33.

1 Cold War: Superpowers Face Off

• The US and the Soviet Union had been allies during WWII, but they were upset at each other: the Soviet
Union had signed a nonaggression pact with Germany, the US did not enter the war until 1944
• Yalta Conference (1945): leaders of US, Britain, and Soviet Union, before end of war
o Agreed to divide Germany into zones of occupation controlled by Allies
o Germany would compensate SU, SU would fight Japan
o Stalin promised to give E. Europe free elections
• United Nations: international organization intended to protect members against aggression
o 48 nations + Allies
o General Assembly: each country had a vote; Security council (11 members), settle disputes; five
permanent members with power to veto Security Council: Allies + France, China
• The US and the SU had very different goals
o The US
 Less people died than SU, territory not affected
 Wanted to promote democracy, prevent communism
 Access raw materials and markets
 Rebuild gov’ts to promote stability & promote US economy
 Reunite Germany to increase security of Europe
o The SU
 ¼ SU wounded/killed, cities demolished
 Encourage communism worldwide
 Rebuild country using E. Europe’s materials and industry
 Control E. Europe to protect SU, from borders & US power in W. Europe
 Keep Germany divided to prevent war
• Iron Curtain
o SU greatly feared invasion due to its history
o Soviets wanted to build a buffer, ignored Yalta agreement and put communist gov’ts in Albania,
Bulgaria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Poland, Yugoslavia
o FDR’s successor, Truman saw not allowing free elections and denying rights
o 3 leaders met in Jul 1948, Truman pressed for free elections, Stalin said no
o “Iron Curtain”, what Churchill called Europe’s division into mostly democratic W. Europe and
Communist E. Europe
o Germany was in 2 sections, split Berlin: East and West. German Democratic Republic = SU,
East; Federal Republic of Germany = West
• Containment: policy directed at blocking Soviet influence and stopping spread of communism, included
forming alliances and helping weak countries resist SU
o Truman’s new foreign policy
o Truman Doctrine: Truman’s support for countries that rejected communism, controversial
o Marshall Plan (1948): US give aid to needy European countries, provide food, machinery, other
materials to rebuild W. Europe, $12.5B; was successful
o 1948: France, Britain, US, withdrew troops from their occupation zones to allow them to form
one country  SU held W. Berlin hostage
 Berlin was divided into 4 zones. The SU cut off all transportation and water, starvation
possible. Stalin thought Allies would surrender, but US and Britain airlifted food and
supplies for 11mos, and in 1949, SU lifted blockade
• Cold War divides the world
 o Beginning of Cold War: struggle over political differences carried on by means short of military
action/war; starting in 1949, used spying, propaganda, diplomacy, secret operations; most of
world allied with US or SU, influenced world foreign policy
o NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization (1949)
 Berlin blockade made W. Europe afraid of SU aggression
 10 W Europe countries + US, Canada formed defensive military alliance: attack on any
member would be met with armed forces of all members
o Warsaw Pact (1955): SU’s alliance with E. Germany, Czech, Poland, Hungary, Romania,
Bulgaria, Albania
 Response to NATO, saw as threat
 1961: build Berlin wall to separate E & W Berlin
 China not included
o 1949: SU had atomic bomb; 1952: US had H-bomb, 1953: Soviet Union had one; threat of
nuclear war
o Eisenhower appointed John Foster Dulles as Sec. of State
 Brinkmanship: willingness to go to the brink, edge of war; Dulles said if SU or its allies
attacked US interests, would retaliate
 US strengthened military, stockpiling nukes and planes, SU responded  arms race
o 1957: SU launched Sputnik, first unmanned satellite, US poured money into science education
 1958: US satellite
o 1960: U-2 incident
 Eisenhower had proposed US & SU be allowed to fly planes over other country as
protection against nuke attack, SU said no
 CIA started secret spy flight in U-2 planes
 SU caught a U-2 plane & pilot  heightened tensions
• Korean War
o After WWII, Korea was divided at the 38th parallel, a line that crosses Korea at 38 degrees N
latitude. To the N, Japanese surrendered to SU, to S, surrendered to Americans  2 nations
developed: Communist industrial north, and non-Communist rural south
o By 1949: both SU and US had removed most of troops, SU thought US would not defend S.
Korea
o 1950: N. Koreans swept 38th parallel in surprise attack on S. Korea. Truman resolved to help, due
to containment and perception of WWII-like aggression. S. Korea asked UN to help, since SU
boycotted Sec. Council, UN sent international force, led by General Douglas MacArthur
o N Koreans continued to advance. MacArthur launched surprise attack, pushed retreating N
Koreans past 38th, almost to China. The Chinese felt threatened, sent troops into N Korea,
Chinese greatly outnumbered UN forces. Chinese moved in S. Korea and captured Seoul.
MacArthur wanted nuclear attack, Truman removed him.
o 1952: UN got control of S. Korea, 1953: UN and N. Korea signed cease-fire. Border near 38th
parallel, 4M soldiers and civilians dead
o Aftermath: Korea remained divided, demilitarized zone still exists between 2 nations
 N Korea: Communist dictator Kim Il Sung, collective farms, military, industry, then Kim
Jong Il, developed nuclear weapons, serious economic problems
 South Korea: prospered, aid from US. Developed industry and foreign trade. 1987:
adopted free elections after dictatorship, US troops still there