Containing the Red Menace: The Cold War BeginsI. The Eagle vs. the Bear: Anticommunism and the “Cold War”a. Soviet UnionUS Enemy #1II. The Rise of Containmenta. 1945 – What to do about the Soviets, Eastern Europe?b. The “Containment” doctrinei. Made official by Truman with the Truman Doctrineii. Articulated by George Kennan in Foreign Affairs, 1946iii. Greece, 19471. British slipping money to Greece to support and protect them from communism, but they don’t have enoughmoney so they ask the US to he help2. US gives $400 million to Greece and defeats communism threatsiv. “Monolithic Communism”1. Definition = “all communists, anywhere in the world, are under the control of theSoviet Union”2. Reality = not true; lots of rivalries, divisions, etc.c. Non-violent Containmenti. The Marshall Plan (1947)1. US sends $16 billion in aide to western Europe to rebuild its economy (and to also eliminate the threat of communism) – a “New Deal” for Europe (After thewar, Europe in ruins, food scarce, poverty everywhere)2. Offered to Soviet Union as well, but they declinedii. CIA covert sponsorship of music(Louis Armstrong), art(Jackson Pollack), films, etc to advertise against communism in Europed. Potentially-Violent Containmenti. The Berlin Airlift, 1948Stalin cuts west Berlinoff from west Germany; US airlifts fly over Berlin and drop supplies; ends peacefullyV. 1949-50: China goes Communist, and the Soviets get The Bomba. “Who lost China?”b. Communists take over and non communists move to TaiwanVI. Publication of NSC-68 (1950)a. Briefing written to President Truman about the Soviet Union; supposed to help him decide what to dob. Said “Soviets are on a march for world domination and they want to destroy the US” and “we need a big military, just in case” … in a nutshellc. Adds a militaristic edge to containment policyVII. Containment gets Violent – the Korean War (1950-53)a. US sends in troops to help, but by late 1950, they had been pushed to the Pusan perimeterb. American troops push North Korea backc. The Chinese invasion and stalemated. 3 years of stalemate ends the war**people begin to get very
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