The Cold War

Germany & Japan Transformed Both Germany and Japan had been physically and socially devastated by World War II. The victorious Allied powers occupied the two countries, establishing democratic governments. Germany was deeply shaken by the experience of the Holocaust. Today, Germany’s relationship with the nation of Israel is very friendly-both share strong diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties. There has also been an attempt to compensate financially some of the victims of the Holocaust.

The Beginning of the Cold War: Germany 1948-1949

At the end of WWII, Germany was divided into four zones of occupation controlled by England, France, the Soviet Union, and the United States. Berlin, the German capital, was located in the Russian sector and also divided into four sectors, each occupied by one of the four Allies.

Disagreements during this period of occupation marked the beginning of the Cold War. The Cold War was a period of tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. This tension would ultimately last from the end of World War II to 1990. VS

WRONG COLD! This tension between the Soviet Union and the United States was a result of differences in political and economic thinking. In particular, the democratic, capitalist United States and the communist Soviet Union. It was a “cold” war because armed battle between the superpowers did not occur.

The western powers feared the spread of communism. Stalin had forced pro-communist governments in Poland, Czechoslovakia, and elsewhere. When Stalin began to put pressure on Greece and Turkey, the United States took action.

Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” Speech The Cold War

In his 1946 speech at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, Prime Minister Winston Churchill of Great Britain cautioned the world about the threat of communist expansion. Churchill’s phrase “Iron Curtain” was in reference to the recognizable division between the free Western Europe and the communist Eastern Europe.

The Truman Doctrine The Cold War

In March of 1947, United States President Harry S In March of 1947, United States President Harry S. Truman established a policy known as the Truman Doctrine. This was an economic and military program designed to strengthen democratic governments and lesson the appeal of communism.

It was based on the theory of containment, which involved limiting communism to areas already under Soviet control. The United States pledged to resist Soviet expansion anywhere in the world. Truman sent military and economic aid to Greece and Turkey so that they could resist the threat of communism.

The Marshall Plan The Cold War

The Marshall Plan, also proposed in 1947, was a massive economic aid package designed to strengthen democratic governments and lesson the appeal of communism. Billions of American dollars helped Western European countries recover from World War II.

Although the United States also offered this aid to Eastern Europe, Stalin forbade these countries to accept it.

The Berlin Airlift The Cold War

The division of Germany into four zones after World War II was supposed to be temporary. Soon Britain, France, and the United States had combined their democratically ruled zones. Tension grew between democratic western Germany and Soviet-controlled eastern Germany.

Germany became a major focus of Cold War tension. The Allies were trying to rebuild the German economy, but Stalin (Soviet Union) feared a strong, united Germany.

Berlin, the divided capital, was located entirely in East Germany.

In 1948, Stalin hoped to force the Allies out of Berlin by closing all land routes for bringing essential supplies (food, medicine, etc.) to West Berlin. In response to the crisis, the western powers mounted a successful airlift.                                                                                                        

For almost a year, food and supplies were flown into West Berlin. Finally, the Soviets ended the blockade.

A Divided Germany The Cold War

This incident, however, led to the creation of the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) in 1949. Germany, like the rest of Europe, remained divided.

In 1961, the East German government built a wall that separated East Berlin from West Berlin; known as the Berlin Wall. East German soldiers shot anyone who tried to escape from East Germany.

Berlin Wall Diagram

Economic Recovery & Cooperation in Europe

With aid from the Marshall Plan, Western European countries recovered quickly from World War II. The countries promoted their own prosperity through cooperation. The Common Market-In 1957, France, West Germany, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, and Luxemburg formed the European Community (EC) or Common Market to expand free trade. European Union-The EC expanded further and became the European Union (EU) with 25 member states by 2004, introducing the new currency, the euro.

Japan becomes an Economic Superpower

As the Cold War intensified Japan rebounded rapidly from the economic devastation that followed World War II. Japan sent many manufactured items to other countries, building a favorable balance of trade. A country that has a favorable balance of trade-exports more goods than it imports. As Japanese industry prospered, the nation engaged in increased trade with the United States.

Why do I need to know this? Because…

The Great Wall of the United States?

A once-radical idea to build a 2,000-mile steel-and-wire fence on the U.S.-Mexican border is gaining momentum amid warnings that terrorists can easily sneak into the country.

Fencing the border was originally proposed as an effort to stem the flow of illegal migrants and drug runners. Currently, the fence proposal is meeting extensive opposition within Congress and by environmentalists and human-rights activists.

How Would This Affect You Directly?

Aside from having our own “Great Wall” it is estimated that this proposal would end up costing U.S. taxpayers between $8 to $12 billion.

Opposing Military Alliances The Cold War

North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO After the Berlin airlift and the division of West Germany from East Germany, Western European countries formed a military alliance. This alliance was called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO.

Members of NATO pledged to support each other if any member nation was ever attacked.

The Warsaw Pact In 1955, the Soviet Union formed the Warsaw Pact. It included the Soviet Union and seven of its satellites (Soviet controlled countries) in Eastern Europe. This was also a defensive alliance, promising mutual military cooperation.

The Arms Race The Cold War

Both the United States and the Soviet Union armed themselves militarily, each preparing to withstand an attack from the other. The United States had developed the atomic bomb during World War II; Soviet scientists developed their own in 1949.

For 40 years, the two superpowers spent great amounts of money to develop more and more powerful weapons. The arms race raised the level of tension between the superpowers. It also raised fears among many people that the superpowers might become involved in a conflict that would destroy the world.

Why do I need to know this? Because…

Nuclear Weapons: Who had what, when, and how many Nation/ Year 1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 United States 6 3,057 31,265 26,675 22,941 14,766 U.S.S.R. 200 6,129 19,443 39,197 27,000 Britain 10 310 350 300 France 32 188 360 485 China 5 185 425

Today’s (2007) Nuclear Warhead #’s These are merely the reported and known number of nuclear weapons. United States-10,455 Russia-8,400 China-400 France-350 Israel-250 England-200 India-65 Pakistan-40 North Korea-8 Total (known)-20,168

The Space Race The Cold War

The superpowers also competed in space. In 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, a satellite, into orbit around the earth. Congress soon established NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, to improve American space technology.

In 1958, the United States launched its own first satellite. In 1961, the Soviets sent the first man into space. Then in 1969, the United States was the first nation to put a man on the moon.

The Korean and Vietnam Conflicts

In 1950 the Soviet backed North Korea invaded the U. S In 1950 the Soviet backed North Korea invaded the U.S. backed South Korea in an attempt to reunify the Korean peninsula. United States President Truman responded to this invasion by committing American troops to the war effort.

When Chinese forces entered the war in order to support the communist North Koreans the conflict reached a stalemate. On July 27, 1953 a ceasefire was formally reached creating the current border and DMZ along the 38th parallel.

The war in Korea lasted for more than three years and cost more than $15 billion. Approximately 34,000 Americans and 1 million Koreans and Chinese died in the conflict.

The Vietnam War erupted unofficially in 1959, officially in 1962, when the Soviet and China backed North Vietnam forces invaded U.S. backed South Vietnam in an effort to reunify the country under communist control.

The Vietnam conflict was the longest war in US history (11 years) The conflict officially ended on April 30 1975 when U.S. forces evacuated Saigon as it was being overrun by North Vietnam communist forces.

"War" on North Vietnam was never officially declared by the United States. A Cornell University study placed the over-all total U.S. cost of the Vietnam conflict at $200 Billion. Bomb tonnage dropped during the Vietnam conflict amounted to 1,000 lbs. for every man, woman and child in Vietnam. An estimated 70,000 draft evaders and "dodgers" were living in Canada by 1972.

An estimated 3 million people were killed by the war, and over 1 million were wounded. A total of 47,413 U.S. military forces were killed in during the duration of the Vietnam conflict.

Other Cold War Conflicts

The Invasion of Czechoslovakia Another rebellion against Soviet domination occurred in Czechoslovakia in the spring of 1968. Alexander Dubcek called for liberal reforms and the easing of communist controls. In response, the Soviet Union sent troops to overturn the government and restore a communist dictatorship.

Today…

Iraq

Why Do I Need To Know This? Because…

As of 2/22/09 4,247 U.S. soldiers have been killed in the Iraq War. 31,010 U.S. soldiers have been seriously wounded.

Estimated Iraqi Civilians Killed A United Nation’s issued report dated Sept 20, 2006 stated that Iraqi civilian causalities have been significantly under-reported. ▪ Casualties are reported at 50,000 to over 100,000, but may be much higher. ▪ Documented civilian deaths range between 90,077 to 90,735.

Journalists killed - 95 (59 by murder and 36 by acts of war.) Iraqi Insurgents Killed, Roughly Estimated - 55,000 Non-Iraqi Contractors and Civilian Workers Killed - 514

Current cost of the Iraq War… …505 billion of US taxpayers' dollars. The president has requested another $100 billion in war spending for 2007 and $140 billion for 2008. This would bring the cumulative total for the Iraq War to be over 700 billion U.S. taxpayers dollars.

QUALITY OF LIFE INDICATORS Iraqi Unemployment Rate - 27 to 60%, where curfew not in effect Consumer Price Inflation in 2006 - 50% Iraqi Children Suffering from Chronic Malnutrition - 25% in May 2006 Iraqis Displaced by Iraq War, as of Nov 2007 - 750,000 Iraqi Refugees in Syria & Jordan - 1.3 million to 1.75 million Percent of professionals who have left Iraq since 2003 - 40%

Iraqi Physicians Before 2003 Invasion - 34,000 Iraqi Physicians Who Have Left Iraq Since 2005 Invasion - 12,000 Iraqi Physicians Murdered Since 2003 Invasion - 2,000 Average Daily Hours Iraqi Homes Have Electricity - 10.8 Average Daily Hours Baghdad Homes Have Electricity - 5.9 Pre-War Daily Hours Baghdad Homes Have Electricity - 16 to 24 Number of Iraqi Homes Connected to Sewer Systems - 37% Percentage of Iraqi Homes with Access to Piped Water - 78%

Afghanistan

Why Do You Need To Know This? Because… 357 U.S. military forces have been killed in Afghanistan. 1,071 U.S. military forces have been seriously wounded in Afghanistan. As of 2006, the total amount appropriated for military operations in Afghanistan has been $83 billion.

OIL, OPEC & Economic Interdependence

Oil became the most important energy resource after World War II. Global economic interdependence is shown in the crisis, both past and present, that have developed over oil. Much of the world’s oil comes from the Middle East.

The Formation of OPEC In 1960, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela formed OPEC, whose initials stand for the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. OPEC’s goal was to control the oil industry by setting production levels and prices.

OPEC and Oil Crises In 1973, OPEC nations halted exports of oil to certain countries. Egypt and Israel were at war, and Arab countries declared the embargo against the United States and other countries that supported Israel. Prices skyrocketed, affecting western economies by slowing growth.

Collapse of the Soviet Union The Cold War

DÉTENTE By the 1970s, the Cold War had been going on for more than 25 years. Both the United States and Soviet Union realized that the tension could end in mutual destruction. Large amounts of money were spent by both powers on weapons.

Under their leaders, Richard Nixon and Leonid Brezhnev, the United States and the Soviet Union promoted a period of détente, or lessening of tension. Détente involved: 1) Arms control talks and treaties. 2) Cultural exchanges. 3) Trade agreements.

Gorbachev in the Soviet Union Collapse of the Soviet Union

In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev came to power in the Soviet Union. Gorbachev wanted to end Cold War tensions. He pulled troops out of Afghanistan, in which the Soviet Union invaded in 1979. Gorbachev also reformed the Soviet government and economy.

PERESTROIKA Gorbachev restructured the failing, state-run command economy in a process called perestroika. The goals were to stimulate economic growth and to make industry more efficient. Gorbachev also backed free market reforms. Perestroika also had some negative effects such as: inflation increased, and there were shortages of food and medicine.

GLASNOST Gorbachev also called for glasnost, or openness. This policy ended censorship and encouraged people to discuss openly the problems in the Soviet Union.

Eastern Europe Transformed Collapse of the Soviet Union

Lech Walesa & Solidarity in Poland Throughout Eastern Europe, Gorbachev’s reforms had sparked demands for democracy and national independence. In the 1980s, in Poland, economic hardships caused labor unrest.

Led by Lech Walesa, workers organized Solidarity, an independent trade union. With millions of members, Solidarity called for political change. At first, the Soviet Union pressured the Polish government to suppress Solidarity.

The government outlawed the union and arrested Walesa and other leaders. However, communism’s power was weakening. International pressure as well as internal pressure led to reform. In 1989, the first free elections in 50 years were held, and Solidarity candidates won. Lech Walesa became president.

East and West Germany United Collapse of the Soviet Union

Since World War II, Germany had been divided into a democratic western state and a communist eastern state. The Berlin Wall had been built in 1961 to keep East Germans from fleeing to the West.

The Fall of the Berlin Wall East Germans wanted to share in the prosperity and freedom enjoyed by West Germans. By 1989, East German leaders could no longer count on support from the Soviet Union. A rising wave of protests forced the communist government from power.

In November 1989, the Berlin Wall was torn down by joyous Germans.

Collapse of the Soviet Union Breakup of the U.S.S.R. Collapse of the Soviet Union

As Gorbachev eased political restrictions, people began to voice their nationalist sentiments. In 1991, the Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania regained their independence from the Soviet Union. Soon, all the Soviet republics declared their independence.

The Soviet Union ceased to exist. In mid-1991, communist hardliners tried to overthrow Gorbachev and his reforms. Their attempt failed, but Gorbachev soon resigned.

Difficult Challenges for Russia… …(former Soviet Union/U.S.S.R.) Collapse of the Soviet Union

Boris Yeltsin became the new Russian president after Gorbachev resigned. Yeltsin retired in 1999 and voters chose Vladimir Putin to succeed him. For the first time in Russian history, power passed peacefully from one elected leader to another.