The Cold WarThe Cold War

United States vs. The Soviet UnionUnited States vs. The Soviet Union

DefinitionDefinitionForty years of tension and hostility between the Forty years of tension and hostility between the Soviet Union and the United States following Soviet Union and the United States following World War II. World War II.

Competing to be the world’s super power in the Competing to be the world’s super power in the following areas:following areas:– GovernmentGovernment– SpaceSpace– SportsSports– WeaponsWeapons– EspionageEspionage– Foreign Involvement Foreign Involvement

GovernmentGovernmentCommunism (Soviet Union) and Democracy Communism (Soviet Union) and Democracy (United States)(United States)– Stalin’s desire is to spread communism in Eastern Stalin’s desire is to spread communism in Eastern

Europe and create a buffer with GermanyEurope and create a buffer with Germany– Stalin rejects demands of Roosevelt and Churchill for Stalin rejects demands of Roosevelt and Churchill for

“free elections”“free elections”– Pro Soviet communist governments emerge in Poland, Pro Soviet communist governments emerge in Poland,

Czechoslovakia, and elsewhereCzechoslovakia, and elsewhere

Germany is divided in ½ - Right through BerlinGermany is divided in ½ - Right through Berlin– East Germany is CommunistEast Germany is Communist– West Germany is DemocraticWest Germany is Democratic

GovernmentGovernment

Key Soviet General SecretariesKey Soviet General Secretaries– Nikita Kruschev (“peaceful coexistence”)Nikita Kruschev (“peaceful coexistence”)– Leonid Brezhnev (arrests and imprisonments)Leonid Brezhnev (arrests and imprisonments)– Mikhail Gorbachev (openness and reform)Mikhail Gorbachev (openness and reform)

Key American PresidentsKey American Presidents– John F. Kennedy (Bay of Pigs)John F. Kennedy (Bay of Pigs)– Ronald Reagan (“Tear down that wall”)Ronald Reagan (“Tear down that wall”)

SpaceSpace

Soviet Union makes it to space firstSoviet Union makes it to space first– 1957: Sputnik satellite1957: Sputnik satellite

United States makes it to the moon firstUnited States makes it to the moon first– 1969: Apollo 111969: Apollo 11

SportsSports

United States has amateur athletesUnited States has amateur athletes

Soviet Union has world class “machines”Soviet Union has world class “machines”

1972 Olympic Basketball1972 Olympic Basketball– ““The clock game” – Soviet gold The clock game” – Soviet gold

1980 Olympic Hockey1980 Olympic Hockey– ““Miracle on Ice” – US goldMiracle on Ice” – US gold

HollywoodHollywood– Rocky IV (Ivan Drago vs. Rocky Balboa)Rocky IV (Ivan Drago vs. Rocky Balboa)

How is this propaganda?How is this propaganda?

http://www.youtube.com/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oDTNEEu3Rw watch?v=1oDTNEEu3Rw

WeaponsWeapons

1945: U.S. drops nuclear bomb on Japan1945: U.S. drops nuclear bomb on Japan1949: Soviet Union tests hydrogen bomb1949: Soviet Union tests hydrogen bombMutually assured destructionMutually assured destructionStrategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT)Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT)– Limited anti-ballistic missiles Limited anti-ballistic missiles – President Reagan launches “Star Wars” programPresident Reagan launches “Star Wars” program

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)Leads to era of Leads to era of détentedétente until… until…– ……Soviet Union invades Afghanistan Soviet Union invades Afghanistan

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

– Background:Background: Fidel Castro (communist) comes Fidel Castro (communist) comes to powerto power

Bay of Pigs invasion: failed assassination attempt Bay of Pigs invasion: failed assassination attempt by the U.S.by the U.S.

– Soviet Union faces missiles at U.S. from Cuba Soviet Union faces missiles at U.S. from Cuba (90 miles away)(90 miles away)

U.S. navy surrounds Cuba with shipsU.S. navy surrounds Cuba with ships

– U.S. has missiles in TurkeyU.S. has missiles in Turkey– ““Thirteen days of fear”Thirteen days of fear”– President Kennedy gets them removedPresident Kennedy gets them removed

Krushchev vs. KennedyKrushchev vs. Kennedy

EspionageEspionage

U.S. and Soviet Union begin spying on each U.S. and Soviet Union begin spying on each otherother

The Rosenbergs (1953)The Rosenbergs (1953)– Executed for giving the Soviets U.S. secrets on H-Executed for giving the Soviets U.S. secrets on H-

bombbomb

U2 spy plane (1960)U2 spy plane (1960)– U.S. pilot shot down over the Soviet Union while U.S. pilot shot down over the Soviet Union while

spyingspying

““Red Scare” within the United StatesRed Scare” within the United States– Accusing innocent people of being “communists”Accusing innocent people of being “communists”

Foreign InvolvementForeign InvolvementU.S. adopted the policy of U.S. adopted the policy of ccontainmentontainment– Strategy to keep communism in its present borders and Strategy to keep communism in its present borders and

prevent it from expandingprevent it from expanding

1950s: Korean War1950s: Korean War– U.S. helps South KoreaU.S. helps South Korea– North Korea is communistNorth Korea is communist– 3838thth parallel parallel

1960s-70s: Vietnam War1960s-70s: Vietnam War– U.S. helping South VietnameseU.S. helping South Vietnamese– North Vietnamese (Vietcong) are communistNorth Vietnamese (Vietcong) are communist

1980s: Soviet war in Afghanistan1980s: Soviet war in Afghanistan– U.S. supports Afghan rebels with money and weaponsU.S. supports Afghan rebels with money and weapons