Ch.26
Cold War Conflicts
Why were The United States and the Soviet Union at odds after WWII?
A. Vastly different political systems
-totalitarian vs. democratic
-no opposing political parties vs. competing political parties
-no free elections vs. free elections
-very different leaders (Stalin vs. Truman)
B. Vastly different economic systems
-government controlled economy vs. free enterprise
C. Different ambitions for the future
-communist dominated E. Europe vs. Democratic dominated W. Europe
-system of satellite nations vs. policy of containment
-use of E. European raw material to rebuild vs. US access to raw material and
markets
-divided Germany vs. reunited Germany
-keep Germans weak so they can never again attack vs. making Germany
productive to secure Europe
D. Resentment resulting from the war
-U.S. anger over USSR being ally with Germany
-Soviet anger over allies slow response to German invasion
-US adopts policy of containment
What was the Truman Doctrine?
American policy that stated:
“it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting
subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.”
The Marshall Plan
-provide aid “to all European nations that needed it.”
-rebuild Europe
-gain influence in Europe
-Berlin Airlift
NATO- North Atlantic Treaty Organization
-12 members pledging military support to another in case of attack
-first military alliance during peace time
-Warsaw Pact- counterpart to NATO
What role did China play in the Cold War?
-China became communist
-US supported Chiang Kai-shek and the nationalists
-Mao Zedong and communists gain control
-US policy of containment and Truman Doctrine force them to act
Korean War-first real test of containment policies
What caused the Korean War?
-North Korean Communists (backed by the Soviet Union and China) invade
democratic South Korea
What was the result of the Korean War?
-no change in Koreas (stalemate)
-DMZ supported by US and allied forces
-creates greater tension between Soviets and Chinese
How did the Cold War create tension at home?
-Red Scare- fear of communists and communism
-Loyalty Review Board
-House Un-American Affairs Committee (HUAC)
-Hollywood Ten (black listing)
-McCarran Internal Security Act
-Hiss and Rosenberg spy cases
-McCarthyism-unsupported accusations by Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy
What was the Cold War?
Cold War- war in which no actual shots were fired, but the fear of nuclear war
prevailed
-brinkmanship- to go to the edge of all out nuclear war
-CIA-Central Intelligence Agency – spy agency
- gather information abroad
-U-2 spy plane – Francis Gary Powers
-Eisenhower Doctrine- US would defend the Middle East against attack from
communists
-Suez War- Egypt closes down Suez Canal to ships bound for Israel
- Israel, Great Britain, and France seize Mediterranean end of Canal
- U.N. steps in –Great Britain, France, and Israel back down
- Egypt keeps control of Canal
-“Spirit of Geneva” – attempt by Eisenhower to allow Soviets and Americans to
fly freely over each others countries to prevent surprise attacks
How did the space race result from the Cold War?
-grew out of nations need to gain prestige internationally
-Sputnik vs. Apollo
-resulted from the building of long range nuclear missiles and anti-ballistic missile
technology
How is the Vietnam War part of the Cold War?
-Vietnam had been a French colony from the late 1800’s
-Ho Chi Minh- head of Indochinese Communist Party
-stages a series of revolts to dissolve French rule
-at end of WWII Ho Chi Minh declares Vietnam independent
-French fight Vietnamese independence and communist rule
-U.S. sends economic aid, American advisors, eventually troops
Why did the U.S. get involved in Vietnam?
Domino theory- if one nation falls to Communism many others will fall also
Who were the Vietcong?
-Communist opposition group in S. Vietnam
-It became difficult to know who the enemy was as opposition was within the
nation
we were helping out
-supported by the Ho Chi Minh Trail-series of pathways and tunnels to supply
the S.
What was the Tonkin Gulf Resolution?
Aug. 2, 1964- USS Maddox fired on by Vietnamese patrol
-Resolution allowing President Johnson broad military powers in Vietnam
-Operation Rolling Thunder- 1st sustained bombing in area
- 1st American combat troops arrive
(50,000 troops)
What was the American strategy in Vietnam?
-Battle for “the hearts and minds” of the rural south
-search and destroy missions- alienated rural civilians
-napalm and Agent Orange killed civilians and livestock
What was the outcome of the Vietnam War?
-Vietnam becomes communist
-U.S. forced to leave in shame