The Cold War 1945-1991

Cold War Begins

– a ______________ battle of diplomacy and propaganda between the United States and Soviet Union

– Lasted from ________________– led to “hot” wars around globe

in ___________________

- Many of the smaller wars were called proxy wars because the U.S. and U.S.S.R. never fought face to face

U.S. vs. USSR (Soviet Union)

U.S. U.S.S.R_____________ _____________________________ _____________________________ ________________

The Ideological StruggleSoviet &

Eastern Bloc Nations

[“Iron Curtain”]

US & the Western

Democracies

GOAL → spread world-wide Communism

GOAL → “Containment” of Communism & the

eventual collapse of the Communist world.

[George Kennan]METHODOLOGIES:

★ Espionage [KGB vs. CIA]★ Arms Race [nuclear escalation]

★ Ideological Competition for the minds and hearts of Third World peoples [Communist govt. &

command economy vs. democratic govt. & capitalist economy] → “proxy wars”

★ Bi-Polarization of Europe [NATO vs. Warsaw Pact]

The “Iron Curtain”

From Stettin in the Balkans, to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the

Continent. Behind that line lies the ancient capitals of Central and Eastern Europe.

-- Sir Winston Churchill, 1946

FIGHTING COMMUNISM

CONTAINMENT POLICY: The U.S. would work to stop the spread of communism.1. _______________2. _______________3. _______________

4. The Truman Doctrine & Domino Theory

_____________________ U.S. would aid countries around the world who are fighting communism (like Greece and Turkey).

_____________________ If the U.S. doesn’t fight communism, then countries will fall to communism like dominos.

The ‘Truman Doctrine’• Truman had been horrified at the pre-war

Allied policy of _______________ and was determined to stand up to any ___________ intimidation.

The _________________ 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 _________, it was followed by aid to Greece and _______, and also money to help capitalists to stop communists in Italy and France.

It signalled the end of ______________ policies.

The Marshall Plan 1948

• Plan to aid Europe—in ruins– Prevent countries

from falling to _________________

– Aid American business

• $17 billion to 16 countries in Europe (not ______________)

The ‘Marshall Plan’• The ___________ offered huge sums to

enable the economies of Europe to rebuild after World War II, and, by generating prosperity, to reject the appeal of ___________

The ____________ (USSR) prevented Eastern European countries from receiving American money.

NATO vs. WARSAW PACT

North Atlantic Treaty Organization: defense alliance among _____ and ______________ against the _____________. Still exists.

__________________: Defense alliance among Soviet Union and its satellite governments in Eastern Europe.

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

Warsaw Pact (1955)

} U. S. S. R.} Albania} Bulgaria

} Czechoslovakia

} East Germany} Hungary} Poland

} Rumania

Postwar Germany• Nuremburg Trials for war crimes• Divided into ___ zones:

– ______________ – U.S., Britain, and France

– _______________- Soviets– Capitol city of Berlin divided into __

zones (in East Germany)• __________: In 1948-49, the U.S.

and Europe flew food and supplies to save West Berlin, until Soviets reopened roads.

Berlin• 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 ______________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 _________ and ____________ countries

Post War Japan:

• U.S. occupied – under General ____________– New constitution – Democracy with Emperor as

figurehead– Rebuild economy– Abolished army and navy

• Tokyo trials convicted war criminals

The Red Scare

• Intense fear of Communists taking over U.S. – China became a __________ country in

1949.– Soviets developed an _________ bomb

in 1949.– ________________ convicted of selling

atomic secrets to Soviet Union. Executed 1953.

McCarthyism

• In 1950, Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin claimed that he had “lists” of communists in the U.S. government.

• Falsely accused hundreds of people of being active Communists, ruining lives.

• When hearings were televised, people saw that McCarthy was wrongly accusing many people.

• Censured (punished) by Senate.

Korean War, 1950-53• Divided north and south at _____

parallel at end of WWII.• In 1950, Communist ________

Korea invaded ________ Korea. • The _____ and ___________________

aided the South; _________ aided the North Koreans.

• Treaty signed in 1953, keeping dividing line at 38th parallel (still today).

• 33,000 American soldiers died, 100,000 wounded.

The Shifting Map of Korea[1950-1953]

Ending the War:

• President __________ disagreed with ____________ about attacking China.

• Gen. MacArthur wanted to attack _______ with support of Chinese nationalists.

• U.N. troops regained South Korea by March of 1951.• Truman fired MacArthur for defying him by publicly taunting

and threatening the Chinese.

Space Race

• Began when Soviets beat the U.S. into space– Soviet satellite ________ launched in

___________– ______________, the first U.S. satellite,

was launched in 1958.

• The National Defense Act of 1958 approved federal funding of education in math, science and foreign languages.

• Reforms in education –

Nuclear Arms Race• _______________ bomb

invented – both U.S. and Soviets had them

• 1,000 times more powerful than ________ bomb—vaporized an island.

• Dangers of fallout and radiation

• Many built bomb shelters!!

Growing Interest in China

____________ Led by Chiang Kai-shek

___________Led by Mao Zedong

People’s Republic of China:• In the 1940’s, China was embroiled in a civil war.

• China became a

communist country,

and Chiang

Kai-shek and his

forces fled to Taiwan.