Postwar EuropePostwar Europe

Emergence of SuperpowersEmergence of Superpowers

U.S. and USSR emerged from WWII U.S. and USSR emerged from WWII as superpowersas superpowers

Ideological differences between the Ideological differences between the two lead to a period of tension and two lead to a period of tension and hostility known as the hostility known as the Cold WarCold War– Capitalism v. communismCapitalism v. communism– Democracy v. totalitarianismDemocracy v. totalitarianism

Origins of the Cold WarOrigins of the Cold War

Although the Cold War took place Although the Cold War took place after WWII, the conflict began before after WWII, the conflict began before the war was overthe war was over– Yalta Conference (Feb, 1945)Yalta Conference (Feb, 1945)

Potsdam Conference (July, 1945)Potsdam Conference (July, 1945)– War over in EuropeWar over in Europe– Soviet Union had installed communist Soviet Union had installed communist

governments in many Eastern European governments in many Eastern European statesstates

Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill

“…“…an iron curtain an iron curtain has descended has descended across the across the continent…”continent…”

Truman DoctrineTruman Doctrine

Franklin D. Roosevelt died in April, 1946. Franklin D. Roosevelt died in April, 1946. His V.P. Harry Truman took officeHis V.P. Harry Truman took office

1946: Truman issued the 1946: Truman issued the Truman DoctrineTruman Doctrine ““I believe it must be the policy of the I believe it must be the policy of the

United States to support free peoples who United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures”armed minorities or by outside pressures”– First used to grant $400 million in aid to First used to grant $400 million in aid to

Greece and Turkey to assist with their fight Greece and Turkey to assist with their fight against a communist takeoveragainst a communist takeover

Put that in your pipe and Put that in your pipe and smoke it!smoke it!

Marshall PlanMarshall Plan

The U.S. started to see itself as the The U.S. started to see itself as the defender of democracy and capitalismdefender of democracy and capitalism

Marshall PlanMarshall Plan allowed the U.S. to offer allowed the U.S. to offer financial aid to help rebuild the war-financial aid to help rebuild the war-torn countries of Western Europetorn countries of Western Europe– Motive: a strong economy is more Motive: a strong economy is more

resistant to the spread of resistant to the spread of communism….plus, if we help them, they communism….plus, if we help them, they will be on our side!will be on our side!

Cold War AlliancesCold War Alliances

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)Organization)– Formed in 1949Formed in 1949– U.S. and its alliesU.S. and its allies

Warsaw PactWarsaw Pact– Formed in 1955Formed in 1955– Soviet Union and its alliesSoviet Union and its allies

Cold War AlliancesCold War Alliances

Arms RaceArms Race The U.S. and USSR competed for military superiorityThe U.S. and USSR competed for military superiority

– 1945: U.S. successfully detonates an atomic weapon1945: U.S. successfully detonates an atomic weapon– 1949: USSR successfully detonates an atomic weapon1949: USSR successfully detonates an atomic weapon– 1952: U.S. successfully tests a hydrogen bomb1952: U.S. successfully tests a hydrogen bomb– 1953: USSR successfully tests a hydrogen bomb1953: USSR successfully tests a hydrogen bomb

The two superpowers also begin to develop missile The two superpowers also begin to develop missile technologies that could be used to deliver their technologies that could be used to deliver their bombsbombs– ICBM’s: intercontinental ballistic missilesICBM’s: intercontinental ballistic missiles

Brinkmanship:Brinkmanship: tensions between the U.S. and USSR tensions between the U.S. and USSR kept the world on the “brink” of warkept the world on the “brink” of war

Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD):Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD): the the development of weapons technology created a development of weapons technology created a situation in which an all out war would most likely situation in which an all out war would most likely destroy both sidesdestroy both sides

The United NationsThe United Nations

Atlantic Charter:Atlantic Charter: agreement between agreement between Churchill and Churchill and Roosevelt that Roosevelt that called for the called for the creation of an creation of an international international peacekeeping peacekeeping organizationorganization

United NationsUnited Nations created in 1945created in 1945

The United NationsThe United Nations

Structure of the UNStructure of the UN– General Assembly: composed of all General Assembly: composed of all

member nationsmember nations– Security CouncilSecurity Council

Composed of 15 nations (serve in the Composed of 15 nations (serve in the Security for two years before being replaced Security for two years before being replaced by a different nation)by a different nation)

5 Permanent Members: Britain, China, 5 Permanent Members: Britain, China, France, Russia (Soviet Union), and the U.S.France, Russia (Soviet Union), and the U.S.

– Permanent members have veto powerPermanent members have veto power

Containment and Cold War Containment and Cold War conflictconflict

Containment: U.S. policy during Cold Containment: U.S. policy during Cold War to keep communism from War to keep communism from spreadingspreading– ““Long Telegram” by George KennanLong Telegram” by George Kennan

Military conflicts result from this Military conflicts result from this policypolicy– Korean WarKorean War– Vietnam WarVietnam War

Korean WarKorean War

1950-19531950-1953 North Korea became communistNorth Korea became communist

– Was aided by China (People’s Republic Was aided by China (People’s Republic of China), which had become communist of China), which had become communist in 1949in 1949

South Korea aided by the U.S.South Korea aided by the U.S. War ended with the creation of a War ended with the creation of a

DMZ at the 38DMZ at the 38thth Parallel Parallel

Vietnam WarVietnam War 1954: Vietnam gains independence from France. 1954: Vietnam gains independence from France.

Ho Chi MinhHo Chi Minh installed a communist government in installed a communist government in northern Vietnamnorthern Vietnam

The U.S. stepped in to aid the SouthThe U.S. stepped in to aid the South– Eisenhower offered aid to the South Vietnamese Eisenhower offered aid to the South Vietnamese

governmentgovernment– JFK sent ground and air troops to aid the south in their JFK sent ground and air troops to aid the south in their

fight against the guerilla fighters from the north (known fight against the guerilla fighters from the north (known as the Viet Cong)as the Viet Cong)

– Lyndon B. Johnson escalated the warLyndon B. Johnson escalated the war– Richard Nixon vows to reduce U.S. involvement while Richard Nixon vows to reduce U.S. involvement while

simultaneously ordering bombing raids into Cambodiasimultaneously ordering bombing raids into Cambodia 1973: U.S withdrew from the war1973: U.S withdrew from the war 1975: Vietnam was reunited under a single 1975: Vietnam was reunited under a single

communist governmentcommunist government

Ho Chi MinhHo Chi Minh

Cuban Missile CrisisCuban Missile Crisis

““Hot” point of the Cold WarHot” point of the Cold War Cuba became communist when Fidel Cuba became communist when Fidel

Castro led a coup against Batista, the Castro led a coup against Batista, the previous ruler of Cubaprevious ruler of Cuba– Cuba allied itself with the USSRCuba allied itself with the USSR

1961: U.S. attempts to assassinate 1961: U.S. attempts to assassinate CastroCastro– Bay of Pigs invasionBay of Pigs invasion

1962: Cuban Missile Crisis1962: Cuban Missile Crisis

Cuban Missile CrisisCuban Missile Crisis

USSR (led by Nikita Khrushchev) and USSR (led by Nikita Khrushchev) and the U.S. (led by JFK) face off over the U.S. (led by JFK) face off over nuclear missiles in Cuba and Turkeynuclear missiles in Cuba and Turkey

Came very close to warCame very close to war Ended with both sides making a Ended with both sides making a

compromisecompromise– U.S. agreed to remove missiles from TurkeyU.S. agreed to remove missiles from Turkey– USSR agreed to remove missiles from CubaUSSR agreed to remove missiles from Cuba

The Space RaceThe Space Race

1957: Soviets successfully launch the 1957: Soviets successfully launch the first man-made satellite into spacefirst man-made satellite into space– SputnikSputnik

U.S. fears they are “losing” the Cold U.S. fears they are “losing” the Cold WarWar– Increase government spending on math Increase government spending on math

and science educationand science education– NASA created to build our own space NASA created to build our own space

program program