The Americans, Chapter 18 The Americans, Chapter 18.

The Americans, The Americans, Chapter 18 Chapter 18

The Beginnings The Beginnings of the Cold War of the Cold War

During WWII, the US and the Soviet During WWII, the US and the Soviet Union were Allies. It was an uneasy alliance.Union were Allies. It was an uneasy alliance.

Distrust persisted, even though differences Distrust persisted, even though differences in our political ideas and economic systems in our political ideas and economic systems were not emphasized during the war. were not emphasized during the war.

From President Truman’s perspective, the From President Truman’s perspective, the Soviet leader, Stalin, started the Cold War Soviet leader, Stalin, started the Cold War by making false promises during wartime by making false promises during wartime meetings with Allied leaders, vowing to meetings with Allied leaders, vowing to allow free elections in the Eastern European allow free elections in the Eastern European countries the USSR had occupied during the countries the USSR had occupied during the latter part of WWII.latter part of WWII.

The Aftermath of WWIIThe Aftermath of WWII The Soviet Union did NOT The Soviet Union did NOT

pull its troops out of these pull its troops out of these Eastern European countries Eastern European countries and communist and communist governments were governments were established in all of them. established in all of them.

Also, much of Eastern and Also, much of Eastern and Western Europe had to be Western Europe had to be rebuilt from the devastation rebuilt from the devastation of the war. of the war.

Soviet Expansion in Eastern Soviet Expansion in Eastern EuropeEurope

The Truman DoctrineThe Truman Doctrine In response to communist uprisings In response to communist uprisings

in Greece and Turkey, Truman told in Greece and Turkey, Truman told a joint-session of Congress . . . a joint-session of Congress . . .

““I believe that it must be the policy I believe that it must be the policy of the United States to support of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside minorities or by outside pressures.” pressures.”

This became known as the This became known as the “Truman Doctrine,” which would “Truman Doctrine,” which would guide our early Cold War foreign guide our early Cold War foreign policy.policy.

The Marshall PlanThe Marshall Plan

Because of Western Europe’s Because of Western Europe’s economic problems after WWII, it economic problems after WWII, it was believed that these countries was believed that these countries were especially vulnerable to were especially vulnerable to being taken over by communism. being taken over by communism.

The US Congress passed the Marshall Plan. The US Congress passed the Marshall Plan. This plan would send $13 billion to This plan would send $13 billion to Western European countries to help them Western European countries to help them rebuild, allowing their capitalist economies rebuild, allowing their capitalist economies to recover and enabling them to resist the to recover and enabling them to resist the threat of communism.threat of communism.

North Atlantic Treaty North Atlantic Treaty OrganizationOrganization

Also, in a further attempt to protect Also, in a further attempt to protect Western Europe, a defensive alliance was Western Europe, a defensive alliance was made between the U.S., Canada, and 10 made between the U.S., Canada, and 10 Northern and Western European countries, Northern and Western European countries, commonly called NATO.commonly called NATO.

In response, the Soviet Union established In response, the Soviet Union established the Warsaw Pact and so the line was the Warsaw Pact and so the line was drawn . . . .drawn . . . .

The Korean WarThe Korean War

When communist When communist North Korea invaded North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950, South Korea in 1950, the US commitment to the US commitment to the Truman Doctrine the Truman Doctrine was put to the test.was put to the test.

Truman asked the Truman asked the newly formed United newly formed United Nations to take action Nations to take action to stop this to stop this aggression.aggression.

U.N. Forces Aim to Free South U.N. Forces Aim to Free South KoreaKorea

The U.N. forces, under The U.N. forces, under the leadership of U.S. the leadership of U.S. Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, invaded near Pusan and invaded near Pusan and made another successful made another successful landing near Inchon.landing near Inchon.

Soon many North Soon many North Korean troops were Korean troops were trapped in South Korea trapped in South Korea and were forced to and were forced to surrender. surrender.

The Conflict Expands The Conflict Expands NorthwardNorthward

MacArthur convinced MacArthur convinced Truman that UN forces Truman that UN forces should invade N. Korea should invade N. Korea to unify Korea under a to unify Korea under a democratic democratic government.government.

The invasion went very The invasion went very well. Within two well. Within two months UN forces had months UN forces had reached the Yalu River, reached the Yalu River, which divides North which divides North Korea from China.Korea from China.

““A Whole New War”A Whole New War”

Then China, which Then China, which had recently become had recently become a communist nation, a communist nation, invaded and forced invaded and forced the U.N. troops out the U.N. troops out of North Korea.of North Korea.

The war would drag The war would drag on for two more on for two more years with very little years with very little ground changing ground changing hands.hands.

The Impact of the Korean The Impact of the Korean WarWar

In 1953, an armistice In 1953, an armistice divided North and South divided North and South Korea near the original Korea near the original border set before the war.border set before the war.

We had lost 54,000 men We had lost 54,000 men and spent $67 billion.and spent $67 billion.

Our marginal success in Our marginal success in this conflict, so soon after this conflict, so soon after the WWII victory, lessened the WWII victory, lessened US confidence in our US confidence in our policies and our military policies and our military power. power.

The Cold War at HomeThe Cold War at Home

The events in Eastern Europe, the fall The events in Eastern Europe, the fall of China to communism in 1949, and of China to communism in 1949, and the Korean War helped increase the Korean War helped increase Americans’ fears of a communist Americans’ fears of a communist threat to the U.S.threat to the U.S.

The public assumed that there were The public assumed that there were communist spies throughout the U.S.communist spies throughout the U.S.

These fears were reinforced by the These fears were reinforced by the news media, popular literature, and news media, popular literature, and the motion picture industry.the motion picture industry.

Hunting for CommunistsHunting for Communists In the late 1940’s the U.S. In the late 1940’s the U.S.

Congress set up the Congress set up the House House Un-American Activities Un-American Activities CommitteeCommittee to investigate to investigate and expose communist and expose communist subversives in the U.S.subversives in the U.S.

This committee questioned This committee questioned actors, movie producers, actors, movie producers, authors, professors, and authors, professors, and others that they thought others that they thought were spreading communist were spreading communist ideas.ideas.

The Rise of The Rise of Senator Joseph Senator Joseph

McCarthyMcCarthy In 1950, a young senator from Wisconsin In 1950, a young senator from Wisconsin

grabbed the headlines by claiming to have grabbed the headlines by claiming to have a long list of the names of communists a long list of the names of communists working in the U.S. State Department.working in the U.S. State Department.

He rapidly became one of the most He rapidly became one of the most famous men in America. He was allowed famous men in America. He was allowed to conduct Senate hearings in which he to conduct Senate hearings in which he bullied those he unfairly accused of being bullied those he unfairly accused of being “reds,” or “communist sympathizers”.“reds,” or “communist sympathizers”.

The End of the McCarthy EraThe End of the McCarthy Era None of these charges were ever proven to None of these charges were ever proven to

be true, but many reputations were ruined be true, but many reputations were ruined just by being questioned at the hearings.just by being questioned at the hearings.

In 1954, he made accusations against In 1954, he made accusations against high-ranking Army officers. He had gone too high-ranking Army officers. He had gone too far. This would be his political downfall. far. This would be his political downfall.

The Senate voted to censure him.The Senate voted to censure him. To this day, the expression “McCarthyism” To this day, the expression “McCarthyism”

means — using unfair tactics to make false means — using unfair tactics to make false accusations.accusations.

The Beginnings of The Beginnings of the Nuclear Arms Racethe Nuclear Arms Race

The Soviets tested their The Soviets tested their first atomic bomb in 1949.first atomic bomb in 1949.

We developed the hydrogen We developed the hydrogen bomb by 1952, but the bomb by 1952, but the Soviets had one by 1953.Soviets had one by 1953.

From that point on, the U.S. From that point on, the U.S. and the Soviet Union would and the Soviet Union would spend billions of dollars spend billions of dollars trying to produce the trying to produce the strongest nuclear arsenal.strongest nuclear arsenal.

The Beginnings of the Space The Beginnings of the Space RaceRace In 1957, the Soviets sent a In 1957, the Soviets sent a

small satellite into space. It small satellite into space. It was named “Sputnik.”was named “Sputnik.”

This caught us by surprise This caught us by surprise because we were just because we were just planning to launch our first planning to launch our first satellite.satellite.

In response, the Congress In response, the Congress passed measures to improve passed measures to improve U.S. education and to create U.S. education and to create our NASA space program.our NASA space program.

The space race that followed The space race that followed is related to the arms race. is related to the arms race. Rockets can deliver missiles.Rockets can deliver missiles.

The Cold War Continued The Cold War Continued . . . . . .

The Cold War would The Cold War would continue to guide continue to guide our foreign policy our foreign policy through the coming through the coming decades until the fall decades until the fall of the Soviet Union of the Soviet Union in 1991. in 1991.