Emily Bennett and Liz Varenas

The Origins and Consequences of the Cold War Expert Paper

The Cold War (1947-1962) describes the period of tension between the United States and the

Soviet Union, and their respective allies, which developed after World War II. George Orwell first

coined in the term Cold War in 1945 in an article when he stated, there would be a nuclear stalemate

between two or three monstrous super-states, each possessed of a weapon by which millions of people

can be wiped out in a few seconds (The Editors of Encyclopdia Britannica 2017, February 17). After

World War II, the British and the Americans feared the spread of Communism throughout the world and

viewed it as a threat. On the other hand, the Soviets wanted to gain control over Eastern Europe in order

to prevent the renewal of a threat from Germany again. The Cold War began when the United States

offered aid and support to Western Europe under the Marshall Plan and the Soviets had developed

communist regimes in Eastern Europe. The unity of the communist block was shattered in the 60s and

70s as the countries in the eastern hemisphere began to develop different political views.

Iron Curtain

The ideological boundary that divided the Soviet Union and the other communist Party states

from the European countries in the west

Began after World War II in 1945, but did not end until the USSR fell in 1989

This imaginary line, which served as a boundary, ran from the northern part of Russia through

eastern Europe ending at the Black Sea in Bulgaria

The term Iron Curtain was coined when Winston Churchill gave an address in Missouri in

1946

Eventually the boundary became physical and wall were soon built fortified with heavy military

protection
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Berlin Wall and Check Point Charlie were the most famous of the boundaries

The Iron Curtain also extended into the airwaves. The non-communist west would create

attempts to deliver uncensored news to listeners behind the Iron Curtain, but their signals were

jammed by the communist government

Berlin Airlift

At the end of World War 2, Germany was divided and occupied by the United States, British,

and Soviet military forces. Berlin was also divided into zones among these militaries. The

purpose of the division was to rebuild Berlin after the downfall of Hitler and Nazi Germany

The western portion was controlled by the United States, United Kingdom, and France while the

eastern portion was controlled by the Soviet troops

Both sides realized that their plans for rebuilding did not align and Stalin wanted control of all of

Berlin

The crisis began June 24, 1948 all rail, road, and water access to areas under Allied control were

blockaded by the Soviet forces

No supplies were able to reach any of Berlin. People were not able to enter or exit Western

Berlin

British commander Sir Brian Robertson had the idea to deliver supplies to Western Berlin by air,

which was a very dangerous task

Life for the Berliners

Stockpiles began to dwindle and the people of Berlin were struggling to eat. People

rummaged through garbage cans in order to find food to feed them and their families

Learned how what grasses and plants they could eat to survive until more supplies arrived
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Chopped down trees in the main parts of town for firewood to stay warm during the harsh

winter

Knew the treatment of the Soviet soldiers towards Berliners would be their immediate

downfall: valuables would be stolen, food would be eaten, and German wives and

daughters would be abused

German volunteers would step up to support the Allied forces with mechanics and

assisting the airlift in any way possible.

May 12, 1949 Berlin ended the blockade and the Allied forces were able deliver supplies by air

and land

Led to the development of US aircrafts to use for military and commercial use

Created more resentment between the Allied forces and Communist supporting nations

North Atlantic Treaty Organization

NATO, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, was created in 1949 by the United States, Canada,

and many other Western European nations

Purpose was to provide security against the Soviet Union

First peacetime military alliance the United States had been a part of outside of the Western

Hemisphere

The United States provided financial and other sources of aid to a struggling Europe to help them

rebuild after the Nazi efforts of World War II

Europe was viewed as a vital place to prevent the expansion of Communism

The countries involved in the treaty: United States, Canada, Belgium, Denmark, France, Iceland,

Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and the United Kingdom
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Considered an attack on one is an attack against all and the countries would work together to

support each other

President Truman developed an assistance program known as the Mutual Defense Assistance

Program which provided about $1.4 billion to rebuild Western European defenses

United States coined the idea of massive retaliation which ensured that if any member of

NATO were attacked then the United States would retaliate with a large-scale nuclear attack.

Done in hopes to deter the spread of Soviet aggression

Korean War

Leading up to the Korean War

Korea was once a single united country that served as an invasion route between Japan

and China

In 1910, Japan took control of Korea

Japan was defeated in World War II, and Korea was split in two

U.S. occupied southern half of Korea and Soviet troops occupied northern half of Korea

U.S. picked a line on a map to serve as a boundary between northern and southern halves

of Korea called the 38th parallel

Line was supposed to be temporary but they struggled to reunify due to conflicts of

interest in how Korea should be run, so Korea stayed divided

Kim Il Sung became the premier of North Korea and established a communist

government called the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea and also created an army

called the North Korean Peoples Army (NKPA)

South Korea held electionsSyngman Rhee was countrys first president

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In 1947, Truman said he would provide economic and military aid to foreign nations

threatened by communist takeover (Truman Doctrine)

U.S. did not believe North Korea would invade South Korea, so they removed all but

about 500 troops from South Korea.

In 1949, Kim Il Sung received permission from Soviet Union and China to invade South

Korea.

June 25, 1950 North Korea attacked South Korea and surprised the entire world

Truman wanted to show Americas allies that the U.S. would defend democratic nations

(Supporting the Truman Doctrine)

United Nations Security Council met the same day as the invasion and voted unanimously(9-0)

to help drive the North Koreans out of South Korea

Truman also announced that day that the U.S. Air Force and Navy would support South Koreas

military

North Korean troops captured Seoul and soon nearly all of South Korea belonged to North Korea

June 30, Truman decided to send U.S. ground troops without asking Congress to declare war (He

was using his authority as commander in chief to send the troops, without ever speaking of war)

Congress never made a formal declaration of war in the three years American troops fought and

died in Korea

July 7, United Nations called on members to help turn back North Koreans

20 nations responded by sending combat units, medical teams, and other help to South Korea

Truman named five-star General Douglas MacArthur to command all U.N. forces in South

Korea

The fight to help South Korea was mostly an American effort

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By August, North Korea had nearly captured all of the Korean Peninsula, so U.S. General

Walton Walker said, There will be no more retreating).

U.N. defenders set up a 150-mile long defensive line called the Pusan Perimeter

Landing at Inchon

General MacArthur came up with a counterattack on the port city of Inchon which was

just 20 miles west of Seoul which was a dangerous gamble because if they were

unsuccessful, the U.N. troops could easily have been wiped out.

On September 13, U.S. and British destroyer ships began firing on North Korean

positions near Inchon. Many North Korean defenders were ready to surrender. Two days

later, hundreds of ships began carrying more than 70,000 troops towards the shore at

Inchon. MacArthurs plan worked perfectly.

In the next two weeks, U.N. forces were able to push the North Koreans out of Seoul and

into full retreat and by October, the North Koreans had been drive back across the 38th

parallel.

Truman, U.N. Security Council, and South Korean president Syngman Rhee agreed to invade

North Korea to capture more territory. 12 days later, they took North Koreas capital,

Pyongyang.

The Chinese were afraid that the U.N. troops would attack China, so the Chinese Communist

Forces (CFF) began moving into North Korea. China and the U.N. forces began to battle back

and forth, and seemingly, a new war began to be fought.

At this point, it is the Chinese army versus the American and U.N. troops. The Chinese army was

huge (300,000 soldiers) and showed no mercy in their attacks. They would disguise themselves

as civilians to trick U.N. forces.

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By January 1951, China had recaptured all of North Korea, as well as parts of South Korea,

including Seoul.

General MacArthur wanted to transition the war into a battle with China, but Truman felt the war

should be kept in Korea, for fears that attacking China would start the World War III.

On April 11, Truman broadcasted that MacArthur was no longer a general to show that the U.S.

had no intentions of attacking or invading China

July 10 began talks of a truce

Communist nations wanted all North Korean and Chinese soldiers captured to be returned when

fighting ended, but the U.S. claimed those soldiers had no desire to return home.

April 1953 both sides agreed to exchange all sick or wounded prisoners, but that no one will be

forced to go back against their will

Cease-fire was declared July 27, 1953

Joseph McCarthy

American politician that served as a U.S. Senator of Wisconsin from 1947 to 1957

Known for his affiliation with McCarthyism, a campaign against suspected communists in the

US government and other institutions

McCarthyism

1947, Truman orders a background check to be conducted of every civilian involved in

the US Government.

Alger Heiss was charged with espionage sending the country into a frenzy

McCarthy was held in the national spotlight and worshipped for being able to identify

all of the alleged communist spies

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People who were accused of being spies and communists in America would face jail time and

potentially lose their jobs even though they were innocent

Citizens who had modern art, signed petitions, or had friends of different races were allegedly

communists

McCarthy held a list of alleged communists within the State Department. While many of these

accusations were false, McCarthy would produce fake evidence that led to public and

government to believe otherwise.

1953- McCarthy becomes in charge of the subcommittee of investigations for the Senate which

led to his downfall of support

He investigated the Army which fellow Americans did not approve of. His colleagues in Senate

censured him, and he no longer had power.

Nikita Khrushchev

Former premier of the Soviet Union

Moved to Moscow in 1929 where he became a part of the inner circle of Joseph Stalin, the

Soviet dictator

At this point in time, Stalin had gained control over the Soviet Union and began a bloody purge

of enemies. Famines killed millions during this time

Khrushchev sent troops to fight Nazi Germany at Stalingrad and in the Ukraine

Stalin died in 1953 which allowed Khrushchev to set himself up to become a possible successor

He became head of the Communist Party six months later which led to him being one of the most

powerful people in the USSR

Khrushchev was able to lead a coup against the current Premier, George Malenkov and took over

the premiership
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In 1956, Khrushchev delivered a speech in which he denounced the efforts of the Stalin era. This

speech is what opened the gates for discussion of anything negative about Stalin.

Khrushchev believed that Communism would soon overcome Capitalism and that it was only a

matter of time before the Capitalist system fell.

Vietnam War

Vietnam War was a big struggle to obtain political control over Vietnam

People of the United States were very torn in their opinions on the war

As the war waged on, many people adopted an anti-war mindset

During the 19th century, Vietnam had been under French colonial rule

1946 Vietnamese Communists rose up against their French colonizers which started the First

Indochina War (1946-1954) and ended with the defeat of France

French withdrew in 1954

Vietnam was split into a communist dominated north and a pro-Western regime in the south

Vietcong formed which is a military organization that fought alongside North Vietnamese Army

United States supported the Republic of South Vietnam (RVN)

Summer of 1964, Gulf of Tonkin incident occurred which involved a U.S. destroyer being

attacked by torpedo boats since it was in North Vietnamese waters

August 7, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, allowing President Johnson broad war

powers and he was committed to a war against communist Vietnamese.

There was no formal declaration of war

Americanization was hoped to persuade Communists to accept South Vietnamese government

North Vietnam and Viet Cong couldnt have been as successful without help from their allies

(China and Soviet Union)

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American and RVN had support from South Korean troops and nations in the Southeast Asian

Treaty Organization (SEATO)

Operation Rolling Thunder began in March 1965, which was just a barrage of bombings that

targeted bridges, highways, railroads, airfields, factories, power sources, and fuel depots.

Operation Starlite was the first major U.S. ground offensive which occurred August 1965

1967 Major antiwar demonstrations in New York City and San Francisco indicate U.S. is not

fully supportive of war

HUGE antiwar march on Washington D.C.

Johnson had the campaign ended October 31, 1968

Ho Chi Minh Trail was used to carry Communist equipment, supplies, and troops to fight in

South Vietnam

Military helicopters became popular during the Vietnam War for warfare

January 21, 1968 Communists surprised U.S. Marine base in Khe Sanh which led to the Tet

Offensive

Tet Offensive started in 1968 by Vietcong and North Vietnamese Army

Tet Offensive didnt drive Americans out of Vietnam as it had intended, but it did make

Americans question what really was going on in the war

People began to voice their opinions and concerns arguing that all troops be withdrawn and the

draft be ended

Johnson was so bothered by the antiwar movement that he decided not to run for office in 1968

1969 President Nixon encouraged the Vietnamization of the conflict which meant that the

South Koreans army would have improved training and arming

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May 10, 1969-Hamburger Hill was the last major battle fought by American troops in Vietnam

War

Throughout the 1970s U.S. Troops began to withdraw, but still supported South Vietnam in the

air

By 1972, there were no more American offensive operations

Peace talks were under way in Paris, but the Communists refused the offer that Vietnam remain

divided

Nixon decided to bomb North Vietnam into a cease-fire and bombarded North Vietnam from

December 18-30 with bombs-later to be known as the Christmas Bombing (heaviest bombing of

the war)

Communists accepted cease-fire

Paris Peace Accords signed by U.S., North Vietnam, South Vietnam, and Viet Cong in 1973

Early 1973, Operation Homecoming airlifted former U.S. prisoners of war back to the U.S.

Congress cut off funds for U.S. military involvement in Southeast Asia and then cut military aid

to Saigon government

In December 1974, North Vietnamese invaded South Vietnamese province and U.S. couldnt do

anything in response

North Vietnam knew RVA had essentially given up and launched their final campaign in 1975

1975 the country was unified under a communist government

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

Began October 15, 1962 due to a set of black-and-white photographs of missiles being

assembled in Cuba taken by an American spy

Also known as the October crisis

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Missiles were such a threat to the US due to the fact that Cub was only a short 90 miles from

Florida

In 1960, President Kennedy backed invasion of Cuba by Cuban exiles

Nikita Khrushchev used that as an excuse for planting nuclear missiles in Cuba

The leader of Free World against leader of Communist World

War of fear and threats and secrets rather than one of actual battles

Executive Committee of the National Security Council gave Kennedy advice during the crisis

EXCOM suggested a naval quarantine

U.S. ships could turn back any ships carrying military cargo heading to Cuba

Quarantine began 10 AM on Wed. October 24, 1962

9 AM on October 28, 1962 Khrushchev announced weapons would be dismantled and returned

to the Soviet Union as long as the United States promised to not invade Cuba again

November 21, 1962 President Kennedy lifted the quarantine

The following year a hot line was put into place between Washington and Moscow to settle a

situation similar to the crisis in the future

Conclusion

The Cold War was a tremendously chaotic era filled with lots of tension and panic. Due to increases

in technology, more people were able to readily keep up with anything that was going on in the world,

which perhaps led to more panic at times. Essentially, the Cold War can be summarized into a period of

turmoil due to tensions between communist powers and other nations hoping to ensure democracy and

freedom.
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Works Cited

Clinton, S. M. (1993). The Cuban Missile Crisis. Chicago, Illinois: Childrens Press, Inc.

History.com Staff. (2009). Joseph R. McCarthy. Retrieved September 13, 2017, from

http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/joseph-mccarthy

History.com Staff. (2009). Nikita Khrushchev. Retrieved September 13, 2017, from

http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/nikita-sergeyevich-khrushchev

History.com Staff. (2010). Cuban Missile Crisis. Retrieved September 13, 2017, from

http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cuban-missile-crisis

McCarthyism. (n.d.). Retrieved September 13, 2017, from http://www.ushistory.org/us/53a.asp

Murray, A. R. (2004). Vietnam War Battles and Leaders. New York, New York: DK Publishing, Inc. .

Murray, S. (2005). Eyewitness Vietnam War. New York, NY: DK Publishing, Inc.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO. (n.d.). Retrieved September 13, 2017, from

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/nato

Santella, A. (2007). The Korean War. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Compass Point Books.

Shrecker, E. (n.d.). What is McCarthyism? And how did it happen? Retrieved September 13, 2017, from

https://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-is-mccarthyism-and-how-did-it-happen-ellen-schrecker#review

Smith, C. (1993). Presidents in a Time of Change: A Sourcebook on the U.S. Presidency. Brookfield,

Connecticut: The Millbrook Press.

The Berlin Airlift. (n.d.). Retrieved September 13, 2017, from

http://www.spiritoffreedom.org/airlift.html

The Editors of Encyclopdia Britannica. (2017, February 17). Cold War. Retrieved September 13, 2017,

from https://www.britannica.com/event/Cold-War
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The Editors of Encyclopdia Britannica. (2017, July 19). Iron Curtain. Retrieved September 13, 2017,

from https://www.britannica.com/event/Iron-Curtain