1. Cold War

2. Cold War
Period of distrust and misunderstanding between the Soviet Union and its former allies (particularly the U.S.) and began in 1945

3. Two Superpowers
Soviet Union – believed a powerful central government should control the economy
United States – believed that businesses should be privately owned with little government control

4. US vs USSR Each side thought the other was trying to rule the world
Both countries had the power to influence world events
Other countries around the world took sides
Became about Communism or capitalism

5. After World War II
Stalin, the leader of the USSR, put most of Eastern Europe under communist control
This becomes the Eastern Bloc

6. Iron Curtain
The division between West Europe and East Europe is known as the Iron Curtain

7. Division of Germany
Divided into four sections – U.S. , Great Britain, France and Soviet Union
1948 – western countries want to reunite Germany, Soviet Union did not
Soviets declared their section “ East Germany”
Western countries united Germany to form “West Germany”

8. New Alliances Formed NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
United States
Canada
United Kingdom
Western European Countries
WARSAW PACT
Soviet Union
Eastern European Countries

10. Berlin Wall 1961 – Communist leaders built the Berlin Wall
Built to keep two areas apart and keep people in East Germany and out of West Germany
Anyone who tried to cross the wall would be shot

12. End of Cold War and Fall of Soviet Union
Soviet Union was spending a lot of money putting down revolts in their country
1985 – Gorbachev
Leader of Soviet Union
Reduced government control and increased citizen’s rights
November 1989 – Berlin Wall was torn down
Germany began to reunite
1990 – Germany was totally reunited
Soviet Union broke up into many smaller countries
Largest country established was Russia