the cold war u.s. history. politics of containment: truman to jfk 1950-1963
TRANSCRIPT
I. China Goes Commie• A. Mao Zedong takes control (1949)• 1. US fears this is first domino in line
in • Asia.• B. Japan becomes our top ally in Asia!
II. Results of China fallingA. NSC-68 Report (April, 1950)• 1. Arms race begins• 2. USSR: “desire 4 world domination”• 3. USA: leader of the “free world”• * Spider Man theory• 4. Require $39 billion defense budget• * How get Congress on board?
III. Korean War (1950-1953)• A. Commies try to take over U.N. intervenes• 1. pushes North back to Chinese border• B. China enters war• 1. Gen. MacArthur wants • to attack China• C. Truman fires MacArthur
• D. Changes to containment• 1. Using military• 2. Asia top “battleground”
IV. Results of Korean War• A. NSC-68 recommendations become reality• 1. $50 billion D-budget in ’53• 2. 3.5 million soldier army, overseas bases• 3. Stockpile of 750 nukes
Eisenhower’s Containment Strategy
Forget paying countries to reject communism, just threaten to blow everything up if USSR expands.Mnemonic using Eisenhower’s nickname “Ike” to remember his strategy:I’llKillEverybody
I. Eisenhower’s “New Look”
Nukes over pukes
• A. Elected Prez in 1953• B. Cold War keys• 1. Strong economy (why?)• 2. Be willing to nuke!• C. “More Bang for the Buck”• 1. Massive Retaliation• a. Smaller army ($4 billion savings)• b. Bigger nuclear arsenal
• D. Nuclear delivery systems• 1. US B-52’s, ICBM’s • 2. USSR: Sputnik space satellite• 3. NASA formed• a. Missile development
II. Brinkmanship• A. Brink of War• B. Cause less small wars• C. Problems?
1. All or nothing2. USSR joins arms race
“… two scorpions in a bottle, each capable of killing the other but only at the risk of his own life.”
-- Dr. Oppenheimer
I. Containment Approach: Flex Response• A. Use combo of non-nuke weapons, $$, • support programs• B. Goal: Reduce threat of nuke war while still containing.• Flexible Response (not just nukes)• 1. Conventional Troops / Weapons• a. Costs more, but • nukes not OK • for all situations• b. Special Forces • teams created
• 2. Aid to Latin America• a. Previously seen as helping only in • our own interests• 2. Alliance for Progress aid
projects• 3. Peace Corps• a. Humanitarian
• D. Cold War moves into space• 1. Space Race NASA’s mission
redefined• a. which country controls space?• 2. 1961 – Set goal of beating the Russians • to moon
II. Crisis in the JFK Era• A. Bay of Pigs (Cuba, 1961)• 1. Cuba becomes Soviet Ally• 2. La Brigada 1,400 Cuban exiles trained by
CIA• 3. Meant to overthrow Castro• 4. Failed completely• 5. Bad for JFK b/c …
• B. Cuban Missile Crisis (Oct. 1962)• 1. Soviet Missiles in Cuba• 2. Naval quarantine (blockade)• 3. Secret deal worked out• 4. Defcon 2: closest ever• came to nuclear war
D. Impact of Crisis• 1. Khrushchev undermined• 2. Soviet military build-up next 20