Cold War

Vocabulary superpower - a powerful nation, especially one capable of influencing international events and the acts and policies of less powerful nations.

Nuclear- pertaining to or involving atomic weapons:

Iron Curtain - The military, political, and ideological barrier established between the Soviet bloc and western Europe from 1945 to 1990

Vocabulary

Containment - Truman’s idea to keep the Soviet Union from expanding their territory and influence

Eastern Bloc- The countries of eastern and central Europe that were under Soviet domination from the end of World War II until the collapse of the Soviet communist system in 1989–91, usually considered to include Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia.

Vocabulary

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)- United States, Canada, and 10 Western European countries agreed to protect each other from the Soviet Union or any other

Communist nation. Warsaw pact- Agreement between the Soviet Union and seven Eastern European to help each other if one was attacked. They also put down any rebellions against Communism.

Vocabulary

Glasnost - a Soviet Policy started by Gorbachev that allowed open discussion about the political system. Allowed freedom of speech and free elections.

What is a Cold War? Take a few minutes to complete your K-W-L Chart

● A Cold War is rivalry between nations, sustained hostile political policies and an atmosphere of strain between opposed countries.

● The Cold War was a rivalry between the United States and Soviet Union based on different political and economical ideas.

● It last over 40 years and although no major war was fought between the two countries and it involved an arms race, spying, tension, and the effects can still be seen today.

Background - United States

John LockeAll people are free and equal.“Life, Liberty, and Property”

MontesquieuSeparation of powers

Keep one person or groupFrom having complete

Control

RousseauPeople need to formTheir government

Background- United States

● founded on individual freedoms

● Individuals can improve themselves through hard work

● Free market economy allows individuals to have choice

Background - Soviet Union (USSR)

Karl Marx Wrote - The Communist Manifesto Business owners treat workers unfairly to in order to make money. The rich stay rich and the poor stay poor. Feel there should be no classes and people should share wealth

Vladimir Lenin Came to power during the Russian Revolution. Promised peace, food, and land. Became a dictator and started communism in Russia

Background - USSR ● Russia was ruled by czars and most people were serfs up till

1917● They had no freedoms, education, and payed little money ● After devastating loss in WWI, the Russian people revoluted ● Lenin came to power as a dictator and started Communism

promising land and bread. ● Government took over farms and the factories - people still did

not get their bread and land● Stalin then came to power and took away religion had a secret

police to scare people, but built up the military and industry

Put the following terms under the correct nationCommand economy

private ownership of property

Employment guaranteed free elections with choice of parties Freedom of press

State controls media: dissent crushed

high degree of the individual freedom

state ownership of property

free enterprise economy

One-Party dictatorship

No guaranteed employment for workers

Freedom of speech and religion suppressed

Compare and Contrast - check your work! United States ● free enterprise economy ● private ownership of property● No guaranteed employment for

workers● free elections with choice of

parties ● Freedom of press● high degree of the individual

freedom

USSR● Command economy ● state ownership of property ● Employment guaranteed ● One-Party dictatorship ● State controls media: dissent

crushed● Freedom of speech and religion

suppressed

Aftermath of World War II● rebuilding of Europe was left to the Allies

● The Soviet Union took Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and other nations of Eastern Europe.

● The United States and Great Britain took control of Western Europe.

● The United States implemented the Marshal Plan, and The Soviet Union forced Communism on the Counties to the east

Aftermath of World War II● Churchill warns of the spread of

Communism

● Talks about an Iron Curtain

● US. President Harry Truman wants to stop the spread of Communism and comes up the policy of Containment

A Divided BerlinAt the end of WWII, the Allies agreed to divide Germany into occupied zones. Berlin, Germany’s capital, would also be divided.

As competition and tension increased, Berlin’s location caused problems.

In June 1948, Stalin decided toclose all roads into Berlin fromWest Germany. People in WestBerlin now faced shortages andstarvation.

The Berlin Airlift The United States is unwilling to give up West Berlin, but also unwilling to let Berliners starve. President Truman decides to use an airlift.

For nearly a year, the U.S. dropped supplies into West Berlin daily. ● $224 million● 2,323,738 tons of supplies.● A new plane landed every 4 minutes!

After almost a year, Stalin gave in andreopened roads from the West. Berlin

became a symbol of Freedom.

The Nuclear Arms RaceBy 1949, the Soviet Union had developed its own atomic bomb. This was the start of the nuclear arms race where both countries competed to build the most powerful arsenals of weapons.

Hydrogen bombs were 1,000 X more powerful than the atomic bomb.

ICBMs could hit targets around the world. This constant fear of nuclear attack led

to an atmosphere of tension.

Both countries followed a policy of “mutually assured destruction”.

The Space RaceThe U.S. and U.S.S.R. competed for cultural and technological dominance. The country that ruled space would be seen as the world leader.

● Why do they care about space?

1957: Sputnik I- First artificial satellite. Sputnik II- First animal in space: Laika1958: Explorer 1 & 2- The U.S. reaches orbit.1961: Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man in space.1964: First close range images of the moon.1969: Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin set foot on the moon.

Spying Spies on both sides gathered information on each other’s ● technology● military● intentions.

Spying both caused and prevented conflicts.● Cuban Missile Crisis- 1962

Many of today’s most popular technologies are possible because of Cold War

espionage.

Life under Communism

● Guaranteed employment● Free healthcare● Good education● Camaraderie

● Lack of basic freedoms● One political party, no choice● Shortages- quotas● Propaganda and state media

Communist governments controlled all aspects of life in Russia and eastern Europe.

Cultural Impact

Cultural Impact

The Fall of Communism 1987- Ronald Reagan- “Tear down this wall!”

● Two years later, communist governments in Eastern Europe fall like dominoes, peacefully!

Gorbachev’s glasnost policy allowed communist countries to make their own choices. Many chose democratic systems. Support for communism fell throughout the world, ending in the collapse of the Soviet Union.