-
If you are citizen of an European Union member nation, you may not use this service unless you are at least 16 years old.
-
You already know Dokkio is an AI-powered assistant to organize & manage your digital files & messages. Very soon, Dokkio will support Outlook as well as One Drive. Check it out today!
|
Period 2: The Cold War (Truman to Johnson)
Page history
last edited
by Jacob Leibowtz 13 years, 10 months ago
Cold War (Truman - Johnson)
What was the Cold War?
The Cold War began over the clash of two of the worlds superpowers. The two countries of U.S.A. and the USSR were fighting over superiority, but the war never became a "hot" war meaning that there were no shots fired. The main reason for this clash was because of their ideological view points. The USSR was based on communism while the U.S. was based on capitalism. They were competing for superiority in weapons development and in the space race and used propaganda, economic warfare, and diplomatic haggling . It is fought in all places - in neutral states, in newly independent nations in Africa, Asia and even in outer space. Started when Truman created anti-communist policy. During this time, both countries were so adamant about being number 1 that there was no compromise until someone surrendered. Communism Vs. Capitalism.
CAUSES:
Ideological: US = Capitalist | Soviets = Communist - the people do not have the right to form their own political parties.
Economic: The US encouraged free trade with the rest of the world when the Soviets blocked off their lands from the west for fear that trade, interaction, etc would interfere and corrupt their totalitarian regime.
Power Rivalry: Both countries wanted superior weaponry. Both competed in the space race, etc.
Immediate Causes:
Russian influence in Europe: the Soviets controlled a majority of Europe, enabling them to take control of military and police forces. This in turn helped them to take control over the votes in the region.
US Reactions: Unlike FDR, Truman was not as optimistic...therefore after his gaining office, the US favored a strong resistance against the USSR. The US didn't tell the Soviets about the atomic bomb
Poor Relations between the US and Soviets: Land-Lease was abruptly terminated by the United States and the Russian request for American economic aid for the purposes of post-war reconstruction was ignored by the government of the United States. (http://www.funfront.net/hist/europe/coldwar.htm)
1940s
-
The Main Topics Addressed were: The Division of Germany, The Formation of the United Nations, German War Reparations, The entry of Soviet forces into the Far-Eastern front (Japan), and the Future of Poland
-
The Future of Poland- Poland was a main argument between these three nations. Stalin explained that Poland either attacked the Soviets or has been used as a passageway for other countries to attack the Soviets. With this, he believed that Poland should contain a strong, pro-communist government to ensure the safety of the Soviet Union. Both other powers were vehemently opposed to this. Churchill exclaimed that the British had once fought a war because the sovereignty of Poland was at risk. Eventually, Stalin promised to hold free elections within the month. This agreement was the start of the deterioration between the Soviets and the Western forces.
-
Establishment of the United Nations-Roosevelt offered the idea that the UN should have a security council with four permanent members. These members would be: The United States, Great Britain, China, and the Soviet Union. Each of these members would have a veto. Churchill accepted this proposal. However, at first Stalin wanted all 15 Soviet republics to to be apart of United Nations. Later, Stalin offered that the two main republics (Ukraine and Belorussia), as well as the Soviet Union, have a seat. Roosevelt and Churchill accepted this offer.
-
The Division of Germany- Churchill and FDR did not want another World War cause by Germany. The country that would have the most control over Germany would be in the best position in the future. Everyone had a different idea of how Germany should be divided up. FDR believed that Germany should be separated into five constituent parts. "However, Churchill felt that a division into Prussia and Austria-Bavaria with the German heartland of the Ruhr and Westphalia under international control was best." (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWyalta.htm) The British also pushed for a zone occupation in France which was later accepted. Winston Churchill and Stalin wanted to capture Berlin. FDR did not agree. The exact boundaries were discussed later on. Germany was divided into 4 zones controlled by the US, Soviets, Great Britain, and the French. A joint Control Commission was set to take over Berlin.
-
German War Reparations- Stalin wanted Germany to pay 20 billion dollars...half of which should be taken by the Soviets. Churchill did not want any war reparations because the war reparations from WWI led to the rise of Hitler. It was decided that Germany should compensate for war damage. The allies claimed that the Germans owed $320,000,000,000. The Allied Commission on Reparations, established at Yalta, met in Moscow in June and July, 1945 to discuss these matters further.
-
The U.S. Secretary of State, Edward Steitinius, proposed a "Declaration of Liberated Europe". This declaration stated that the three powers pledged to:
· Establish conditions of internal peace
· Carry out measures for the relief of distressed peoples
· Form intern governmental authorities broadly representative of all democratic elements in the population and pledged to the earliest possible establishment through free elections of governments responsive to the will of the people.
· Facilitate where necessary the holding of such elections.
This declaration was basically accepted by all the powers with challenge, and it was later used by the United States and Britain to claim that the Soviet Union has broken its agreement by virtue of its actions in Eastern Europe (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWyalta.htm)
- Britain got the ruins
- France got the wine
- USA got scenery (Bavaria)
- USSR gained the lion’s share and surrounded Berlin
After 1945 the USSR feared a Western invasion of her new satellites and the west feared the spread of Marxism.
1950s
-
1950: June -- Korean War begins
-
North Korea is backed by Soviets and Chinese
-
Mcarthur wants to assault China directly with Nuclear Weapons
-
Truman publicly denounced Mcarthur
-
1951: January 12 -- Federal Civil Defense Administration established
1960s
- 1960: November -- John F. Kennedy elected President
-
1963: November -- President Kennedy assassinated in Dallas, Texas
-
1964: Krushchev removed from power in Soviet Union
-
1969: July 20 -- Apollo 11 lands on the moon making America the first nation to send a person to the moon
Effects of the Cold War in America
Fear of Communism
- 1945, 2 state department workers discovered passing classified documents to pro-communist magazines
- in the same year, it was discovered that information about the atomic bomb was passed on too
- Anti - communist republicans accused Truman of being to soft on Communism
- by 1953, 39 states passed laws to make it illegate to plan governmental overthrows
- laws were created that violated ones right of free speech
- pedestrians on the streets refused to sign petitions in fear of being convicted of being a communist
Loyalty Review Board
- purpose of investigating government officials and to dismiss those of being disloyal to U.S.A.
- 1947 - 1951 there were 3.2 million employees investigated with 212 being dismissed
The House Committee on Un-American Activities - developed from hte congressional committee to search for disloyalty before WWII. In 1947 it investigated communist influence in the movie industry.
The Hollywood Ten
- "unfriendly" witnesses who testified for communism in Hollywood, but refused to cooperate with the committee because they believed the hearings were unconstitutional, they were then sent to prison.
- Many people lost their careers after being black listed
The McCarran Act
- made it illegal to plan any action that could lead to dictatorship
- Truman vetos it and says that in a free country you are convicted only of crimes that you commit
- however the veto was over run
Spy
- Alger Hiss was convicted of being a spy and was prosecuted by Richard Nixon, and the evidence was provided by the National Security Agency.
- The Rosenbergs: Gave the Soviet Union secret information of the Atomic bomb that allowed them to make one 18 months faster htan predicted. They were found guilty and were given the death penalty. Evidence was provided be\y Soviet cables from the National Security Agency.
American Propaganda
Cold War Video
http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/videos#cuban-missile-crisis
Cold War Game
http://library.thinkquest.org/10826/game.htm
Cold War Video
Resources:
http://library.thinkquest.org/10826/timeline.htm
(http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWyalta.htm)
http://www.nps.gov/archive/elro/glossary/cold-war.htm http://www.funfront.net/hist/europe/coldwar.htm
Kort , Michael. The Cold War. Brookfeild Connecticut: Millbrook Press, 1994. Print
Lloyd , C. Gardner. The Korean War. New York City: New Yok Times, 1972. Print.
Danzer, Gerald A., J. Jorge Klor de Alva, Larry S. Kreiger, Louis E. Wilson, and
Nancy Woloch. "Unit 7 World War II and its Aftermath ." Chapter 26 Cold War
Conflicts. 7. Evanston IL: McDougal Littel Inc., 1998. Print.
Broz - Tito, Josip. "Tito Speaks." Life May 12, 1952: Print.
o American intervention resulted in the Truman Doctrine, the U.S. policy of aiding nations defending themselves against Communist forces.
Period 2: The Cold War (Truman to Johnson)
|
Tip: To turn text into a link, highlight the text, then click on a page or file from the list above.
|
|
|
|
|
Comments (2)
Steve Katz said
at 12:27 pm on May 24, 2010
http://www.nps.gov/archive/elro/glossary/cold-war.htm
Peter H. Bond said
at 3:59 pm on Jun 7, 2010
This is excellent work! My only complaint is that you've given so much it is difficult to decide (from a student perspective) what is truly important - and what is background, etc. (So, you need more explicit and clear COMMENTARY directing students to the most important issues, etc.)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.