Chapter 7: Increasing Cold War Tensions Flashcards
McCarthyism, UN and US dominance
What was the committee to investigate communism called and when was it made?
- House of Un-American Activities Committee
- Founded 1938
- Made Permanent 1945
- Investigated communist infiltration
- Most people on trial were innocent
Who was McCarthy and what did he do?
- Republican Senator of Wisconsin
- Exploited and fuelled communist fear
- Led to a time of communist hysteria and witch hunts
Who were the Hollywood 10?
- 41 screenwriters, directors, producers were questioned
- 10 refused to speak = Hollywood 10
- Were imprisoned and later blacklisted from entertainment
What happened to the Rosenburgs?
- On trial 1951
- Arrested about a plot to give bomb secrets to the USSR
- Evidence showed they played a small part
- Were executed
- Caused protest as people claimed they had been killed due to antisemitism
What was the Alger Hiss affair?
- Had been a part of the pre-war government
- Was accused of being a communist
- Was instead committed of perjury
- Was supported by Dean Acheson furthering the view that leaders in government were colluding in communsim
How was the Democratic party and Truman criticised?
- Truman was seen as having been to soft on communism to allow the loss of China and Korea along with his party
-McCarthy = opposing party and aimed to influence voting patterns to change leaders at the next election
How was the State Department accused?
- Claimed it was infested by communism
- Was a institution that could shape US lives
How were US universities persecuted?
- Claimed teachers were indoctrinating students
- Called them red-ucators
How was the UN criticised?
- Was attacked as favouring left-wing and liberal causes
How was the US army accused and what did this lead to?
- Claimed they were turning communist
- Caused him to be discredited (1954)
What was the influence of McCarthyism? (4 things)
- Helped shift foreign policy (Eurocentric –> Asia First & containment –> roll back)
- American culture of freedom damaged - now persecution
- Truman lost support as a leader and was replaced with Eisenhower (republican) in election
- GB had less support and Asia first was more expensive for GB to get involved in
How did the US act as the global policeman outside of the UN?
Korean war
- MacAthur and troops landed at Inchon to give military aid
- 7th fleet stationed at Taiwan
How did the US dominate the UN? (6 things)
- HQ = New York and US = founding member
- Most members = pro west and many were beneficiaries of Marshall Aid so felt a sense of loyalty and US dominated world trade
- Lack of / slow decolonisation = no new members and nations were still occupied by pro western states
- Chinese seat was given to Taiwan by US
- Poland = only soviet ally
- Security council = western majority and vetos
How was the US blocked from full dominance of the UN?
- Power of Veto for permanent security council members
- USSR use this 75 times (1946-55) while the west use it three times
How did the US manage to influence the UN over the Korean war?
- The USSR boycott the UN as the US refuses to recognise ‘red China’ and give the Chinese seat to Taiwan
- As they are absent they cannot veto so the security council agree to send military aid to South Korea
- The US do take action outside of this
- The 2nd UN council resolution is the one that actually sends the troops
