The Cold War Abroad and at Home

1945- 1952

The Postwar Political Setting

• Demobilization and Reconversiono Truman gave in to popular demand and decreased

military strength from 12 million to 1.5 million in 1948

o Psychological problems of Readjustment High divorce rate Housing shortage Loneliness Worried automation (machines) would displace

them Feared World War I's aftermath of

unemployment and economic depressiono Women worked outside the home in office work

and sales, but were urged to stay at home

• The G.I. Bill of Rightso Servicemen's Readjustment Act (AKA GI Bill of

Rights or GI Bill)- gave veterans priority for many jobs, occupational guidance, 52 weeks of unemployment benefits, established veterans' hospitals, provided low-interest loans to GIs

o Promised GIs who had served in armed forces for up to 4 years of further education or job training Spurred an increase in higher education and

creation of many new state and community colleges

To make room for GIs, colleges limited women admitted or barred students from out of state

The Postwar Political Setting Ctd.

• The Economic Boom Beginso Consumerism increased

New products (televisions, phonographs, cigarettes, freezers, air conditioners) were created and soon defined middle-class lifestyle

o Bretton Woods Agreement- created by representatives of the wartime Allies; framework for the global economy in postwar world. Created the International Monetary Fund to stabilize exchange

rates by valuing other currencies in relation the US dollar Established the World Bank to help rebuild war-battered Asia and

Europe Laid groundwork for General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade to

break up closed trading blocs and expand international trade

The Postwar Political Setting Ctd.

• Truman's Domestic Programo Employment Act of 1946- committed the federal government to

ensuring economic growth established the Council of Economic Advisers to confer

with the president and formulate policies to maintain employment, production, and purchasing power

Only major accomplishment of Truman's administrationo Office of Price Administration- enforced price controls to control

inflation Food producers, manufacturers and retailers opposed

wartime controls Truman ended all price controls, price index jumped 25%-

Labor unions were angry Truman lost approval

The Postwar Political Setting Ctd.

Anti-communism and Containment

1946-1952

Polarization and Cold War

• Stalin ignored Yalta Declaration of Liberated Europe: barred free election in Poland and suppressed Polish Democratic partieso He wanted Soviet sphere of influence in Eastern

Europe for Russian securityo installed puppet governments in Bulgaria and

Romania

• Truman believed only a new world order by the UN could guarantee peace

• Didn't accept Stalin's enforced sovietizationo Betrayed American war aimso Condemned nations rescued from Hitler's tyranny to

other dictatorships

Polarization and Cold War

• Stalin forced satellite nations to close doors to American trade and influence

• George Kennan: o American diplomat in Moscowo Wired telegram to State Departmento U.S. should contain tendencies of Russian rule to

expand

• Containment: o a doctrine uniting military, economic, and diplomatic

strategies to prevent communism from spreadingo used to enhance America's security and influence

abroad

Polarization and Cold War

• Winston Churchill warned of the iron curtain Stalin had drawn across the eastern half of Europe

• Truman threatened to send American troops if Soviets didn't withdraw from Iran

• Truman submitted atomic-energy control plan o required USSR to stop all work on nuclear weaponso USSR must submit UN inspections before the US

would destroy its own atomic weaponso rejected

• Atomic Energy Commission:o develop nuclear energy and nuclear weaponry

Containing Communism

• George Marshall presented the case for aid to Greece and Turkeyo Dean Acheson agreedo Issue was not assisting dictatorships, but a struggle

against tyrannyo fall of Greece and Turkey to Soviets would given

them access to Asia, Western Europe, and Middle East

o Truman asked for $400 million in military assistance

• Truman Doctrine:o called for active US engagement to contain

communism, the us would support those threatened by communism

Containing Communism

• National Security Act: o Created National Security Council to advise the

president on strategieso Established Central Intelligence Agency to gather

information abroad and to engage in covert activities in support of nation's security

o Became Department of Defenseo Joint Chiefs of Staff: combined army, navy and air

force

• Marshall Plan: o US assistance in European recoveryo Expanded sales of American goods abroado Communism was overcome in 16 nations that

received aid

Confrontation in Germany

• Potsdam Agreement:o Divided Germany into 4 zones administered by

France, Britain, Soviets, and US

• Stalin blocked all routes through the Soviet zone into Berlin

• Operation Vittles:o Truman ordered a massive airlift to provide Berliners

with food and fuel

• US, France, and Britain created Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany)

Confrontation in Germany

• North Atlantic Treaty Organization:o Adopted by Western European nationso Established a mutual defense pact with the US and

Canadao First US peacetime military alliance

• Western Europe under a nuclear umbrellao protected from USSR invasion by threat of nuclear

bombso Resulted in formation of German Democratic

Republic (East Germany)

• Warsaw Pact:o Soviet military alliance in response to NATO

The Cold War in Asia

• Moscow Washington hostility carved Asia into contending camps

• The Russians had an influential group in Manchuriao Americans occupied and imposed a U.S.

written democratic constitution on Japan

• Both Russia and America partitioned a helpless Korea

Cold War (cont.)

• General Douglas MacArthur, head of the U.S. occupation forces in Japan, oversaw that nation's transformation from an empire in ruins into a prosperous democracy

• By 1948 the Cold War had caused the U.S. to shift from keeping Japan's economy and government weako Overall preventing it from threatening

peace again, to make it as strong as possible an ally in a vital part of the world

• A military security treaty allowed the U.S. to retain its Japanese base and brought Japan under the American "nuclear umbrella"

• Further pursuing the containment, the U.S. helped crush pro communist insurgency in the Philippineso Aided the efforts of France to reestablish its

colonial rule in Indochina (despite American declarations in favor of national self-determination and against imperialism)

China's Fall to Communism

• Truman Administration attempted to mediate the civil war between nationalist Jiang Jieshi and communist Mao Zedongo Sent nearly $3 billion in aid to nationalists, however

couldn't force Jiang's corrupt gov. to reform itself

• Mao Zedong took over China and re-established it as the communist People's Republic of Chinao Became "Red China"o China's "fall" embittered conservatives who believed

that America's power in the world rested on Asia-not Europe.

Truman's Countering Communism

• January 31, 1950 Truman ordered the development of a fusion-based hydrogen bombo November 1952 the U.S. exploded its first

nuclear bomb (Mike) containing 10x more power than the Hiroshima atomic bomb

• Truman also called for a top-secret review of defense policy by the National Security Council in early 1950

NSC-68

• NSC-68 emphasized the Soviet Union's military strength and aggressive intentionso To counter what the NSC saw as the USSR's

design for "world domination" the NSC-68 urged a militarized anti-communist offensive, not merely containment

o Endorsed massive increases in America's nuclear arsenal, a large standing army, vigorous covert actions by the CIA, and a quadrupling of the defense budget

Korean War

• After WWII the US and USSR temporarily divided Korea--which had been controlled by Japan since the Russo-Japanese War of 1904, at the 38th parallel for purposes of military occupation

• This line then solidified into a political frontier between the American-supported Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Soviet backed Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north--each claiming right to rule Korea

• June 24, 1950, North Korean troops swept across the 38th parallelo Truman viewing this as a Soviet test to

the US's will and containment wanted to fight back

• Within two weeks US and South Korean forces drove the North Koreans back across the 38th parallel

• UN troops crossed 38th parallelo within 2 weeks Chinese divisions drove

out UN forces south of parallel

Aftermath of Korean War

• Spring 1951 Truman sought a negotiated peace restoring the integrity of South Korea

• After 2 more years of fighting, the two sides reached an armistice in July 1953 that left Korea divided (as it had been at the beginning of war)

• Conflict cost the United States 54,246 lives and $54 billion

• Chinese lost about 900,000 men and both Korean armies about 800,000

• Left North Korea looking like a moonscape

Consequences

• It accelerated implementation of NSC-68 and the expansion of containment into a global policy

• From 1950-1953 defense spending expanded from $13 to $60 billion

• The US acquired new bases around the world and joined a mutual-defense pact with Australia and New Zealand

• Overall, Truman's intervention in Korea preserved the balance of power

http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/korea.htm

Truman Administration at Home 1945-1952

80th Congress 1947-1948• Republicans controlled; began to reverse new deal• Mass strikes by workers led to Taft-Hartley Act:

o outlawed closed shop (allowing only unionized employees to work for certain company)

o outlawed secondary boycotts

o union officials must sign loyalty oaths

o President cooling off period (to delay strikes that might endanger national safety)

• Effects: weakened organized labor in South/West, sped the relocation of industries like textiles from NE to MW, drove communists out of Committee of Industrial Organization; organized labor less of social justice movement and more special interest group

• Truman vetoes bill but congress overrides • February 2, 1948- truman orders to desegregate the military

(major accomplishment)

80th Congress (ctd.)

• Truman is a full supporter for civil rights; he want to:o raise minimum wageo increase social security benefitso enact federal aid to education and housingo adopt federal health insurance program

• Truman wooed Eastern European descent voters by opposing Iron Curtain

• He extended diplomatic recognition to Israel to woo Jewish Americans

Politics of Civil Rights• Jackie Robinson, WWII heightened black

expectations for equality, demanded Fair Employment Practices Commision: outlawing lynching and end of poll tax (tax on people)

• More black registered voters Whites turn to violence

• Truman believes every American should enjoy full rights citizenship

his report, To Secure These Rights, dramatized Jim Crow America, emphasized moral/economic/international reasons for gov't to outlaw lynching, end poll tax, have permanent FEPC, desegregate army, education, housing

Election of 1948

• Southern segregationists of DemocraticParty that disagree with civil rights of Truman form

the States' Rights Party, aka "Dixiecrats" nominated Strom Thurmon for presidency

• Left wing Democrats joined Communists to launch the Progressive Party which called for friendly relations with Soviet Union

nominated Henry Wallace for presidency

• Republicans nominate moderate, bland Thomas Dewey that ran a complacent campaign to offend few people; predicted to be winner

• Truman wins!

Election of 1948• Truman was victorious because...

o Progressives/Dixiecrats too radicalo Berlin crisis and failure to reject communist support

forced liberals away from Progressives o Democrats did not feel so threatened by Truman's civil

rights stand as to desert Democratic Partyo Other parties made Truman champion of civil rights

• He issued executive orders barring discrimination in federal employment, equality of treatment in army

• Morgan v. Virginia: declared segregation in bus transportation unconstitutional

• Shelly v. Kraemer: outlawed restrictive housing covenants that forbade sale or rental of property to minorities

The Fair Deal

• Truman's domestic agenda that includes:o civil rightso national health careo federal aid to education

• Based on belief in continuous economic growth• BUT Congress rejects most of the Fair Deal

proposalso Truman's lessening commitment to domestic

reform; concentrated on foreign/military affairso Conservative Coalition in Congress that held

sway

Politics of Anti-Communism

• HUAC- House Un-American Activities Committee (1938)o Executive Order 9835- established FELP to

root out communists or sympathizers barred sympathizers and suspected communists

from federal employment suspicion of union members, blacks, civil rights

members, etc.

Loyalty and Security-

• HUAC probed Hollywood- the hollywood ten some were communist all left wingers

-denied work and sentenced to prison• -Truman's justice department prosecuted

top leaders of communist party under Smith acto Dennis vs. US- affirmed conviction

despite evidence-gave congress power to suppress

free speech

The Anti-Communist Crusade

• Whittacker Chambers named Alger Hiss as a secret communist agent. Hiss accused of giving secret state dep. documents to a soviet agento Hiss denied knowing Chambers but after

Richard Nixon's constant questioning he admitted to knowing him- was executed

• British arrested K. Fuchs for giving atomic secrets to SU-pointed to Harry Gold- pointed to David Greenglass- pointed to Ethel and Julius Rosenberg- unfair trial and were executedo added to hysteria and tarnished liberalism

Alger Hiss and the Rosenbergs

• J. McCarthy exploited Democrats ideas and accused many with no evidenceo synonym for personal attacks on individuals

with no substantial evidence appealed to republicans- got a blue collar

and catholic following

• McCarran International Security Act- required organizations deemed communist to register with Department of Justice

• McCarran-Walter Immigration and Nationality Act- restricted immigration into the U.S.

McCarthyism and McCarran

• country upset with democrat party- nominated Gov. Adlai Stevenson- out of touch with public

• GOP nominated Dwight D. Eisenhower- running mate RIchard Nixon

• Eisenhower wins despite slush fund (CA businessmen created for Nixon)

Election of 1952