The Cold War Part II

NSC-68

• Was set up because Russia had exploded an atomic bomb

• Created in 1947 to develop broad policy concepts on which the President could build specific strategies

• US decided to triple its defense budget • Went from $13 billion to $50 billion

NATO

• April 1949-The US and six other nations joined the original 5 to create NATO

• The North Atlantic Treaty Organization• An Armed attack against one of the member

nations would be considered an attack against all

NATO

• Soviets made Western Europe worried that if war broke out they wouldn’t survive large Soviet Army.

• 5 countries joined together in a system of common defense

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

• Who? US government Agency• What? An organization to implement

covert actions ABROAD• How it solves problems?– Gathers military and political

information–Promotes leadership favorable to the US

CIA-Why?

• The Cold War• It assumed threat of the spread of

communism convinced US leaders they needed to be informed of global events

NSC-National Security Council

Who? Advisers to the presidentWhat? Presidential advisory committee on

military and political affairsHow it solves problems? Informed advice to

the presidentWhy? Events after WWII and the Cold War

required president to stay abreast of complicated world events and military/political tactics

Soviet Atomic Bomb

• August 1949• US aircraft flying over the

North Pacific Ocean picked up signs of unusual radioactivity in the atmosphere.

• We figured out that the Soviets had detonated an atomic Bomb

Outcome of Bomb

• Great shock to the nation• No longer could the country rely on the

atomic bomb as the basis for defense against the Soviets.

• Americans were scared to death

Mao Zedong

• Chinese Communist who took control in China• Fight between the Nationalist and Communist• Communist won and another shock to the

American People

X

Communism in the US

• Communism: Political theory that proposes individual ownership should not be allowed, but rather all people should collectively own property and the means of production.

• Tens of thousands of Americans Joined• Looking for Answers during the Depression• Growing appeal of communism around the World led

to violations of Civil Liberties• Fear of Conspiracy Theory that they would overthrow

the government

Truman’s Loyalty Program• Truman believed communism had to be stopped at ALL

costs• Federal Employee Loyalty Program (FELP)

– (1947)

– FBI was to check out its files for individuals who might be engaged in suspicious activity

– Accused of disloyalty found themselves under attack– Guilty until proven innocent– Accusation alone ruined peopleIt helped create a dangerous climate of suspicion

throughout the country

HUAC: House Un-American Activities Committee

• purpose investigate possible threat of communist in the US.

• Started with the film industry in 1947.• Collected the names of several Hollywood

Writers and directors.• They thought they held radical political views

Hollywood Ten• October 1947• 19 Hollywood figures were called to testify • Rumors said they were all members of or had been

association with communist party• Writers/Directors/Producers/Actors• No Chance to defend themselves• 10 Refused to answer all Questions• Threatened prison terms• But they still Refused

Hollywood Ten

• Went to Jail for contempt of Congress and served sentences ranging from 6 months to 1year.

• Hollywood gave in to committee

Waldorf-Astoria Hotel

• 50 Executives • Announced that the Hollywood 10 “had been

a disservice to their employers”• Discharged without compensation until

proved their loyalty• Started to put Actors on a Blacklist

Impact on American Films

• Industry had been willing to make movies dealing with controversial subjects

• NOW– Studios resisted all Films dealing with social

problems and emphasized “ on Pure Entertainment.

Senator Joseph McCarthy

• Was a US senator from Wisconsin• Needed a easy way to get reelected• Frightened Americans with charge that

Communists worked in the State Department• Spread fear and made baseless charges• Took a center stage because of use of the

media

What evidence did he produce?

• NONE• Always said he had a list of names

but NEVER produced it

How did TV help him?

• Gave him a large audience• People around the country could

see and hear him

What events led American to believe him?

• Fear of spread of Communism because of the loss of China and the Soviets using the bomb

Army-McCarthy Hearings

• April 1954• Televised nationally and lasted 36 days• Climax when McCarthy charged a high member of

the military of being communist.• Welch made speech about how cruel McCarthy was• Senate now against McCarthy and condemned him

for his reckless attacks.

McCarthy’s Impact

• Generated a sense of fear and suspicion that filtered down to all levels.

• Accusation alone enough to end a person’s career

The entire nation suffered from the era’s suppression of free speech and honest debate.

Spy Cases

• Two famous spy cases reinforced fears that Soviet spies in the United States were sharing American secrets with foreign Communists.

• These were the cases of Alger Hiss and of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg

Alger Hiss

• Was a High-Ranking State Department Official• Was accused by Whittaker Chambers• He denied and sued Chambers for calling him a

Soviet Spy• 2 Trials– Was convicted of perjury– Went to Jail for 4 yearsCase proved that there was a real communist threat in the

US

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg

• Husband & Wife who held a radical view• Accused of passing atomic secrets to the

Soviets during the War

Outcome of Case• The jury believed the evidence of David Greenglass and both

Julius Rosenberg and Ethel Rosenberg, were found guilty and sentenced to death.

• A large number of people were shocked by the severity of the sentence as they had not been found guilty of treason.

• Julius Rosenberg and Ethel Rosenberg remained on death row for twenty-six months. They both refused to confess and provide evidence against others and they were eventually executed on 19th June, 1953.

• As one political commentator pointed out, they died because they refused to confess and name others.

Opinion was Split

–Convicted of Espionage –Executed in the Electric Chair in

1953–1st civilians executed for treason in

the United States.