1. Chapter 21
The Cold War Begins
A Clash of Interests: The US and the
Soviet Union (Russia) became
increasingly hostile toward each other
after the war. This lead to an era of
confrontation and competition
between the US and the Soviet Union
that lasted from about 1946 to 1990
called the Cold War.

2. Why?
• Because after the war both countries had
different goals:
• Soviet Union: security
• United States: Democracy

3. Europe before the War

4. Europe after WWII

5. Poland
• The Yalta Conference: Roosevelt, Churchill and
Stalin met to discuss Post WWII Europe. Stalin
was adamant that Polish government had to
be friendly to the Soviet Union—a matter of
life and death—a matter of security.
• Roosevelt and Churchill were not happy but
conceited-they gave in to Stalin.

7. Declaration of Liberated Europe
• “The right of all people to choose the form of
government under which they will live”

8. Germany

9. Truman Takes Control
Potsdam Conference

10. Europe after WWII

11. • Stalin basically states wherever his soldiers
are –those will be countries friendly to the
Soviet Union. He did not commit to any of the
resolutions of the Declaration of Liberated
Europe.

12. The Iron Curtain Descends—an
imagery line that separates Western
Europe from Eastern Europe

13. The Truman Doctrine
• The Soviet Union started to make moves in the
Middle East –in countries like Turkey, Iran and
Greece.
• The United States was alarmed and outlined a
policy which became know as the Truman
Doctrine—its goal was to aid “free people who
are resisting attempted subjugation by armed
minorities or by outside pressures”--also known
as the Containment Policy
• Basically the US would stop the spread of
Communism.

14. Meanwhile Europe is a Mess
• The war had left Western Europe
politically, socially and economically in ruins.
• The US Secretary of State George Marshall came
up with a recovery program to help rebuild
Europe—a healthy Europe is good for America.
• Called the Marshall Plan-the US would pump
billions into the recovery of Europe. The offer was
extended to Eastern European countries but
Soviets refused.

15. Germany
• The United States also wanted Germany to be
economically sound. They decided to merge
the zones of the 3 countries together and
create on Germany—West Germany –but
Berlin would still be divided.

16. The Berlin Airlift
• When the Soviets realized what the Allies had
done they became threatened and put troops to
cutoff all roads and rail traffic to West Berlin. This
blockade created a crisis.
• What to do???
• The decision was made to start an airlift to supply
Berliners with food, medicine, and coal.
• For 11 months, cargo planes dropped supplies.
• Finally Stalin lifted the blockade
• The Berlin airlift became a symbol of American
determination to stand by the divided city and
against communism.

18. N.A.T.O.
• The Berlin blockade convinced many
Americans that the Soviets were bent on
conquest.
• So the US created a mutual defense alliance—
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization-NATO.
12 countries from Europe joined the
organization as well.
• First time in history the US decided to commit
itself to maintaining peace in Europe.

19. North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(1949)
 United States  Luxemburg
 Belgium  Netherlands
 Britain  Norway
 Canada  Portugal
 Denmark  1952: Greece &
Turkey
 France
 1955: West Germany
 Iceland
 1983: Spain
 Italy

20. China turns to Communism
• After WWII China resumed its Civil War
between communist forces led by Mao
Zedong and Nationalists led by Chiang Kai-
shek. The US sent money to Chiang kai-shek to
prevent the spread of Communism. But in the
end the Communist prevailed and China
became a communist country.

21. • The Chinese signed a treaty with the Soviet
Union of friendship and alliance. Many
thought the Chinese and Soviets would
support the spread of Communism
everywhere. That greatly made the US very
nervous.

22. Korean

23. • After WWII both the
US and China went
into Korean to
disarm the Japanese
troops that were
there. They divided
Korean in half on
the 38th parallel. The
Soviets controlled
the North and the
Allies controlled the
South.

24. • Talks to unify Korean broke down and a
communist government was organized in the
North. An American backed government was
formed in the South. Both claimed authority over
all of Korean. Both built up arms. On June
25, 1950 North Korean invades South Korean.
• President Truman asked the United Nations to
send in troops and he asked General MacArthur
to go from Japan to Korean with some American
troops.

25. The Korean War, 1950-1953

26. The Forgotten War
• In the end, a armistice was signed and it
permanently divided the country on the 38th
parallel. Move than 33,600 American soldiers
died in the Korean War—a war that came to
be called the Forgotten War.
• The US would now use force to stop the
spread of communism anywhere in the world.

27. Premier Nikita Khrushchev
About the capitalist
states, it doesn't
depend on you
whether we
(Soviet Union) exist.
If you don't like us,
don't accept our
invitations, and don't
De-Stalinization
invite us to come Program
to see you. Whether
you like it our not, history is on our
side. We will bury you. -- 1956

28. The Cold War and the American
Society
• Americans became very paranoid about
Communists. The US governments believed
Russia was sending spies to American do learn
about our Nuclear program and to subvert the
American governments.
• It intensified when a Soviet named Igor
Gouzenko walked into the Soviet Embassy in
Canada and defected. He had been carrying
spy equipment. The case stunned Americans.

29. The Red Scare
• Americans began to think that Communists
were secretly working to subvert the
American government. The US government
believed Russia was sending spies to learn
about our Nuclear program.
• It soon became everyone's job to seek out
communists. Many peoples lives were ruined
by just being accused meant you didn’t work.

30. • The Loyalty Review Program: A government
program that would screen all federal
employees. Rather than calm fears it seemed
to confirm fears that Communists had
infiltrated the government.
• Between 1947-1951 over 6 million federal
employees were screened for their loyalty.

31. The Rosenberg's
• A sensational spy case centering around
accusations that American Communists had
sold the secrets of the atomic bomb to Russia.

32. The Red Scare Spreads
• In 1949 The Red Scare intensified even more—
the Soviets successfully tested an atomic
bomb and China fell to Communism.
• Joseph McCarthy-senator from Wisconsin
helps the paranoia by claiming to have a list of
205 Communists that were working in the
State Department.

34. McCarthyism = Witch Hunt
• McCarthy used his new found notoriety and
his influence to conduct “Witch Hunts” for any
so called Communists working in the US
government. He damaged many reputations
on vague and unfounded charges. He would
bully and badger those he accused of being a
communist. Many feared to challenge him for
fear of becoming targets themselves.

35. McCarthy’s Downfall
• McCarthy did not stop at accusing
government workers of being spies; he moved
to accusing the US Army of housing
communists as well. The Army denied all
charges. Furious at the denials, McCarthy
moved his investigation onto television.
Millions of Americans watched as McCarthy
harassed officers day after day—his support
started to fade.

36. • Joseph Welch--Army’s Lawyer: “Until this
moment, I think I never really gauged your
cruelty or your recklessness…You have done
enough. Have you no sense of decency sir, at
long last? Have you left no sense of decency?”
• Another Senator stated: “The American
people have had a look at you…You are not
fooling anyone”

37. Life During the Early Cold War
• By the early 1950’s both the US and the Soviet
Union had tested the much more powerful
Hydrogen Bomb.
• Americans became convinced that the Soviets
would strike America.
• Duck and Cover drills
• Bomb Shelters

39. L