us history -- Cold War

Potsdam Conference

Potsdam Conference

A meeting held in 1945 by the Soviet Union, United Kingdom, and United States to plan the postwar peace.

• The representatives were Stalin, Churchill, and Attlee.

• Gathered to decide on how to administer Germany. Germany would be occupied by the Americans, Soviets, British, and French. They would also be demilitarized and disarmed.

• The five D’s: Demilitarization, denazification, democratization, and deindustrialization

Containment

It was first laid out by George F. Kennan in 1947. The policy stated that communism needs to be isolated or else it will spread to neighboring countries. 

• There was a growing appeal of communism throughout parts of Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

• It was introduced in an article in Foreign Affairs.

• The U.S. would do whatever they can to stop the spread of communism. They would go against the Soviet Union. (Ex. Vietnam War and Korean War)

Truman Doctrine (1947)

• Helping nations “resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities”

  • Stop spread of communism 

• $400 million to aid Greece and Turkey

Marshall Plan (1947)

• Provide economic assistance to European nations including USSR 

  • $12 billion dollars

• Goal is to stop spread of communism and communist parties in Western Europe 

• European countries showed substantial improvement 

  • Help industrial production rise to 64 Prozent 

N.A.T.O. (1949)

• North Atlantic Treaty Organization 

• Formed by 11 European nations and United States

• Attack against one member is attack against all

• Eventually inspired the Soviet Union to create an alliance of their own with communist governments, known as the Warsaw Pact

Warsaw Pact

A collective defense treaty established by the Soviet Union and seven other Soviet satellite states in Central and Eastern Europe.

• They formed this alliance as a counterbalance to NATO.

• They wanted to protect theUSSR and the communist regimes in Eastern Europe.

GI Bill

• GI Bill of Rights; aka the Servicemen's Readjustment Act

• provided economic and educational assistance to veterans

• This, along with other tax cuts,  prevent the return of the Great Depression 

Fair Deal

• Postwar reconstruction

• List of proposals for social reform legislation suggested by the U.S. president Truman. in his State of the Union address to Congress in 1949.

• It was to preserve FDR’s New Deal Program

• Truman managed to convince Congress to pass several of his liberal reforms like doubling the minimum wage and providing housing for the poor

Korean War

This was the first “proxy” war of the Cold War because the U.S.S.R. and the U.S.  didn’t fight in it.

• This war was between North Korea and South Korea (communist vs. anti-communist).

• There was no clear-cut victory because in 1951 they decided to stop the fight and settle the line at the 38th parallel. Because of that, the extent of U.S. commitment was questioned.

• Since China was isolated from the West, they had to rely on the Soviet Union. So, the U.S. was thinking if they should have attacked China to help South Korea. In the end they didn’t because they knew it would escalate the situation.

Red Scare

OH NO COMMUNISTS basically, happened twice in the U.S. This was led by Joseph McCarthy (McCarthyism). The communist party rose in the U.S. and internationally which made many Americans insecure. 

• The government banned books that were too leftist. 

• Many employees were blacklisted because they were suspected to be related to communism. Some have to swear an oath.

• Basically the government violates the rights and freedom of many Americans.

HUAC

In 1938, anti-communists and anti-fascists in Congress joined forces to create the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC).

• It was a key institutional center of postwar anti-communism.

• They believed that there were potential communists in the film industry. They investigated actors, screenwriters, and directors. There were a lot of blacklistings going on.

Loyalty Program

It was designed to root out communist influence in the U.S. Federal Government. 

• President Truman signed the Executive Order 9835 (Loyalty Order) in 1947.

• Over 5 million federal workers underwent screening causing 2,700 dismissals and 12,000 resignations.

Alger Hiss

He was accused of passing classified information to the USSR.

• Trial of Alger Hiss (1948): He was convicted of perjury (Jackson example by Nicole: “Y’know when Jackson says he’s the best-if he was in court, he would’ve gotten convicted of perjury”). 

Joseph McCarthy

• He was the Republican Senator from Wisconsin.

• He took advantage of what was happening in the U.S. to rise to power. He didn’t care about the accuracy of his accusations; he just wanted power to get rid of the communists.

• But, he started to get overboard by investigating Communists in the Army and the president. 

• He was eventually kicked

Rosenberg Trial

Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were executed by the federal government for spying for the Soviet Union. 

• They became the first American civilians to be executed for such charges.

Baby Boom

A bunch of babies; a population increase because wow people are finally stable enough financially and socially to have children

Hydrogen Bomb

Big boy bomb, bigger than the bombs dropped on Japan, by like a lot (around 1000 times more powerful). Ivy Mike was the first H-bomb tested by the U.S on Nov 1 1952

Sputnik

First Satellite and launched by the Soviet Union on Oct 4 1957—didn’t do much but scare the living socks off of U.S citizens and send radio signals to Earth every 3 weeks. Kinda kickstarted the Space race.

Space Race

Wowza a competition between the two greatest (pettiest) powers in the Cold War—U.S and the USSR. It’s based on who can essentially have better space technology—better than seeing who has more bombs ig

Federal Highway Act (1956)

This was one of Eisenhower’s Domestic Policy. 

• 40,000 miles of highways were built.

• It was the largest public works project in U.S. history.

• Provides rapid exit routes from cities in case of a nuclear attack.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

He was the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in WWII and then elected as president in 1952 (Republican).

• He believed in the “Domino Theory” — if one nation falls, all neighboring nations will fail

• He also had a Farewell Address which talked about the change in the U.S. military (There are massive spendings on military securities, large and dangerous weapons are created, and there are permanent armies now). 

John Foster Dulles

He was the Secretary of State and had a big impact on U.S. foreign policy in the 1950s with his brother Allen Dulles.

• He was an anti-communist.

• He created the idea of massive retaliation and Brinkmanship (pursuing dangerous polity to the brink of death)

• building/strengthening Cold War alliances, most prominently through North Atlantic Treaty Organization

• good friends with Eisenhower

Massive Retaliation

A doctrine introduced by Eisenhower which attempted to use the threat of nuclear war as a way to dissuade foreign parties from participating in conventional war with the US or its allies

Brinkmanship

When two sides try to bring a conflict with each other as close to a breaking point as possible in an attempt to gain an advantage over the other

• The cuban missile crisis, in which both the US and the Soviet Union waited until essentially the last possible minute to de-escalate, almost causing a nuclear war in the process

Dien Bien Phu

The final battle fought by the communist Vietnamese military in the war for their independence from France, this was the first battle in which the US began to take an interest in the political state of affairs in Vietnam, with some CIA operatives helping the French, who ultimately lost. It set a precedent for the US opposing the new communist regime in Vietnam, which eventually turned into the Vietnam war

Suez Crisis

Britain and France were worried that the suez canal (in Egypt) was slipping from their influence, and tried to send in troops to regain it, along with Israel, due to their hostility toward Egypt. But the United States, worrying that Britain and France might push Egypt to form an alliance with the Soviet Union for help, decided to intervene and virtually ended Anglo-French influence in the region

Eisenhower Doctrine

 Stated that any middle eastern country could seek military or economic aid from the United States if it was being threatened with military aggression. This was an attempt to give the US a foothold in the region since the Soviet Union was attempting to gain allies there as well.

U-2 Crisis

A plane the US was using to spy on the Soviet Union was shot down and discovered, leading to a drastic increase in tensions between the US and Soviet Union. Sometimes cited as one of the factors that led to the Cuban Missile Crisis

John F. Kennedy

35th president of the United States and the first catholic president. 

• Defeated Richard Nixon in the election of 1960. 

• Televised debates.

  • Expanded special forces, established USAID,(fund/aid foreign countries) established peace corps, and “alliance for progress”: development projects for Latin America 

New Frontier

A program created by Kennedy that aimed to ease the challenges facing the nation in the 1960s. Proposals generally included improving the economy, education, healthcare, and civil rights. One major success of this program was the successful moon landing in 1969. 

Bay of Pigs

A failed 1961 attack launched by the CIA during the Kennedy administration to push Cuban leader Fidel Castro from power. The failed invasion only strengthened Castro’s administration and their tie w/ Soviet Union

Cuban Missile Crisis

The Soviet Union secretly constructed missiles in Cuba so they could attacking U.S. cities. The confrontation that followed brought the U.S. and the Soviet Union to the brink of nuclear war before an agreement was successfully reached. 

Lyndon Baines Johnson

36th president of the United States sworn in after the assassination of Kennedy. 

• Aimed to reduce poverty through the use of medicare and job corps. 

• Pushed civil rights bill through Congress. 

• Great society reform legislation and federal assistance programs.

Great Society

A program created by Johnson that became his agenda for Congress in 1965. It aimed to aid education, better control of disease, fight against poverty, and development of depressed regions of the nation.

Vietnam War

A war fought between communist North Vietnam and its neighbor, South Vietnam along with the United States as an ally. North Vietnam desired to reunite the country under communism but South Vietnam fought to keep this from happening. Despite South Vietnam receiving help from the United States, North Vietnam ultimately won. The war resulted in the death of 60,000 Americans and 2 million Vietnamese. Anti-war protests became a part of everyday American life. 

Vietcong

• guerrilla force that, the with support of the north Vietnamese Army, fought against South Vietnam and US

They are the communist side; they have the support of the North Vietnamese Army. Later got the support of China when South Korea and U.S was getting a lil too close on China’s Southern border.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

A joint resolution that Congress passed in response to the Gulf of Tonkin incident. (north Vietnam boats supposedly attacked the two US destroyers (boats) in the gulf of Tonkin) The resolution gave President Johnson the authority to increase U.S. involvement in the war between North and South Vietnam. 

Tet Offensive (1968)

A coordinated series of North Vietnamese attacks (by Viet Cong forces) on more than 100 cities and outposts in South Vietnam. The goal was for the U.S. to step back from its involvement in allying with South Vietnam. The attacks played an important role in weakening U.S. public support for the war. 

“Living Room War”

Nickname for the Vietnam War because people could actively watch the war unfold on their televisions right in their own living room. 

Vietnamization

The U.S policy of withdrawing its troops and transferring the responsibility and direction of the war effort to the government of South Vietnam.

• This is to end U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

Richard M. Nixon

a Republican congressman who served as vice president under Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Richard Nixon's fervent anti-Communist reputation earned him the notice of Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Republican Party, who believed he could draw valuable support in the West.

Nixon ended American involvement in Vietnam combat in 1973 and the military draft in the same year. His visit to China in 1972 eventually led to diplomatic relations between the two nations, and he also then concluded the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with the Soviet Union.

Henry Kissinger

Nixon's national security advisor and later became his Secretary of State.

Kissinger heavily influenced Nixon's foreign policy, especially as it related to the Cold War and to America's relationship with communist (and non-communist) nations.

The main negotiator of the peace treaty with the North Vietnamese; secretary of state during Nixon's presidency.

Kent State

This was a protest on the college campus about anti-war. They didn’t want the U.S. to be involved in the Vietnam war.

- April 30th: Nixon announced that American forces were moving into Cambodia.

- May 1st: Students were not happy about Nixon’s announcement and there was violence on the streets of Kent. The National Guard was called.

- May 2nd: ROTC building on campus was burned.

- May 3rd: Lots of violence between guardsmen and students.

- May 4th: They fired and four students were killed.

• Because of this, Nixon ended the Cambodia invasion earlier than anticipated and the 26th amendment was ratified.

• Many students saw this event as a role model.

26^th Amendment

 The voting age dropped from 21 to 18.

• This is because of the Kent State shooting. Many students were forced to go to war at such a young age but they didn’ have the rights to vote so they fought for it.

• There has to be some student voice in politics too so they could only protest.

War Powers Act

Passed by Congress in 1973, a big nuh uh to Nixon’s veto. 

• Basically tells the president “for the love of god, please tell Congress within 48 hours about when you’re gonna use armed forces/military and please don’t use them for more than 60 days—if you really need it, 30 more days.” 

• Now did it work—no because it has loopholes: “it goes against the President’s authority as the Commander in Chief—so it’s unconstitutional,” “One half of Congress will always favor the president—the party will just flip depending on the President’s party”

Détente

The term for any action or event that eased tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union, for example the Ping Pong Diplomacy or Nixon going to China 

Ping Pong — build good relationships by sending a trade of ping pong players to compete against the Chinese Ping Pong players

Pentagon Papers

Classified papers revealing that the US government lied about the status of the Vietnam War, as well as other events like the bombing of Cambodia 

Gerald Ford

President after Nixon resigned. He pardoned Nixon. He was involved in the Oil Crisis (gas prices soared & shortages led to long lines for gasoline). He was president during the end of the Vietnam War. 

Jimmy Carter

Ran as an “outsider” who played no part in Vietnam, Watergate, or the recession. Pardoned all Vietnam War Draft evaders. He was president during the Iranian hostage crisis. 

Camp David Accords

Anwar El Sadat (Egypt) & Menachem Begin (Israel) negotiate at Camp David in Maryland

peace treaty between two countries

Iranian Hostage Crisis

Muslim radicals stormed the US embassy in Iran and took all employees hostage. Carter tried to negotiate and began an embargo on trade with Iran. Ordered an attempted military rescue that failed, killing 8 Marines. Hostages were held for 444 days. 

Ronald Reagan

Committed to conservative values & cuts to social programs. Was a supporter of supply-side economics (government supports big business and big investors, with huge tax cuts and the benefits such as better jobs will eventually “trickle down” to all levels of society). Was involved in the Iran-Contra affair.

Reagan Doctrine

The U.S. provided overt and covert aid to anti-communist guerrillas and resistance movements.

Strategic Defense Initiative

Massive defensive system of satellites. Also known as “Star Wars”

Iran Contra Scandal

The US government illegally  gave the money from the profits of the arms sales to anti-communist Contra forces in Nicaragua. In 1987, these illegal activities were discovered but Reagan said he had no knowledge of the scandal.

George Bush

Was president during the Persian Gulf War. Bush was dedicated to traditional American values.

Gulf War

Iraq invaded Kuwait from 1990-1991. Bush initiated Operation Desert Shield to protect Saudi Arabia. Bush initiated Operation Desert Storm to eject Iraq from Kuwait by force. After defeating Iraq in the Persian Gulf War in 1991, Bush’s popularity was high.