Alliance between USSR and US

1
Alliance between USSR and US

• WWII contributed to the Cold War because
• Ideological differences suspicion
• US and USSR had competing political objectives
  for postwar Eastern Europe
• US wanted democracy and self-determination
• Stalin wanted to create a buffer from German
  aggression
• The alliance between US and USSR quickly
  disintegrated during post war 1945.

2
Yalta/ Potsdam

• Meeting in Black Sea (Soviet Union)
• Franklin D. Roosevelt, Joseph Stalin, and Winston
  Churchill
• Stalin promises free elections in Poland
• Germany divided into 4 spheres of influence,
  Berlin also divided into 4 zones (even though
  located in the heart of the Soviets sphere)
• In Potsdam, the three countries agree to
  recognize each others influence over regions
  where their respective troops remained at the end
  of war.

3
Communist Rebellions in Greece and Turkey

• Rebellions inspired the Truman Doctrine, which
  justified US intervention in regional conflicts
  in the name of containing Soviet communism
• Truman Doctrine later served as the framework
  for American foreign policy in the nuclear age
• Inspired one of the first indirect confrontations
  between US and USSR (through other nations)

4
Economic and Military Alliances in Europe after
WWII

• Economic/Military alliances in Europe post WWII
  contributed to Cold War
• 1) economic alliances formed under the Marshall
  Plan and the Molotov Plan hardened divisions
• Marshall Plan provided 17 billion in aid for the
  economic recovery of Europe
• Accept American loans agree to buy American
  products
• Molitov Plan Soviets refused to let Eastern
  European nations accept loans from the Marshall
  Plan, so their plan was designed to support war
  torn Eastern Europe

5
Two Views on Marshall Plan

• United States view

• Soviet Unions view

• Aid was essential to keep communism from
  spreading beyond USSR
• Will promote peace and stability

• Economic alliances formed under the Marshall Plan
  only served American interests and undermined
  Soviet power in Europe
• Cunning attempt to support American capitalism by
  economically enslaving Europe

6
The Berlin Crisis/ Airlift

• Post WWII, Germany was placed under military rule
  and divided into zones ruled by Americans,
  British, French, and Soviets. Berlin was also
  divided into separate sectors
• Berlin was located in Soviet-controlled German
  territory, and Soviets felt they were entitled to
  full control over capital
• In 1948, plans announced to introduce a new form
  of currency in Germany- Soviets withdrew from
  Allied Control Council
• When allies introduced new currency in West
  Berlin- Soviets instituted a formal blockade
• August 1948, US proved it was willing to take
  action against Soviets by airlifting supplies to
  Berlin.

7
NATO Established

• North Atlantic Treaty Organization

• Warsaw Pact

• 1949 United States joined western nations such as
  Canada, France, Great Britain, Italy and the
  Netherlands to form the North Atlantic Treaty
  Organization
• NATO was a military alliance designed to protect
  each other from Soviet aggression

• Soviet alliance with Eastern European nations
  such as Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary,
  Poland, and Romania
• These organizations introduced the possibility of
  armed conflict and led to est. of defensive
  armies throughout Europe

8
Development of Nuclear Weapons

• Soviet Unions development of nuclear weapons
  positioned them to compete with the US as a
  military superpower (helped them maintain control
  of their countries)
• Fueled an arms race between US and USSR to keep
  one another in check
• US and USSR knew that direct conflict using
  nuclear weapons would cause untold devastation,
  so both chose to fight indirectly using economic
  and military aid to rivaling nations

9
China becomes a communist country

• Chinese Communists battle nationalist government
  of Chiang Kai-Shek
• US supports Chiang (government is corrupt)
• Communists led by Mao Zedong, work to get peasant
  support
• Peasants flock to Red Army, by 1945, communists
  control north China
• 1949 Nationalists flee to Taiwan
• Communists establish Peoples Republic of China
  in mainland (US doesnt recognize)

10
Korean War begins

• Japan had annexed Korea in 1910.
• As WWII ended, Japanese troops in north
  surrendered to USSR, South to US
• Divided at the 38th parallel
• US occupied zone became the Republic of Korea
• Soviet zone became Democratic Peoples Republic
  of Korea (communist)
• Kim Il Sung leader

11
Korean War

• Korean War in 1950 increased American alarm
  spread of communism
• 38th parallel divided communist North Korea and
  UN supported South Korea
• US gets involved Has early victories until 1
  million Chinese volunteers pushes US back into
  South Korea.
• General MacArthur calls for war with China
• Truman disagrees- fires MacArthur for going
  public
• War ends in stalemate in 1953

12
Korean War

• June 25, 1950 North Korea swept across 38th
  parallel in surprise attack on South Korea
• War confirmed the growing American belief that
  the spread of communism in Asia was now a serious
  threat
• South Korea calls on UN to stop invasion
  (approved)
• MacArthur put in command of forces
• North Korea drives south (to Seoul)
• MacArthur attacks North Koreans from 2 sides,
  pushes into north
• China sends troops to help North Koreans, push
  south,
• MacArthur calls for war with China (is fired)
• StalemateSoviets suggest cease fire 1953
  armistice

13
Importance of Korean War

• After Chinese Communist Rev. and Korean War, the
  Cold War became more global
• This began US/USSR rivalry to compete for
  influence worldwide.
• Political scientist eventually began to describe
  the world as bipolar (belonging to US or USSR)

14
Soviet invasion of Hungary

• USSR became known as the Iron Curtain, behind
  which the Soviets desire was the indefinite
  expansion of their power and doctrines.
  Winston Churchill
• Over time, Eastern Europeans began to rebel
• 1956 Hungarian citizens began rioting
• Khrushchev, new USSR leader, dispatched Red Army,
  rounded up protesters and executed leaders.

15
Soviet invasion of Hungary contributed to Cold
War because

• Soviet Unions attempts to draw an iron curtain
  around itself increased American suspicions of
  communism
• Using rule by force in E. Europe, the USSR
  increased American belief that communism that to
  be stopped at all costs
• Suppression of Hungarians confirmed US worst
  fears and escalated hostilities.

16
Cold War at Home

• Truman accused of being soft on Communism
• Created Federal Employee Loyalty Program to
  investigate (dismiss 212)
• House Un-American Activities Committee
  investigates Communist ties (esp. in movies)
• Hollywood Ten refuse to testify, sent to prison
• Hollywood Blacklist- People with Communist ties
  cannot get work
• Alger Hiss accused of spying for USSR (convicted
  of perjury

17
Cold War at home (cont.)

• 1949 Soviets explode atomic bomb
• Physicist Klaus Fuchs admits giving info
• Ethel, Julius Rosenburg (minor Comm. Party
  activists implicated) executed
• Senator Joseph McCarthy launches Witch Hunt on
  suspected communists
• Became known as McCarthyism- accusing people of
  disloyalty without providing evidence
• Name-called only in Senate (due to congressional
  immunity)

18
McCarthys downfall

• 1954, McCarthy made accusations against US Army
  televised Senate investigation
• McCarthys bullying of witnesses lost him public
  support.
• Three years later, suffering from alcoholism, he
  died