The Cold War Begins Cold War Unit

Essential Question How did key events shape the course and outcome of the Cold War?

Warm Up: Choose ONE and answer. Explain some causes of the Cold War. Describe what was the U.S. policy toward Communism. Explain how the U.S. intended to fight Communism.

What is a “Cold War?” The Cold War is defined as: The state of political hostility that existed between the Soviet bloc countries and the U.S.-led Western powers from 1945- 1990.

Division of Germany Remember that after World War II, Germany was divided in to four separate zones; American French British Soviet

City of Berlin Berlin, the capital of Germany, became contested because it was within the Soviet sector. It was also divided in four causing conflict and disagreement over how it should be governed.

Assessment Prompt 1 5 Words about the impact of the division of Germany.

Conflicts Over Berlin The U.S., France, and England agreed to unify their zones to create West Germany in 1949. The Soviet Union was not happy with this decision and attempted to block West Berlin from receiving supplies. They blocked roads and railroads entering the city from the west.

Berlin Airlift The U.S., France, and England responded immediately with what was known as the Berlin Airlift. Planes landed every three minutes for months bringing needed supplies to the city. Stalin decided to end the blockade instead of firing at the planes in fear of a German uprising.

Point Four Program The U.S. believed that the USSR was targeting small, developing countries to spread communism. Congress approved Truman’s Point Four Program which would provide financial assistance for technical development programs in Europe, Africa, and Asia. Aid was also given to countries such as Pakistan, Israel, and Iran.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization April 1949, the U.S. and 11 Western European countries signed a security agreement. Essentially, this agreement said an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. Soviets responded with a similar agreement with 7 Eastern European nations known as the Warsaw Pact. The Soviets exploded an atomic bomb. The U.S. responded by giving money to Western Europe.

Assessment Prompt 2 How does American foreign policy after World War II demonstrate the fears of the American government?

The Cold War Escalates NATO, 1949 Mutual Defense Treaty 50 Army divisions by 1953. Warsaw Pact, 1955 Allows USSR to station troops in satellite nations

Conflict in Communist Controlled Lands East Germans, specifically East Berlin, attempt to go in to the West. Soviets attempt to stop this emigration with various other tactics. Conflicts in other Soviet lands arise due to working conditions and the demand of the increase in production.

Berlin Wall The USSR demanded that Western militaries be removed from West Berlin in 1961. President Kennedy increased military funding and numbers. The Soviets built a wall to separate the two sections of Berlin in August 1961 to keep people from fleeing. The Berlin Wall became a huge symbol of the Cold War.

Graphic Organizer/Assessment Prompt 3 Cold War

Journal Answer the EQ: How did key events shape the course and outcome of the Cold War? Consider the following: Truman’s response to the blockade of Berlin. The Four Point Program NATO and the Warsaw Pact The Berlin Wall