The Cold War USA vs Soviet Union

Introduction USA- Democracy and Capitalism Soviet Union- Totalitarian and Communist Buffer Zone

Containment USA feared spread of Communism Iron Curtain- Imaginary line between sides Truman Doctrine- Aid to nations threatened by communism Containment Policy- Keep communism from spreading Marshall Plan- Economic aid to war-torn Europe

Berlin Crisis Divide up Germany USSR wants to punish Germany Soviets create Blockade Berlin Airlift Berlin also divided

NATO and Warsaw Pact North Atlantic Treaty Organization Warsaw Pact Western Allies If one is attacked all are attacked Warsaw Pact Communist version of NATO

Nuclear Arms Race Soviets create nuclear weapons 40 year race to develop WMD

Korean War China becomes communist Containment tested in Korea North Korea=Communist, South Korea=backed by USA US troops defend against North invading “Ends” in a stalemate 38th Parallel

Sputnik and Nuclear Arms Soviets Test Nuclear Weapon Sputnik- 1958 Soviet satellite Creation of NASA Preparation for Nuclear War Bomb shelters School Drills (Bomb Proof Desks) US U2 Spy plane shot down over Soviet Union Nikita Khrushchev- Soviet Leader

Berlin Wall Flood of Germans from East to West Berlin 1961 start building Berlin Wall Symbol of Iron Curtain

Bay of Pigs 1959 Fidel Castro takes over Cuba USA passes embargo Cuba starts working with USSR Eisenhower prepares Cuban refugees 1500 Cuban Refugees land JFK cancels air support

Cuban Missile Crisis Khrushchev starts working on missile bases in Cuba USA starts blockade on Cuba JFK threatens retaliation USA Blockade Secret treaties Khrushchev looks bad JFK Assassinated

Domino Theory If one country falls, another will. Vietnam War- US wanted to prevent North Vietnam from taking over South

Detente Thawing of the Cold War. Ease of tensions. Richard Nixon travels to China Nixon to Moscow SALT 1 (Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty)

Reagan Years Calls USSR “Evil Empire” Aids anti-communist movements Sends money to the “Contras” in Nicaragua Iran-Contra Affair “Peace through strength” 1.5 Trillion on defense Star Wars USSR tries to match US Mikhail Gorbechev signs INF w/Reagan

Collapse of Communism “Mr. Gorbechev, tear down this wall!” Glasnost- Political openness Perestroika- Restructuring of Soviet Economy Berlin Wall is dismantled Boris Yeltsin oversees the dissolution of Soviet Union