An overview of the Cold War How can a war be ‘cold’? What were the Hotspots of the Cold War?
Cold War? The tension and rivalry between the USA and the USSR was described as the Cold War ( ). There was never a real war between the two sides between 1945 and 1990, but they were often very close to war (Hotspots). Both sides got involved in other conflicts in the world to either stop the spread of communism (USA) or help the spread (USSR).
After World War 2 the Cold War began and caused tension throughout the world. The USA and the USSR were the two world Superpowers. The USA was a capitalist society with a democracy. The USSR was a communist country with a dictatorship. Both wanted to be the most powerful nation in the world.
Nuclear tensions The USA had shown its atomic power when it exploded the A-bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War 2. The USSR was also developing atomic weapons/bombs. The USA and the USSR were in competition with each other to have the best, most powerful weapons in the world – this was called the Arms Race.
After World War 2, the world changed! Many countries became communist after World War 2 including: -Czechoslovakia (1948) -Poland (1947) -Hungary (1947) -China (1949) -Cuba (1959) -North Korea (1945)
The domino effect The USSR had a lot of influence over many of the new communist countries (especially those in Europe). The USA was very worried that the USSR’s influence over these countries was making the USSR and communism more powerful. The USA did not want communism to spread any further – they were worried about the domino effect (one country becomes communist, then another, then another etc)
Truman Doctrine 1947 Civil War in Greece. Turkey pressure from SU U. S. support free peoples throughout the world who were resisting takeovers…We must assist free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way. The U.S. gave Greece & Turkey $400 million in aid...to resist communist takeover
Secy of State-George Marshall Marshall Plan “European Recovery Program.” The U. S. should provide aid to all European nations that need it. This move is not against any country or doctrine, but against hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos. $12.5 billion of US aid to Western Europe extended to Eastern Europe & USSR, [but this was rejected—Soviet saw it as ‘buying support’].
Soviet Response to Marshall Plan COMECON-Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (Eastern Europe) Failed because Soviet Union could not provide large amounts of financial aid
Germany - divided
Post War Germany
Berlin Blockade & Airlift ( ) 200,000 flights 2.3 million tons of cargo Even Christmas presents that pilots often bought with their own $$$
Balance of Power NATO April 1949 Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Netherlands, GB, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Ireland, US, Canada…eventually W. Germany, Turkey & Greece Provide HELP if anyone was attacked Warsaw Pact 1955 Soviet Union, Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, E Germany, Hungary Poland & Romania Provide HELP if anyone was attacked
The Korean War: A “Police Action” ( )
The Korean War
The Berlin Wall 1961
The Cuban Missile Crisis 1962
Cuban Missile Crisis Soviets agreed to turn back its fleet and remove missiles from Cuba…in exchange for a promise that the US would not invade Cuba…and secretly remove US missiles from Turkey
The Vietnam War c
Stalin (Section 2) Soviet Union devastated—Stalin promotes economic recovery at citizen’s expense industry 40% Country STRONG, people MISERABLE e.g. extreme hardships, shortage of consumer goods, citizens lived in one room apt. DIES 1953— successor not EVIL
Khrushchev Era Eliminated Stalin’s violence, repression, terror (de-Stalinization) Tried to increase food production-failed Too much military spending Placing missiles in Cuba…voted out of office/forced retirement
IRON CURTAIN Eastern Europe falls under an “iron curtain”, Soviet controlled communist countries Few exceptions: Greece, Yugoslavia/Albania already had strong communist gov’ts in place, able to resist Nazi’s and Stalin’s demands
Western Europe Recovering nicely… Marshall Plan France-President de Gaulle wants to return France to “world super power” status— invests heavily in nuclear weapons… Problems remain…deGaulle resigns 1969
Western Europe continued… West Germany thrives (Federal Republic of Germany) GB declines as a world power..sets up a welfare state (nat’l health care $$ for unemployed, sick, aged) COSTLY.. decreases global colonies
US in the 1950s FDR’s New Deal influenced domestic policy Economic prosperity following WW 2. Cold War- McCarthyism Stop spread of communism 1954 Brown v. BOE
US in 1960s Civil Rights Act-1964 Social Upheaval e.g. Race riots, Kent State, Vietnam war protests; counterculture JFK assassinated, MLK assassinated, Robert Kennedy assassinated