Topic 1 intro power and ideas
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The document provides background on the shifting balance of power in East Asia after World War 2 and the onset of the Cold War between the US and USSR. It discusses: 1) How the US came to dominate Asia after WW2 due to other powers being weakened while the US emerged as a major superpower. 2) How the balance started to shift with the establishment of communist China in 1949 and challenges to Western colonial rule in Asia. 3) How the relationship between the former WW2 allies of the US and USSR soured due to clashes in ideology, military power, and spheres of influence, giving rise to the Cold War.
![The USA: Attitudes and ideology.
The Basically a speech of President Truman in front of the
Truman congress appealing for aid for Greece.
Doctrine.
In the speech, it contains praise on Democratic values, and
the importance of defending it.
Truman ask for $400 million aid for Greece and Turkey and
to request American military and economic advisors be sent
to those countries.
The purpose of this aid is to overcome the widespread
opposition within the United States to direct involvement in
Europe and to ensure that neither Greece and Turkey fell
under the Soviet control.
According to Walter Lippman, the impact of this doctrine is
that; “A vague global policy which sound like the tocsin
[alarm bell] of an ideological crusade, has no limits. It cannot
be controlled, its effects cannot be predicted‟.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/topic1intropowerandideas-130203052339-phpapp02/85/Topic-1-intro-power-and-ideas-16-320.jpg)
Topic 1 intro power and ideas
- 1. Introduction: Power and Ideas Chapter I Prepared by: HAFIDZ HAKIMI BIN HARON LLB (Hons.) IIUM Advocate and Solicitor ,High Court of Malaya
- 2. Background Second World War ended in 1945 claims over 60 million lives. In Europe; begun in 1939 when Germany attacked Poland. However in Asia; began in 1937, when Japan attacked nationalist China under Chiang Kai Shek. Japan lose, USA and Soviet Union won. Despite being allies in WW2, US involves in war with Soviet Union client, North Korea just 5 years later.
- 3. Power and states in East Asia, 1945- 1950 : The surrender and occupation of Japan. 3 major events that confirmed US dominance in Asia during sept and aug 1945: • 6th August: Atomic Bombing in Hiroshima • 9th August: Atomic Bombing in Nagasaki • 2nd September: Formal surrender by Japanese signed on USS Missouri; which made General Douglas McArthur as a new ruler of Japan. – Japan had became new „province‟ of Imperial America.
- 4. Power and states in East Asia, 1945-1950 : American Dominance in Asia Why American dominated Asia? a) Russia devastated by Germany in WW2; - in debt with the US for the last war effort. - Yet to have an atomic bomb like the US b) China devastated by Japan in WW2. - Chiang Kai Shek‟s government were corrupt. - Heavily dependent on the US support.(except Mao‟s northern region communist government) c) France struggling to re-impose colonial rules in Indo-China
- 5. Power and states in East Asia, 1945-1950 : American Dominance in Asia d) Britain lost its colonial power credibility. - exhausted from the world war 2 - Bankrupt - lived begging to the US! - India achieved its independence. e) US were new superpowers in 1945 - Infrastructures remain untouched by bombs during WW2. - Had 2/3 of the world‟s gold reserve - Half of the world‟s shipping industry - More than half of the world‟s manufactured goods - Possessed powerful and modern army, which stationed all over the world.
- 6. The Shifting Balance of Power In 1950; US supremacy seems still unchallenged. However there are series of developments which appeared to weaken the US global predominance: a. Unexpected defeat of the US backed regime in China under Chiang Kai Shek by the Communist action under the leadership of Mao Zedong – new People‟s Republic of China had been proclaimed in 1st October 1949 and later signed an alliance with the Soviet Union in 1950. – Chiang Kai Shek had retreated to Formosa, forming new nation of Taiwan.
- 7. The Shifting Balance of Power b. In Indo-China, the French struggling to resist Communist/ Nationalist leadership of Ho Chi Minh. c. In Japan, there was demonstrations against American control over the country.
- 8. Superpower Rivalry: Relations between the USA and the USSR After the war, US government had cut their military spending savagely; - which makes them short of many kinds of military equipment. But, the USSR had increased their spending on defense ; which to the some extent not just had rivaled the US forces, but also growing a gap between it. ◦ For instance; USSR- 2.6 millions army personnel and the US only had 640,000. USSR also had 30 armored division, but the US only one!
- 9. Superpower Rivalry: Relations between the USA and the USSR In addition to that, by August 1949, the USSR had also successfully developed its nuclear power capability. Thus, the US was not the only nuclear superpower anymore. The paper of No.68 of the National Security Council authored by Paul Nitze had highlighted this rivalry on military spending with the USSR. He even suggested that the original budget of $10.9 Billion in 1948 should be increased to $35billion to $50billion annually – as to contained the USSR.
- 10. Ideology and the Cold War Context By 1950, the relationship between 2 former alliance in the WW2 – the USSR and USA ; had gone soured, which brings military and diplomatic confrontation. Why? • First, by historical root. Previously in 19th Century there was always rivalry of Asian domination between Britain and Tsarist‟s Russia. – The USA just inherited the Britain’s role. • Secondly, Stalin‟s Russia had become more powerful than its former predecessor, the Tsars. Previously Russian territory had always been invaded by the Western European powers (Napoleon‟s French, The Third Reich of Germany etc). Thus, by learning from mistakes, Stalin had determined to stop these invasions from pushing its border westward and installed the communist government in all nominally independent countries of Eastern Europe. - However, in the eyes of Western democracies, this perceived as threats and aggression. The West also expecting the policy of the USSR in Asian countries would be similar as they did in Europe.
- 11. New dimension of the rivalry: The clash of ideologies. The rivalry between the US and the USSR were not just halted on the historical roots and political policies, but also expanded to the clash of ideologies between the two. However this is not new; even formerly in the clash between Britain‟s and Tsarist Russia, there was also an element of a clash of ideologies. Which back then, Britain consider herself as liberal power standing for the most advanced values of the age, while in the opposite, the Tsarist Russia was perceived as a bastion of reactionary stupidity and despotism
- 12. The USSR: Ideology In 1950; USSR was the champion of „Marxist Leninism‟. (Q: what is that? I would be grateful if you can tell me what it is =) ) To put insult to the injury, the Soviet regime openly proclaimed that there will be no long- term peace between capitalism and communism! + claimed that communism will eventually triumph the world. Russia saw herself as „the face of progress‟, while they labeled the US as the „bastion of capitalist selfishness‟.
- 13. The USSR: Ideology Stalin saw the Great Depression of 1929-1933 and the victory against the Nazi Germany in World War 2 as a source of the communism credibility as the hope of the mankind. – which they don‟t deserve it. Many intelligentsia in the west Soviet system is a cure to the western world ills. This also influences George Bernard Shaw, which produced a film which praising the Soviet system. There also Soviet agents in the West providing classified information of their government to the Soviet intelligence. Communism also spreading in the west; as result of distaste for the failing of the western society; unemployment, poverty, etc.
- 14. The USSR: Ideology However, while Soviet Union had been celebrated as the champion of communism by western idealist, the reality in Russia was much more bitter. In Russia there was oppressive and brutal regime, which practiced arbitrary arrest, torture, and total disregard of rule of law. Thus, the Bolshevik Revolution 1917 had been resulted to a formation of a totalitarian regime, rather than filling its initial aspiration, freedom.
- 15. The USA: Attitudes and ideology. Without a doubt, there is much wrong unsolved wrong in the American society particularly racism endemic in the southern states, inequalities of wealth etc. However there are still freedom and the rule of law existed in the US, which President Truman determined to defend against the Soviet regime. As according to Averell Harriman, US ambassador to Moscow; “… Soviet program is the establishment of totalitarianism, ending personal liberty and democracy as we know and respect it”.
- 16. The USA: Attitudes and ideology. The Basically a speech of President Truman in front of the Truman congress appealing for aid for Greece. Doctrine. In the speech, it contains praise on Democratic values, and the importance of defending it. Truman ask for $400 million aid for Greece and Turkey and to request American military and economic advisors be sent to those countries. The purpose of this aid is to overcome the widespread opposition within the United States to direct involvement in Europe and to ensure that neither Greece and Turkey fell under the Soviet control. According to Walter Lippman, the impact of this doctrine is that; “A vague global policy which sound like the tocsin [alarm bell] of an ideological crusade, has no limits. It cannot be controlled, its effects cannot be predicted‟.
- 17. The US domestic context – the shaping policy The USSR and China domestic Policy -Non democratic state; -Press and public opinion the leaders only consulted are influential senior figures in the ruling -Democratic country elite. -The US constitution -No freedom of press expressly prohibited any -Public opinion could be sort of authoritarian rule, The US domestic Policy largely discounted which invokes sharing of powers among different institution
- 18. Developments under President Truman A little bit about Harry S. Truman; • Was the US President in 1950 • Churchill described Truman as „modest little man with much to be modest about‟ • Truman basically not an educated man, since he was never entered into university , but he was a fast learner. • Won Presidential election in 1948 • It was during his time as a President the US involved in the Korean war. • While wishing to avoid third world war, he was not prepared to be pushed around ! • Truman adopted „containment‟ policy on communism; where communism should be accepted where it has established itself but must be resisted if it is sought to expand. • The success story of Truman also coincide with being surrounded by good foreign policy advisors. Among them was Dean Acheson, the Secretary of State during his era.
- 19. National Security Act of 1947 The Act had brings the Establishments of two new institutions; The National Security The Central Intelligence Council (NSC) Agency (CIA) • Set up to advice the • In the first instance many President in the new had been prejudiced to this context of Cold War agency as it seems to be a threat to American libertarian values. But later it enjoys an escalating budget both for intelligence purposes and covert operations. • Have army experts in • Highly influential, working disposal, also producing directly under the several influential policy secretary of defense, and statements; such as NSC 68 the President (Joint Chief of staffs)
- 20. National Security Act of 1947 However, unlike the political system in the USSR (totalitarian system), the US executive could not operate without the co-operation of the Legislature.
- 21. Mc Carthyism Named after Senator Joseph Mc Arthy of Wisconsin – which initially voted as the worst senator by the press. He had few friends – even in his own Republican Party. However in 1950, he had launched a campaign against communist infiltration of the government A month later he made a speech that claiming that he knew 205 communist had already infiltrated the State Department. His campaign and allegations; even though much of them did not possessed evidential credibility; had sparked the awareness on anti-communism among the masses. The Anti-Communist sentiment was also being shared by the fellow senators including Joseph and Jack Kennedy, which later influenced the Truman‟s administration to conduct stricter foreign policy in matters concerning communism.
- 22. The Red Scare Means the Anti-Communist hysteria, or called „the red scare‟ Why there was THE RED SCARE in the first place ? 1. There had been serious Soviet penetration in the USA in the 1930‟s and 1940‟s. 2. Russian possessed an atomic bomb. 3. China had been „lost‟ to communism 4. Even a well connected US diplomat, Alger Hiss had supplied classified information to the USSR – high ranking penetration in the US government
- 23. Danke! Thank You