 appointed ambassador to Russia Gen. Walter Bedell Smith preparing to leave Mar. 23 |
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Jan. 5 - Truman letter to Byrnes - no more recognition of communist governments.
- "I'm sick of babying the Soviets"
Feb. 9 - Stalin hostile speech - communism & capitalism were incompatible.
Feb. 10 - Churchill visit to Truman - argued for a hard-line response, need to create unified Anglo-American opposition to Stalin.
- considered to be the origin of the Cold War by Fraser Harbutt in Iron Curtain (1986)
Feb. 22 - Kennan's Long Telegram - 8000 words from Moscow embassy of U.S.
- Soviet power was the product of a "monolithic" ideology.
- Russian behavior determined by a "traditional and instinctive Russian sense of insecurity."
- "we have here a political force committed fanatically to the belief that with US there can be no permanent modus vivendi."
- spread of communism was the greatest danger to the free world, not Soviet army.
- communism is a "malignant parasite which feeds only on diseased tissue."
- "much depends on health and vigor of our own society." The greatest danger "is that we shall allow ourselves to become like those with whom we are coping."
Mar. 5 - Churchill's speech at Fulton, Missouri - an "iron curtain" has descended on Europe - map
Mar. 6 - Truman orders battleship USS Missouri to return the body of the late Turkish ambassador Mehmet Ertegun to Turkey (had died in the U.S. Nov. 11, 1944).
- left NYC Mar. 22 - arrived in Istanbul Apr. 5
- this was a demonstration of U.S. power opposing Russia demands on Turkey for Dardanelles base, 2 eastern provinces.
- son Ahmet Ertegun remained in U.S. with brother Nesuhi, was jazz lover, founded Atantic Records, promoted rhythm & blues of Big Joe Turner
Mar. 10 - Truman demanded Russia get out of Iran
- no oil concessions, no annexation of Azerbaijan - map
- Iran had protested Jan. 19 at the United Nations that held its 1st session in London starting Jan. 10, completed organization of the Security Council Feb. 1 with the election of Trygve Lie of Norway as the 1st Secretary-General.
- Mar. 28 newsreel "Reds Bolt UNO Meeting" about the start of Gromyko's 13-day boycott of the UN, from DVD58
Apr. 5 - Stalin agreed to remove all troops from Iran by May 6, leaving his puppet Azerbaijan Democratic Party without support.
Apr. 25 - Paris Peace Conference began.
- Ernest Bevin sought compromise, but Byrnes refusesd to make concessions.
- first conference of 21 nations ended in disagreement May 16.
- second conference June 15-July 12.
- third conference July 29-Oct. 15.
May - Lucius Clay stopped removal of reparations from West Germany.
June 14 - Baruch Plan proposed to keep A-bombs from Stalin.
- "we are here to make a choice between the quick and the dead."
- international Atomic Development Authority would control weapons, not any country, but U.S. could keep its stockpile, harsh sanctions for violators, no veto by any country allowed, Russia must stop developing any atomic weapons.
July 1 - Op. Crossroads began with Test Able
- "An American came to BIKINI. He said he was the most powerful man in the world and that he wanted to drop a bomb on BIKINI, so we would have to leave...." The words of KILON BAUNO chief of the BIKINIANS, "When the Bikini grew into a Mushroom?" from The Globe.
- The bomb was dropped from the B-29 "Dave's Dream" from the 509th - see the 509th Bomb Wing history from Whiteman AFB.
- Flashback: July 1, 1946 from Washington Post.
- recorded by 208 motion picture cameras, and radio station set up to broadcast the test - Radio Bikini documentary film 1988 produced by Robert Stone and Kevin Rafferty
- only 5 of 73 ships sunk; "keen disappointment" with "throwing atomic baseballs"
July 8 - "First Pictures Atomic Blast! The dramatic film history of the atom bomb test at Bikini!" (Universal Newsreel 19-518) DVD58
July 25 - Test Baker - underwater explosion
- Archeology of the Atomic Bomb report in pdf format
- The Marshallese, Chapter 12 of the Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Experiments - Final Report from DOE
- Bikini Atoll home page includes map
- radioactive mist and debris fell on USS Sumner
- the third Test Charlie was postponed
- "Underwater atom blast rocks Bikini" (Universal Newsreel 19-526) on DVD58
Aug. 1 - McMahon Act created Atomic Energy Commission
- civilian control - David Lilienthal
- but Vandenberg added Military Liaison Committee
Aug. - Truman supported Turkey opposition to Stalin's demands
- ordered aircraft carrier into Dardanelles
Sep. 12 - Henry Wallace speech critical of Truman's hard-line policies.
- instead, urged negotiation and compromise with Stalin.
- forced to resign as Secretary of Commerce Sep. 20.
- cartoon from J. Darling in Herald Tribune.
- Sep. 19 newsreel "Sec. Wallace Stirs Foreign Policy Debate" from DVD59
Nov. 4-Dec. 12 - Council of Foreign Ministers meeting at the Waldorf in New York.
- Byrnes and Molotov agreed on the minor treaties with Italy, Rumania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Finland.
- but Byrnes signed treaties in U.S. Jan. 20, did not attend signing in Paris Feb. 10, 1947.
- no agreement on a treaty with Germany or Austria.
- Nov. 11 newsreel "Big 4 Resume Talks" and Dec. 16 newsreel "UN and Big 4 Adjourn" from DVD59
Nov. 5 - midterm elections gave Republicans majority in the House 246-188 and in the Senate 51-45.
- 80th Congress led by Senators Robert Taft, Arthur Vandenberg, William Knowland, Carl Hayden, and House Majority Leader Joe Martin.
 Nuclear Arms Race |
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