APUSH 8.2-8.3
8.2
Views of the Cold War / Origins of the Cold War
What was the Cold War? A long rivalry between the US and USSR fought through diplomacy, proxy wars, and arms competition — never direct military conflict. Lasted from the late 1940s to 1991.
Describe Soviet - American relations before 1945: Terrible. The US didn't even recognize the USSR until 1933, saw them as a Communist threat, and completely distrusted Stalin — especially after his 1939 deal with Hitler.
Why were the Soviets annoyed with the allies during WWII? The US and Britain didn't open a second front in France until 1944, so the Soviets took the brunt of fighting the Nazis — about half of all WWII deaths were Soviet.
What tension came to light at the negotiations at Potsdam and Yalta? Disagreements over what would happen to Eastern Europe after the war — specifically free elections and self-determination.
How did Truman feel about Stalin? Very suspicious and distrustful. He literally said "I'm tired of babying the Soviets."
What was the UN Security Council? A 15-member body responsible for maintaining international security and authorizing peacekeeping missions.
Which countries were given permanent membership and what powers did they have? The US, UK, France, China, and the USSR — each got a permanent seat and veto power.
What was the Brauch plan? A US proposal to regulate nuclear energy and eliminate atomic weapons through the UN.
How did the US feel about the Soviet Union rejecting this plan? They took it as proof that the USSR had no peaceful intentions.
What was the purpose of the World Bank? To fund the rebuilding of war-torn countries after WWII.
Why did the Soviets reject participation with the bank? They saw it as a tool of capitalism.
Where did the Soviet Union continue to occupy after WWII? Central and Eastern Europe.
What were the results of the elections held by the Soviets in this country? They were rigged in favor of Communist candidates.
Which countries became Soviet satellites? Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia.
The other allies believed these actions by the Soviets were a violation of…. Self-determination, genuine democracy, and open markets.
Which countries occupied Germany? The US, USSR, France, and Britain each had a zone.
What was the German Democratic Republic? The Communist state that grew out of the Soviet-occupied eastern zone of Germany.
Why did the US believe Germany should not pay reparations? They thought Germany's economic recovery was key to stability in Central Europe.
What did the Soviets try to do in Berlin? Force the US, Britain, and France out of their sectors of the city, since Berlin was inside the Soviet zone.
Which two events encouraged Truman's "get tough" policy against the Soviets?
A Canadian spy ring stealing atomic secrets for the Soviets.
The Soviets continuing to occupy northern Iran.
What did Winston Churchill's "Iron Curtain" refer to? The divide between the free democratic West and the Soviet-controlled Communist East.
In his speech, Churchill said Western democracies should do what? Partner together to stop the spread of communism.
Containment in Europe
What was the Containment strategy and who came up with it? A plan to stop Soviet expansion without going to war, developed by Marshall, Acheson, and Kennan.
Critics of this policy said…. It was too broad — not every region was vital to US security, and not every government deserved US support.
Supporters of containment said... Appeasing dictators never works (see: Hitler and Munich) — Communist aggression had to be challenged wherever it appeared.
Which two events were the first usage of the Containment policy?
A Communist uprising in Greece.
Soviet pressure on Turkey over the Dardanelles.
What did president Truman ask for in his Truman Doctrine? $400 million in aid for Greece and Turkey to resist Communist pressure.
What was the Marshall Plan? A $17 billion US aid program to rebuild Western European economies and keep them from turning Communist.
Who denied it and why? The USSR and its satellites — they feared becoming economically dependent on the US.
The results of the Marshall Plan were… Western Europe recovered economically by the 1950s, the Communist political threat there faded, US exports grew, but the East-West divide deepened.
What happened in June 1948? The Soviets cut off all land access to West Berlin.
Rather than using force, how did President Truman respond? He launched a massive airlift to fly supplies into West Berlin day after day.
What happened after the Soviets ended their 11-month long blockade? Germany was permanently split into West Germany (US ally) and East Germany (Soviet satellite).
The joining of what organization ended the US policy of not forming permanent alliances? NATO.
What was the goal of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)? A military alliance where an attack on one member was an attack on all — meant to defend Western Europe from the Soviets.
Why were troops stationed in Western Europe? To deter a Soviet invasion.
How did the Soviet Union respond? They formed the Warsaw Pact in 1955.
What was instituted with the National Security Act of 1947?
Department of Defense.
National Security Council (NSC).
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
What did the Selective Service System do? Established a peacetime military draft.
How did Truman respond to the USSR developing their own A-bomb? He approved development of the hydrogen bomb — 1,000 times more powerful than the atomic bomb.
The National Security Council (NSC-68) recommended the following was needed to fight the Cold War:
Quadruple defense spending to 20% of GNP.
Convince Americans the arms buildup was necessary.
Build alliances with non-Communist nations worldwide.
What did critics of Truman and NATO say? That the US intensified Soviet fears and started an unnecessary arms race.
What was the long-term impact of NATO? It successfully kept the Soviets from expanding into Western Europe and helped maintain peace until the USSR collapsed in 1991.
Cold War in Asia
What did General Douglas MacArthur set up in Japan after taking control post-WWII? A parliamentary democracy under a new 1947 constitution.
Despite remaining, what did the emperor give up after WWII while under US control? His claims to divinity.
The new constitution esablished. in Japan said Japan renounced war and could only maintain limited military capability.
Meaning Japan depended on the US for ______________________________. Military protection.
In 1951 the US and Japan signed a treaty. Japan gave up…. Its claims to Korea and some Pacific islands.
When did the Philippines become independent? July 4, 1946.
Who controlled China's central government under WWII (and for what party)? Chiang Kai-shek, leader of the Nationalist (Kuomintang) party.
Why did the US provide so much aid to China during WWII? To prevent Japan from conquering all of China.
What war continued in China after WWII ended (and who was it between?) A civil war between Chiang's Nationalists and Mao Zedong's Communists, going back to the 1930s.
Why were the nationalists losing support? Runaway inflation and widespread corruption destroyed their popularity.
Who supported the Communists? Poor, landless peasants.
Why did the US send aid to Chiang and the Nationalists? Congress voted $400 million to support them against the Communists.
What happened to most of that aid and why? 80% ended up in Communist hands due to corruption and the collapse of Nationalist armies.
By 1949, who controlled all of mainland China? Mao Zedong and the Communists.
Where had the Nationalists gone? Taiwan (Formosa).
Who did the US support? Chiang's Nationalist government in Taiwan — the US refused to recognize Communist China until 1979.
What happened in 1950 between Stalin and Mao? They signed a Sino-Soviet pact, which scared Americans about a global Communist conspiracy.
What happened to Korea after Japan lost it in WWII? It was divided at the 38th parallel — Soviets in the north, US in the south.
Who controlled above the 38th parallel and who controlled below it after the US and the USSR pulled out? North: Communist Kim Il Sung. South: Nationalist Syngman Rhee.
What happened in June 1950? North Korea invaded South Korea.
How did the UN react? Authorized a UN military force to defend South Korea (the Soviets were boycotting the Security Council and couldn't veto it).
Why did Congress support the action without declaring it a war? Truman called it a "police action," not a war, and Congress went along with it.
How did General MacArthur take control of the war (and where?) Where were they able to push the Korean forces to? He launched a surprise amphibious attack at Inchon, destroyed much of the North Korean army, and pushed UN forces nearly to the Chinese border.
How did China react to the troops being at their border? They sent massive numbers of troops into Korea, overwhelming UN forces and pushing them back out of North Korea.
What did MacArthur want? To expand the war — bomb and invade mainland China.
Why was MacArthur recalled for insubordination? He publicly criticized US policy after Truman told him not to, violating the principle of civilian control over the military.
How did the US people react to the recall of MacArthur? Most sided with MacArthur — his "no substitute for victory" message resonated more than Truman's limited war strategy.
Why did peace talks begin in 1951? The war was completely stalemated near the 38th parallel with neither side able to win.
Why is it considered that Truman's containment policy worked in Korea even though there wasn't a clear victory? It stopped Communist aggression without letting the conflict grow into a world war.
Why did the Republicans characterize Truman and Democrats as "soft on communism"? The Korean stalemate and the Communist takeover of China made Democrats look weak on stopping communism.
Who won the election of 1952? Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican).
Eisenhower and the Cold War
Who was Eisenhower's Secretary of State? John Foster Dulles.
Describe his belief about Containment: He thought containment was too passive — he wanted to actively "liberate" Communist-controlled countries, not just stop Soviet expansion.
What was his brinkmanship policy? Pushing the Soviets to the edge of war, betting they'd back down because the US had nuclear superiority.
Militarily, Dulles said the US should focus on…. Nuclear weapons and air power over conventional forces.
Why? It was cheaper ("more bang for the buck") and put more pressure on enemies.
What was the fear surrounding the policy of mass retaliation? The Soviets soon had their own H-bomb, so it started to look like a policy of mutual destruction, not just deterrence.
What were "bushfire" wars? Small proxy conflicts in developing nations where the US and USSR backed opposing sides without directly fighting each other.
What events finally moved China and North Korea to agree to an armistice? Diplomacy, the threat of nuclear escalation, and Stalin's death in March 1953.
Korea remained ___________________ without a ______________________. Divided near the 38th parallel, without a permanent peace treaty.
U.S. - Soviet Relations
What actions did the USSR take after the death of Stalin that showed they were interested in reducing Cold War tensions? They pulled troops out of Austria and improved relations with Greece and Turkey.
What ideas were presented at the Geneva convention in 1955? Eisenhower proposed an "open-skies" plan allowing both sides to conduct aerial surveillance over each other's territory to prevent surprise attacks.
The Open Sky policy recommends what? Did the Soviet Union accept this plan? Mutual aerial photography to reduce the risk of a surprise nuclear attack. No — the Soviets rejected it.
Who now led the USSR and what did he say in his 1956 speech? Nikita Khrushchev — he denounced Stalin's crimes and supported "peaceful coexistence" with the West.
What caused the Hungarian Revolt? The relaxation of Cold War tensions encouraged workers in Eastern Europe to push for reforms, leading to a full uprising in Hungary that overthrew the Soviet-backed government.
How did the USSR respond? Khrushchev sent in Soviet tanks to crush the revolt and restore Communist control.
The Hungarian Revolt signified what? The US gave de facto recognition to the Soviet sphere of influence in Eastern Europe, and Dulles's talk of "liberating" those nations was over.
What events shocked and embarrassed America? The Soviet launch of Sputnik I and II in 1957 — the first satellites in orbit — showing the USSR had pulled ahead technologically.
The US responded by doing…
Passing the National Defense Education Act (NDEA) to fund math, science, and language education.
Creating NASA in 1958 to lead the space and missile race.
Why did the USSR put pressure on the US to remove troops from W. Germany? Emboldened by Sputnik, Khrushchev demanded the West pull out of West Berlin within six months.
How was the tension resolved? Eisenhower invited Khrushchev to the US; they met at Camp David and agreed to delay the crisis and plan a Paris summit for 1960.
What was exposed in the U - 2 incident? The US had been secretly flying spy planes over Soviet territory to gather intelligence on their missile program.
What was Krushev's response? He denounced the US and walked out of the Paris summit, ending the thaw in relations.
Communism in Cuba
Which nation also became communist and who was their leader? Cuba, under Fidel Castro, who took power in 1959.
How did the US respond to Castro nationalizing (taking control over) US business in Cuba? The US cut off trade with Cuba.
Cuba turned to ___________________________ for support. The Soviet Union.
Why did Eisenhower take responsibility for thawing the Cold War? In 1958 he voluntarily suspended above-ground nuclear testing, beginning the first arms limitations.
What was the military-industrial complex and why did Eisenhower warn against it? The growing alliance between the military and defense industries that profited from the arms race. Eisenhower feared it was gaining too much influence and pushing the country toward becoming a permanent military state.
To the Brink of War and Back
Who was elected in 1960? John F. Kennedy.
Briefly describe what happened at the Bay of Pigs invasion, and why it was a failure: Kennedy approved a CIA-trained force of Cuban exiles to invade Cuba and overthrow Castro. They landed at the Bay of Pigs in April 1961 but failed to spark a popular uprising. Trapped on the beach, they surrendered after Kennedy refused to send US forces to help.
How did Castro respond? He used the failed invasion to get more Soviet aid and tighten his grip on power.
Why was the Berlin Wall constructed? To stop East Germans from fleeing to West Germany through Berlin.
What was the US response to the wall being built? Kennedy called up reserves but made no move to stop construction of the wall.
What did the Cubans allow the Soviets to do after the Bay of Pigs? Build underground missile sites capable of launching nuclear missiles at the US.
How did Kennedy respond when he found out about this? He announced a naval blockade of Cuba and demanded the missiles be removed, putting the world on the edge of nuclear war.
How was the Crisis resolved? Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles in exchange for Kennedy's pledge not to invade Cuba and a secret agreement to later remove US missiles from Turkey.
What was created between the two nations after the crisis? A direct telecommunications hotline between Washington and Moscow for use in future crises.
What was the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty? A 1963 agreement between the US, USSR, and nearly 100 other nations to stop testing nuclear weapons in the atmosphere.
What was the flexible - response policy? What were some positives and negatives to this plan? Kennedy's strategy of building up conventional (non-nuclear) forces to have more options in conflicts. Positive: reduced the risk of nuclear escalation. Negative: made it easier to send troops into conflicts around the world, like Vietnam.
Lyndon B. Johnson becomes President
After JFK was assassinated, what came to dominate the foreign policy of his predecessor LBJ? The Vietnam War.
What was the Non-Proliferation Treaty? Who signed it? A 1968 agreement where the US, Britain, and USSR pledged not to help other countries develop or acquire nuclear weapons.
What stopped further disarmament conversations between the US and the USSR? The Soviet violent suppression of the Prague Spring — an attempt to democratize Czechoslovakia.
Nixon's Detente Diplomacy
Nixon's foreign policies did what two significant things?
Ended the war in Vietnam.
Reduced Cold War tensions through détente.
Why did Nixon have to meet with Mao Zedong in private? Because Nixon was known as a fierce anti-Communist, meeting publicly without preparation would have been politically risky — secret negotiations let him make the bold move without being labeled "soft" on communism.
What event led to the US's recognition of the Communist government in 1979? Nixon's 1972 visit to China initiated diplomatic exchanges that ultimately led to formal US recognition of Communist China in 1979.
What agreement was a significant step toward reducing Cold War tensions (and what did that agreement say?) SALT I — it froze the number of ballistic missiles carrying nuclear warheads that each side could have.
Another Chill in the Cold War
Why did many Americans lose trust in their government at this time? Nixon's resignation due to Watergate and the fall of South Vietnam in 1975 severely damaged public trust.
What was the CIA accused of? Abuses of power — Congress investigated the agency throughout the mid-1970s.
Why did the US stop recognizing Taiwan as the official government of China, and start recognizing the communist People's Republic of China? As a result of Nixon's diplomatic opening with China beginning in 1972, the US formally shifted recognition to the People's Republic of China in 1979.
Detente continued with the SALT II which laid out what? Further limits on nuclear weapons between the US and USSR.
What ended a decade of improving Soviet US relations? The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.
How did Carter react? He pulled the US out of the 1980 Moscow Olympics, halted grain sales to the USSR, and increased defense spending.
At the end of Carter's administration, US Soviet relations were back to ____________________________. A state of serious tension, similar to early Cold War hostility.
What is the traditional view of the Cold War? The USSR was the aggressor and the US was simply responding to protect democracy and freedom.
What do revisionists say? The US overreacted and its aggressive policies (like containment and the arms race) actually helped cause and prolong the Cold War.
8.3: The Red Scare:
Rooting Out Communists
What was the purpose of the Loyalty Review Board and how many people resigned or lost their jobs because of it? It investigated the backgrounds of over 3 million federal employees to root out Communists. Thousands resigned or were fired over the four-year probe (1947–1951).
What was the Smith Act of 1940? A law that made it illegal to advocate or teach the overthrow of the government by force, or to belong to an organization with that goal.
What Supreme Court case upheld the constitutionality of the Smith Act? Dennis et al. v. United States (1951).
The McCarran Internal Security Act
Made it unlawful to advocate or support establishing a totalitarian government.
Restricted employment and travel of those joining Communist-front organizations.
Authorized creation of detention camps for subversives.
What was the purpose of the Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)? Originally created to find Nazis, it was reactivated after WWII to hunt for Communist influence in government, organizations like the Boy Scouts, and the Hollywood film industry.
What happened to those who refused to testify? They were tried for contempt of Congress or blacklisted — meaning no one in their industry would hire them.
Names some TV shows or plays that came under fire as "unAmerican": Film noir crime dramas, Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, and Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific (criticized for opposing racial segregation).
What was sometimes required before being hired for employment? Loyalty oaths.
Espionage Cases
Who did Whittaker Chambers accuse of being a communist? Alger Hiss, a prominent State Department official who had assisted Roosevelt at the Yalta Conference.
What was the result of this case? Hiss denied everything, but was convicted of perjury in 1950 and sent to prison, raising fears that Communist spies had infiltrated the highest levels of government.
Who were Julius and Ethel Rosenberg and what was the result of their trial? A New York couple accused of passing atomic bomb secrets to the Soviets. They were found guilty of treason in 1951 and executed in 1953.
What did Civil - Rights groups think about this? They believed anti-Communist hysteria was responsible for the Rosenbergs' conviction and execution, and that they didn't get a fair trial.
The Rise and Fall of Joseph McCarthy
How did McCarthy become one of the most powerful leaders in America? In 1950 he claimed to have a list of 205 Communists working in the State Department. The press ran with it, and even though it was never proven, the sensational accusation made him incredibly powerful.
How did McCarthy discredit the Truman administration? He kept up a constant stream of unproven accusations about Communists in government, keeping media attention on himself and making Democrats look weak on communism.
Why did some like McCarthy? Working-class Americans loved his aggressive, "take the gloves off" style — he often aimed his attacks at the wealthy and privileged, which felt satisfying to many.
What was televised in 1954? Senate hearings on Communist infiltration in the army — where millions of viewers saw McCarthy act like a bully, turning public opinion against him. He was censured by the Senate in December 1954.
What was McCarthyism? The term for McCarthy's tactic of making reckless, unsupported accusations of Communist activity to destroy people's reputations — basically a modern witch hunt.
What helped lead to the decline of the Red Scare? It became clear the fear of a Communist takeover was overblown. Cooler heads like Eisenhower took control of the political conversation, and as the economy boomed in the 1950s and the Korean War ended, Americans stopped obsessing over the Communist threat.