The American Pageant

Chapter 36

The Cold War Begins,

1945-1952

Yalta Agreements (Feb. Yalta Agreements (Feb. 1945)1945)

► Final plans laid for smashing German lines and Final plans laid for smashing German lines and setting up occupation zones in Germanysetting up occupation zones in Germany

► Stalin agrees Poland should have representative Stalin agrees Poland should have representative government & redrawn boundariesgovernment & redrawn boundaries

► Bulgaria and Romania were to have free elections Bulgaria and Romania were to have free elections (broken promise)(broken promise)

► Stalin agrees to aid U.S. in Asia 3 months after Stalin agrees to aid U.S. in Asia 3 months after German surrenderGerman surrender

► Stalin pledges support for United NationsStalin pledges support for United Nations► U.S. & Great Britain agree to recognize Soviet U.S. & Great Britain agree to recognize Soviet

control of Eastern Europe in exchange for Stalin’s control of Eastern Europe in exchange for Stalin’s promise of “free and unfettered elections” at a promise of “free and unfettered elections” at a “later date”“later date”

Potsdam AgreementsPotsdam Agreements►Germany is completely disarmed and its Germany is completely disarmed and its

war industries dismantledwar industries dismantled►Each occupying nation is allowed to take Each occupying nation is allowed to take

war payments from its zonewar payments from its zone►Western half of Germany stays under Western half of Germany stays under

U.S., French, and British controlU.S., French, and British control►Eastern Germany stays in Soviet handsEastern Germany stays in Soviet hands►Capital city of Berlin, deep in Soviet zone, Capital city of Berlin, deep in Soviet zone,

is carved up among the four powersis carved up among the four powers

Potsdam AgreementsPotsdam Agreements

Read Between the Lines:Read Between the Lines:► $3.5 billion loan to Great Britain$3.5 billion loan to Great Britain►Truman Doctrine preaches Truman Doctrine preaches

containmentcontainment►$400 million to Greece and Turkey to $400 million to Greece and Turkey to

protect against communist protect against communist revolutionariesrevolutionaries

►Marshall Plan ($17 billion over 5 Marshall Plan ($17 billion over 5 years)years)

Churchill and Truman, "Iron Curtain Speech,"

March 5, 1946Churchill (1874–1965) delivered a speech, which he intended for a worldwide audience, at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. President Harry S. Truman (right) had encouraged Churchill (seated) to speak on two themes: the need to block Soviet expansion and the need to form the Anglo-American partnership. This speech became one of the landmark statements of the Cold War. (Harry S. Truman Library)

Marshall Plan poster of shipThe goal of the Marshall Plan was to provide American economic support for the rebuilding of Europe's economy. By the time the plan ended, the United States had provided over $12.5 billion dollars to those European nations participating in the European Recovery Program. This poster demonstrated that with cooperation, Europe would soon be moving forward again. (Courtesy of George C. Marshall Foundation)

American Food for Hungry EuropeGrateful English mothers line up for orange juice sent by the United States to assist

Europeans devastated by the Second World War. (National Archives)

Berlin Air Lift--German children watching American planes bring food, 1948German children watching an American plane in "Operation Vittles" bring food and supplies to their beleaguered city. The airlift kept a city of 2 million people alive for nearly a year and made West Berlin a symbol of the West's resolve to contain the spread of Soviet communism. ((c) Bettmann/Corbis)

New West: Wing production on the Boeing B-52 assembly line, Seattle, 1950sSymbolic of the defense spending and investment that helped the West's economy flourish, Seattle's Boeing plant in 1951 began production of the first of the B-52 Stratofortress heavy bombers. They would continue rolling off the Boeing assembly line until the end of the decade. (Courtesy Boeing Defense & Space Group)

Communist hysteria in the media: Red Menace posterAlthough Hollywood generally avoided overtly political films, it released a few dozen explicitly

anticommunist films in the postwar era. Depicting American communists as vicious hypocrites, if not hardened criminals, Hollywood's Cold War movies, like its blacklist, were an effort to protect its imperiled

public image after HUAC's widely publicized investigation of the movie industry. (The Michael Barson Collection/Past Perfect)

Soldiers of 11th Airborne Division watch atomic bomb explosion, 1951 tests in NevadaSoldiers of the 11th Airborne Division watch as an atomic explosion mushrooms into the sky

during 1951 testing maneuvers in Nevada. ((c) Bettmann/Corbis)

Girl in front of dome atomic bomb shelterAs the Cold War intensified and the Soviets became a nuclear power, the government began to

consider methods to survive a nuclear war. One "solution" was to encourage people to build backyard bomb shelters. Pictured here is one family's atomic bomb shelter that slept six. The cost

was $1,250 in 1951. (Corbis-Bettmann)

Cold War IssuesCold War Issues► Capitalism and communism were historically Capitalism and communism were historically

hostile philosophieshostile philosophies► U.S. had refused to officially recognize Boslshevik U.S. had refused to officially recognize Boslshevik

government in Moscow until 1933government in Moscow until 1933► Britain & U.S. delayed opening up second front Britain & U.S. delayed opening up second front

against Germany in WWII, nourishing skepticismagainst Germany in WWII, nourishing skepticism► Britain and U.S. froze Soviets out of atomic weapon Britain and U.S. froze Soviets out of atomic weapon

projectproject► U.S. abruptly ended lend-lease aid to Soviets U.S. abruptly ended lend-lease aid to Soviets

(1945)(1945)► U.S. spurned Moscow’s request for $6 billion U.S. spurned Moscow’s request for $6 billion

reconstruction loan, but approved $3.75 billion to reconstruction loan, but approved $3.75 billion to BritainBritain

► Both had a history of missionary diplomacyBoth had a history of missionary diplomacy

Cold War SkirmishesCold War Skirmishes► United Nations (1945) becomes a stage for future United Nations (1945) becomes a stage for future

Cold War conflictsCold War conflicts► Soviet specialist George F. Kennan promotes Soviet specialist George F. Kennan promotes

containment which becomes basis of Truman containment which becomes basis of Truman DoctrineDoctrine

► Marshall Plan and aid to Greece and Turkey aim to Marshall Plan and aid to Greece and Turkey aim to rebuild Europe and prevent communist revolutionsrebuild Europe and prevent communist revolutions

► National Security Act (1947) created Department National Security Act (1947) created Department of Defense & National Security Council (NSC) & of Defense & National Security Council (NSC) & Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

► Congress authorizes “Voice of America” to Congress authorizes “Voice of America” to broadcast behind Iron Curtain (1948)broadcast behind Iron Curtain (1948)

► North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO -1948) North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO -1948) formed to guard against Soviet aggression in formed to guard against Soviet aggression in EuropeEurope

Cold War SkirmishesCold War Skirmishes► U.S.S.R. detonated first atomic bomb U.S.S.R. detonated first atomic bomb

(September 1949)(September 1949)► U.S. responded with its first H-bomb (1952)U.S. responded with its first H-bomb (1952)► U.S.S.R. got first H-bomb soon after (1953)U.S.S.R. got first H-bomb soon after (1953)► Truman launched a Loyalty Review Board that Truman launched a Loyalty Review Board that

investigated 3 million employees (1947)investigated 3 million employees (1947)► Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC)

resulted in Nixon’s outing of Alger Hiss (1948)resulted in Nixon’s outing of Alger Hiss (1948)► McCarran Internal Security Bill passed over McCarran Internal Security Bill passed over

Truman’s veto allowed president to detain Truman’s veto allowed president to detain anyone in “national emergency” (1950)anyone in “national emergency” (1950)

► Julius & Ethel Rosenberg executed for Julius & Ethel Rosenberg executed for espionage (1953)espionage (1953)