IB History-The Cold War: The Early Cold War & The Americas

Summary

This lecture delves into the early Cold War era from 1945 to the 1950s, focusing on the United States' pursuit of an American Cold War alliance akin to NATO, aiming for collective security and to curb communism in the Americas. The Rio Conference in 1947 led to the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance, with Brazil, Chile, and Cuba banning communist organizations to foster economic ties with the U.S. However, Latin American nations felt neglected compared to Western Europe's Marshall Plan aid. The lecture also covers the Red Scare in the U.S., the Hollywood blacklist, and the rise of Senator Joseph McCarthy's anti-communist crusade, which impacted civil liberties, education, and American society, including the early civil rights movement.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The early Cold War years from 1945 to the early 1950s had a significant impact on the Americas, with the United States seeking to establish a collective security alliance to counter communism, similar to NATO in the North Atlantic.
• 💼 Latin American countries, post-war, were more focused on receiving economic and technological aid from the United States, which led to negotiations and agreements like the Rio Conference and the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance.
• 🚫 Brazil, Chile, and Cuba banned communist organizations and severed ties with the Soviet Union in 1948, hoping for increased U.S. economic assistance, while other Latin American nations felt the U.S. commitment was insufficient.
• 🇺🇸 The United States provided financial aid to Latin American countries, but it was significantly less compared to the Marshall Plan's aid to Western European countries, leading to anti-American sentiments in Latin America.
• 🔍 The post-war period in the U.S. was marked by a "Red Scare," characterized by fear and hatred of communism, which manifested in various ways, including investigations into Hollywood and the creation of blacklists in the film industry.
• 🤔 The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) focused on left-wing extremism, leading to the Hollywood Ten being accused of promoting communist ideology, and the Screen Actors Guild, led by Ronald Reagan, assisted in investigations.
• 📜 The McCarran Internal Security Act of 1950 and Executive Order 9835 by President Truman were responses to the Red Scare, aiming to root out communist influences within the U.S. government through loyalty oaths and investigations.
• 🕵️‍♂️ There were real instances of espionage, such as the cases of Klaus Fuchs and the Rosenbergs, which fueled the anti-communist sentiment and justified the aggressive actions taken by the U.S. government.
• 🗣️ Senator Joseph McCarthy's accusations and investigations into alleged communist activities within the U.S. government led to a widespread fear and the dismissal of many officials, but eventually, his tactics were condemned, and he was censured by the Senate.
• 📚 The Cold War influenced American society, with changes in education, such as duck and cover drills, and the National Defense Education Act funding for subjects that could counter communist threats.
• ✝️ The Cold War also saw a rise in religious affiliation in the U.S., with communism being viewed as atheistic, leading to a stronger emphasis on Christian values and the addition of 'under God' to the Pledge of Allegiance.

Q & A

What were the competing goals between the United States and Latin American countries during the early Cold War years?

The United States wanted to create an American Cold War alliance for collective security and to prevent communism in the Americas, while Latin American countries sought economic and technological aid from the United States.

What was the Rio Conference, and what agreement emerged from it?

The Rio Conference, held in September 1947 in Rio de Janeiro, resulted in the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance. This treaty stated that an attack on any one nation in the Americas was an attack on all, and if two-thirds of the nations agreed, they could take collective military action.

What measures did Brazil, Chile, and Cuba take in response to the Rio Conference agreements?

Brazil, Chile, and Cuba banned communist organizations and cut ties with the Soviet Union in 1948, hoping to receive more economic assistance from the United States.

Why did some Latin American countries feel hesitant about committing to agreements with the United States?

Some Latin American countries felt that the United States was not committing enough economic aid to justify their involvement in such agreements.

What was the Organization of American States (OAS), and what were its objectives?

The Organization of American States, created in 1948, included the United States and most Latin American countries. Its objectives were to organize consultation between American nations, coordinate military strategy, and assert the sovereignty of American states by prohibiting interference and coercive measures against any member state.

How did the United States' financial aid to Latin America compare to its aid to Western Europe after World War II?

From 1949 to 1953, Latin American nations received only about $79 million in American foreign aid, while the rest of the world, especially Western Europe, received nearly $18 billion, leading to growing anti-American sentiments in Latin America.

What triggered the second Red Scare in the United States, and how did it manifest?

The second Red Scare was triggered by fear and hatred of communist ideology, heightened by Soviet and Chinese communism, patriotism after World War II, and Soviet military threats, especially the detonation of a Soviet atomic bomb in 1949. It manifested through investigations into Hollywood, loyalty oaths for government employees, and numerous accusations and trials.

What role did the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) play during the Red Scare?

HUAC, originally created to investigate extremist groups, focused on left-wing extremism and communist influence in the United States after World War II. It investigated Hollywood for communist propaganda, leading to the blacklisting of the Hollywood Ten.

How did President Truman respond to the Red Scare, and what were some key actions taken during his administration?

President Truman attempted to counter accusations of being soft on communism by signing executive orders for loyalty oaths, supporting investigations, and enacting the McCarran Internal Security Act despite initially vetoing it. This Act required government employees to pledge loyalty to the U.S. and targeted communist organizations.

What were some real examples of espionage in the United States during the early Cold War?

Real examples included Klaus Fuchs, who shared atomic secrets with the Soviet Union, and the Rosenbergs, who were implicated in espionage and executed. Alger Hiss, a State Department official, was also found guilty of passing classified information to the Soviet Union.

What impact did Senator Joseph McCarthy have on the Red Scare, and how did his actions ultimately lead to his downfall?

Senator McCarthy's aggressive investigations and accusations of communism within the U.S. government and military led to widespread fear and the firing of many individuals. His overreach, particularly targeting the U.S. military, resulted in his censure by the Senate in 1955 and his eventual disgrace and death in 1957.

How did the Cold War impact American society and civil liberties?

The Cold War led to threats to civil liberties, changes in education with duck and cover drills, increased funding for science and language studies, censorship in Hollywood, a rise in religious affiliation, and significant actions in the civil rights movement, including Truman's desegregation of the military and the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision.