HMH Module 12

How did brinkmanship shape U.S. foreign policy during the 1950s?
Why did the U.S. use covert operations instead of direct military involvement in countries like Iran and Guatemala?
How did the launch of Sputnik change American priorities?
Why was the U-2 Incident a major embarrassment for the U.S.?
Do you think Eisenhower’s approach to the Cold War was effective? Why or why not?

CONTAINMENT		Strategy which aimed to prevent the spread of communism and “contain” the influence of the Soviet Union
IRON CURTAIN		A term by Churchill that described the division of Europe into 2::ommunist-controlled East and the Democratic West
COLD WAR		Political and military tension between the Soviet unioned its Allies, lasting from 1945 to 1991
NATO		Military Alliance formed between North America and Western Europe to provide security against Soviet aggression threats
WARSAW PACT		Alliance, which was formed between the Soviet Union and its satellite
TRUMAN DOCTRINE		Policy which aimed to provide military and economic assistance to countries threatened by communism
MARSHALL PLAN		The program provided economic assistance to European countries to help them rebuild after WW2
BERLIN AIRLIFT		Military operation in which allies supplied food and supplies to Berlin by air after the SU blocked the city to gain control

38TH PARALLEL		The line of latitude that divides North and South Korea which became the de facto boundary between the two nations after the Korean War
BLACKLIST		People or organizations that are considered untrustworthy for political reasons
HUAC		The Committee which investigated the suspected communist influence
HOLLYWOOD TEN		A group of 10 actors who were blacklisted after refusing to testify for HUAC and their political beliefs
M. A . D. MUTUALLY ASSURED DESTRUCTION		Military doctrine which said the US and SU possessed enough nuclear power to destroy each other
BRINKMANSHIP		A policy of pushing dangerous situations to disaster to achieve the most advantageous outcome
U-2 INCIDENT		Dowing of a US U-2 plane, which resulted in the capture of the pilot
DUCK AND COVER		Defense training method which taught children to duck under desks and cover their heads incase of a nuclear attack
SPUTNIK		Earth satellite, launched by the Soviet Union in 1957

The Cold War, a period of intense rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, emerged from the ashes of World War II. The two superpowers, once allies against Nazi Germany, found themselves at odds over the future of Europe and the world. The seeds of this conflict were sown long before the war's end, stemming from the 1917 Russian Revolution and the subsequent Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War. These events fostered deep distrust between the West and the Soviet Union, setting the stage for a clash of ideologies.

The immediate aftermath of World War II saw the Soviet Union establishing communist regimes in Eastern Europe, countries it had liberated from Nazi control. This move, enforced by the presence of the Red Army, alarmed the United States and Great Britain, who viewed it as Soviet expansionism. The US and UK envisioned a democratic Europe, and the Soviet Union's actions directly contradicted this vision.

The economic divide deepened with the introduction of the Marshall Plan in 1947. This US initiative aimed to rebuild Europe and prevent the spread of communism by stabilizing capitalist economies. The Soviet Union rejected the Marshall Plan, seeing it as an attempt by the US to exert its influence on Europe. In response, the Soviet Union established Comecon, a council for economic cooperation among communist states.

The first major military confrontation of the Cold War came with the Berlin Blockade of 1948-49. The Soviets attempted to cut off Western access to Berlin, a city divided between East and West. The US and its allies responded with the Berlin Airlift, supplying West Berlin by air. This event marked a turning point, shifting the Cold War from diplomatic tensions to the brink of direct military conflict.

The Cold War solidified in 1949 with the creation of NATO, a military alliance between the US and its Western allies. This move signaled the start of a long period of geopolitical confrontation between the two blocs. The Soviet Union, in response, formed the Warsaw Pact in 1955, a military alliance with its Eastern European allies. The Cold War, a period of intense ideological and political rivalry, would shape the global order for the next four decades.

What were the goals of U.S. foreign policy in the early Cold War?

To prevent the spread of communism into the US, isolate the Soviet Union, and increase support for Democracy/capitalism.

2. Describe the Truman Doctrine and how Americans reacted to it?

The Truman Doctrine was a policy that was made in response to the Soviet Union attempting to expand. This policy tries to encourage the containment of communism in Europe. Americans, overall, agreed with this attempt and thought that it could protect democracy, but isolationists argued that we should avoid foreign involvement.

3. What was the purpose of the NATO alliance?

NATO was created to help provide defense for its countries and fight against the rising threat of communism in the US.

4. What necessitated the Berlin airlift

It was necessitated by the Soviet Blockade of Berlin, so the US responded by organizing an airlift supply to Berlin with essentials.

5. What global events led to US involvement in Korea?

Rise of communism Turman Doctrine, and the division of Korea.

6. What issue between General Douglas MacArthur and President Truman eventually cost MacArthur his job?

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