Cold WarAfter WWII and the use of the Atomic Bomb the

way people thought about war changed drastically.

“War today between the Soviet Empire and the free nations might dig the grave not only of our Stalinist opponents, but of our own society, our world as well as theirs…Such a war is not a possible policy for rational men.”

President Harry S. Truman

The Marshall Plan 1947 Avoid mistakes of WWI Restore war torn nations by:

Creating stable democracies Economic recovery for Europe 21 million homeless Poland 20% population dead Industries and transportation in ruins Agriculture loss of livestock Damage cost many times expected income Communism thrives where despair rules

Solution: 13 billion in aid

Berlin Air Lift

US, GB, France join Germany into West Germany a democracy.

Soviets create communist East Germany Capital Berlin was like split, but in the middle of East

Germany Hundreds of thousands flee communist countries

through West Berlin Stalin blocks travel by road to West Berlin

threatening shortages of essentials Truman avoids war by providing a massive airlift By May of 1949 Soviet give it up.

NATO

UN was to be peace keeping body, but Soviets vetoes caused problems

1946 Canadian foreign minister, Louis Laurent, purposes and alliance

Truman avoids isolationism. takes world leader, but does not want to stand alone

1949 NATO is born - Collective Security Soviets respond by creating the Warsaw Pact

Communist Asvances

Soviets Get the bomb China Civil War is won by Communist

Soviet Atomic Threat

Now America was at threat for nuclear bomb

Truman responds by developing hydrogen bomb, and successful testing of it in 1952

Truman organizes the Federal Civil Defense Administration

China Fall to Communism Nationalist and Communist had

been fighting since 1920, but cooperating during WWII to fight Japan

Mao Zedong led the the Communist and Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek) led the Nationalist

1949 Peking, now Beijing, falls and Nationalist move to Taiwan

Loss of China some think was a failure of Truman

The New Red Scare

During depression many look to Communist Economy improves and distrust of Stalin

leads to fall in communist support. Truman Starts the Loyalty Program: new and

current Federal employees were checked for ties to Communism.

Civil Rights of many were abused

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)

Established in1938 investigate disloyalty Republicans in post war use it to probe Communist

infiltration Hollywood personalities charged Many actors and writers blacklisted McCarran-Walter Act-immigration qutq system

discriminatory to Asians and South/Central Europeans.

Truman Vetoes/Congress overrides veto “one of the most un-American acts I have ever

witnessed in my public career.” Truman

Spy Cases

1948 Whittaker Chambers (former Communist) accuses Alger Hiss (high ranking State Dept official) of passing secrets to the Soviets

Hiss jailed for lying to federal grand jury Americans buy into it

Dean Acheson close friends with Hiss and says he will resign/Truman says no way

Public begins to believe Truman ‘s administration is corrupt

Julius & Ethel Rosenberg

Communist Party Members accused of passing atomic secrets to Soviets

Found guilty and executed Both Hiss and Rosenberg trial controversial Book suggest Hiss and Rosenberg was guilty Both cases make Americans paranoid