Unit 10: Early Cold War

Satellite State

Eastern European nations like Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria as well as East Germany that were controlled by the USSR by puppet governments that would prevent another invasion of USSR and give the USSR “spoils” of war.

Cold War

An era of tensions between the capitalist west and communist east from 1945-1990

Iron Curtain

• East of this Line down the center of Europe, the USSR had gained control of nations (satellites) and was installing single-party communist governments with strong police powers; given its name in a speech by Winston Churchill

• West of this line there were capitalist democracies of Europe

Truman Doctrine

to support “freedom loving peoples” from communist threats

application of containment

America=free, communism=tyrannical

Containment

Communism could stay where it was but it could not spread

block further expansion of soviet unions reach and power

Marshall Plan

• a response to economic instability in Europe after a rough winter leading to increased support of communism in which would provide aid (credits for American companies/goods) to europe to prevent them from becoming communistic

• Was a success and bolstered the European economy turning it into a more American like capitalistic society

• Aldo was implemented in Japan

Berlin Airlift

• The USSR cut off the citizens of this city from Western Germany except for air traffic when it appeared the western section was going to unify as a capitalist nation

• The US and allies flew supplies for about a year to the 2 million people of the city, demonstrating the length to which they would go to protect non-communist parts of Europe and contain communism

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, established in 1949, is a military alliance of countries from North America and Europe formed to provide collective security against aggression, based on the principle that an attack against one member is an attack against all.

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance established in 1955 in response to NATO, comprised of the Soviet Union and its Eastern European satellite states. The pact aimed to consolidate military power and counter the influence of Western nations during the Cold War.

Mao Zedong

A Chinese leader who successfully led a communist revolution in mainland China. He was chairmen of the communist People’s Republic of China from 1949-1959, and chairman of the country’s Communist Party until 1976

38th Parallel

Dividing line between North and South Korea

Douglas MacArthur

Commanded US troops in WWI where he developed a reputation for bravery. As supreme commander of Allied forced in the Pacific (1942-1945) he accepted Japan’s surrender to end WWII. In 1950, he became commander of UN forces in the Korean War. He retired after his controversial removal from command in ‘51, following a dispute with President Truman.

Arms Race

Military bulk up

Mutually assured destruction

policy in which the US and the USSR hoped to deter nuclear war by building up enough weapons to destroy one another

Brinkmanship

belief that only by going to the brink of war could the US protect itself against Soviet aggression

Nikita Khrushchev

a communist party leader who served as premier of the USSR fro ‘58 to ‘64. He led the USSR during the Cuban Missile Crisis, but lost power soon afterwords.

Red Scare

Fear that communists were working to destroy the American way of life

HUAC

• Established to. Investigate possible subversive activities- spying or trying to convert peoples ideas- by fascists, Nazis or communists. Eventually it investigated nearly ever profession, but in the late ‘40s focused on the entertainment industry. Later HUAC investigated Civil Rights leaders and anti-war activists in the ‘60s.

Hollywood Ten

Group of movie writers, directors, and producers who refused to answer HUAC questions about communist ties

Blacklist

List of persons who were not hired because of suspected communist ties

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg

2 American civilians controversially convicted and executed for espionage during the Red Scare of the ‘50s. Later evidence from the Vernon Papers confirmed that both did have ties to Soviet espionage

Joseph McCarthy

A U.S. senator who led a series of high-profile investigations into Americans whom he accused of being disloyal to the US. His tactics helped define the Red Scare of the 1950s

McCarthyism

Negative catchword for extreme, reckless changes of disloyalty

CIA

Created by President Truman in 1947 as a secret, foreign intelligence organization. It was led by Allen Dulles and used to carry out operations outside of the US to protect political and economic interests. For example, in an effort to contain communism it helped overthrow governments that seemed like they supported the USSR.

Patterns of Coups

• Taking over state media airwaves

• Perception is reality

• Happens in unstable parts of the work

• Military action (violent and nonviolent)

• Military coup - military takes over

• Palace coup- political elite seizes power

• Foreign intervention coup

• Self-coup- the government manipulating the government, changing it