Slide 2 For Reference Textbook Chapters 27 Cold War America And
28 The Suburban Era and Affluence Slide 3 The victors of WWII could
not see how this new transforming Cold War would eventually shape
up. How was Europe to be repartitioned or politically administered
after the shooting war ends? We do know that the American Political
climate took a major right turn toward a more conservative
ideologyafter all liberal politics had failed them through the
depression something else needed trying. Slide 4 There was a second
Red Scare, there was a real sense of paranoia and fear of
Communism; Americans could see everyday the international struggle
between The United States and Soviet Russia; A third World War
seemed imminentthis time it would be differenttwo major military
and nuclear powers facing off vying for control of Europe and the
World itself. Slide 5 The Big Three FDR, Churchill, and Stalin met
on several occasions trying to hammer out the details of what Post
War Europe should look like; They met at Teheran (1943), Yalta (Feb
1945), and Potsdam (July 1945). Only at Potsdam after the death of
FDR, HST assumed the leadership role in post war negotiations for
the U.S. Slide 6 Churchill warned FDR that Stalin could not be
appeased unless he got what he wanted and that was European
hegemony; FDR assumed he could charm Uncle Joe At Potsdam, however,
Stalin met a personage who could care less for charm and dealt in
Real Politik. HST Slide 7 The term cold war goes back to a 14th-
century medieval writer named Don Juan Manuel, who referred to the
uneasy peace between Muslims and Christians in Spain. But it was
George Orwell, in a piece titled You and the Atomic Bomb, who
applied the term as we know it best to the protracted economic,
geopolitical and ideological battle between the United States, the
Soviet Union and their shifting allies. Slide 8 The precise dates
of the Cold War are the subject of debate, though most agree that
it began at some point in the summer of 1945 and continued until
the collapse of the Soviet Union at the end of 1991. Whatever the
case, it dominated global politics and culture for the entire
second half of the 20th century, and its effects are ongoing. Slide
9 As far as the cause or who started the Cold War, it is viewed by
many as equal cause: 1) the fault of the Soviet Union 2) the fault
of the United States 3) All of the above The U.S. believed in a
manifest destiny and free open free trade democracy, economic and
political model; there also was the vision of enlightened self-
determinismeach country had the right to choose what economic or
political model they would opt. The US also wanted free open world
markets for their goods and services. Slide 10 The Soviets, a
slightly different vision. They wanted greater state security; they
had suffered over 20 million losses during the war; Many more had
died in Stalins brutal political purges. Stalin even executed
returned POWs assuming they were now indoctrinated spies of the
West. Stalin feared with the USs aid that Germany would once again
become a large military and economic power: Slide 11 This fear and
security paranoia and distrust of anything western made the USSR
want to: 1) Ward off any other attempted invasions 2) Establish
defensible borders 3) Encourage friendly regimes on its western
borders, even if they had to use terror and coercion to create this
encouragement. Stalin wanted to foster these relationships with
such as Czechoslovakia, Rumania, Bulgaria and most of the Eastern
Blocto do this meant dominance and coercionpolitical, military, and
economic. Slide 12 This type of Soviet coercion and influence
disallowed the two things America was fervently trying to attain:
1) Self-determinism, and 2) Free open markets and democracy; Both
countries grabbed a foothold in the Middle east due to the rich Oil
FieldsBritain got us embroiled in that mess and we are still paying
for it. Slide 13 5 Things You Didnt Know About the Cold War 1) It
cost the U.S. Taxpayer $8 trillion; Historian Walter LaFeber
suggests these numbers are real considering that the Korean War and
Vietnam Wars were both products of the Cold Waras was Chad, the
Sudan and Afghanistan for Russia. One also needs to consider
interventions into Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Chile,
Grenada, and elsewhere; psychological warfare through covert CIA
operations such as the Congress for Cultural Freedom and Radio Free
Europe; and, of course, the research, development, testing, and
construction of tens of thousands of nuclear weapons (at a high
point in the late 1960s, both the U.S. and the USSR were each
spending $50 million a day on those weapons). Slide 14 For better
perspective, America spends $8 billion per month in Iraq and
Afghanistan the Cold War expenditures could have financed Iraq for
80 yrs. 2) It was predicted by Adolph Hitler: Hitler in the
Hitler-Borman documents uncovered after the warstated that America
and Russia because of the colossal size and eventual might would
one day have to come to blows militarily or ideologicalHe wanted
Germany to be the sole ally of one or the otherto the victor go the
spoilswhoever won. Slide 15 3) First casualty was Christian
Missionary John Morrison Birch (John Birch Society
ultra-conservative); He was in China, came upon some survivors of
the James Doolittle Raid on Tokyoled them to safety. The OSS (front
runner to CIA) recruited him to assist the allies in Chinaafter the
War, he went into deep Chinese territory was captured by Chinese
Maoists and was executed. Many claim the first causality of the
Cold War. Slide 16 4) It ended in part because of Apple. The
hobbyist culture and the economic flexibility in the U.S., both
largely absent in the Soviet Union and Soviet-bloc countries,
encouraged guys to take on industry giants like IBM. As a result,
the information age erupted, spreading information that wasnt spun
by news outlets or crafted by governments into propaganda, but
expressed by everyday citizens. A Czech engineer complained in the
early 1980s, soon with all this information technology available,
our children will eventually change us rather than we them Slide 17
5) U.S. at one point had a larger Communist alliance than did
Soviet Russia. Pres. Nixon recognized China and opened diplomatic
relations with Chinacreating a buffer between age old suspicious
and non-trusting border matesChin and Russia had been in somewhat
border hostility since 1969. It is almost incomprehensible to
imagine that world diplomacy and foreign affairs were directly
guided by a concept as staggering as Mutually Assured Destruction.
Slide 18 Back to Potsdam, Harry Truman had decided that America
would retain a large physical and political presence in War torn
Europe to off-set the gains by Stalin and his armies setting up
bases on European soil. Immediately Truman offered assistance to
any European nation resisting Soviet and Communist influence and
intervention into their bordersTurkey and Greece in 1947. Slide 19
It was at this time that mid-level administrator at the Soviet
Embassy penned a famous paper calling for the Containment of
Communism; Everywhere it reared its head, Democracy must engage in
countermeasuresbe supportive with money, supplies, political
maneuvering and the military if necessary Slide 20 To try and
counter-act Communist aggression, Truman initiated the Truman
Doctrine. It was an expenditure of $500 million for the aid of
Turkey and Greeceto quell any and all communist insurgencies. It
must be the policy of the United States to support peoples who are
resisting or are subjugated by communist aggressors. Slide 21 Now
let us look at the Cold War and how it affected American Society.
The quick spread of Communist influence in China, Europe and Korea
forced the U.S. to dramatically increase its DOD defense budget;
This unwittingly created a huge Military Industrial Complex of
defense companies and initiatives vying for large shares of the
American defense budget. Slide 22 In reality it was the Truman
Doctrine that truly initiated the philosophy and reality of
Containment. The US will defend free people and their free
institutions at any point in the world [against] communist
aggression Kennan gave three (3) reason why Communism should be
contained: Slide 23 1)Russia has a history of hostility with its
neighbors; therefore, it makes sense that they will militarily or
economically subdue them to create a buffer zone against western
attacks; 2) The US has a moral and democratic obligation to
confront Soviet aggression with force if necessary; Slide 24 3)
Moreover, the US must maintain a long term policy of containment
against Soviet Aggression. Critics asked difficult questions: When
is a revolution the self- determination of a free people? When is
it Communist aggression orchestrated by the Kremlin? Slide 25 What
the Cold War did do was increase the implied powers clause of the
constitution; To be able to react quickly to Soviet initiatives
around the World, the President needed much greater military
latitude and covert capability to counteract Soviet aggression;
This dangerous game of intrigue was too sensitive to wait for
Congress to make decisions. Since the Truman Doctrine, America has
fought several large scale Wars without a declaration from
Congress. Slide 26 To put teeth and credibility into the Truman
Doctrine, the US initiated the Marshall Plan. The idea behind the
Marshall Plan was to rebuild Europe and Japan economically,
infrastructurally, and politicallyif the US did not, then Russia
wouldThe US needed these markets and these countries to be self-
sustaining and part of a larger alliance to countermand and contest
Communist aggression abroadThis was the Economic Recovery Plan for
1947. Slide 27 John Marshall, an ex-General, now Trumans Secretary
of State proposed this plan to rebuild Europe and JapanIf we
restore the confidence of the European Peoples, they will be
forever anti-Communist and Pro-America It was a win-win situation,
recovery for Europe and prosperity for Americait also translated in
economic and political stability; The US spent $13 billion in
Western Europe and Germanyit is called The German Miracle. Slide 28
Germany quickly rebuilding, Soviet response was to cut off the
transportation corridor between Western Europe and BerlinBerlin is
in the middle of Soviet occupied Eastern Europe; (Russia claimed
they were doing extensive Road and Rail work) Forgot to cut-off the
air spacea massive year long airlift campaign saved Berlinand
proved to the World that the US was the true Superpower. At peak
performance, every Slide 29 The blockade lasted 318 days (11
months). In the winter of 194849 Berliners lived on dried potatoes,
powdered eggs and cans of meat. They had 4 hours of electricity a
day. 275,000 flights carried in 1 million tons of supplies. A plane
landed every 3 mins. On 16 April 1949, 1400 flights brought in
13,000 tons of supplies in one day Berlin only needed 6,000 tons a
day to survive. Some pilots dropped chocolate and sweets. Slide 30
The success of the Berlin Airlift proved to Soviet Russia and the
rest of the World, the United States was not only a military
power,but an economic power as well. But, again, there is much
paranoia in America about the designs and machinations of Communist
Russia. Domestically, America began to scrutinize its political and
social conscience. Slide 31 Truman inadvertently gave rise to a
hard drinking maniacal Witch Hunter, Joseph McCarthya senator from
Wisconsin. 1) The Truman Loyalty OathHe had the Justice department
to draw up a list of possible or suspected subversives that were
employed in the GovernmentAll government employees had to sign a
loyalty oathcould be fired if suspected of disloyal behavior Truman
believed that of the three bad political models Nazism,
FascismCommunism was the worst Slide 32 He was always somewhat of a
dubious character; Tail-gunner Joe Feb 9, 1950 at the Republican
Womens ClubWheeling WV, he dropped a political bombshell. He
claimed to have in his possession a list of 205 communist
sympathizers and infiltrators in the State Departmentthe frenzy and
witch hunt went into full swing. Slide 33 No one was ever privy to
the listMcCarthy kept it well guarded. Republicans distanced
themselves, but did like the fact he was blasting a lot of liberals
politically they were gaining influence. McCarthy even indicted
Adlai Stevenson, Democratic contender for President against
Eisenhowerhe argued there must be subversives at work, because we
the great powerful US was losing the Korean War. Slide 34 Because
there was a conformity to the political status quo of conservatism,
even many Democrats were conservative (Dixiecrats); (Bizarre,)
Indiana made its wrestlers take a loyalty oath before rasslinthe
movie and play Robin Hood was condemned because it was seen as
socialist propaganda; anti-capitalism was bad. Librarians were
forced to pull certain books from the shelvesthe Cincinnati Reds
renamed themselves the Redlegs for a whileRussian Sable became Dark
Sable. Slide 35 Supporters for McCarthy: 1) Republicans ( at a
distance); 2) Catholics ( a Father Coughlin spin-off of
antisemitism); 3) Conservative Protestants 4) Blue Collar Workers
Joseph P. Kennedy secured a legal job for his son Bobby Kennedy as
an investigator for McCarthy. Kennedy used the political dirt he
gathered years later in his anti-Mob endeavors. McCarthy eventually
attacked his own party and President Eisenhowerlost influence due
to TV and fell out of power Slide 36 On a more congenial note, the
1950s were a time of prosperity and affluence for many Americans.
Describing the 1950s, we must make a concatenation of the
following: 1) The Cold War (very influential) 2) Rising Income and
Affluence 3) Americans had grown tired of depression, rationing,
and war. 4) Younger Americans became very apoliticalmore in tune
with living and experiencing the new consumer market in America.
Slide 37 1950s very iconic: The American Dream a house with white
picket fence in the suburbs; Job with large corporation, and a new
car; Leavitt Town etc. Cultural symbols included Marilyn Monroe,
Television, baseball, and consumer egalitarianismI Like Ike Slide
38 Very prosperous time; many people went to college because of the
GI Bill; There was suburban sprawl all over America; Sun-belt
cities, San Diego, Atlanta, and Miami and most especially Las Vegas
personified the growth and prosperity of the 1950s; Babyboomers
became the target of marketing and advertising, Disney Land etc
Movies, PTAs and the Levittown. Slide 39 Of all the great cultural
symbols and cultural icons, nothing says the 1950s as well as: 1)
The Automobile; 2) Television Subsidiaries of these two mediums for
transportation and entertainmentSit-Com and the Interstate Highway
System Slide 40 Television was a great medium. It gave citizens a
personal link to politicians, news, weather, entertainment, and was
a way to keep abreast of the Cold War situation. It also gave us
sit-coms, a time for the family to sit together and have a laugh,
while forgetting the tenuousness of the moment. Slide 41 Slide 42
In an era of affluence, there is always the fear of communism. The
Korean War is a great exampleVietnam (later on this). Sec of State
Dean Acheson made a speech outlining Americas containment of
communist expansion He made no mention of Korea. Slide 43 Because
Truman and the Democrats looked weak on China, in fact had lost
China (not really); He determined that Korea would be the line in
the sand to confront communist expansion. Truman and the Democrats
said look what happened in Europe with appeasementwe need to stop
it there, fight it there, or we will have to stop it here, and
fight here in the cities of America. The U.S. received a resolution
from the U.N. and sent troops to Korea. Slide 44 Early North Korea
overran the South Korean forces and drove all the way to the tip of
the Southeastern peninsula or what became known as the famous Pusan
Perimeter. The American Army fought desperately and hung on until
reinforcements could arrive. Gen MacArthur planned a daring and
treacherous landing at Inchon west of Seoul Luckily it was
successful, it trapped the North Koreans and they had to make a
hasty retreat. Slide 45 Gen. MacArthur quickly went on the
offensive. It drove the North Koreans beyond the 38 th Parallel and
back into China and beyond the Yalu River, into Chinese
borderlands. Mao afraid that MacArthur would use this as a pretense
to widen the War and invade China sent hordes of Chinese suicide
troops at the AmericansThe Chosin Reservoir. Drove the Americans
back to the 38tth Parallel Slide 46 Gen. MacArthur did order a
widening of the conflict and sent Jet aircraft into China to bomb
munitions and supply depots. MacArthur told Truman and Congress the
only way to fight a war was to pursue it to total victory. Pres.
Truman and JCS feared a greater escalation leading to ultimate
disaster. Ordered MacArthur to desist when MacArthur defied Pres.
Truman, Truman dismissed him Slide 47 Pres. Truman was savvy enough
to realize that regardless of his popularity,he was a dangerous
influence to the War Effortor Police Action as Truman called it.
Truman said, total war against China would be the wrong war at the
wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong enemy Slide 48 After
receiving word that the War would not be widened by Truman,
MacArthur sent a letter to Congress and the Public stating there
was no substitute for victory. Once war is forced upon us, there is
no alternative [but] to bring it to a swift and successful end why
surrender military advantages to the enemy I could not answer them
Old soldiers never die, they just fade away. Slide 49 Gen. Dwight
D. Eisenhower was elected President in 1952. Pres. Eisenhower was
able to secure an armistice, a truce, an uneasy truce, that still
prevails today. The action was never ended, only a temporary truce.
Slide 50 1950s a time of affluence and Global Superpower. It was
the Fabulous 50s. Confidence and greatness was growing in spite of
Sputnik. Yet, the paranoia paved a road into many small contained
actions and several rather large contained actionsMainly the
Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Battles of the 50s and 60s. (
which in turn lead to other more open social and political and even
religious movements).
