THE COLD WAR

THE COLD WAR- FOREIGN AFFAIRS FROM 1945- 1980S

DO REALIZE…

US and USSR were allies during WWII- but, we didn’t really trust each other

Remember they were communists and we had that fear of them…

We defeated Nazi Germany- so our alliance was technically over

Power shift! US and USSR emerge WWII as superpowers- strongest militarily, economically, and politically

AND imperialism is over for the big nations as many colonies gain independence

IN THIS CORNER

The US represented the democracy- free elections, religious and economic freedom, private property, respect, differences

IN THIS CORNER

The Soviet Union represented communism- dictatorship, no individual rights, no private property, no freedoms-

If you spoke out against the government, you risked imprisonment and death

POST WWII GOALS

Soviet Union (USSR)

Economic Rehab

Military Defense

United States

Contain communism (containment policy, domino theory)

Keep trading partners- reconstruct Europe

Build Military

ARMS RACE

Because both the USSR and the US wanted to build their military and self-defense systems, this led to a nuclear arms race between the two nations.

AFTER WWII

USSR had taken over a lot of Eastern Europe while they had pushed Hitler back

They would make Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, the Eastern half of Germany their satellite states

Satellite states mean that they are technically independent but are basically controlled by another country

US VS. SATELLITE STATES

Truman wanted Stalin to leave these countries, let them hold free elections, and rule themselves

We also wanted to not punish Germany (like we had done after WWI)- Stalin however, wanted to weaken them more

AFTER WWII

Germany divided into 4 (really into 2: free and communist)

Berlin is the capital and was fought over who should have control- so it was split too

Into West and East

DOMINO THEORY AND CONTAINMENT

At the end of WWII, the US adopted a policy of containment to keep communism from spreading (keep it where it is)

The domino theory also relates to communism….

If one nation becomes communist, then other nations surrounding that nation will become communist as well

If one falls, they all fall

That’s why it’s so important to try to contain communism- we don’t want communism to take control

IRON CURTAIN

Winston Churchill (Britain) nicknamed the area that Stalin was exerting control had been blocked off from the rest of the world by an iron curtain

Behind that curtain was oppression and a controlling government

On the western side of the wall was freedom and rights

TRUMAN

After WWII there were a few weak countries, in particular Greece and Turkey, that Stalin was targeting

Congress passed the Truman Doctrine which gave $400 million in aid to Greece and Turkey in order to prevent communist from overthrowing their gov’ts.

The idea behind this: If people have jobs and money, they are happy and won’t want change in the government

MARSHALL PLAN

Extension of the Truman Plan and applied to any Western European country.

It provided programs for farmers, fuel to heat homes and factories, money to invest in companies

Helped restore the economies of important US trade partners (Britain, W. Germany, France)

Prevented the spread of communism to W. Europe

We did offer help to satellite countries but Stalin wouldn’t accept it

BERLIN BLOCKADE

West Berlin- supported by Britain, US, France = successful- good business, $, rebuilding

East Berlin- controlled by USSR- not so good

Stalin wants to gain all of Berlin

Stalin cuts power and communication and transportation into West Berlin

Stalin was hoping that by cutting off supplies, the allies would let him control the rest of the city

AIRLIFT (SO TRICKY!)

However, the US and Britain conducted the Berlin Airlift

A plan left just about one a minute from different airports to drop food, fuel, candy, and medicine into Berlin for almost a year

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization- try to stop Soviet expansion into Western Europe

Soviets responded to NATO with its own military alliance of Soviet-bloc E. European nations – Warsaw Pact

Members of each alliance pledge to defend one another if one was attacked

CHOOSE TEAMS

The world divides between NATO and the Warsaw Pact

LATIN AMERICA

Bay of Pigs Invasion (Kennedy)

Cuban Missile Crisis (Kennedy)

Dominican Republic (Johnson)

Chile (Nixon)

Nicaragua (Reagan)

Grenada (Reagan)

Panama (G. H. W. Bush)

CHINA

Chinese Civil War

Chiang Kai-shek (anti-communist) vs. Mao Zedong (communist)

Mao and the communists gain a lot of popularity and win the civil war

China “falls” to communism

KOREA

Korea was once controlled by Japan

After WWII, Korea was divided into two independent countries by the US and USSR

Division: 38th Parallel

N. Korea: communist gov’t with help from Soviets

S. Korea: non-communist with help from US

KOREA

June 1950: N. Korea invades S. Korea, took over Seoul (capital city)

US and UN order American troops still in Japan to move to S. Korea to help fight

Soldiers not well equipped or prepared for conditions of Korea

KOREA

Timeline of Conflict

Sept. 1950: Gen. MacArthur leads UN troops on offensive to fight back

Nov. 1950: Chinese enter war and attack. UN and SK forces retreat

Jan. 1951: UN forces push communists back to 38th parallel

June 1951: Cease-fire signed; 38th parallel border of N and S Korea

KOREA- LASTING EFFECTS

There was no victory in the Korean War

37,000 Americans killed

Relations with China worsened

Relations with Japan improved

Future presidents send military into combat without Congressional approval

VIETNAM (1954-1973)

Once a colony of France

Conquered by Japan during WWII

Ho Chi Minh (Vietnamese independence leader) asked the US and UN for recognition; they said no; China and USSR did

France tried crushing opposition with US help, but weren’t strong enough

People scared the rest of Southeast Asia would “turn and fall” to communism (domino theory)

VIETNAM

Vietnam splits

Continuous fighting between communists (Viet Minh- N) and non-communists (US/UN- S)

Communist forces in the South (Vietcong) fought against the US/UN

VIETNAM- AMERICAN RESPONSES AT HOME

The draft reinstated again

Impact of TV

Protests in favor and opposed to the war break out all over the country

Kent State

Marches in Washington

VIETNAM- END AND LEGACY

VIETNAM- END AND LEGACY

Fighting continued with no real end in sight

US/UN wasn’t prepared to fight in the jungles of Vietnam- conditions were so different than anything before

Finally, January 23, 1973, agreement was announced and troops were to withdraw (Fall of Saigon)

2 million Vietnamese and 56,000 Americans killed

KEY CONCEPTS

Conflicting US and Soviet postwar objectives played a significant role in creating the tensions between the two superpowers that led to the Cold War.

The US sought to contain the spread of communism in Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa

The second red scare (McCarthyism) affected the US domestically as the public was led to believe that there were communists seeking to undermine American institutions.

KEY CONCEPTS CONTINUED

The US succeeded in containing communism in Europe.

The United States was unable to contain the spread of communism to China but did so in South Korea.

The Vietnam War seriously divided the American people and showed the limitations of the containment policy.

The collapse of the Soviet Union transformed international affairs.

THE COLD WAR- DOMESTIC AFFAIRS FROM 1945- 1980S

SECOND RED SCARE: MCCARTHYISM

HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee)

Sen. Joseph McCarthy (R, Wisconsin)

Movie Industry

Witch hunt

Army trials (his downfall)

ECONOMIC BOOM

BABY BOOM & SUBURBANIZATION

TRUMAN

EISENHOWER

KENNEDY’S NEW FRONTIER

SPACE RACE

JOHNSON’S GREAT SOCIETY

NIXON

FORD AND CARTER

REAGAN

COLD WAR ENDS