Origins of the Cold

War

Mr. Eisenman

Questions

What is it?

Why did it begin?

Why did it escalate

and become global?

Why did it end?

How did it end

peacefully?

What is it?

American Odyssey textbook:

“The U.S.-Soviet conflict

that followed WWII

in which the two powers avoided military confrontation

but opposed each other’s political and economic goals.”

Definition revision

Framework for understanding the world (and domestic politics) from 1945-1991

Competition for the “soul of mankind”- (George H.W. Bush and Melvyn Leffler), ie, a struggle for a way of life.

Cold War Struggles

Ideological:

liberal capitalism, social democracy v. communism

Economic:

Capitalist, free trade v. central planning, communism

Cold War Struggles

Geopolitical:

worldwide competition for allies and control of resources

Created a bipolar world dominated by 2 superpowers and a small non-aligned movement

Cold War Struggles

Military:

Hot v. cold: No large scale direct fighting, but characterized by arms race, regional proxy wars, and covert action

Korea, Vietnam, Cuban Missile crisis, etc..

Weapons

Cold War Struggles

Space:

Sputnik and Apollo missions

Cultural

Even art, music, movies, and fashion were areas of the cold war

Kitchen table debate, 7/24/59

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-

CvQOuNecy4

Why is it important- Effects and

Dangers

Real potential for world-wide nuclear destruction- Cuban Missile Crisis and 1983 events.

Fear of Communism leads to U.S. involvement in foreign affairs which don’t promote true U.S. interest- frequent support of corrupt dictators, unjust and costly wars, 3rd World resentment

Why is it important- Effects and

Dangers Major problems of today

such as terrorism and nuclear proliferation have their roots in this period

Bread fanaticism at home such as McCarthyism which threatened democracy

$5.5 trillion nuclear arms race

Growth of military-industrial complex

Why Did It Begin?

Historical:

U.S. not extend formal diplomatic recognition to Soviet Union from 1917-1933

Anger over Soviet-German Non-Aggression Pact in 1939

Allies during war only out of convenience

“Imprecise” negotiations at Yalta left the future of Germany and Poland uncertain

Soviet suspicion of U.S. because of its delay opening a western front during WWII

Soviet resentment on being left out of the Manhattan Project

U.S. – Soviet relations were strained

before WWII

U.S. didn’t recognize SU until 1933

U.S. and Soviets were allies out of

convenience

Why Did It Begin?

Clash of ideas and objectives

U.S.:

Seek liberty, democracy and open markets

Soviet:

Proletarian Dictatorship until the inevitable triumph of Communism

Defense: Prevent future invasions by the creation of friendly Eastern European governments on its borders.

Why Did It Begin?

Historical Events

Poland: Soviet refusal to allow free elections in Poland

By Spring 1946 Stalin resolved create a strong military and talked of Soviet triumph, while Churchill warned of an “iron curtain” separating Europe

Why Did It Begin?

Domestic considerations

U.S: Inexperienced Truman is attacked by Republicans

Soviet Union: Stalin wants to sustain peace with U.S. but also needs to rebuild after 27 million deaths and his need to re-establish Communism after appealing to nationalism to get support for WWII

Why Did It Begin?

Fear

regarding the uncertainty of the future of Germany and Japan

Regarding the popularity of Communists parties winning elections in Western Europe and linking up with the Soviet Union.

U.S. Response- Security

Dilemma U.S. realizes that its greatest threat to security is the Soviets

gaining control of the resources and people of northeast Asia and Europe.

The threat is ideological, not military- If the economic system isn’t repaired, Western European nations will elect Communist governments and link up with the Soviet Union.

A revived Germany (coal) and Japan with ties to the U.S. are the best way to promote economic development around the world.

In March 1947, President Truman makes the connection that capitalism could only thrive if goods, people, and capital freely flows in Western Europe. If not, Communism would expand

Fearing a strong Germany, the Soviets respond by clamping down on Eastern Europe creating further fear and distrust.

In order to make the U.S. more secure,

the U.S. needed to build up Germany and

Japan, but this made the Soviets feel

more insecure prompting them to build up

its military, which in the end contributed to

fueling the Cold War.

U.S. Initiatives To Counter Soviet

Ideological Threats Containment (1946)

Policy advanced by George Kennan that the U.S. must prevent Communist expansion, which will eventually lead to its own destruction

This remained U.S. policy for 50 years.

3 Requirements

Build up industrial core of Germany and Japan

Shore up vulnerable 3rd world countries

Build up a strong military to provide deterrence.

U.S. Initiatives To Counter

Soviet Ideological Threats Truman Doctrine

(1947)

It is the “policy of the U.S. to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures”

The U.S. gave economic support to Greece and Turkey

U.S. Initiatives To Counter

Soviet Ideological Threats

Marshall Plan (1947)

$13 billion aid program to Western Europe to rebuild their economies.

Re-integration of German Zones (1948)

France, U.S. and Britain unite their occupied zones and introduce a single currency Soviet Union responds by blockading Berlin, which is countered by the Berlin Airlift

Military Alliances

NATO (1949) 12 nation alliance which stated that an attack on one is an attack on all. Soviet Union responds by creating the Warsaw Pact

Why did it escalate and become

global after 1948?

Soviets test an atomic bomb (8/49)

Communist revolution in China (1949)

U.S. believes that revolutionary nationalist movements arising all over the world have a connection to Communism.

Why did it escalate and become

global after 1948? Understanding that

success of Japan requires it to have markets and raw materials in Asia

NSC-68 (4/50)

This study concludes that a massive military buildup is necessary to compete in a global war against communism in order to ensure an international environment conducive to our way of life.

Korea: An international test case

Nationalist movements around the world become important to the U.S. when viewed through the cold war perspective

Containment v. avoidance of nuclear war

At conclusion of WWII, Korea was divided at 38th parallel.

North: Kim Il Sung (allied with Soviet Union)

South: Sygman Rhee (allied with U.S.)

Kim Il Sung invades the South

Korean War

U.S. interprets as Communist advance

With support from UN, U.S. sends military assistance to prevent the invasion.

The U.S. argues that Korea is a test case, its credibility is at stake, and friendly governments would fall like dominoes

Actually, the conflict was a revolutionary nationalist communist variety. Kim Il Sung was motivated to unify country, not necessarily spread Communism. Soviet role was to give the green light and supply weapons. China actually intervenes to help push the U.S. out of North Korea while the Soviet Union stays out of it

Outcome of Korean War

-Global Cold War-

While the war ended with the same borders of a divided Korea as it began and cost over 40,000 American lives, the U.S. accomplished various goals

U.S. realized that it couldn’t win the Korean War by bombing China, since the U.S. would be powerless to stop a Soviet advance in Europe.

Outcome of Korean War

-Global Cold War- Goal is to pursue global cold war with

an arms race:

Peace treaty with Japan with permanent bases

Expansion of NATO to include Greece and Turkey

Re-arming of West Germany with admission to NATO

U.S. permanently stations troops in Europe

U.S. makes an alliance with Australia and New Zealand

U.S. military spending as a percentage of GDP is at its peak, 14%, in 1952

U.S resolves to massively build up nuclear deterrence since it is cheaper than conventional weapons.

Global Conflicts of the 1950’s

U.S. goal is containment and “shoring up the periphery” to allow economic development of Japan and Western Europe. Asia

Vietnam: The U.S. supports the Southern Vietnamese government against the North since it viewed Ho Chi Minh as a communist linked to the Soviet Union rather than a nationalist seeking to end colonialism by France and the U.S.

Middle East: The U.S. supports the state of Israel while

seeking ties to Arab countries to ensure access to oil

Covert CIA activity helps overthrow an elected leader in Iran

Central America: The CIA helps overthrew Jacobo Arbenz

Guzman in Guatemala (1954)

The U.S. is concerned with Fidel Castro’s revolution in Cuba (1959) and eventually orders a failed invasion known as the Bay of Pigs fiasco.

Problems: U.S. becomes involved in many conflicts that

have nationalist causes

They are expensive

They are not always successful.

Cold War in 1960’s

In his farewell speech of 1959, Pres. Eisenhower warns of the threats to democracy posed by the rise of the military-industrial complex

Yet John F. Kennedy is elected on a platform of a missile gap, which turns out to not be true.

Soviets assist revolutionary communist movements, while U.S. continues containment and covert actions under Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon.

Notable activities Alliance for Progress: $100 billion program to economic

development and social reform in Latin America

Creation of Peace Corps

Bay of Pigs: failed invasion by Cuban rebels to overthrow the communist government of Fidel Castro

Creation of the Berlin Wall

Cuban Missile Crisis (1963)- the closest to nuclear war we have ever been

Vietnam War escalation beginning with Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (1964)

Cold War at Home

Widespread fear of Communism pervaded American society

Truman’s Federal Employee Loyalty Program (1948)- FBI review of federal employees

House of Un-American Activities- investigated communist subversion of Hollywood

Alger Hiss and Rosenberg spy cases:

Senator Joseph McCarthy’s Senate investigations

Why did it end?

During periods of its 50 year history, both sides knew that the conflict could lead to world destruction and led to the enormous waste of resources. Yet, neither side was able to end it until the 1980’s

In 1970’s the period of Détente (lessening tensions) was created. Various arms control agreements were reached after the U.S.

realized that war in Vietnam was counterproductive, yet opportunities exist because of the Sino-Soviet split.

In late 70’s efforts to make peace collapse under fears of perceived vulnerability and mutual mistrust and suspicion.

Records show that one of the failures is lack of empathy. Our own perspective blinds us to truth and how other’s interpret reality.

Debate: Who is responsible for ending the Cold war? Reagan:

Gorbachev: in an effort to save communism, he realized that conflict with the U.S. was counter-productive

Interaction: Gorbachev and Reagan were able to see that nuclear weapons should be abolished. Gorbachev proposed peace agreements and Reagan was wise enough to realize Gorbachev’s sincerity

Causes: U.S.-China raproachment- by 1972, “we had more

communists on our side”

U.S. civil rights movement shows U.S. legitimacy and pursuit of freedom

Invention of the PC made clear that the Soviet Union couldn’t compete with the U.S.

By 1987, there were 8.5 million PC’s in the U.S and only 51,000 in the Soviet Union

Solidarity Movement in Poland, Chinese at Tiananmen, Czechs, and East Germans

Why did it end peacefully?

Luck, skillful negotiation, creation of political systems and procedures, sense of common humanity.

There were numerous instances where leaders were not able to control the activities of each nation and nuclear war may have occurred.

During the Cuban Missile Crisis and other events, both sides realized the consequences of war were unacceptable.

Lessons

Dare to overcome fear

Have empathy- understand another’s point

of view even if you don’t accept it.

Be careful of bias obstructing one’s pursuit

of truth

Pursue the truth however elusive it may be