the cold war 1945-1991

The Cold War was a time after WW2 when the USA and the Soviet Union were rivals for world influence.

NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organization

USA, France, Great Britain, Canada, West Germany

CAPITALISMCAPITALISM

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

COMMUNISM

The Ideological StruggleThe Ideological Struggle

Soviet & 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.

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 The ““Iron CurtainIron Curtain””

From Stettin in the Balkans, to Trieste in From Stettin in the Balkans, to Trieste in the Adriatic, an the Adriatic, an iron curtainiron curtain has descended has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lies across the Continent. Behind that line lies the ancient capitals of Central and Eastern the ancient capitals of Central and Eastern Europe.Europe. -- Sir Winston Churchill, 1946-- Sir Winston Churchill, 1946

• Soviets reached Berlin first (Hitler found dead in bunker—a suicide)

• Victory in Europe (V-E Day) proclaimed May 8, 1945

• War in Europe finally over after nearly six years, both Europe and Asia in ruins

• Tens of millions dead; heaviest losses in Eastern Europe

• Germany, Japan, and China had also suffered greatly

• Physical devastation; cities, villages, and farms destroyed

• National economies near collapse

• Millions uprooted

• former prisoners of war, survivors of concentration camps, refugees of fighting and of national border changes

• Joint declaration of Churchill and Roosevelt

• Outlined purpose of war (to provide freedom from fear)

• Sought no territorial gains

• All nations could choose their own government

• Work for mutual prosperity

• December 1943

• Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin

• Agreed on schedule for D-Day invasion

• Would work together in peace after the war (United Nations was tentatively agreed on)

Yalta (in the USSR)Feb. 1945Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin

• Held in Soviet territory in early 1945; Allies on brink of military victory

• Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill agreed on plans for Germany

• Primary goal to reach agreement on postwar Europe

• Stalin got his way with Eastern Europe because the Soviet Union had suffered terribly (20 million died)

• Confirmed decision to organize the United Nations

Potsdam (in GermanyJuly 1945Churchill/Atlee, Truman, and Stalin

Churchill/Atlee, Stalin, and TrumanFour power control over Germany.Disagreements over “spheres of influence”.Stalin has less bargaining power.Cold War begins.

Iron CurtainIron Curtain – – A term used by A term used by Winston Winston

Churchill Churchill to describe the to describe the separating of separating of Those Those

communistcommunistlands of East lands of East Europe from Europe from

the the West. West.

The Russians took very high casualties to capture Berlin in May 1945. They spent the early occupation trying to take over all zones of the city but were stopped by German democrats such as Willy Brandt and Konrad Adenauer. Reluctantly the Russians had to admit the Americans, French and British to their respective zones.

Potsdam conference ended with little agreement over key issues.

Stalin continued to influence Eastern European nations and by 1946 Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Albania all had Communist governments.

Churchill described it as an iron-curtain, the name stuck.

Today’s task is to ensure our understanding of the two competing ideologies during the Cold War:CapitalismCommunism

Your next small assignment is a small poster

that will demonstrate your understanding of communism or capitalism. Use the information in the next slides to help you.

FreedomCollectiveEqualityIndividualCommunityTotalitarianDemocraticFree competitionState-ownedprivate

Both are ideologies (a set of beliefs)Both talk about the economy and how the

economy should runCapitalism:

Little government involvement in the economyLet people decide what to do with their moneyINDIVIDUAL FREEDOM IS THE FOCUS

Communism:Lots of government involvement in the economyGovernment decides what is best for everybodyEQUALITY IS THE FOCUS

As we look at some examples of American and Soviet propaganda, take note of the characteristics.

EQUALITY VS. FREEDOM

SIGHTScan for important details

What is being shown? What is the focus of the image?

Identify the conflict or tension (if one)Guess the creator’s message or intent

What point of view is being displayed?Hear the voices

If they could speak, what would they say?Whose voices are absent or ignored? Why?

Talk about your observations

http://www.designer-daily.com/examples-of-american-cold-war-propaganda-2918

http://www.designer-daily.com/examples-of-american-cold-war-propaganda-2918

http://www.designer-daily.com/examples-of-american-cold-war-propaganda-2918

http://www.designer-daily.com/examples-of-american-cold-war-propaganda-2918

http://www.designer-daily.com/examples-of-american-cold-war-propaganda-2918

http://www.designer-

daily.com/examples-of-

american-cold-war-

propaganda-2918

What happened to Britain & France?

Why was their tension between the USA and the USSR? Weren’t they friends and allies before?

Complete your handout.

The USA was prepared to send money, equipment and advice to any country which was, in the American view, threatened by a Communist take-over.

Essentially it helped countries resisting communism.

USA’s plan to send food, blankets, fuel to Europe to help them AND to keep them

from turning communist.

Discuss with your partner for a few minutes.

Refusing to trade or aid countries in order to punish them

Still today, the USA has an economic embargo on communist Cuba.

Their only cars are from before the embargo!

By 1946, Britain, France, & the USA combined their zones in Germany to form West Germany. Their goal was to help Germany recover (not too quickly!).

In response Stalin blockaded Berlin. He did not like what the Western countries were doing and he wanted to force them out of Berlin.

What would you do?

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/airlift/map/map_04.html

Allies air-lift supplies into West Berlin.No shots were fired, but planes flew for

ten months supplying West Berlin.Eventually the USSR gave up.

Berlin is Germany’s capital city.The Soviets built the wall to keep people

from escaping to the American sector.1961Started as a barbed wire barricade and

evolved into the concrete structure we know today.