Cold War1950-1963

Post-War AlliancesNATO-North Atlantic Treaty Organization

– Supposedly out of fear of Soviet aggression, Western European States joined together to make a stronger force but still could not match USSR.

– USA were initially reluctant but were persuaded by the Berlin Blockade

– Would only fight if attacked Warsaw Pact

– In response to the NATO ‘aggressive alliance’ the USSR set up this Pact

– A joint command structure was set up under the Soviet Supreme Commander

The Korean War 1950-1953 In 1945 when Japan surrendered to the allies,

Korea had been under Japanese occupation. USSR moved in to occupy the north and USA

occupied the south – divided at the 38th parallel

UN decided to hold national elections in Korea so a democratic government could be instated.

1948 the south set up a parliament that in turn set up the Republic of Korea with the capital at Seoul

The USSR set up the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea with the capital at Pyongyang

The Korean War 1950-1953 Each government then claimed to

rule all of Korea USA and USSR withdrew troops but

continued to support their respective governments with money and weapons

In the meantime (1949) the civil war in China ended with the establishment of the Peoples Republic of China - communist

The Korean War 1950-1953 Stalin and China encouraged the

North Korean ruler, Kim Il Sung, to attack South Korea

The USSR provided aid and military equipment but never got involved directly

In June 1950, North Korea attacked the South and the Korean War began

Korean War The UN security council (USA, UK, USSR)

decided that North Korea had broken the peace and demanded they retreat back past the 38th parallel

North Koreans ignored this and so the UN asked the USA to take command of the UN operation against the North Koreans

The USSR was absent from the Security Council in protest against China being represented in the UN by the Chinese Nationalist rather than Communist government. Had it been present it would have vetoed UN involvement

American involvement in the Korean War

The Americans were frightened of the spread of communism.

They believed in the ‘domino theory’ Of the 16 countries that provided forces,

the USA provided the most: 50% of land forces, 93% of air forces and 86% of naval forces

The UN gave the USA unlimited authority to direct military operations

General MacArthur was Commander-in-Chief of UN Forces

Headlines Daily Mail 26 June

– United Nations Order: Stop Korea War

6/27/1950– Truman Orders U.S. Air, Navy Units To Fight In Aid Of Korea; U.N. Council Supports Him

7/27/1953– Our Fliers In Action; Fleet Guards Formosa  Truce Is Signed, Ending The Fighting In Korea; P.O.W. Exchange Near; Rhee Gets U.S. Pledge; Eisenhower Bids Free World Stay Vigilant

– Description:  Korean War armistice was signed at Panmunjom, ending three years of fighting.

MacArthur Popular hero WWII Removed as head of UN Force 10 April

1951 Truman wanted to limit the war in Korea,

not fight the Chinese MacArthur made tactical decisions against

government authority Truman announced decisions to public

without consulting MacArthur Many believed he became ‘too big for his

britches’ MacArthur removed form command

Results 1.5 million South Koreans dead 3.5 million North Koreans dead Millions more left homeless and starving Korea remained divided Did stop North Korean aggression More than 33,000 Americans killed The UN gained respect, as unlike its predecessor,

the League of Nations, it proved it will take firm action against aggression

Many felt the USA has used the UN against its battle against Communism (or was the UN in this too???)

Results The Cold War had now spread to Asia and

involved China Mistrust increased between the USA and

USSR, especially when they set up South East Asian Treaty Organisation (SEATO) as a copy of NATO – designed to stop the spread of Communism

USA saw the Korean War as a success against Communism and subsequently encouraged the Americans to become involved in Vietnam

‘Un-American’ Activities Un-American activities committee est.

1937 Received support from Ku Klux Klan –

credibility? Dies, the chairman was a fan of the KKK so did not include them in initial investigations, despite calls to do so.– "Every true American, and that includes every

Klansman, is behind you and your committee in its effort to turn the country back to the honest, freedom-loving, God-fearing American to whom it belongs."

‘Un-American’ Activities So their attention went to the

American Communist Party due to speculation they had infiltrated– The Federal Writers Project

To combat depression through creativity– New Deal Projects

To combat depression, involved new projects that boosted employment etc

‘Un-American’ Activities UAC came under attack from those

who saw it as a way to block progressive policies

Alien Registration Act June 29 1940 served to undermine American Communist Party and other left-wing groups - Supported UAC aim

Then decided UAC was best vehicle to discover if people were trying to overthrow government

Blacklisting In 1947 UAC investigated Hollywood

Motion Picture Industry. Named 19 people during interviews that they accused of holding left-wing views

Some gave evidence as the UAC insisted they answer all the questions but 10, who became known as The Hollywood Ten, refused citing the 1st ammendment

They went to Jail

Blacklisting Actors were named as they were all put

under threat – impact on their life, despite they didn’t go to jail

June 1950 Red Channels was published listing 151 names of writers, directors and performers who claimed had been members of subversive organisations before the Second World War but had not so far been blacklisted.

McCarthy 9th February, 1950, Joseph McCarthy, a

senator from Wisconsin, made a speech claiming to have a list of 205 people in the State Department that were known to be members of the American Communist Party (later he reduced this figure to 57).

The list of names was not a secret and had been in fact published by the Secretary of State in 1946.

These people had been identified during a preliminary screening of 3,000 federal employees. Some had been communists but others had been fascists, alcoholics and sexual deviants. If screened, McCarthy's own problems would have resulted in him being put on the list.

McCarthy He received information from Hoover,

head of FBI , at the time.

“[We] were the ones who made the McCarthy hearings possible. We fed McCarthy all the material he was using."

Why McCarthyism? War going badly in Korea Communist advances in Eastern Europe

and in China, the American public were genuinely frightened about the possibilities of internal subversion.

McCarthy, was made chairman of the GCOS committee, and this gave him the opportunity to investigate the possibility of communist subversion.

McCarthyism For the next two years McCarthy's

committee investigated various government departments and questioned a large number of people about their political past.

Some lost their jobs after they admitted they had been members of the Communist Party.

McCarthy made it clear to the witnesses that the only way of showing that they had abandoned their left-wing views was by naming other members of the party – being an informer!

The witch-hunt and anti-communist hysteria became known as McCarthyism.

McCarthy’s influence Helped Eisenhower win election in

1952 as Truman was portrayed as a dangerous liberal

Hard to get him out Senate as "Attacking him is this state is regarded as a certain method of committing suicide." (Boston Post)

Removed ‘anti-American’ books out of libraries

Opposition 1953 investigations started on the military.

Eisenhower thought it was going too far now

US army passed info on him to press Eisenhower also instructed his vice

president, Nixon, to attack McCarthy. On 4th March, 1954, Nixon made a speech where, although not mentioning McCarthy, made it clear who he was talking about: – "Men who have in the past done effective work

exposing Communists in this country have, by reckless talk and questionable methods, made themselves the issue rather than the cause they believe in so deeply."

End of McCarthyism The senate investigations into the US

Army were televised and this helped to expose the tactics of McCarthy.

One newspaper, the Louisville Courier-Journal, reported that: "In this long, degrading travesty of the democratic process McCarthy has shown himself to be evil and unmatched in malice."

Leading politicians in both parties had been embarrassed by McCarthy's performance and on 2nd December, 1954, a censure motion condemned his conduct by 67 votes to 22.

End of McCarthyism McCarthy lost the chairmanship of the

Government Committee on Operations of the Senate. He was now without a power base and the media lost interest in his claims of a communist conspiracy.

As one journalist, Willard Edwards, pointed out: "Most reporters just refused to file McCarthy stories. And most papers would not have printed them anyway."

Although some historians claim that this marked the end of McCarthyism, others argue that the anti-communist hysteria in the United States lasted until the end of the Cold War.