in European countries might lead to the election of communist governments.

11. Aid to Europe Marshall Plan Propaganda Poster D. The United States implemented the Marshall Plan—named after Secretary of State George Marshall. i. It provided massive amounts of financial aid to provide food, fuel, and raw materials to help the nations of Europe rebuild their economies, industries, and transportation systems.

12. The Berlin Airlift; NATO A. After the war, the United States, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union each controlled a zone of Germany. i. In 1948, the US, Britain and France combined their portions to form an independent nation—West Germany. B. The Soviets responded by closing off all traffic from West Germany to Berlin, the capital city, in the eastern part of Germany.

13. Germany

14. The Berlin Airlift; NATO C. Truman ordered a massive airlift to supply Berlin’s 2 million people with food and other goods. i. In May 1949, the Soviets finally lifted their blockade of the city. D. In 1949, with East-West tensions rising, the United States joined other Western nations to form the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a military alliance against the Soviets. In response, the Soviet Union formed the Warsaw Pact, a military alliance of the Soviet-controlled countries.

15. The Occupation of Japan A. After World War II, the aims of the United States in Asia were to restore peace, help Asians resist foreign rule, and restore Asian trade with the world. B. The United States also occupied Japan and sought to help the nation rebuild and become more democratic.

16. The Occupation of Japan C. Japan’s military was dismantled. i. Under American direction, a new constitution provided for elected representative government and woman suffrage. D. U.S. leaders also provided Japan with financial aid. E. In 1951, with Japan on its way to a remarkable recovery, the country was granted its independence.

17. Communist Triumph in China A. Since the early 1930s, a civil war between the government of Chiang Kai-shek and the Communists, led by Mao Zedong, had ravaged China. B. The fighting ebbed during World War II as both sides resisted the Japanese invaders, but the conflict flared after the war ended. i. On the advice of George Marshall, the US focused its efforts on containing communism in Western Europe rather than in China

18. Communist Triumph in China C. By the end of 1949, Mao’s communist fighters had won i. Many Americans criticized the Truman administration for not paying enough attention to China and “losing” the country to the Communists. D. In 1950, North Korea, which was ruled by a Soviet-installed Communist government, invaded South Korea. i. UN troops, led by the United States, came to the aid of South Korea to help push the North Koreans back.

19. Communist Triumph in China E. When UN forces invaded North Korea, Chinese troops entered the conflict to help the Communists. i. The Chinese forces pushed the UN troops back into South Korea, and the war bogged down into a bloody stalemate. F. General MacArthur, who commanded UN forces in Korea, wanted to bomb China. i. Truman refused, fearing a much larger war. ii. When MacArthur openly criticized Truman, the President fired him.

20. Communist Triumph in China G. The fighting in Korea continued until 1953, when both sides agreed on a cease- fire that left the country divided in the same way it had been before the war began. i. The struggle cost the United States more than 54,000 soldiers, but the U.S. resolve in Korea caused many neutral nations to draw closer to the United States.