The Cold War Abroad and at Home1945-1952

The onset of the Cold War Its impact on American life at home Impact on American foreign policy “state of mutual hostility short of direct

armed confrontation” Developed as the U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. struggled to

shape the postwar world in a way that “served its own national interests”

1.) How did President Truman’s and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin’s policies contribute to the Cold War?

2.) What was the containment policy, and how did the U.S. govt. implement it between 1947 and 1952?

3.) Why did New Deal liberalism weaken after WWII, and what effects did its decline have on Truman’s administration?

4.) What caused the red scare following WWII, and why did Americans become so frightened of Communism?

5.) What impact did the Cold War have on civil rights for African-Americans?

6.) What were the effects of the GI Bill of Rights on the postwar economy and society?

Demobilization and Reconversion The Truman administration rapidly demobilized the armed

forces▪ Dropped from 12 million men in 1945 to 1.5 million by 1948

Many veterans had trouble readjusting to civilian life▪ severe housing shortages▪ disappearing defense plant jobs▪ reestablishing family bonds▪ Over a million marriages made during the War ended in divorce by

1950

Women lost their wartime industrial jobs Told by society that they should find

fulfillment in marriage and motherhood Many followed that idea Others took new lower-paying jobs as office

workers and saleswomen By 1950--more women were in the paid labor

force than had been during WWII

Passed by Congress in 1944 Also called the Servicemen’s Readjustment

Act Reward men and women who fought for the

U.S.A. in WWII Help them adjust to civilian life Veterans Affairs Dept. history of GI Bill

Provided returning GI’s with low-interest govt.-backed loans Start their own business Buy homes or farms▪ About 4 million veterans bought homes with

their GI loans▪ Greatly stimulated the postwar construction industry,

economy, and suburbanization

The govt. also offered to pay tuition and expenses for 4 years of college or professional training 8 million veterans accepted this offer By 1947--1/2 of the nation’s college students were

GI Bill veterans Enrollment soared Many new 2 and 4 year colleges were founded to

meet the demand A generation of working class Americans rose

to the middle class

By 1946, the U.S. economy was booming Money the govt. gave veterans for education,

loans, and businesses under the GI Bill stimulated growth

U.S. was the strongest industrial nation in the world

International Monetary Fund and World Bank The U.S. mainly controlled and funded Stabilized exchange rates Help to rebuild Asia and Europe

Wartime advances in science and technology made possible the development of new industries Electronics Synthetic materials

Consumes spent their war savings About $135 billion Bought homes, cars, electric appliances,

televisions

Employment Act of 1946 A program to ensure economic growth and

employment Inflation soared

Office of Price Administration was cut▪ no longer were their price controls

Prices escalated Strikes increased

Workers demanded higher wages to keep up with the cost of living

Truman wavered between getting tough with strikers and giving in to their demands

Shortages of housing and consumer goods continued Industries struggled to catch up with consumer

purchases Americans blamed Truman for inflation,

strikes, and shortages 1946--elected Republicans as the majorities in

Congress 1st time since 1928

Public uneasiness about the atomic arms race that was starting

Polarization and Cold War After WWI, U.S. and U.S.S.R. began to argue over

Eastern Europe▪ Especially Poland

Stalin insisted that friendly communist govts. must be installed on the Soviet borders▪ Secure Soviet Union from future attacks

Stalin did not allow free election there Communist regimes came to power in Poland,

Bulgaria, and Romania

Pres. Truman would not accept Soviet domination of Eastern Europe It violated the principles of national self-

determinationTruman believed that the spread of

communism threatened American economic interests in Eastern Europe and elsewhere

Stalin tightened his grip on Eastern Europe Truman=“get tough with the Russians” George F. Kennan

State Department expert on U.S.S.R. Advised the U.S. should apply “long-term, patient,

but firm vigilant containment of Russian expansive tendencies”

Winston Churchill Iron Curtain speech 1946 Condemned Stalin’s behavior Called for an anticommunist alliance of the

English-speaking peoples History Channel video Iron Curtain speech transcript

Truman threatened to use U.S. naval and land forces if Stalin did not withdraw his troops from Iran and offered a nuclear arms control plan that Russia rejected

U.S. objected to a Soviet counter plan Both countries developed and stockpiled

more and more nuclear weapons

Cold War U.S. and U.S.S.R. both would use economic

pressure, nuclear threats, propaganda, and subversion against each other

They would not engage in direct military combat

March 1947 Truman asked Congress for millions of dollars Help the Greek and Turkish govts. fight communist rebel

movements May 1947--Congress appropriated the $$$

Truman Doctrine U.S. commitment to support peoples all over the world

who were threatened by Soviet aggression and/or internal communist uprisings

Truman Doctrine speech

Marshall Plan Developed by Sec. of State George Marshall U.S. assistance to rebuild European economies $17 billion Attempt to prevent the spread of Communism By 1952, it had revived the Western European

economically Communist popularity waned American business boomed with increased sales in Europe

1947-1948=Stalin took over Hungary and Czechoslovakia

U.S.A., G.B., and France united their zones of occupation in Germany into West Germany Include Western occupied parts of Berlin

Berlin blockade Soviet reaction to unification Prevented all ground movement of goods and people

between West Germany and West Berlin Stalin hoped to halt the establishment of West Germany June 1948 to May 1949 History Channel video--Berlin Blockade

Berlin Airlift Truman’s reaction to the blockade Truman told Stalin that if the Soviets shot down any supply

planes, the U.S. would retaliate with atomic bombs History Channel video--Berlin Airlift

May 1949--Stalin ended the unsuccessful Berlin blockade

West German Federal Republic was formed Include West Berlin

North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO Formed in April 1949 10 European nations, Canada, and the United

States Anticommunist military alliance

The Soviets responded by: 1.) establishing the Germany Democratic Republic (East Germany) 2.) developed their own atomic bomb 3.) Warsaw Pact▪ Military alliance of the Soviet Union and its satellite nations

The 2 superpowers divided Europe into rival armed camps.

Both superpowers wanted economic and military influence in Asia

The U.S.: helped rebuild Japan▪ Structurally and economically

Occupied much of Japan’s former Pacific island empire Crushed a communist movement in the Philippines Aided the French in their attempt to hold on to their

empire in Indochina

In China though, the United States did not prevent the Nationalist govt. from overthrow U.S. sent military and

economic aid Helped Jiang Jieshi Mao Zedong overthrew

Jieshi in 1949 Communist nation

Hysteria started in the United States Began a search for disloyal elements in the U.S.A. Republicans blamed Truman for losing China United States built the hydrogen bomb and

increased military spending Soviets built hydrogen bombs also Thermonuclear terror increased

In 1945--U.S.S.R. and the United States liberated Korea from Japanese rule

The Soviets set up a communist-governed nation People’s Democratic Republic of Korea North of the 38th parallel

United States helped to create a pro-Western nation Republic of Korea South of the 38th parallel

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea wanted to reunited Koreans under its rule

Invaded South Korea in 1950

Truman sent U.S. forces under General Douglas MacArthur to South Korea to repel the invasion Did so without consent

from Congress

The United Nations sent a token army to fight under MacArthur

U.S., U.N., and South Korean troops soon pushed the North Koreans back to the 38th parallel

Truman and MacArthur decided to conquer the North and put it under the control of the South Korean govt.

MacArthur’s armies neared the Yalu River Mao Zedong warned that he would not

“stand idly by” MacArthur ignored the threat He was caught off guard by the 33 Chinese

divisions that forced his troops deep into South Korea

1951—MacArthur’s forces reached the 38th parallel Truman then ordered them to hold that position

until a peace settlement was reached MacArthur protested

He wanted total victory by using atomic bombs against China

Truman removed MacArthur--April 1951▪ MacArthur was put in charge of civilian control over the military

History Channel speech--Truman History Channel speech--MacArthur

Truce came in 1953 Border between the 2 Koreas was nearly the same

as in 1950 U.S. lost 54,000 lives Cost $54 billion In 1953, the defense spending was 2/3 of the federal

budget In 1950 it was 1/3 The U.S. also began aiding France against an

independence revolt in Indochina SEATO was created in 1954

U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and other countries

The Eightieth Congress, 1947-1948 Republican controlled Began to undo the New Deal Passed the Taft-Hartley Act▪ Less favorable to unions than the Wagner Act▪ Truman had vetoed it but Congress overrode the veto

Truman courted liberal, labor, and Jewish votes for the next election by:▪ condemned the reactionary Congress▪ Recognized the new state of Israel

President’s Committee on Civil Rights 1946 Set up by Truman Investigate racism Suggest ways to protect minorities Congress should pass:

Antilynching bill Anti-poll tax bill Other civil-rights bills

Southern Democrats resisted these possible changes

Truman did not make any specific proposals 1948 Democratic National Convention

Liberals and urban politicians forced the party to adopt a strong civil-rights platform

This allowed Truman to press for the measures recommended by his civil-rights committee

Southern Democrats founded the Dixiecrat Party Nominated Strom Thurmond for President▪ Segregationist from SC

1948 election had 4 candidates: Democrats--Truman Republicans--Thomas Dewey Dixiecrats--Thurmond New Progressive Party--Henry Wallace

Made up of left-wing Democrats Many believed Dewey would win easily

Truman secured the northern African-American vote: Issued executive orders against discrimination in govt.

employment and segregation in the armed forces Truman received the support of northern African-

Americans and the Roosevelt New Deal coalition Gave Truman a close victory Wallace and Thurmond did not take enough of the

Democratic vote to make a difference

Truman’s social and economic reforms Increase in the minimum wage Increase in social-security benefits Public-housing construction Removal of slums

Conservation Southern Democrats and Republicans blocked all civil-rights and most Fail Deal measures

Loyalty and Security Federal Employee Loyalty Program▪ Established March 1947▪ Truman formed after Republican accusations that he was not

protecting internal security▪ Provided for checks on all govt. workers ▪ Remove out any disloyal personnel

Between 1947-1951:▪ more than 500 people were fired▪ Thousands resigned▪ Most because they espoused unpopular beliefs, not because they had

committed unlawful acts

The loyalty program stimulated more fear of subversion

Magazines published stories about the “red” menace

39 states passed laws requiring their employees to take loyalty oaths

Teachers, union leaders, and public officials hesitated to advocate reform Fear of being suspected of being procommunist

House Un-American Activities Committee HUAC 1947 Began hearings on communist influence Witnesses who refused to testify about their own and

other people’s past political activities and views were cited for contempt of Congress▪ They lost their jobs

Hollywood studios and radio networks blacklisted employees they considered left-wing

The Truman administration prosecuted the leaders of the Communist Party Conspiracy to preach the overthrow of the govt. The Supreme Court upheld the convictions ▪ The First Amendment freedoms may be restricted to

protect national security There were only 30,000 American Communist Any danger from them was minimal

Hiss worked in the State Department

1950 Accused of giving

classified documents to the Soviets

Convicted of perjury for lying

Ethel and Julius Part of a spy ring that

had stolen atomic secrets for the Soviets

Found guilty of conspiracy to commit espionage

Rosenbergs insisted they were innocent

sentenced to death

Republicans claimed that the Hiss and Rosenbergs cases proved that the Democratic administration had been made up of communist traitors

Rep. Senator from WI Without supporting

evidence McCarthy accused many public officials of communist activities or being agents Democratic senators,

members of Truman administration, and other public officials

He won a following among insecure and/or discontented groups

He frightened political leaders into rigid anticommunist stances on complex issues

McCarran Internal Security Act 1950 Subversive Controls Act Communist had to register with the Attorney General

McCarran-Walter Immigration and Nationality Act 1952 Quota system

Democrats--Adlai Stevenson Republicans--Dwight D. Eisenhower Eisenhower and the Republicans won easily

won the White House and Congress McCarthyist labeling of the Democrats as the party

of treason Stalemate in Korea Eisenhower’s pledge to go to Korea to end the war

WWII was followed by a period of economic boom

GI Bill of Rights contributed to that prosperity Rose a generation of working-class veterans

into the middle class Millions of GI’s attended college, started

businesses, bought homes

The U.S.A. tried to contain communism Aid to Greece and Turkey Marshall Plan Berlin airlift Help create West Germany Organized NATO Fought the Korean War

Truman’s anticommunist rhetoric and govt. loyalty program contributed to a red scare Silenced dissenters Weakened Democratic liberalism

Republicans could not undo popular New Deal programs, but they did block most Fair Deal initiatives

The election of 1952 ended the 1st phase of the postwar era and 20 years of Democratic control of the presidency