The Cold War: 1945-1991 Chapter Eighteen
Cold War Objective To understand international and domestic tension resulting from the Cold War
Origins of the Cold War Section One
What was the Cold War? USA and USSR had extremely different economic and political beliefs These two superpowers were the political and military leaders of the world who had considerable influence Both wanted world domination and would do anything short of nuclear “hot” war Both would use the threat of force, propaganda, and military or economic influence in regions
The Ideological Struggle US & the Western Democracies Soviet & Eastern Bloc Nations (“Iron Curtain”) GOAL → “Containment” of Communism & the eventual collapse of the Communist world GOAL → spread world-wide Communism METHODOLOGIES: Espionage (KGB vs. CIA) Arms Race (nuclear escalation) Ideological Competition for the minds and hearts of Third World peoples (Communist govt. & command economy vs. democratic govt. & capitalist economy) Bi-Polarization of Europe (NATO vs. Warsaw Pact)
Proxy War Proxy War:wars where there was no direct fighting between the USA and the USSR but done through their potential friends or allies
The “Iron Curtain” From Stettin in the Balkans, to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lies the ancient capitals of Central and Eastern Europe. -- Sir Winston Churchill, 1946
Truman Doctrine (1947) The U. S. should support free peoples throughout the world who were resisting takeovers by armed minorities or outside pressures…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 Turkey under pressure from the USSR for concessions in the Dardanelles American military would be available to any nation threatened by communism
was to contain the spread of Communism ** Truman Doctrine (1947) ** Truman Doctrine’s main goal was to contain the spread of Communism **
Marshall Plan (1948) “European Recovery Program” WWII severely weakened the European economies The USA feared an economic collapse would lead to the spread of communism The U.S. depended on these allies for support Secretary of State George Marshall “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. I propose an economic aid program that will see the USA give $13 billion over 4 yrs.” Western nations accept $$$, stabilize their economies and grow closer to the USA and away from Communism
Marshall Plan (1948) $12.5 billion of US aid to Western Europe extended to Eastern Europe & USSR, but this was rejected Eastern nations unite under Soviet aid
Post-War Germany
Berlin Blockade & Airlift (1948-49) Berlin Blockade - Soviets stripped their zone of all of its resources France, Great Britain, and USA give economic aid to their zones eventually united them into West Berlin. The capital of West Germany was Bonn. Stalin wants these nations to pull out of West Berlin which they do not The Berlin Blockade (1948-49) The Berlin Airlift - food and supplies dropped to the people of West Berlin In response, the Soviets established East Germany with its capital of East Berlin
Berlin Airlift Blockade of Berlin began on June 24, 1948 From June 1948 to May 1949, U.S. and British planes airlift 1.5 million tons of supplies to the residents of West Berlin After 200,000 flights, the Soviet Union lifts the blockade
The Arms Race: The Soviet Union exploded its first A-bomb in 1949 Now there were two nuclear superpowers!
NATO and the Warsaw Pact NATO is a western military alliance (1949) In response, the Soviet Union and its Eastern European allies sign a communist military alliance called the WARSAW PACT (1955) Soviets use the PACT to not only defend Eastern Europe but to also strengthen its hold on them.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (1949) United States Belgium Britain Canada Denmark France Iceland Italy Luxemburg Netherlands Norway Portugal 1952: Greece & Turkey 1955: West Germany 1983: Spain
Warsaw Pact (1955) U. S. S. R. Albania Bulgaria Czechoslovakia East Germany Hungary Poland Rumania
Warsaw Pact Nations that were under Soviet control under the Warsaw Pact were called Satellite Nations
The Bipolarization of Europe
Premier Nikita Khrushchev “About the capitalist states, it doesn't depend on you whether we (Soviet Union) exist. If you don't like us, don't accept our invitations, and don't invite us to come to see you. Whether you like it or not, history is on our side. We will bury you” -- 1956
Essential Question Describe how the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan deepened Cold War tensions. Answer the question in three complete sentences in your summary section