Falling Dominoes Create Waves of Repression

Falling Dominoes Create Waves of Repression

Domino theory would be the motivating factor behind CIA operation and U.S. military actions starting in the 1950's. Domino Theory has its roots in Truman Doctrine from 1947, and was exemplified by Eisenhower's famous speech in 1954. The theory was one which said that if one state in a region fell under the influence of communism then surrounding countries would also fall.

Courtesy of Katoomba.edu.au

Courtesy of Katoomba.edu.au

This was of great importance in regards to U.S. influence and resources in the Asia's. The chain of events was best described by then Vice-President Nixon, "If Indochina falls, Thailand is put in an almost impossible position. The same is true of Malaya with its rubber and tin. The same is true of Indonesia. If this whole part of Southeast Asia goes under Communist domination or Communist influence, Japan, who trades and must trade with this area in order to exist, must inevitably be oriented towards the Communist regime."¹  This foreign policy "objective" would be integral to the revolutions and massacres that would take place in Guatemala, Cuba, Brazil, Chile and Vietnam. This policy was the green light which gave the CIA free reign to wreak havoc on the world with secret ops and can be related to millions of deaths in every corner of the globe. Though most of these operations occurred in the black, Vietnam is perhaps the shining light of the theory, illuminating the lengths America went to prevent the dominoes from falling. Even if the lengths included the death of  3 million + Vietnamese and utter destruction of an entire country.² 

The 1960's and 70's would become a battle of empire vs. soul. A battle at home for social conditions would be presented side by side with that of empire abroad with men such as LBJ and Nixon at the helm. The same man who once said he was "...against sending American GIs into the mud and muck of Indochina on a blood-letting sprees to perpetuate colonialism and white man's exploitation in Asia."³,would escalate and send more troops and bombs into the jungles of Vietnam. We will see next week as a man whom supposedly prided himself on his vision for great social reform allowed his ego and the mantra of fighting communism force him to escalate a conflict was was perhaps "The Wrong War".


I have found a very interesting book review in which explores this issue of "The Wrong War, at the Wrong Time". The author of the book, Jeffrey Record, argues that it was profound misjudgment that lead us into Vietnam which then lead to a series of some of the most gross injustices every demonstrated by the United States government. The review from the New York Times can be found here. The book can be found below:

Amazon Link

1. Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick, The Untold History of The United States (New York: Gallery Books, 2012), 266
2. Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick, The Untold History of The United States (New York: Gallery Books, 2012), 387
3. Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick, The Untold History of The United States (New York: Gallery Books, 2012), 268
4.  http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/r/record-war.html 

"We're going to drop it on you." - Truman

In my first blog, I pointed to perhaps the first documented use of the nuclear weapon as a diplomatic tool during the Potsdam conference. Today I would like to further that point, as it leads us to the beginnings of the Cold War. In an examination of the origins of the Cold War, it is important to look back to when the historically traditional means of diplomacy took the fatal shift which evolved into 'Cold War Diplomacy'. Truman's announcement of the development of the bomb(to Stalin at Potsdam) would be the first of many occasions in which the United States would turn to nuclear posturing to gain favorable terms in place of traditionally diplomacy.

Truman's hints of the bombs existence would turn into a grim reality a few days later when the atomic bomb was used on the Japanese in a cruel showing of its destructive force. Though cited as necessary to ending the war in Japan, all this did was demonstrate the power in which the United States now held in a new era of warfare. This demonstration also conveniently helped usher in the already inevitable surrender of the Japanese that would largely cut Russia out of the post war spoils by preventing them from taking credit for their part in ending the war in the pacific. Though the bomb(s) were dropped on Japan, the message was to the world, particularly to Russia - The U.S. would be the great dictator of policy in this new era. With such an effective tool, what politician with power and influence would be able to deny the urge to use a device which would allow them to be god?

If you were to answer nobody, that answer would be wrong, there was at least one man whom was a strong advocate against this new U.S. foreign policy outlook. This man was Henry Wallace, who fought Truman and his advisors tooth and nail in an effort to prevent WWIII¹, a war which with new technology was doomed to be more costly than any war that preceded it. However, even with much support, his 'peace offensive' would fail and the U.S. would stride into the cold war with clinched fist.

During Wallace's 'peace offensive', Harry Truman regularly received council from Wallace and was often time noted in agreeing with him, but cooler heads would not prevail. In 1946 in the midst of a taking anti-armament and peace advice, Truman was using the bomb to threaten the Soviets to pull out of Iran, after they over stayed a deadline pushed for by the United States. It was revealed in a times magazine article by Senator Henry "Scoop" Jackson that Truman had told the Soviet Ambassador Andrei Gromyko that is the Soviet troops "...weren't out in forty-eight hours, We're going to drop it on you."² It worked, the Soviets pulled out, and for the third time in a year Truman had used the bomb as a successful tool in foreign policy. A few months later during failed negotiations of nuclear disarmament terms, the U.S. would add an exclamation point to their position in the new nuclear age with a bomb test at Bikini Atoll.

It is now very clear that perhaps the U.S. was not on the defensive against communism during the Cold War as it is traditionally taught, and perhaps that they were the aggressors in a conflict which would shape foreign policy for the next 50 years.  A policy which would be underpinned by the flash of nuclear energy. I found this very interesting video which highlights this perspective by illustrating every nuclear bomb explosion that has ever taken place on earth. It is interesting to notice patterns in which test explosion by the U.S. are often countered by test by the Russians and vice-versa. You will also notice the first 4 flashes in the video are all flashes which have been discussed in my first two post, and that those first few slow flashes eventually turn into a torrent of many thousand exclamation points by many countries.

1. Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick, The Untold History of The United States (New York: Gallery Books, 2012), 199-200

2. Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick, The Untold History of The United States (New York: Gallery Books, 2012), 196

Truman: Cold War Warrior or Atomic Bomb Bully?

Harry Truman is often heralded as one of the greatest presidents in U.S. history. He earned his place in legend with the decision to drop the atomic bomb on the Japanese, which has traditionally been considered instrumental in their surrender, and through his harsh cold war stance illustrated by the Truman Doctrine. Of course any champion of the American cause is to be pictured as a masculine figure, whom triumphed over the evils of the world and locked horns with mighty leaders around the world. One might be surprised to discover that Truman in fact was not the spitting image of a mighty hero, but a man whom once referred to himself as a "sissy".¹ 

Courtesy of Naval History and Heritage Command

Courtesy of Truman Library

How does the young feminine featured Truman on the left, one who sported "coke-bottle thick glasses" and was oft the target of grade school bullying2, become the strong confident champion of global diplomacy and nuclear warfare pictured on the right? A transformation that took a young man whom was chased home from school into his mothers embrace, ran failing business ventures, was unable to properly court his wife, who was then thrust into office on the hard work and determination of others to him becoming an undeniable politician capable of dictating post WWII conditions at the Potsdam conference. It makes you wonder if U.S. foreign policy would be dictated by the deeply fostered feelings of a distressed youth ripe with new found power or the minds behind the political maneuvering be the ones to you 'yes man' Truman to dictate cold war policy?

To me it would seem to that the answer is that this was a transition powered by nuclear energy. The bomb gave Truman the power to dictate on his terms, a position he was not accustomed to in regards to his youth and upbringing. Potsdam began with a reserved Truman, but ended with a bully of man whom flaunted his arrogance. A Soviet Marshal, Georgii Konstantinovich Zhukov, reflected upon observing Stalin receiving the news of the U.S. atomic bomb; "It was clear already then that the US Government intended to use the atomic weapon for the purpose of achieving its Imperialist goals from a position of strength in "the cold war." This was amply corroborated on August 6 and 8. Without any military need whatsoever, the Americans dropped two atomic bombs on the peaceful and densely-populated Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki."3 This was one of many observations among dignitaries which documented their interpretations of perhaps the very moment the Cold War started.

The power behind the throne aside, a confirmed successful bomb test and Potsdam marked a clear shift in Truman's attitude and of the appropriated use of the atomic bomb. From this point forward the U.S.(with Truman at the helm) would dictate Cold War policy with the atomic bomb in their hands.

1. Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick, The Untold History of The United States (New York: Gallery Books, 2012), 140

2. Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick, The Untold History of The United States (New York: Gallery Books, 2012), 141
3. http://www.dannen.com/decision/potsdam.html