Changes

==1945-1969: Cold War==  

==1945-1969: Cold War==  

*see [[Cold War]]  

*see [[Cold War]]  

* [[Central Intelligence Agency]]  

* [[Central Intelligence Agency]], chief US spy agency

* [[Containment]]  

* [[Containment]], stopping the expansion of Communism

* [[Detente]]  

* [[Détente]], trade and friendly relations with Soviets

* [[Rollback]]

* [[Rollback]], destruction of Communism

* [[Eisenhower Doctrine]], 1957

* [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], President 1953-59

* [[Korean War]], 1950-53  

* [[Marshall Plan]], 1948-51  

* [[Korean War]], stalemated war, 1950-53  

* [[NATO]], 1949+  

* [[Marshall Plan]], aid to Europe 1948-51  

* [[NSC-68]], 1950

* [[NATO]], military alliance with Europe, 1949+  

* [[Truman Doctrine]], 1947  

* [[NSC-68]], key planning document for Cold War 1950

* [[Berlin Wall]], 1961-89  

* [[Truman Doctrine]], aid to Greece and Turkey to contain Communism 1947  

* [[Cuban Missile Crisis]], 1962  

* [[Berlin Wall]], Communists keep their people locked inside [[East Germany]], 1961-89  

* [[Cuban Missile Crisis]], Soviets send nuclear weapons to Cuba but forced to retreat, 1962  

* [[Vietnam War]], 1965-73  

* [[Vietnam War]], 1965-73  

* [[Dean Acheson]]  

* [[Dean Acheson]], key State Department official under Truman 

* [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]  

* [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], President 1963-69

* [[John F. Kennedy]]  

* [[John F. Kennedy]], President 1961-63

* [[George Kennan]]  

* [[George Kennan]], diplomat who designed Containment

* [[Eleanor Roosevelt]]  

* [[Eleanor Roosevelt]], widow of FDR; liberal human rights and UN activist

* [[Robert Taft]]

* [[Robert Taft]], conservative leader in Senate

* [[Harry Truman]]

* [[Harry Truman]], President 1945-53

===Isolationism===

===Isolationism===

The Republican party had an isolationist wing led by Senator [[Robert A. Taft]]. During World War II, the internationalist wing of the GOP gained strength, as former isolationist Arthur Vandenberg switched sides. The leaders of the anti-isolationist or "internationalist" wing were [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] (president 1952-60), and [[Richard Nixon]] (president 1968-74).  Conservative leader [[Barry Goldwater]] in 1964 rejected isolationism and called for an aggressive [[Rollback]] strategy to defeat Communism, a policy followed by [[Ronald Reagan]] (president 1980-88).   

The Republican party had an isolationist wing led by Senator [[Robert A. Taft]]. During World War II, the internationalist wing of the GOP gained strength, as former isolationist Arthur Vandenberg switched sides. The leaders of the anti-isolationist or "internationalist" wing were [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] (president 1952-60), and [[Richard Nixon]] (president 1968-74).  Conservative leader [[Barry Goldwater]] in 1964 rejected isolationism and called for an aggressive [[Rollback]] strategy to defeat Communism, a policy followed by [[Ronald Reagan]] (president 1980-88).   

On May 14, 1948, Truman announced recognition of the new state of [[Israel]], making the United States the first major power to do so. After his surprise reelection in 1948, Truman brought in [[Dean Acheson]] as Secretary of State, and promoted the Point Four program of aid to underdeveloped countries. The policy of containing Communism was operationalized by the creation, in 1949, of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ([[NATO]]) to oversee the integration of the military forces of its member nations in Western Europe and North America. A further step was taken in 1951 with the establishment of the Mutual Security Agency to coordinate U.S. economic, technical and military aid abroad.

On May 14, 1948, Truman announced recognition of the new state of [[Israel]], making the United States the first major power to do so. After his surprise reelection in 1948, Truman brought in [[Dean Acheson]] as Secretary of State, and promoted the Point Four program of aid to underdeveloped countries. The policy of containing Communism was operationalized by the creation, in 1949, of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ([[NATO]]) to oversee the integration of the military forces of its member nations in Western Europe and North America. A further step was taken in 1951 with the establishment of the Mutual Security Agency to coordinate U.S. economic, technical and military aid abroad.

====Containement====

====Containment====

In 1947 Truman, a Democrat, convinced the Republican-controlled Congress to support the [[Truman Doctrine]] by sending massive aid to the small country of Greece, threatened by a Communist takeover.  The rest of Europe was still in economic ruin, which Washington feared would help the spread of Communism, so the [[Marshall Plan]] was proposed to help restore the European economies.  When Stalin engineered a Communist takeover of democratic Czechoslovakia in early 1948, and forbad his satellites to accept Marshall plan moneys, Americans realized that Winston Churchill’s warnings about an “iron curtain” had come true.  The strategy of isolationism had failed in 1941. The strategy of friendship (or détente) with Communism had failed in 1948.  Some argued for a strategy of direct confrontation or “Roll-Back”—but that was considered too dangerous, especially when the Soviets tested their first nuclear weapon in 1950.  Washington decided on a strategy of containment, as embodied in the NATO military alliance set up in 1949.  The plan was to prevent further Communist expansion, hoping that the internal weaknesses of the Soviet system would soon lead to its collapse.  The problem with containment was that it meant fighting wars against Communist expansion, especially in Korea in 1950-53, and in Vietnam 1963-73.  Containment had the basic flaw that the enemy could choose the time and place of movement, while America and its allies had to defend everywhere at all times.  In 1949 [[Mao ZeDong]] and his Communists won the civil war in China showing the failure of containment in Asia.

In 1947 Truman, a Democrat, convinced the Republican-controlled Congress to support the [[Truman Doctrine]] by sending massive aid to the small country of Greece, threatened by a Communist takeover.  The rest of Europe was still in economic ruin, which Washington feared would help the spread of Communism, so the [[Marshall Plan]] was proposed to help restore the European economies.  When Stalin engineered a Communist takeover of democratic Czechoslovakia in early 1948, and forbade his satellites to accept Marshall plan moneys, Americans realized that Winston Churchill’s warnings about an “iron curtain” had come true.  The strategy of isolationism had failed in 1941. The strategy of friendship (or détente) with Communism had failed in 1948.  Some argued for a strategy of direct confrontation or “Roll-Back”—but that was considered too dangerous, especially when the Soviets tested their first nuclear weapon in 1950.  Washington decided on a strategy of containment, as embodied in the NATO military alliance set up in 1949.  The plan was to prevent further Communist expansion, hoping that the internal weaknesses of the Soviet system would soon lead to its collapse.  The problem with containment was that it meant fighting wars against Communist expansion, especially in Korea in 1950-53, and in Vietnam 1963-73.  Containment had the basic flaw that the enemy could choose the time and place of movement, while America and its allies had to defend everywhere at all times.  In 1949 [[Mao ZeDong]] and his Communists won the civil war in China showing the failure of containment in Asia.

===Korean War: 1950-1953===

===Korean War: 1950-1953===

In 1950 Truman approved [[NSC-68]], a top-secret<ref>It is now public.</ref>  policy paper that formed the grounds for escalating the Cold War, especially in terms of tripling spending on rearmament and building the hydrogen bomb. The integration of European defense was given new impetus by continued U.S. support of NATO, under the command of General Eisenhower.

In 1950 Truman approved [[NSC-68]], a top-secret<ref>It is now public.</ref>  policy paper that formed the grounds for escalating the Cold War, especially in terms of tripling spending on rearmament and building the hydrogen bomb. The integration of European defense was given new impetus by continued U.S. support of NATO, under the command of General Eisenhower.

.  A vast foreign aid program supplemented a network of military alliances stretching around the globe. The services contained about 3 million soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines at all times.  The military stressed mechanization and electronics, with elaborate support mechanisms and a huge training program in technical skills; fewer than 20% of the servicemen were in combat roles.  The necessary hardware was supplied by the “military-industrial complex” of big corporations and labor unions. The media provided a steady drumbeat of support for the Cold War, with spy themes popular in movie theatres and bookstores.  A peaceful race to the moon, won by the Americans in 1969, was played out against rapid advances in size and accuracy of rockets by both sides.   

A vast foreign aid program supplemented a network of military alliances stretching around the globe. The services contained about 3 million soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines at all times.  The military stressed mechanization and electronics, with elaborate support mechanisms and a huge training program in technical skills; fewer than 20% of the servicemen were in combat roles.  The necessary hardware was supplied by the “military-industrial complex” of big corporations and labor unions. The media provided a steady drumbeat of support for the Cold War, with spy themes popular in movie theaters and bookstores.  A peaceful race to the moon, won by the Americans in 1969, was played out against rapid advances in size and accuracy of rockets by both sides.   

For its manpower, because of low pay scales the military relied on a combination of volunteers and the draft.  Every year from 1950 to 1970 the Selective Service system drafted from 100,000 to 300,000 18-year old men for 24 months of active duty in the Army.  The peaks came during the Korean War (525,000 drafted in 1951) and the Vietnam War (382,000 drafted in 1966).  In all Selective Service drafted about 25% of all young men for two-year tours; an even larger number volunteered for three years in the Navy or Air Force, where conditions were better.  After active duty, the servicemen were required to join reserve units. Many were not drafted because they did not meet high physical standards, or were fathers or college students.  The chances of getting drafted varied dramatically from year to year and place to place in unpredictable fashion.  The system not only provided soldiers at low cost, it gave the nation millions of veterans with highly useful technical and organizational skills, along with financial benefits for mortgages, health care and college education.

For its manpower, because of low pay scales the military relied on a combination of volunteers and the draft.  Every year from 1950 to 1970 the Selective Service system drafted from 100,000 to 300,000 18-year old men for 24 months of active duty in the Army.  The peaks came during the Korean War (525,000 drafted in 1951) and the Vietnam War (382,000 drafted in 1966).  In all Selective Service drafted about 25% of all young men for two-year tours; an even larger number volunteered for three years in the Navy or Air Force, where conditions were better.  After active duty, the servicemen were required to join reserve units. Many were not drafted because they did not meet high physical standards, or were fathers or college students.  The chances of getting drafted varied dramatically from year to year and place to place in unpredictable fashion.  The system not only provided soldiers at low cost, it gave the nation millions of veterans with highly useful technical and organizational skills, along with financial benefits for mortgages, health care and college education.