“A STATE OF POLITICAL TENSION AND MILITARY RIVALRY BETWEEN NATIONS THAT STOPS SHORT OF FULL-SCALE WAR, ESPECIALLY THAT WHICH EXISTED BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND SOVIET UNION FOLLOWING WORLD WAR II.” - THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY The Cold War

When? It began right after World War II. It was begun by Stalin at Yalta in It began over Eastern Europe.

What? It was a rivalry between two superpowers - the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. (Soviet Union = Russia) The rivalry stopped short of violent confrontation because that would have meant nuclear war!

Who? 1940s + 50s-began the Cold War Cuban Missile Crisis 1960s +1970s-The Vietnam War 1991-the Cold War ended The Soviet Union- Stalin, Khrushchev, Brezhnev, Gorbachev The U.S.- Truman, Eisenhower (Ike), JFK, LBJ, Nixon, Reagan

Where? The First World- The U.S. and its allies in Western Europe. The Second World- The Soviet Union and its followers in Eastern Europe. The Third World-The two superpowers fought each other in developing countries. (Korea, Vietnam)

Military Alliances 1948 NATO- U.S. and Western Europe. (To prevent Soviet aggression in Western Europe.) 1955 The Warsaw Pact- U.S.S.R. and its satellites in Eastern Europe.

Hot Wars 1950 The Korean War North Korea vs South Korea (US) Ike got us out; ended in a draw, The Vietnam War North Vietnam vs South Vietnam (US) Nixon got out; communists won, 1975

Confrontations in Berlin 1948 The Berlin Blockade- The Soviets tried to evict the U.S. from Berlin The Berlin Wall- The Soviets built a wall around East Berlin. It was the symbol of the Cold War.

Confrontations in Cuba 1959 Cuban Revolution- Led by Fidel Castro, Cuba goes communist. Aided by the Soviet Union The Bay of Pigs- The CIA tried to overthrow the government of Cuba. It failed Cuban Missile Crisis- The Soviet Union put nuclear missiles in Cuba, aimed at the U.S.!

The CIA vs the KGB Whenever it looked like a country was going communist, the CIA overthrew the government Iran, Guatemala 1973 Chile

Revolts in Eastern Europe Hungary. Crushed by Soviet troops and tanks Czechoslovakia. Crushed by Soviet troops and tanks. Nicknamed “Prague Spring.” Poland. Gorbachev did not crush the uprising! Led by Lech Walesa and Solidarity.

The Middle East Israel. The U.S. backed Israel. USSR supported the Arab nations that attacked Israel Iran. The U.S. backed the Shah of Iran. USSR supported Ayatollah Khomeini

How did it end? Reagan U.S. President, Ronald Reagan was very popular. He did many shocking things... Reagan referred to the Soviet Union as “The Evil Empire.” He sounded like an old-time Cold Warrior. Berlin Wall: President Reagan went to Berlin and said, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” Reaganomics: He cut taxes, increased defense spending, and tripled the national debt! It appeared as if Reagan was bankrupting the U.S. Actually, he was in the process of bankrupting the Soviet Union. Star Wars: For Gorbachev, this was the last straw. Reagan proposed the Strategic Defense Initiative. High-tech stuff in outer space would shield the U.S. from nuclear attack. It cost billions and would have brought the arms race to a whole new level. The Soviet Union could never keep up with this.

How did it end? The Pope. Pope John Paul was born in Poland. He was the first non-Italian pope in 500 years. He encouraged his native Poland to rise up against communism. Solidarity: Lech Walesa and the dockworkers of Poland launched a popular movement. The Soviets (Gorbachev) did not send troops and tanks. Poland served as a model for all of Eastern Europe: It ended communism and became a free nation. In Germany, the people tore down the Berlin Wall. The rest of Eastern Europe ended communism and became free.

How did it end? Gorbachev. The communist leader of the Soviet Union He came to power in Economic crisis: The Soviet Union was in a terrible economic bind. The government was spending all its money on an arms race with the U.S. The Russian people were suffering and very angry. Glasnost: He allowed freedom of speech in the Soviet Union. (People could grouch.) The War in Afghanistan: He ended it and brought the boys home. The Russians were glad: Osama bin Laden was killing off their boys. The Arms Race: Gorbachev ended the U.S.-USSR arms race. He could not keep up; his country was financially bankrupt. Eastern Europe: When the people rose up in rebellion against communism, Gorbachev did not send in Soviet troops and tanks. For this, he won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Fin By 1989, the Berlin Wall fell. By 1990, all of Eastern Europe was free. By 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed.