The 4 “C” of the 50s

CommunismConsumerismConformityCivil Rights

COLD WAR

The Cold War would dominate global affairs from 1945 until

the breakup of the USSR in Dec 21, 1991

The Cold War

Fighting between free (democratic) and communist nations

Between the Soviet Union and the United States and their allies

Called Superpowers because other nations could not match their military or economic strength

vs

The Cold War

Different visions of the postwar world• Stalin looked to

guarantee security of the Soviet Union by having friendly governments along its boarders

Looked to the US like a Soviet empire

• Roosevelt’s vision an open world, decolonized, demilitarized,

democratized, and a strong international organization to maintain global peace

The Cold War Origins of the Cold War

Different Economies

• Soviet Union = Communist/state ownership of property

• United States = Capitalism/private ownership and free market

Political Differences

• Soviet Union = totalitarian dictatorship/gov. rules with the use of terror and absolute control over its citizens

• United States = Democracy/gov of the people by the people for the people

Clashes During World War II

Delays in opening of the Western Front in France – Red army paid a ghastly price against the Nazis

West had frozen the Soviets out of the project to develop atomic weapons

At Potsdam Stalin went back on promise he made at Yalta to allow free elections in Eastern Europe

The United Nations Provided Hope

Hopes for world peace were high at the end of the warThe most visible symbol of these hopes was the United Nations (U.N.)Formed in June of 1945, the U.N. was composed of 50 nations Unfortunately, the U.N. soon became a forum for competing superpowers to spread their influence over others

The United Nations today has 191

member countries

The Cold War Clashes Early On

Germany/Berlin• First major clash

between Super Powers

• Stalin wanted a weak and divided Germany

• US wanted a strong and united Germany

The Cold WarClashes Early On

Soviets take Eastern EuropeCountries that fall under Soviet influence

PolandEast GermanyCzechoslovakiaHungaryRomaniaBulgaria

Yugoslavia communist but independent of Soviet Union

The Cold War Clashes Early On

War of WordsStalin says in speech that the “West” is capitalistic and imperialistic……communism and capitalism were incompatible – and another war was inevitable.

Churchill says un speech in Fulton, Missouri denounces the USSR for her “expansive and proselytizing tendencies, an iron curtain has descended across the continent

The Cold War The US Responds

Policy of ContainmentAdvise from George Kennan

Felt the US needed to stop its enemy from establishing communist governments in other nations

Contain the Soviet’s attempts to spread their influenced buy creating alliances and supporting weaker countries

Began to influence Pres. Harry S. Truman’s foreign policy

The Cold War The US Responds

Truman DoctrineSU has always wanted an ice-free seaport on Mediterranean SeaAsked for control of the Dardanelles during the war – US and Britain said noSU started to pressure Turkey to allow her basesBritain told US they could no longer give aid to Turkey or GreeceTruman in an address to Congress “US should prevent communist gov, from begin set up anywhere in the world where they did not already exist”Became known as the Truman DoctrineSend $ and military assistance to Turkey and Greece

The Cold War The US Responds

The Marshall PlanSituation was bad in Western Europe due to warBad winter in 1947General George Marshall Secretary of State makes Harvard commencement speechOffered US aid to all European nations that needed itAid against poverty, desperation, chaos and hunger16 nations appliedSU turned it down and forbids all of its Eastern block countries to accept it as wellCongress waffles – Soviets move into Cz. Take overCongress passes plan - $9,000,000,000 in aid – response to the possible Soviet “invasion” of Western Europe

The Cold War US Responds

NATOAfter SU takes over Cz. In Feb.North Atlantic Treaty Organization was formed“an attack on one was an attack on all”First time US enters into a military alliance during peacetimeCold War ends US isolationismSU response was – “war mongering”

• Warsaw Pact in 1956 Flag of NATO

The Cold War The US Responds

BrinkmanshipDwight D. Eisenhower becomes president of the United StatesContinues Truman’s policy of heavy military spendingListened to ideas presented to him from John Foster DullesProposed massive retaliationWar with threat of massive retaliation was necessary in order to keep peacePolicy had greater dependence on nuclear power not conventional weaponsUS begins to stockpile nuclear weapons

The Cold War The US Responds

Domino TheoryUpon entering the White House in 1953 President Eisenhower continues to support the French in VietnamDuring news conference “Ike” compared the countries in SW Asia on the brink of communism to dominos“You knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly”Became known as the Domino Theory

The Cold WarAreas of Conflict

Berlin -Berlin Airlift (June 1948-May 1949)China (1945-1949 – USSR recognizes Red China, US recognizes Taiwan)Korea (1950-1953)Middle East (CIA added a coup to install a new gov 1953)Latin America (Guatemala 1954)Suez Wars (1955)Hungary (1956)Sputnik (1957)U-2 Incident (Gary Powers is shot down on May 1, 1960)Bay of Pigs (invasion in April 1961)Berlin Wall (USSR closes off the border between East and West Berlin in 1953, starts to build wall in 1961) Cuban Missile Crisis (Oct 1962)Vietnam (1950-1974) Latin American – Nicaragua (1981)Iran-Contra Affair (1983)