The Cold War I. Causes

A. Inevitable ideological conflict1. Capitalism v. Communism2. Democracy v. Autocracy

B. Avoidable misunderstandingII. Competition in Europe

A. Wartime Maneuvering—Yalta, PotsdamB. Soviet PolicyC. U.S. Policy

1. Containment2. Truman Doctrine3. Marshall Plan

III. The Struggle in AsiaA. The Fall of ChinaB. Korean War

IV. Atomic Stalemate

US v. USSR

Views of Cold War

• Avoidable– US misunderstands

Soviet psychology

– USSR seeks security buffer

– Reaction to war• 20 million die in

WWII

• Inevitable– Continuation of

freedom struggle begun in WWII

– Capitalism v. Communism

– Democracy v. Dictatorship

Yalta Conference (2/45)• German zones of

occupation

• $20B reparations

• Free elections in Poland, Bulgaria, and Romania

• Soviets promise to invade Manchuria

• United Nations

Potsdam Conference (7/45)

• Changed Climate– US Power

• A-bomb

– Leaders• Truman• Atlee

– Bad faith

Dividing Europe

Berlin

The Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan

• Containment

• $13B in aid

• GNPs rise >15%

Red China

• 1949--Mao defeats Chiang

• One quarter of the world’s population falls under Communist rule

The Korean War

• 7/25/1950, North Koreans cross the 38th parallel

• US and UN agree to defend South Koreans

The Inchon Invasion

The 38th Parallel

• Northerners retreat

• US crosses

• Nov. 1950--Chinese cross the Yalu River

The Impact of the War

• 54K American soldiers die

• 1.3M South Koreans

• 1M Chinese

• 500K North Koreans

• Korea remains divided

Soviets get the A-Bomb

• 9/1949-- Soviets test “Joe”– three years ahead of schedule

H-Bomb

• US tests first Hydrogen Bomb-- 11/ 1/ 1952