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THE COLD WAR
The Cold War 1945-1991Downloaded from www.SchoolHistory.co.uk
After World War 2 the Cold War began and caused tension throughout the world.
The USA and the USSR were the two world Superpowers.
The USA was a capitalist society with a democracy.
The USSR was a communist country with a dictatorship.
Both wanted to be the most powerful nation in the world.
Nuclear tensions The USA had shown its atomic power when
it exploded the A-bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War 2.
The USSR was also developing atomic weapons/bombs.
The USA and the USSR were in competition with each other to have the best, most powerful weapons in the world – this was called the Arms Race.
After World War 2, the world changed! Many countries became communist after
World War 2 including:- Czechoslovakia (1948)- Poland (1947)- Hungary (1947)- China (1949)- Cuba (1959)- North Korea (1945)
POTSDAM (Germany)Date: July 1945
Present: Churchill, Truman and Stalin
The Russians took very high casualties to capture Berlin in May 1945. They spent the early occupation trying to take over all zones of the city but were stopped by German democrats such as Willy Brandt and Konrad Adenauer. Reluctantly the Russians had to admit the Americans, French and British to their respective zones.
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SU installed communism in Albania, Bulgaria, Czech, Hungary, Romania, and Poland◦ Satellite Nations
Seized industrial assets of these countries to help rebuild SU
SU concentrated on producing weapons, not goods, US saw this as declaration of war
Containment: effort to block the Soviets’ attempts to spread their influence by creating alliances and supporting weaker countries
Iron Curtain: Churchill term; symbolizes the growing barrier between East and West
Truman had been horrified at the pre-war Allied policy of appeasement and was determined to stand up to any Soviet intimidation.
The Truman Doctrine in March 1947 promised that the USA “would support free peoples who are resisting subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures”.
Triggered by British inability to hold the line in Greece, it was followed by aid to Greece and Turkey, and also money to help capitalists to stop communists in Italy and France.
It signalled the end of “isolationst” policies.
The ‘Truman Doctrine’
The Marshall Plan offered huge sums to enable the economies of Europe to rebuild after World War II, and, by generating prosperity, to reject the appeal of Communism.◦ Money was to be spent on goods made in US
Congress in debate over approval until SU tanks took over Czech
The Soviet Union (USSR) prevented Eastern European countries from receiving American money.
The ‘Marshall Plan’
The domino effect The USSR had a lot of influence over many
of the new communist countries (especially those in Europe).
The USA was very worried that the USSR’s influence over these countries was making the USSR and communism more powerful.
The USA did not want communism to spread any further – they were worried about the domino effect (one country becomes communist, then another, then another etc)
West Berlin, was an outpost of Western democracy and economic success deep within the communist zone – like a capitalist island within communist East Germany
The Berlin Blockade was an attempt to starve West Berlin into submitting [giving up] to the communists
The Allied [western powers] airlift signalled the West’s determination to use all resources to defend Berlin.
It was felt by both sides that Berlin could act as the trigger for general war between capitalist and communist countries
Berlin
Berlin Blockade & Airlift (1948-49)
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (1949)
United States
Belgium
Britain
Canada
Denmark
France
Iceland
Italy
Luxemburg
Netherlands
Norway
Portugal
1952: Greece & Turkey
1955: West Germany
1983: Spain
Fall Of China
Nationalist Leader: Chiang Kia Shek
Communist Leader: Mao Zedong
Korean War[1950-1953]
Syngman Rhee
Rep. Of Korea
US Occupied
Kim Il-Sung
Dem. People’s Republic of
Korea
SU Occupied
Korean War June 25, 1950: Northern
troops invaded South June 27, 1950 UN
Security Council adopted an American resolution calling on member nations to help the Rep of S. Korea◦ Under command of General
Douglas MacArthur
The Shifting Map of Korea[1950-1953]
End Of Korea War
Republican Dwight Eisenhower
June 23, 1951 SU unexpectedly suggested a cease-fire
Agreed on 2 points High cost of war lead
Amer to reject Democratic party in 1952
Increased commie aggression and prompted hunt for spies
Federal Employees Loyalty and Security Program
House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC)◦ Hollywood Ten
Cold War at Home
Spies
Accused of giving govt documents to SU. Convicted of perjurySU proved guilt
Found guilty of giving SU atomic bomb plans allowing them to build bomb sooner.1st US citizens executed for espionage
McCarthyism
Wisconsin Senator
Claimed commies were taken over govt
Always did “name calling” in Senate where he had legal immunity that protected him from being sued for slander
Made accusations against US Armey which resulted in nationally televised Senate investigation
Lost public support
The Arms Race:A “Missile Gap?”
} The Soviet Union exploded its first A-bomb in 1949.
} Now there were two nuclear superpowers!
} http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2kdpAGDu8s
Hydrogen bomb in which atoms would be fused
Morality of creating bomb Jan 31, 1950 Truman authorized work on H-
Bomb Nov 1, 1952 US exploded 1st thermonuclear
device Aug 1953 Soviet exploded their own
thermonuclear weapon Policy of Brinkmanship
Race for H-Bomb
Began to carry out covert actions to weaken or overthrow govts unfriendly to US
1951 Middle East: oil crisis 1954 Guatemala: replaced dictator
CIA
1953: Stalin dies West Germany allowed to re-arm and join
NATO Warsaw Pact: Soviet’s military alliance with
Eastern European satellite nations July 1955: Eisenhower travels to Geneva,
Switzerland; 1st east-west conference since WWII
Warsaw Pact (1955)
} U. S. S. R.
} Albania
} Bulgaria
} Czechoslovakia
} East Germany
} Hungary
} Poland
} Rumania
Crisis in Middle East 1955: GB & US agree to help
Egypt finance dam @ Aswan Head of Egypt (Gamal Abdel
Nasser) began to strengthen ties w/ SU
US & GB w/drew offer Nasser seized control of canal
(owned by Fr & GB) Oct 1956: GB, Fr, Israel
invaded Egypt; SU threatened missiles
UN imposed cease fire 1957: canal reopened under
Egyptian control
The Hungarian Uprising: 1956
Imre Nagy, Hungarian
Prime Minister} Promised free
elections.
} This could lead to the end of communist rule in Hungary.
US would defend the Middle East against attack by any Commie country
Gave pres authority to use Amer forces at his discretion, against armed aggression in the Middle East by any nation controlled by international communism
Eisenhower Doctrine
Sputnik I (1957)
The Russians have beaten America in space—they have the
technological edge!
U-2 Spy Incident (1960)
Col. Francis Gary Powers’ plane was
shot down over Soviet airspace.
