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Summary IB DP history notes "Cold War in the Americas" - paper 3 HL

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Senior / 12th Grade

Extensive notes on the unit "Cold War in the Americas" for IB DP history paper 3 (HL). The document includes detailed notes, historiography, summary tables, and past paper questions. It was created using a variety of textbooks and class lectures and it allowed me (a history HL student) to receive ...

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history
paper 3
cold war
americas
cold war in the americas
eisenhower
truman
the vietnam war
cuba
kennedy
carter
the korean war
the new look
historiography
ib
dp

Institution Senior / 12th grade
Course IB history
School year 4

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History Notes Cold War in the Americas

Table of Contents
US Foreign policy pre-1945 ................................................................................................. 2
President Truman and the Cold War ................................................................................... 3
The Korean War (1950-1953).............................................................................................. 8
President Eisenhower and the “New Look”....................................................................... 13
Cold War in the Americas – US in Vietnam ....................................................................... 18
Cold War in the Americas – The Cuban RevoluTon............................................................ 35
Cold War in the Americas – Kennedy and Carter ............................................................... 41
Cold War in the Americas – Cuba during the Cold War...................................................... 57
The Americas – The Impact of the Cold War on LaTn America .......................................... 67
Past paper quesTons ........................................................................................................ 71

, US Foreign policy pre-1945

The Monroe Doctrine (1823)
Any European country could not interfere in the poli3cal aﬀairs of South America. The United
States would recognize any interference in La3n America as a hos3le act to itself.

The Panama Canal (1903)
A?er acquiring Cuba as a protectorate, the USA built a canal in Panama to open trade routes
with Europe. They pressured Panama into a treaty to make the land surrounding Panama
American.
o La3n American countries grew resentment of the USA, calling it the “Colossus of the
North”.

The Roosevelt Corollary (1904)
An extension of the Monroe Doctrine, by which the United States granted itself the right to
intervene in La3n America if there were cases of long-term wrongdoing in internal events.
o This caused further resentment in La3n America, who were seen as inferior.

The Good Neighbor Policy (1933-1945)
There would be no more direct interven3on in La3n America, however, the US s3ll intervened
indirectly through economic power and by suppor3ng dictatorships. “No state has the right to
intervene in the eternal aﬀairs of another”.

Furthermore, it emphasized coopera3on and trade for valuable resources. LA felt a sense of
Neo-colonialism because the US was exploited by the USA for their goods.

The problems and goods of South America in 1945
o There were generally good rela3ons with the US. Their coopera3on during WWII
signiﬁcantly increased exports (Wheat and metals), beneﬁTng the economies.
o Most La3n American countries (except Chile) were dictatorships.
o The legacy of colonialism le? vulnerable agriculture-based economies, controlled by
white elites. There was thus a lot of poverty and inequality.
o The UN later cri3cised the US for stalling industrialists in La3n America. By
suppor3ng raw metal industries and agriculture, poverty remained, and the US
o rarely provided any development assistance.

The USA and Canada pre-1945
Canada remained loyal to Britain more than the United States. During the 1920s, developed
plans to defend each their borders, fearing one another’s presence. However, during WWII,
their rela3ons slightly improved.

, President Truman and the Cold War
The United States feared communism because it seemed expansive by nature and suppressed
human rights. They (communism and capitalism) both saw each other as expanding and
compe3ng systems, posing a threat to domes3c security. During WWII rela3ons between the
USSR and the US brieﬂy improved, shaping the Grand alliance. However, tensions arose not
long a?er and their coopera3on collapsed. Truman was president from 1945 to 1953.

The Truman Doctrine (1947) - containment.
o The United States was to provide aid and assistance to na3ons under threat of
communist subjuga3on. A declara3on of the Cold War, seTng the tone for future US
policy. In his speech delivered to Congress, Truman ar3culated the threat of
communism, to obtain aid (had to jus3fy the policy).

Eﬀect on La3n America
The Rio Conferences (1947)
At this conference, the United States and 19 La3n American countries signed a collec3ve
security treaty. This meant “an acack on one is an acack on all”.
• For the USA this was important in the ﬁght against communism and in line with the
Truman Doctrine.
o Some countries like Cuba and Brazil banned communist organiza3ons. But
some countries felt like they had been made compulsory allies of the US.
• La3n America aimed to obtain US Marshall aid, and a guarantee that the United
States would not violate La3n American sovereignty.
o But they didn’t get any because European recovery took precedence over LA.

The OrganizaOon of American States (OAS, 1948)
A diploma3c organiza3on, in which regional concerns could be discussed and consulted.
• To La3n America, this intended to increase coopera3on and assist the Rio agreements
(it was a UN alterna3ve, in which they could vote for resolu3ons).
• However, in the United States, this represented unity against communism and a way
through which the United States could prac3ce its interest in La3n America.

RelaOons with LaOn America under Truman – the rise of anO-Americanism.
• La3n America urged the US to provide economic aid to their countries. However,
compared to the rest of the world they received licle aid (79 million vs 18 billion).
o This is because the CIA didn’t see La3n America under threat of communist
expansionism, and thus not an aid priority.
• Truman signalled that his administra3on saw La3n America as a low priority. On the
same level as Africa in their development programs.
o This contrasted with “good neighbour” Roosevelt, who convinced LA that they
were a top priority in US policy.

, Domes'c impacts (McCarthyism)
Policy = a government’s goals and ac3ons
Culture = A set of behaviors
The 1st amendment = guarantees freedoms concerning the expression of beliefs.
The 5th amendment = right to not self-incriminate

American society had always shown a general dislike towards communism. As an atheist
system, the system was generally considered to be subversive and dangerous to American
security. A?er WWII, communism became known as aggressive and repressive. Combined
with the threat of Soviet military strength, this introduced a new heightened fear.

The Red Scare – originated in 1917 and is seen as an outburst of an3-communist hysteria. In
this hysteria, it was feared that communists are everywhere and that they form a danger to
individuals and the system.

Joseph McCarthy – The U.S. republican senator who hyped up an3-communist hysteria
desiring good publicity. Throughout the late 40s and early 50s, he led commicees that
inves3gated communist subversives. He got away with his lies because of pre-exis3ng
communist fears and apparent Soviet success. In 1955 he was censured by the state because
he acacked the US army.
• Ini3ated the witch and heightened Cold War fears (in the public)
• Par3ally lost the democra3c government the 1952 à all le? seen as bad by the public.
o He called candidate Adlai “pink” and “fruity”, implying communist sympathies.
o Democra3c governments feared standing up against McCarthy

McCarthyism (1950-1960) – A period of poli3cal repression of le?-winged liberals
accompanied by a campaign that fostered fear of a communist insurrec3on.

Reasons for the Red Scare (communist successes).
• “The loss of China” -> made Truman less hesitant to oppose McCarthy’s and
Republicans’ ideas.
• The detona3on of the atomic bomb (1949), and spies that aided the process.

Socialist policy under Roosevelt (very mixed)
He also carried out socialist policies, such as the “New Deal policy”. Seeking to escape the
great depression through his policy he introduced social welfare and allowed trade unions to
be set up. Many even accused him of being a communist.

The Smith Act (1940) – It set criminal penal3es for advoca3ng to overthrow the government,
using force or violence. Was a result of growing fascist and communist fears. It was later used
by McCarthyists to legi3mize and prosecute alleged communists.

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