The Cold War
The Cold War began as the wartime alliance between the US and Soviet Union broke down. The Soviets established communist puppet regimes in Eastern Europe, breaking promises of free elections. Churchill declared an "Iron Curtain" had descended across Europe. Truman's containment policy aimed to stop Soviet expansionism. The Truman Doctrine provided aid to Greece and Turkey to resist communism. The massive Marshall Plan rebuilt Western Europe's economies to keep them in the pro-democracy alliance. NATO was formed as a collective security pact against the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. The National Security Act centralized US defense and created the CIA to counter Soviet spying. Both sides raced to develop atomic and hydrogen bombs, heightening Cold War tensions.
The Cold War
- 1. The cold WarMr. Shore
- 2. America and the Soviet UnionWartime alliance a matter of strategic convenienceSoviet Union supports a global Communist policyCommunism is considered both an alien and evil doctrine that is opposed to American values of liberty, economic freedom, religion and traditional freedoms
- 3. Broken Soviet PromisesBased on the Yalta Agreement the countries of Eastern Europe (under Soviet occupation) were to have open and free electionsIn 1946, the Soviets allowed only mock elections in Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Hungary and Czechoslovakia establishing puppet Communist regimesThe Soviet Union establishes a Communist regime in East Germany and East Berlin
- 4. The Iron Curtain & ContainmentChurchill famously declares, An iron curtain has descended across the (European) continentTrumans foreign policy advisor, George Kennan establishes the doctrine of containment: A long-term, patient but firm and vigilant containment of Russian expansive tendencies would end Communist dreams of world domination
- 5. Truman DoctrineStop Communist takeover of GreeceResist Soviet plans for access to the Dardanelles in Turkey$400 million to help free people in Turkey and Greece resist Soviet expansionism
- 6. The Marshall PlanMassive US foreign assistance to Western Europe to ensure stable economies and democratic governments$17 billion for European Recovery Program (official name of the Marshall Plan)$12 billion additionally over a 4 year periodSuccessfully kept Western Europe in the pro-democracy, anti-Communist alliance
- 7. The Birth of NATOUS establishes a collective security agreement with Canada and Western Europe the North Atlantic Treaty OrganizationGeneral Eisenhower becomes first Supreme Commander of NATOThe Soviet Union creates an opposing collective security pactthe Warsaw Pact
- 8. National Security Act--1947Centralized Department of Defense to coordinate Army, Navy and Air ForceCreation of the National Security CouncilCreation of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
- 9. Atomic WeaponsUS develops the Hydrogen bomb in 1952Soviets test their first A-Bomb in 1949NSC-68: Quadruple defense spending to 20% of GNP, form anti-Communist alliances, educate American public