Chapter 33 – Restructuring the Postwar World1945 – PresentSections 1, 2, 3, 5

Section 1 – Cold War: Superpowers Face Off

Allies Become Enemies• US/USSR tension had

begun before WWII had ended•Nonaggression pact•Military strategy (USSR wanted more support)• Tehran Conference

(1943)

• The Soviets had also lost 50 times more people as result of WWII

Yalta and Potsdam• Yalta – Feb 1945 – The

Allies meet to discuss division of Germany into occupied zones• Soviets promise elections in the East

• Potsdam – after V-E Day – Allies meet again to discuss plan for post-war Europe

• Tension is apparent in all three meetings

United Nations• June 1945, the Allies

set aside differences to create the United Nations• The Big 5 had veto power (Brit, Fra, China, US, USSR)

The Iron Curtain• The Soviets, having a long

history of defeats, wanted a better buffer zone• They will use Eastern Europe to

create that buffer• Created “friendly” governments

in the countries they had pushed the Nazis out of

• The term “iron curtain” was used to describe the drastic differences between Western influenced (capitalist) countries and Soviet influenced (Communist) in Eastern Europe

Containment• Both sides believed

that the two systems could not exist together (cap vs com)

• Pres. Truman adopted a policy of actively preventing Soviet influence in foreign countries• Offered support to countries that rejected Communism (Truman Doctrine)

Marshall Plan• To aid the hurting Western

European countries recovery, Sec. of State George Marshall created a plan to provide resources• It convinced many nations to

turn away from Communism

• Nowhere was the approach to recovery more apparent than with the Berlin Airlift• Soviets blockaded West

Berlin, so we flew supplies in for 11 months

Alliances Form• The Cold War began in 1949, when the US and the

Soviets began devoting resources to bring the other country down without actually going to war

• Other countries will quickly take sides• The West became NATO (1949)• Eastern Europe formed the Warsaw Pact in response (1955)

On the Brink• The US revealed nuclear

weapons in 1945. The Soviets tested theirs in 1949

• We announced our willingness to go to war if the Soviets attacked any U.S. interests (brinkmanship)• This required a massive buildup of weaponry that the Soviets will match

Communists Take Power in ChinaChapter 33 – Section 2

Communists vs. Nationalists• While fighting the Japanese

during WWII, the Communists in China grew stronger• Mao Zedong controlled northern

China by winning the loyalty of peasants

• Once WWII was over, the civil war continued between the Communists and Nationalists

• Despite having a larger army and more money, the nationalists lacked the support of the people• By 1949, China was under the

control of the communists• Greatly increased American fears of

Communism Feb, 1949

Two Chinas• The nationalists had

fled to Taiwan and claimed to be in control• The world divides on recognition of two Chinas

• China will grow stronger and begin expanding under Mao Zedong with the Soviets as their closest ally.

Transforming China• Mao used Marxist

socialism to reshape China• Agrarian Reform Law (1950) redistributed land to the poor• Eventually forced to join

into collectives

• Nationalized many of the most important industries and began implementing five-year plans

Great Leap Forward• After his first five-year

plan proved successful, Mao sought to do even more

• In 1958, he announced his “Great Leap Forward”• Larger collective farms

(communes) – up to 25,000

• Poor planning and inefficiencies led to its collapse in 1961 after 20 million people starved to death

Theory Reality

New Policies• By the late 1950s,

China and the Soviets relationship began to tense. Each wanted to lead the world

• Mao had the government take a step back and allow for privatization

Cultural Revolution• To revive the spirit of

revolution, Mao targeted students, encouraging them to lead their own

• Students dropped out of school to form militias known as the Red Guards

• They led a massive revolution with the goal of social equality• Celebrate peasants/workers,

ostracize intellectuals

• Eventually the government had to tell the Guards to stop because the chaos was hurting the economy

Wars in Korea and VietnamChapter 33 – Section 3

A Divided Korea• Korea became

independent after WWII but was split at the 38th parallel• North - Japan surrendered to the Soviets• South – Japan surrendered to the US

• Same result as the post-war Germany

War Breaks Out• Both nations had mostly

withdrawn by 1949• The Soviets funneled

weapons to the North so they could capture the South• Invasion started June 25, 1950

(surprise attack)

• Under the leadership of General MacArthur, the UN intervened on behalf of S. Korea• Successfully pushed the North

Koreans back after near collapse

Continuation and Aftermath

• As the UN approached the Chinese border, the Chinese entered the fighting, pushing the UN forces back south

• By 1953, everyone was back to the “starting line” and an armistice was signed

• US aid to S. Korea has made them prosperous while the North has fallen to a series of dictators

War Vietnam Breaks Out• Ho Chi Minh sought

independence for Vietnam• Since France controlled it,

he turned to the Communists for support

• Since Japan took control during WWII, Ho Chi Minh thought independence would follow their defeat.• France disagreed

• France surrendered in 1954, but the US intervened

A Divided Vietnam• The domino theory

threat of communism, where 1 collapse would lead to many more, forced the US to support Ngo Dinh Diem, the anti-communist leader of South Vietnam• He was an unpopular

dictator which led to the rise of the Vietcong (pro-communist guerilla fighters in S. Vietnam) – ADD TO NOTES

US Intervention• Fearing communist

victory, the US increased its involvement significantly from 1960 to 1968

• Despite having a superior military, there were 2 major challenges for the US• Guerilla war in unfamiliar

territory• The South Vietnamese

government had very little support from its own people

Withdrawal• The unpopularity of

the war led to President Nixon’s Vietnamization• Beginning in 1969, the US would slowly withdraw troops• Last troops were out by 1973

• S. Vietnam was overrun 2 years later

The Cold War ThawsChapter 33 – Section 5

The USSR After Stalin• Moderate leaders

will replace the ultra-conservative Stalin (1953)• Soviet satellites (countries they had dominated post-WWII) became more autonomous in the 50s and 60s• Led to growing unrest within the satellites

Nikita Khrushchev• Replaced Stalin in

1953• Began destalinization – denounced Stalin’s policies of jailing and killing opposition

• While life became more liberal for Soviets citizens, life in the satellites remained oppressive

• Demonstrations/Protests were put down violently

Leonid Brezhnev• Khrushchev was thought

weak after the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.

• Brezhnev will replace him• Went back to an oppressive

regime, limiting human rights (speech and worship), censored the press

• Implemented the Brezhnev Doctrine• Gave the USSR the right to intervene in a country that abandoned Communist principles

Chinese-Soviet Split• Mao and Stalin had

signed a 30 year pact in 1950• It did not last that long

• China became more independent in decision making

• Frustration increased over the USSR’s refusal to share nuclear secrets and ending economic aid

Détente• Brinkmanship had

continuously escalated in the 50’s and 60’s, coming extremely close to nuclear war in 1962 (Cuban Missile Crisis)

• With the protests that came with Vietnam, Nixon felt a need to end the internal crisis in America• He sought to lessen the

tension with the USSR (détente)

Détente Spreads• Nixon will become the first

president to visit China since the Cold War began

• In 1972, he met with Brezhnev and signed the SALT I Treaty• Limited the number of nuclear weapons each country could have

• In 1975, with the US and USSR leading the way, 33 nations will sign a commitment to cooperation

Détente Collapses• Soviet aggression in the

late 1970s led to mistrust by the US Government

• Pres. Reagan will be elected in large part because of his anti-communist attitude• Resumed heavy spending

on defense (“Star Wars”)

• A new Soviet leader would be needed to return to détente.