THE COLD WAR

The Cold War (1945-1991?)

• Definition:– An ongoing conflict between the world’s two

superpowers—the US (Capitalism) and the USSR (Communism)

• Why “Cold”?– Both sides had nuclear weapons, but never used– US & USSR never went directly to war

Question of the Day

Was the Cold War (virtually) “inevitable”, given the inherent conflicts between Communism and Capitalist Democracy and the specific nature of US-Soviet relations in the post-WW II era?

Causes of the Cold War

• Economic Differences

• Political Differences

• “Business as Usual” Nationalism

Economic Differences

• Capitalism– Individual profit & private enterprise– “Free trade”

• Communism– Government planning & control– Tightened control over international trade &

production

• Each country wants the rest of the world to follow its system for economic reasons

Political Differences• Capitalism

– Emphasis on democracy & individual choice– Importance of voting– Importance of limiting government intervention– Overall freedom = welfare of the individual

• Communism– Emphasis on common good– Lesser importance of voting– Strong government as “voice of the people”– “dictatorship of the proletariat”– Overall freedom = welfare of the society

Nationalism

• Is the Cold War simply two powerful countries competing for power?

• Conflict & wars began looooooong before advents of Communism & Capitalism!

Postwar Agreements• Yalta (February of 1945)

– Stalin (USSR), FDR (US), Churchill (Eng)– Agreements

• United Nations set up• Stalin to get “influence” in Eastern Europe• USSR to invade Japan 3 months after Germany

• Potsdam (July, 1945)– Stalin (USSR), Truman (US), Atlee (Eng)– Clear that Stalin planned to stay in Eastern

Europe

Why Both Sides Distrusted Other

• US troops in Russia after WW I

• Long wait for 2nd Front in WW II

• Russia attacked in both WW I & WW II

• Russia lost 20 million people in WW II

• Only US had A-Bomb• Hatred of Capitalism

• Russia had pulled out of WW I

• Stalin’s nonaggression pact with Hitler

• Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe

• Soviet anti-capitalism statements

• Fear of Soviet interest in Western Europe

• Hatred of communist ideas and brutality

USSR USA

Post WW II Europe

The United Nations (UN)• Formed in April 1945

– Much like the League of Nations before– Except US joins

• Organization of UN:– General Assembly

• All nations with equal vote

– Security Council• Five major countries, all with veto power over any

resolution– US, USSR, China, France, England

CONTAINMENT

Containment

• Name for US foreign policy after WW II

• Definition– Not to defeat communism– But to stop it from spreading

Harry Truman

• President from 1945-1953

The Truman Doctrine (March 1947)• President Truman’s statement that

– The US must provide aid to “support free peoples who are resisting subjugation by armed minorities or outside pressures”

• (US will provide financial aid to all anti-communists)

– The US should provide $400 million to help fight communism in Turkey & Greece

• Means: A small amount of (only) money to prevent communism from spreading in one particular area

The “Domino Theory”

• If one country goes Communist, its neighbors will follow

• “Countries will fall like dominoes

The Marshall Plan• US Secretary of State George Marshall’s

Plan to give $13 billion to rebuild the economies of Western Europe

• Why?– Genuine humanitarian concern– Prevent instability that could let communism

spread– Build up trading partners for US economy

• Means: A lot of (only) money to prevent communism from spreading all over Europe

Sec. of State George Marshall

Berlin Blockade (June 1948)

• USSR tries to close off West Berlin– Attempt to take it over

• Truman’s options:1. Let Berlin go

a. Not a lot of love for Germans!

2. Attack Soviet Uniona. Risk of WW III?

3. Find a way to supply West Berlina. This is the one chosen

Berlin Airlift (June 1948 – May 1949)

• Code named “Operation Vittles”!

• US planes flew 2,500 tons of supplies into Berlin each day for eleven months

• Why did Stalin not shoot down the planes?– Truman said he had 60 A-Bombs ready to use

• He did not!

• Soviets end blockade in May, 1949

North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO (1949)

• Mutual protection treaty signed by US, Canada, & countries of Western Europe– England, France, West Germany, Italy, Norway,

Netherlands, etc

• “An attack on one, is an attack on all”• Means: US will protect Europe BY FORCE

IF NECESSARY• 1955—Soviets create the Warsaw Pact

– Same as NATO w/Eastern Europe• Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, East Germany, etc.

Truman Signing the NATO Treaty

The Traumas of 1949

• September– Russians test their own A-Bomb

• November– Mao Tse-Tung & Communists take over China

• US now fears that Communism is really spreading– Wants to take more drastic precautions

Josef Stalin

Mao Tse-tung’s Ride to Power

National Security Act of 1947

• Set up the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)– Responsible for gathering info on enemies and

spying

• Set up the National Security Council (NSC)– Group of “experts” to advise US government on

foreign policy

NSC-68 (April of 1950)

• NSC report

• 4 Suggestions– Only the US can contain communism– We must use force if necessary– We must prevent communism

EVERYWHERE (not just in Europe)– US must increase military spending by 4X

• Means: US will use FORCE to fight communism ANYWHERE it threatens

Korean War Begins (June 1950)

• Communist North Korea attacks the South

• US sends troops in a three year war– Two months after NSC-68

Cold War Time Line