The Cold War1945-1952

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

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

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

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”

• 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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”

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

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”

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

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