1. The First Cold War IB History: The Cold War

2. About the Unit... In the unit we will explore various aspects of the Cold War which was a global political and economic conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR) that lasted from Topics Nature of the Cold War Origins of the Cold War The First Cold War (The first period of the Cold War) Fluctuating Relations From Detente to Second Cold War End of the Cold War

3. Continued disagreement... Continued disagreement following World War II combined with economic crisis fueled the competition between the United States and Soviet Union In 1946 the USA responds to the growth of communism in Europe and the economic crisis of post-WWII Europe by introducing the Truman Doctrine (policy to contain communism) and the Marshall Plan (economic help for US’s allies). In 1948 USA-Soviet relations completely breakdown when the Western European States (non-communist) joined each other in the Brussels Treaty and the USA, UK, and France merged their zones of Germany and Berlin. The Soviet Union responded by blockading Berlin. In 1949 NATO is created joining the Western European States in alliance with the USA, the Soviet Union gains nuclear weapons technology, and Germany is formally divided into two separate countries. West Germany (Capitalist/Democratic) and East Germany (Communist). Also in 1949, tension between the USA and Soviet Union spread from Europe to Asia as China became a communist country and communist North Korea invaded capitalist/democratic South Korea. In addition, the USA developed even stronger nuclear weapons technology with the introduction of the “hydrogen bomb.” There was a slight improvement in USA-Soviet relations when Josef Stalin died in 1953 and the USA, UK, and Soviet Union all agreed to attempt to negotiate over Cold War problems.

4. Map of NATO members Marshall Plan recipients

5. Developments in Asia and Indochina... Following WWII the USA had not been concerned about communism in Asia but as China became a communist country and communist North Korea invaded capitalist/democratic South Korea the USA was forced to respond The United States supported the Nationalist government in China during the Chinese Civil War, but withdrew their support in 1948 when it was clear the communist would win the war. The United States refused to recognize the communist government in China led by Mao Zedong, because they believed that the country would just become a tool of the Soviet Union. The establishment of communist in China was seen as a defeat of the USA’s Truman Doctrine (policy of containment). China and the Soviet Union established a formal treaty in 1950 which made the United States even more fearful of the growth of communism in Asia, so the United States began to aid the French in their fight against communists in Indochina, which would eventually lead to the Vietnam War. In 1950 Cold War tensions spread from China to Korea, which had been divided into North and South Korea, when communist North Korea invaded capitalist/democratic South Korea. The USA had been supporting South Korea and the Soviet Union supported North Korea, but the USA would actually send combat troops and enter the Korean War to stop the spread of communism.

6. Summary Continued disagreement following World War II combined with economic crisis fueled the competition between the United States and Soviet Union Following WWII the USA had not been concerned about communism in Asia but as China became a communist country and communist North Korea invaded capitalist/democratic South Korea the USA was forced to respond