The Cold War 1945-1975. The Cold War Defined Period of hostile relations between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. (and respective allies) after the Second World.

The Cold War

1945-1975

The Cold War Defined

Period of hostile relations between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. (and respective allies) after the Second World War using any means short of direct military conflict.

Why No “Direct Military Conflict”?

Origins of the Cold War

1890’s: Russian desire to close off parts of east Asia v. the “Open Door”1917 Bolshevik Revolution: rivalry becomes ideological

Origins of the Cold War

WWII Alliance: a temporary aberration

Pure necessity: Common FoeAlways tense• Media portrayed as friendly, but…• Mutual suspicion

As victory became eminent, cooperation breaks down

Wartime Conferences Reveal Rivalry

Tehran (1943)Most congenial: war still in doubtConfirmed May, 1944 date for Operation OverlordAgreed that Poland would be “moved” west.

Wartime Conferences Reveal Rivalry

Yalta: February, 1945Last Meeting with FDR (dies in April)Declaration of Liberated Europe• pledged to the “earliest possible

establishment through free elections of Governments responsive to the will of the people”;

• to facilitate where necessary the holding of such elections.

• Separate declaration on Poland

Yalta: The “Big Three”

Yalta

Four Power Occupation of GermanyReparationsU.S.S.R. to enter war v. JapanWar Crimes Trials

Yalta Controversies

Most Cold War Issues date back to Yalta

“Liberated Europe”, esp. PolandDivision of Germany

FDR dies in April; tried to be balance between Stalin and ChurchillDocuments v. “Understandings”

Wartime Conferences Reveal Rivalry

Potsdam: July 1945

FDR DeadTruman’s “plain speaking”Churchill voted out mid-conferenceMutual suspicion evident

Stalin, Truman and Churchill

Potsdam: Major “Decisions”

Demilitarization and de-nazificationWar Crimes Trials to be heldUnconditional Surrender of JapanAllied Control Council for Germany

The Division of Germany

Origins of the Cold WarSalience: the quality of being important or striking; the U.S. and U.S.S.R. were the only two “great powers” leftHegemony: the dominance of one group over other groups, with or without the threat of forceIdeological differences: capitalism v. communism; democracy v. totalitarianismTruman v. Stalin: personality conflicts

Origins of the Cold War

Historic MissionsU.S.• Championing “democracy” and capitalism:

20th Century Manifest Destiny (my view)

U.S.S.R.• Legitimizing and extending the Russian

Revolution• Expansion along traditional lines: central

Europe, Black Sea straits

Formalizing the Cold War: Two Policy Initiatives

The Truman Doctrine:

The Philosophical Underpinning of U.S. Cold War Policy

The Marshall Plan: European Economic Recovery Plan

Formalizing the Cold War

Background to the Truman Doctrine

• Feb. 1947: Britain can no longer support Greece against communist rebels

• Turkey under pressure to allow Soviet control of Bosporus and Dardanelles

Formalizing the Cold War

The Truman DoctrineMarch, 1947 Special Session of CongressTruman’s Speech• “I believe that it must be the policy of the

United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.”

Formalizing the Cold War

The Truman DoctrineRequests $400,000,000 in aid to Greece and TurkeyBased on a new policy: containmentGeorge Kennan’s The Sources of Soviet Conduct• Soviet expansion is traditional Russian

policy• Must be opposed

National Defense Budget 1940-1964

Truman Doctrine

Pie Chart Showing Aid to Greece

Containment

The Sources of Soviet Conduct

“The main element of any United States policy toward the Soviet Union, must be that of a long-term, patient but firm and vigilant containment of Russian expansive tendencies.”

The Sources of Soviet Conduct

The U.S. must counter “Soviet pressure against the free institutions of the Western world” through the “adroit and vigilant application of counter-force at a series of constantly shifting geographical and political points, corresponding to the shifts and maneuvers of Soviet policy.”

The Sources of Soviet Conduct

Containment would “promote tendencies which must eventually find their outlet in either the break-up or the gradual mellowing of Soviet power.”

Formalizing the Cold War

The Marshall PlanWestern Europe also in chaos, years of war destroyed basic infrastructure for economyWeak economies are subject to communist sympathies1947 Secretary of State George Marshall proposes that the US provide aid to all European nations that need it$13 Billion to Europe by 1952

The Marshall Plan

Formalizing the Cold War

The Division of Germany

Western occupied Germany (Allies): Federal Republic of GermanyEastern occupied Germany (Soviets): German Democratic Republic

Berlin Blockade and AirliftBecause of the 4-way German division, the failure to reach an agreement regarding a unified Germany, and Soviet concerns over the Marshall Plan

March 20, 1948: USSR walks out of Control CouncilMarch 30, 1948: USSR slows traffic into BerlinJune 7, 1948: Western allies plan West German StateJune 24, 1948: USSR blocks access to Berlin for 321 days: “road repairs”

The Airlift

Chosen over military option272,000 flights into West BerlinMay 12, 1949: Soviets reopen West Berlin

Berlin Airlift

Formalizing the Cold War:

NATO v. Warsaw Pact

Formalizing the Cold War

The National Security Act of 1947The Department of Defense

• Army and Navy placed under• Air Force created

The Joint Chiefs of Staff: Unified military commandCreated the National Security Council (NSC): integration of domestic, foreign, and military policies affecting national security.Created the CIA

Major Crises of the Cold War

The Berlin Blockade and Airlift (1948)Soviet A-Bomb (1949)Alger Hiss Trial (1949)“Red” China (1949)McCarthy’s First Speech (Feb. 1950)Korean War Begins (June 1950)

The Alger Hiss Trial

Hiss (circled) listens as Whittaker Chambers testifies

Nixon Accuses Hiss

The PumpkinsVenona Papers

Later Cold War Crises

Suez Crisis (1956)U-2 Incident (1960)Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961)Berlin Wall (1961)Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

Mapping the Cold War

http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/communis.htm