Chapter 25: The Cold War, 1945-1963
Big Idea: How did competition on the
international stage and a climate of fear at
home affect politics, society and culture in
the United States between 1945 and 1963?
1. Containment and a Divided Global Order
A. Origins of the Cold War
B. The Containment Strategy
C. Containment in Asia
2. Cold War Liberalism
A. Truman and the Era of Reform
B. The Second Red Scare
C. The Politics of Cold War Liberalism
3. Containment in the Postcolonial World
A. The Cold War and Colonial Independence
B. President Kennedy and the Cold War
C. Making a Commitment in Vietnam
Part 1: Containment and a Divided Global Order
Section 1A: Origins of the Cold War
• Causes: differences between US & USSR, fate of Eastern Europe,
Russia’s desire for a buffer against invasion, WWII conflicts,
Truman’s toughness, Stalin’s ruthlessness, eventual arms race
• Yalta and Potsdam
conferences showed the
growing differences
between US and USSR
Potsdam Conference, 1945
Part 1: Containment and a Divided Global Order
Sec. 1B: The Containment Strategy
• Kennan’s “long telegram” urged patient containment of USSR
• Truman Doctrine pledged US support
against communism and gave $400
million in aid to Greece, Turkey
• Marshall Plan provided $13 billion to
rebuild Western Europe
• Berlin crisis led to a massive airlift
• NATO and later Warsaw Pact
institutionalized the Cold War
• NSC-68 urged a massive US military
spending increase in response to the
Soviet atomic bomb and Cold War
Part 1: Containment and a
Divided Global Order
Sec. 1C: Containment in Asia
• MacArthur oversaw demilitarization
and economic rebuilding of Japan
• 1949 communist victory in China was
blamed on the Democrats
• The Korean War:
– stalemated after initial seesawing
– MacArthur was fired for insubordination
– set precedents of not using atomic
bombs, undeclared wars, containment in
Asia, major military spending
• Munich analogy led US into multiple
conflicts to halt Soviet influence
Part 2: Cold War Liberalism
Section 2A: Truman and the End of Reform
• Cold War liberalism combined the New Deal and anticommunism
• Truman was reelected in 1948 in an upset despite a divided party
(Dixiecrats and Progressive Party) foreshadowing a future split
• Republicans and Southern Dems passed 1947 Taft-Hartley Act
weakening organized labor and later blocked Truman’s Fair Deal
WWII vets fight for coal mining jobs, 1946
Part 2: Cold War Liberalism
Section 2B: The Second Red Scare
• Causes: Iron Curtain, Berlin, spying, a-bomb, Red China, Korea
• Loyalty program investigated federal workers for possible subversion
and was copied by states, counties, organized labor, civil rights
• HUAC looked into communist influence, especially in Hollywood
• Senator McCarthy became a powerful symbol of anti-red hysteria
Part 2: Cold War Liberalism
Section 2C: Politics of Cold War Liberalism (Ike)
• Moderate Republicans supported Ike who easily won the presidency
based on his wartime popularity and retained New Deal programs
• Eisenhower’s “new look” foreign policy tried to save money and be
more effective by relying on brinksmanship and threat of nuclear war
• Results: arms race, H-bomb, ICBMs, nuclear triad, and MAD
First H-bomb, 1951
Part 3: Containment in the Post-Colonial World
Section 3A: The Cold War & Colonial Independence
• The British, French, Dutch, Belgian empires collapsed (1947-1962)
• US allied with 40+ countries and often backed 3rd World dictatorships
as part of an us vs. them mentality (Cold War dichotomy)
• CIA led coups in Iran & Guatemala and US aided French in Vietnam
• “Domino Theory” led US into Vietnam after the French were beaten
• Eisenhower Doctrine:
US would aid Middle East
against communism
Part 3: Containment in the Postcolonial World
Section 3B: JFK and the Cold War
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JFK bested Nixon in the 4 TV debates and won a very close election
JFK brought youth, vigor, “best and brightest” to his administration
“Flexible Response” led to largest Cold War military budgets by %
1961 Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba
failed making Kennedy look weak
• Berlin Wall was Cold War symbol
• The 1963 Cuban missile crisis
almost led to nuclear war
Part 3: Containment in the Postcolonial World
Section 3C: Making a Commitment in Vietnam
• JFK increased military aid to S. Vietnam use of Green Beret advisors
• US support for a military coup in S. Vietnam against Diem drew US
further into the conflict despite self-immolations and lack of progress
1961 Kennedy Press Conference
Self-immolation of a Vietnamese Monk