Cold War Superpowers Face Off

After WWII During WWII – Soviet Union and U.S. were allies However, after WWII, competing political philosophies would lead to conflict for half a century = The Cold War

Yalta Conference: A Post War Plan Feb., 1945 (war is not over yet) Purpose: 1. divide Germany into zones controlled by Allied military; 2. Germany to pay Soviet Union to cover loss of life and property during the war.

Stalin agreed to join the war against Japan. He also promised that Eastern Europeans would have free elections. Winston Churchill (Eng.) was skeptical that Stalin would honor his promises.

United Nations June, 1945 – U.S. and Soviets joined 48 other nations Purpose: to protect members (General Assembly) against aggression. Based in New York

Security Counsel: had the real power to investigate and settle disputes. Britain, U.S., China, France and Soviet Union were prominent countries Different Effects from the War: Even after Yalta, the Soviets and U.S. split sharply The U.S. suffered 400,000 deaths The Soviets suffered at least 50 times that much A lot of Soviet cities were demolished

Different Goals U.S.: Soviet Union: Encourage democracy and discourage Communist governments Access to raw materials and markets in other countries Rebuild European governments to promote new markets for U.S. Reunite Germany to stabilize it and increase security in Europe Soviet Union: Encourage communism as part of a worldwide workers revolution Rebuild its economy using Eastern Europe’s raw materials and equipment Control Eastern Europe to protect Soviet borders and balance U.S. influence in Western Europe. Keep German divided to prevent it waging war again.

Eastern Europe’s Iron Curtain A wall of protection Stalin ignored the Treaty of Yalta FDR dies April 12, 1945 Harry Truman now U.S. president and resents Soviets going back on the Yalta treaty.

- Churchill, Truman and Stalin meet at Potsdam, Germany – July, 1945 Stalin refuses to allow free elections 1946 – Stalin declares that communism and capitalism cannot exist in the same world. Result: Now Europe is divided between East and West. Germany is split into two sections: Soviets control the eastern part including half of Berlin Renamed the German Democratic Republic (although Communist) The western zones became the Federal Republic of Germany (1949) “Iron Curtain” coined by Churchill in a speech. It was an imaginary ‘curtain.’

Containment Is a policy directed at blocking Soviet influence and stopping the expansion of communism. Included: forming alliances and helping weak countries resist Soviet advances.

The Truman Doctrine - 1947 Truman’s support for countries that rejected communism. Very controversial – not the business of the U.S. to crusade against communism.

Marshall Plan - 1947 Assistance program ($12 billion) to provide aid to needy European countries. Huge success even for those countries that broke away from Soviet domination.

Berlin Airlift - 1948 France, Britain and the U.S. decided to withdraw from Germany, so that Germany could form one nation. The Soviet Union held West Berlin Hostage

The Blockade Germany was divided into four zones; Berlin was also divided into four zones. West Berlin was denied water, rail traffic, highway traffic. The city faced starvation.

The gamble: The Soviets believed that the Allies would give up on unifying Germany. What happened: the U.S. and Britain flew food and supplies into West Berlin for 11 months. May 1949 – the Soviet Union admitted defeat and lifted the blockade.

The Cold War Divides the World These conflicts started the Cold War between the U.S. and Soviet Union. Definition: is a struggle over political differences carried on by means short of military action or war (non violent). 1949 – Super powers start using spying techniques, propaganda, secret operations, etc. dealing with each other.

NATO 1949 – 10 western European nations joined the U.S. and Canada Objective: to form a defensive military alliance. An attack on any NATO member would be met with armed force by all member nations.

Warsaw Pact - 1955 Soviet Union made their own alliance. They saw NATO as a threat. Included: E. Ger-many, Czecho-slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania

Berlin Wall - 1961 E. Germans built a wall to separate East and West Berlin. It symbolized a world divided into rival camps. 12 ft. high, 103 miles It came down- Nov. 9, 1989 Non-joiners of either alliance: China and India

*** You Tube: “Germany Post War Iron Curtain, The Berlin Wall 1962”

Threat of Nuclear War !! U.S. had bombs 1949 – Soviet Union exploded its own atomic weapon. 1950-Pres. Truman authorized work for a thermonuclear weapon before the Soviet Union.

The Hydrogen Bomb Much more powerful than the “A” bomb. Power comes from the fusion of atoms “H” bomb = splitting of atoms 1952 – the U.S. tested the first H bomb 1953 – Soviets exploded their own; now they too have bombs

Brinksmanship (going to the brink or edge of war) 1953 – Eisenhower becomes President He appointed anti-Communist John Foster Dulles as Secty of State. Dulles stated that if the Soviet Union or its supporters attacked U.S. interests – the U.S. would ‘retaliate instantly’ – the U.S. would use whatever means, whatever place An arms race started with the U.S. and Soviet Union stockpiling nuclear weapons

Race to Space 1957 (Aug.)– Soviets announce the development of a rocket that could travel great distances (ICBM – intercontinental ballistic missile) Oct. – Sputnik – first unmanned satellite above the earth’s atmosphere

Impact to Americans Felt that U.S. was behind in science and technology Poured lots of money into science education 1958 – U.S. launched its own satellite

**** YouTube: “Sputkik” 9:38

U-2 Incident 1955 Eisenhower proposed that the U.S. and Soviet Union could fly above each country to prevent surprise nuclear attacks Soviet Union – said no! 1960 – CIA developed high-altitude spy planes (U-2) Soviet Union shot one down, captured the pilot (Gary Powers). The pilot was to take photographs of territory in Russia that had been previously denied to the U.S. This incident in- creased Cold War tensions.

**** You Tube: “Cold War Crisis, The U-2 Incident” 4:17

Assignment: Draw a political cartoon depicting the conflicts (one or more) between the U.S. and Soviet Union during the Cold War. Use your notes or refer to pgs. 531 – 536 in your textbook You can have more than one frame. ********** Make sure you label your illustrations so the reader can make sense of your cartoon. Title your cartoon with an original title Don’t forget your name! Due: next class