The "Strange Alliance" (1943)

• war-time alliance between the Soviet Union, Great Britain and the United States, 
• Dubbed "Grand" by Winston Churchill, was beginning to wear thin by 1943
• Western allies remained committed to assisting the Soviet Union in its resistance to the Nazi onslaught.
• US passed Land-lease bill that loaned a billion dollars to Soviet for war supplies, without interest until 10 years after war
• American and British convoys of merchant ships began delivering Studebaker trucks, foodstuffs and other supplies to the White Sea port of Murmansk.
• But Stalin thought best support would be invasion of France, "second front"

"Second Front" Issue (1942)

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• Stalin's wish for the western allies to open a second front invasion of Nazi-occupied France in 1942 against the germans to take the pressure of the Russians on the Eastern Front.
• US wanted to beat Germany b4 Japan, known as "Germany First" principle
• Instead, western allies opted in 1942 for the North African campaign as part of a Mediterranean strategy that would take them up the spine of Italy
• In May 1942, Roosevelt informed Soviet that lease shipments would have to be decreased from 4.1 to 2.5 mil tons in coming years
• Eventually, led the allies to split apart cuz lack of compromise

The "IRON CURTAIN" (1946)

•  Ipdeological conflict and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from 1945(WW end)-1991(Cold War end) 
• Made to split up Soviet, Germany and other Soviet allies from the West(Non-Communists)
• US and Britian were grateful for Soviet role in ending WWII
• In 1946, a post-war speech by Winston Churchills\ about the communists, called for alliance with US and Britian to oppose Stalin 
• Many people believe the speech marked beginning of the Cold War

Containment (1946)

• US policy articulated by George Kennan informing US to prevent spread of Communism using many strategies
• Made to keep commuism in Russia and Eastern Europe, and to stop them from taking over more land
• Caused by the end of WWII, people feared communism influenced many people from events of war, it became US lifestyle

The MARSHALL PLAN (1948)

•  American program to aid Europe, in which the US gave support to help rebuild European economies after WWII in order to prevent the spread of Soviet Communism as much as possible
• US feared Europe would feel weak and give in to Communism 
• Plan lasted 4 years starting in 1948 
• The goals of the US were to rebuild a war-devastated region, remove trade barriers, modernize industry, and make Europe prosperous again
• Named after Secretary of State George Marshall, spoke at Harvard(1947)
• Rep & Dem. compromised to support plan, Kennan major impact 
• It also offered same aid to Soviet and its allies, they denied it, cuz US could then have some control communist economies

The Truman Doctrine (1947)

• International-relations policy set forth by the U.S. President Harry Truman in speech on March 1947 stating that the U.S. would support Greece,Turkey with economic and military aid to prevent their falling into the Soviet sphere.
• Historians consider start of COLd War, and influenced Containment 
• Truman said it was "to support free people who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures."
• Truman believed if Greece and Turkey did not recieve aid, they would fall to Communism
• Greece and Turkey were historic rivals so US gave equal aid, even though Greece need it urgently
• Britian was supporter of Greece but became weak, in 1947 Britian requested US to take over aiding Greece
• The policy won the support of Republicans who controlled Congress and involved sending $400 million in American money, but no military forces
• The effect was to end the Communist threat, and in 1952 both countries  joined NATO, a military alliance that guaranteed their protection.

ALGER HISS (1948)

• Fear of Communism forced House Committee on Un-American Activities to find suspicious ppl and make them admit comm.
• If denied, would bust for lying to congress bout steroid use
• They could clear name by turning in others that were known communists
• Whittaker Chambers was forced to name ppl, which included Alger Hiss, surprised authority
• Hiss was an American lawyer, government official, author, and lecturer, also was involved in establishment of UN as official
• Chambers at first said Hiss was never communist under oath, then later admitted to perjury under oath, provided much personal information about  Hiss, how Hiss helped him in
• Hiss denied charge, denied he even knew the name of Chambers
• One member, Richard Nixon, of committee only didnt believe Hiss, forced Hiss to come back and testify
• Hiss sees CHambers and says he does know him but his name was different and that Hiss helped Chambers in 1930s
• Hiss dared Chambers to accuse him outside of Congress, later accused him of a spy, proved with secret docs(Pumpkin Papers), interested F.B.I
• Typewriter proved Hiss's guilt mostly, by fingers and prints, jailed(1950s)
• He served 3 and a half years, maintained innocence cuz of no proof until he died in 1996

McCarthyism (1950s)

• Practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence
• Originally coined to criticize pursuits of Repub. Wisconsin Sen McCarthy
• Practice characterized by heightened fears of communist influence on American institutions and espionage by Soviet agents, Hiss influenced
• Now used more generally to describe reckless, unsubstantiated accusations, as well as demagogic attacks on the character or patriotism of political adversaries.

Joseph McCarthy (1950's)

• Republican Senator of Wisconsin, elected 1946, opponent very unpopular, WW Vet, Senate from 1947-1957(death)
• He thought "If i havnt done anything, and im dumb, how will i get re-elected", made ppl hate him even more
• Knew he had to cause impact on the people, he said he had a list of working Communists he would take down, but wouldnt reveal
• Went after them, and anyone who tried to defend, was very cruel, bully and termed McCarthyism (accusations and threats without reason, proof)
• McCarthy made additional accusations of Communist infiltration into the State Department, the administration of President Harry S. Truman, Voice of America, and the United States Army
• In 1954, senate sentored(slap in wrist) and eventually ignored and died of alcoholism in 1957

Lavendar Scare (1950's)

• Fear and persecution of homosexuals in the 1950s in the US which paralleled the anti-communist campaign McCarthyism
• Psychiatric community regarded homosexuality as a mental illness, gay men and lesbians were considered susceptible to blackmail, thus constituting a communist security risk
• Ppl believed Homos were Aethiests, like most Communists. Also believed anything weird or different meant involved communism
• All homosexuals within government were fired
• Many homos fined 50k and falsely accused heteros also fined McCarthy stayed away from this cuz he was an unmarried middle-aged man

Alfred Kinsey (40s-50s)

• American biologist, professor of entomology and zoology, andsexologist who in 1947 founded the Institute for Sex Research at Indiana University
• Curious about what ppl did in reproduction, mid-west classical guy
• Best known for writing "Sexual Behavior in the Human Male" (1948) and "Sexual Behavior in the Human Female" (1953), aka Kinsey Reports, they argued that pre-marital sex was good
• Became very famous, mainly cuz of Human Male novel cuz no premarital sex esp anal sex was allowed, ppl surprised by numbers. Writing about women one was not as popular
• Kinsey's research on human sexuality, foundational to the field of sexology, provoked controversy in the 1940s and 1950s.
• Rockfeller(?) stuff, stopped paying him, always defended himself, protrayed himself as disinterested about sex, if known less sales
• From writing, rejected any disapproval of sex, supported pedos
• His work has profoundly influenced social and cultural values in the United States, as well as internationally.

"Sexual behavior in the Human Male" (1948)

• Best known for writing "Sexual Behavior in the Human Male" (1948), aka Kinsey Reports, argued that pre-marital sex was good
• Became very popular, best-seller
• 85% men has pre-mar sex, Kinsey believed that healthy sex earned from experience = Healthy Marriage
• Numbers surprised many people
• Later wrote female version in 1953, Kinsey's evidence suggested that women were less sexually active than men in all aspects of sexual life but that they were still more sexual than they were considered at time, coming off as very sexist which made ppl become disinterested