1. The Cold War

2. The Cold War
A period of heightened tension between the US and the USSR without actual war
Lasted four decades, from 1947 to 1989
Ended once Soviet hegemony over Eastern Europe collapsed in 1989
Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991
After the Cold War a period of economic liberalization and political democratization followed

3. The Cold War: The Onset The gradual onset was between 1945 and 1947
Soviets were not willing to let free elections in Poland
The US terminated its lend-lease program in 1945
The US refused Soviet requests for loans in 1946
Divisions heightened about how to re-construct Germany
The American and the Soviet disagreement over the Far East
The atomic bomb

4. How to explain the spiral of hostility?
Bipolar structure of the postwar balance of power
European states emerged weak after the war
Both were bound to expand because of the security dilemma of states in an anarchic system: neither the Americans nor the Soviets could allow the other to dominate Europe

5. The Cold War: Declaration
Truman Doctrine & Marshall Plan of 1947
Soviet Union exploded its first atomic bomb
Chinese Communist Party took control in China
The Korean War was the last blow to turn mutual suspicions into an ideological war between the US and the USSR
The Cold War: Declaration

6. Germany: Microcosm of the Cold War politics
The US, France, Britain and Soviet Union were the occupying forces in Germany
In 1948, Western occupying forces issued a single currency
Soviets blockaded the city of Berlin in response
The blockade lasted until spring of 1949
Two separate German states were established by 1949: Federal Republic of Germany & The German Democratic Republic
mmute between two German states

7. A differentiating feature: Nuclear Arms Race
After atomic bomb, both countries developed hydrogen bomb in 1953
Space exploration became important: Soviets launched the first satellite, Sputnik I, in 1957
Intercontinental ballistic missiles followed
The “nuclear club” was extended further by 1974 as Britain, France, People’s Republic of China and India also developed the nuclear arms
A differentiating feature: Nuclear Arms Race

8. Growing importance of international & regional organizations
International Monetary Fund (1944)
The International Bank for Re-Construction and Development (1944)
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (1947)
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (1949)
Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (1949)
Warsaw Pact (1955)

9. Cuban Missile Crisis Closest call to a nuclear war in 1962
In response to US’s installation of ballistic missiles in the UK and Turkey, Soviets started installation in Cuba
US asked Soviets to dismantle the operation
In the end, Soviets dismantled the operation, the US declared that it would not invade Cuba
Also the US dismantled missiles deployed in Europe and Turkey
Cuban Missile Crisis

10. Détente throughout 60s & 70s
Hotline established between the Soviet and American leaders
A number of arms control treaties were signed, started with the Limited Test Ban in 1963
The Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I) in 1972
Détente throughout 60s & 70s

11. Communism as an ideology lost its appeal since Soviet’s reliance on brute force resulted in deep currents of suspicions especially across Central and Eastern Europe
Soviet Union could not sustain its economic development levels by late 70s and 80s
Lack of consumer goods resulted in public discontent; the economy lost its competitiveness
The US initiated “Strategic Defense Initiative” under Reagan administration
Balance between two super- powers was upset by 1980s
Towards the end

12. Soviet leadership under Gorbachev tried to re- structure its political and economic system: perestroika
His strategy was glastnost, or open discussion and transparency
Failed coup in August 1991
Disintegration of the Soviet Union by December 1991
End of the Cold War

15. Fukuyama: End of history? (1989)
Mass liberalization and democratization movements unfolded after the fall of communism
IMF & World Bank played significant roles in post- communist re-structuring
Political scientist Fukuyama argued that “the end of history” has come with the triumph of liberalism

16. Challenge to Fukuyama’s thesis