cold war, what was it? day 1

Quick Write 3-2-10

What do you know about the What do you know about the Cold War? What was it? When Cold War? What was it? When was it? How long did it last? was it? How long did it last? Who was it fought between? Who was it fought between? How was it fought? Who won? How was it fought? Who won? If you don’t know a particular If you don’t know a particular answer, listen when we review answer, listen when we review and write it down.and write it down.

13.1-13.2

The Cold War was a war fought in the snow. United States vs. Soviet Union

The Cold War forced the world to choose sides creating a tense atmosphere

Cold War ended with Stalin’s death in 1953

Soviet Union only pretended to have atomic weapons

The Iron Curtain was a physical barrier that separated the European continent

After being Allies during WWII, the U.S. and U.S.S.R. soon viewed each other with increasing suspicion

Their political differences created a climate of icy tension that plunged the two countries into an era of bitter rivalry known as the Cold War

The rivalry between the two superpowers led to and many indirect (proxy) wars.

There was never a direct military engagement between the US and the Soviet Union, but there was half a century of military buildup as well as political battles for support around the world

Tensions lasted until the break up of the USSR in the early 1990’sThe Cold War would dominate global affairs

from 1945 until the breakup of the USSR in 1991

Based on the information provided on the last slide, your group will create a short skit re-enacting the Cold War tensions between the US and the Soviet Union.

You have 10 minutes to prepare

At the heart of the tension was a fundamental difference in political systems

• “An economic system in which all means of production are owned by the people• land, factories, railroads,

and businesses private property does not exist

• all goods and services are to be shared equally

• No social classes

Peasants Communists Military leaders Business managers

Totalitarianism- form of government in which the national government takes control of all aspects of both public and private life

There still are social classes

Soviet Society Under Stalin

Communists

Military Leaders Business Managers

Peasants

Just because you call something

equal doesn’t mean it is!

How was the idea of communism different from reality?

•Although there weren’t supposed to be classes, there were in the Soviet system.•People are supposed to be in power, but in reality they were oppressed.

• America is a democracy that has • a capitalist

economic system

• free elections • competing

political parties

“An economic system in which money is invested with the goal of making more money (profit).”

“One million dollars!”

Harry Truman Joseph Stalin

The Cold war tension started between

Even during the war, the two nations disagreed on many issues The U.S. was furious that Soviet leader Joseph Stalin had been an ally of Hitler

for a time Stalin was upset that the U.S. had kept its development of the atomic bomb a

secret The Soviet leaders believed that capitalists countries would eventually try to

destroy communism The leaders of capitalists countries believed that communism would eventually

spread and that it should be controlled.

At the Yalta Conference, the allies agreed to divide Germany and Berlin into four zones.

Germany would pay war reparations with goods instead of cash.

How was the Yalta Conference different from Versailles?

•Germany was split up and occupied•Germany paid back in goods, not cash

The allies ( including Stalin) agreed to allow the people to create democratic institutions of their own choice and to choose the form of government under which they will live.

The allies also promised free elections of govt.responsive to the will of the people.

Germany Free elections

Stalin installed “satellite” communist governments in the Eastern European countries of Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia and East Germany

This after promising “free elections” for Eastern Europe at the Yalta Conference (So… he lied)

In a 1946 speech, Stalin said communism and capitalism were incompatible – and another war

was inevitable

What promise did Stalin break in Eastern Europe?

•He promised to hold free, democratic elections but instead appointed communist leaders

“An iron curtain has descended across the continent”

Europe was now divided into two political regions; a mostly democratic Western Europe and a communist Eastern Europe

In a 1946 speech, Churchill said, “An iron curtain has descended across the continent”

The phrase “iron curtain” came to stand for the division of Europe

“An iron curtain has descended across the continent”

•No physical barrier was created that separated the continent

•Term Iron Curtain was just a symbolic divide between Communist and Non-Communist countries

-Idea: If the U.S. could prevent the Soviets from expanding, their system would eventually fall apart.

-This led to the “containment policy”: keep communism from spreading by diplomatic, economic, and military force.

We need to keep Communism from

Spreading!

George Kennan

In August of 1946, the Soviets were trying to establish communists govts. In Greece and Turkey.

Truman asked congress for $400 million to help fight communist aggressions via military and economic aid.

In the long run, it pledged the U.S. to fight communism worldwide.

Remember Greasy Turkey

The Truman Doctrine set forth the idea of containment. Explain containment in your own words.

•Stop communism from spreading

In June of 1947, Sec.of State George Marshall proposed economic aid to all European nations rebuilding their economies.

Western Europe began to recover and weakened the “appeal” of Communism.

Also, new markets for trade were opened.

What were two goals/reasons for the Marshall Plan?

•Give cash to help war-torn countries rebuild•Stop the spread of communism

The U.S., Great Britain, and France decided to merge their zones and allow the Germans to have their own govt.

West Berlin was also merged and became part of West Germany.

The Soviets still controlled what became known as East Germany.

Like the whole of Germany, the city of Berlin was divided into four zones

In June of 1948, the Soviets closed all access to W. Berlin. For the next 11 months, Truman sent cargo planes to drop food, supplies, medicine, etc.

Realizing they were beaten and suffering a public relations nightmare Stalin lifted the blockade in May of 1949.

The Berlin blockade increased Western Europe’s fear of Soviet aggression As a result in April of 1949, the U.S. formed a military alliance with W.

Europe: North Atlantic Treaty Organization. NATO members agreed to aid any member that was attacked. This organization originally had 12 countries. Today NATO has 26

members.

The decision to form NATO The decision to form NATO alarmed the Soviets.alarmed the Soviets.

In response, they formed a In response, they formed a military alliance in Eastern military alliance in Eastern Europe known as the Europe known as the Warsaw Pact.Warsaw Pact.

By the mid 1950’s, two By the mid 1950’s, two powerful military alliances powerful military alliances were facing each other in were facing each other in Europe.Europe.

NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organization

USA, France, Great Britain,

West GermanyCAPITALISMCAPITALISMDEMOCRACYDEMOCRACY

Warsaw Pact – pro Soviet countries – USSR, and all countries controlled by the USSR.

COMMUNISM

How were the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, and NATO all similar in their goals?

•They were all created in reaction to Soviet communism and stopping its spread.

Harry Truman Joseph Stalin

The Cold War rivalry between the two superpower unfolded into multiple arenas: military, espionage, sports

industrial, and technological developments

United States HistoryUse page 635 in your bookLabel all and color all communist countries in 1955Label and color all non communist countriesMARK the “Iron Curtain”Color code your map and label in the Key BoxON BACKWrite the Causes and Effects of the Cold War (pg 636)

30 minutes to finish