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the ways in which governments organized themselves began changing significantly in the 1950s

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in the mid-1950s, apart from India and Indonesia, the main empires are mainly still there

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British Commonwealth

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independent states that still regard the Queen as their sovereign

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dedicated to their common heritage

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political cooperation

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French colonial empire

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still had Indochina

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still controlled many parts of Africa

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the empires, however, are changing

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19th century Imperial partnerships

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colonial rules and colonial elites

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1950s, the elites are rising, e.g. the British influence recedes but is still present and even dominant, important groups are still deeply involved

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oil companies

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political advisers

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as decolonization unfolds, you change from one kind of partnership to another one

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a new association: the anti-Communist confederation, led by the USA

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the reason why we don't use the term "American Empire" because "empire" has a very specific meaning

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countries that are part of NATO are not part of an American empire since they remain independent countries

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they are, however, part of an anti-communist confederation

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confederation, n. a body of states united for certain common purposes, sovereign states united for common action in relation to externals

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Americans are interested and active in the domestic politics of the countries in the confederacy and visa versa

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German politicians lobbying members of congress

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American politicians forming kinships with this or that German political party

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in some cases the president has better relations with leaders of other countries than with leaders of specific States

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blended identity

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our interests and their interests are different yet blended

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the Rio Pact

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agreement signed on 1947

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an attack against one is to be considered an attack against them all

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North Atlantic Treaty Organization

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much interaction between politicians, military commanders

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Baghdad Pact or METO (Middle East Treaty Organization)

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included Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey, and the United Kingdom

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committed the nations to mutual cooperation and protection, as well as non-intervention in each other's affairs, its goal was to contain the Soviet Union by having a line of strong states along the USSR's southwestern frontier

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began disintegrating by end of 1950s, dissolved in 1979, partly due to resentment toward the British

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South-East Asia treaty organization

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Egypt

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1952 Revolution

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initially aimed at overthrowing King Farouk

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then to establish a republic, end the British occupation of the country, and secure the independence of Sudan, hitherto governed as an Anglo-Egyptian condominium

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British view on revolution

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threat to empire, threat to canal

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American view on revolution

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support Arab nationalism because it could be anti-communist

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so while the Americans are trying to be friends with Nasser, the British are trying to depose him

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Iran

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trying to regain full independence

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1940s trying to push out Russians

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British had left but retain a controlling interest in Iran's oil supply

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Iran tries to take over oil

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American's don't agree with British on oil and want to support Mosaddegh

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Mosaddegh

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understood these complications, he "oiled the wheels of chaos"

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nationalist

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wanted to reduce foreign influence

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not a brutal, military autocrat

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a liberal politician of an earlier era

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Americans worry that he will become a pawn of Communists

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Americans and British overthrow Mosaddegh and put back in the old ruling family in the person of the Shah of Iran living in exile in Rome

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Iran then became a member of the anti-Communist confederation for awhile

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British

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Egypt was trying to regain control of the Suez canal and Iran was trying to regain control of their oil

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Europe and Japan

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reborn in post-war years

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1950s-60s looked back on with nostalgia

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part of what is creating this boom is an alphabet soup of organizations

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GATT

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General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade

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lowered trade barriers

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ECA

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Economic Cooperation Administration

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organization that distributed the aid that required the European countries to work together

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EPU

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European Payments Union

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coordinating financial system

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a system for martial aid

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western Europe is becoming an economic entity

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European Coal and Steel Community

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coal and steel were seen as a sign of national power

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"SCAPanese" model

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Supreme Command of the Allied Powers

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the allied occupation authority in occupied Japan

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Japanese foreign minister Yoshida Shigeru

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Japan's increasing economic with offshore Asia

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with United States as a critical market for exports

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Japan passed over Russia's GDP and approached high income status

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South Korea

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takes longer to recover, was very war ravaged from Korean War

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much foreign aid from the United States

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1953 Stalin died

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North Koreans and Chinese backers decided to sign an armistice agreement, not a peace treaty, but a suspension of hostilities

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created a demilitarized zone

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growth of consensus politics

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big government

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big unions

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a sense that we can't and won't go back to the politics of the extremes

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even unsatisfactory compromises seemed more appealing than the alternatives

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Vietnam

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1954 war between the French and the Viet Minh

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conference in Geneva

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French would leave and Vietnam would hold elections

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French left but Vietnam never held elections

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instead, two states are created

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The New Communists

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in Western Europe Communism was still a powerful movement

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long-time followers

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became a community of outsiders in their countries

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Tito in Yugoslavia

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authoritarian state capitalism

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there was a danger that Stalin would invade Yugoslavia or try to get Tito out of the way

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but Stalin dies and Tito survives

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Yugoslavia was a mix between communism and democratic socialism

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Soviet Union

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great land development projects

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sharing of technical expertise with China

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warm period in 1950s in China

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old Communists wondered if Khrushchev and the new communists were still committed to the global cause of communism and the overthrown of capitalist, reactionaries and imperialists

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Khrushchev

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a blend of contradictions

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impulsive, earthy, crude at times, from humble beginnings

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no experience of world travel

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much experience in upper levels of Communist party

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survived the purges

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high hopes for Soviet Union in economic progress

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contrasted with Mao Zedong

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Mao says Soviets need to share their nuclear bomb

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Khrushchev uneasy about this

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1956: crisis year

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20th CPSU: Communist Party of the Soviet Union

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The Secret Speech

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long speech recounting the crimes of Stalin

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Mao's reaction to this speech: gave speech of his own: Stalin was 70% good and 30% bad

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Mao decides to embark on own path, China can move forward in real communism

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in Hungary and Poland communists try to embark on their own paths, but are squelched

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1957: Khrushchev moves against his own dissenters, but they are exiled, not shot

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1956/1957 change in world communism

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challenged from within

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but Khrushchev and Mao became competitors in extremist communism and a turning point in world communism was lost