APUSH Period 8 - Cold War and Civil Rights

Containment

Cold-War policy: limit USSR’s influence and spread of communism (stalemate)

Proxy Wars

conflict where major powers support smaller nations rather than fight each other

Yalta Conference

• 1945 - US, UK, USSR

• discuss post-war reorganization of EU

• Germany and Berlin split into 4 zones of occupation

• USSR liberates E. Europe - makes provisional government

• USSR joins UN and Stalin gains veto power - FDR thought it would ensure USSR wouldn’t dominate E. Europe

UN

• 1945

• 5 permanent seats on Security Council (extra power): FR, UK, US, CH, USSR

• 85 mil. grant from Rockefeller family to buy land for it in NYC

Bretton Woods Agreement

• 1944: rules for commercial relations w/ Western countries

• 29 countries met to design global financial system

• created World Bank and IMF

• US $ in gold = basis for world monetary system

  • US companies gain power - they control exchange rates

World Bank

• loans to developing countries and invests in practices reflecting US/capitalist interests

IMF

• International Monetary Fund

  • oversaw exchange rates

  • now - lender prioritizing austerity economics (strict government policies that reduce budget deficits)

Iron Curtain

• 1946: USSR controls E. Europe

• Churchill: Iron Curtain is falling, Soviet E. and Democratic W. are separating

Truman Doctrine

• 1947

• US will provide political, military, and economic assistance to DEMOCRATIC countries

• give money to Turkey and Greece to fight communist uprisings

  • shift to GLOBAL, not national containment

Marshall Plan

• aid to rebuild W. Europe (no loans)

• gives US market for goods

• humanitarian aid and creating strong trade partners = economic confidence

• 12 billion in 3 years!

National Security Act

• expand presidential role in foreign policy

• centralize DOD - army, navy, air force

• CIA (intelligence during peacetime)

• National Security Council: people advise president on domestic, foreign, military practices

Berlin Airlift

• 1948: USSR blockades E. Germany (kick out Westerners) and cuts off access to W. side → starvation

• Berlin Airlift: US and UK airdrop supplies

Berlin Wall

• built in 1961, halts refugees and brain drain from E to W - barbed wire and concrete walls

• separates families, halts travel for 28 years (1989)

  • E and W Germany are basically separate countries

NATO

• response to Berlin

• alliance of 12 countries: US, Canada, W. Europe

Warsaw Pact

1955: response to NATO

• Soviet-led military and political alliance comprising E. European communist states

Communist Revolution in China

• US recognizes Taiwan (democracy) as government until 1979 (want diplomatic relations w/ China)

• Republicans lame Truman, State Department for being “soft” on China