EVENTS OF THE COLD WAR

CHINA BECOMES COMMUNIST 1945 – Civil war broke out in China

Nationalists vs. Communists Communists won – led by Mao Zedong Communist reforms put in place

Land taken from wealthy and given to poorFarms were collectivized (shared) Industry and commerce nationalized

(government owned)Population grew

MAO’S ECONOMIC PLANSGreat Leap Forward Cultural Revolution

Action Combined collective farms into communes to increase food production

Red Guards created to push for a permanent revolution and eliminate “Four Olds”

Goal Reach the final stage of communism – classless society

Create a classless society

Result Failed miserably – economic disaster

Ended with Mao’s death

Effects Food production decreased, 15 million people starved, communes broken apart

Caused people to revolt against movement; people were imprisoned and killed

Deng Xiaoping seized power when Mao died and ended the Cultural Revolution Put in place the Four Modernizations

Industry, Agriculture, Technology, National Defense Studied abroad; brought in foreign investors

Plan increased standard of living and food production = overall a success

People wanted a Fifth Modernization = Democracy Protested at Tiananmen Square against communism

Xiaoping sent the military in to stop protestors 2000 people killed/wounded = Tiananmen Square

massacre China was considered a threatening nation and was

cut off from the USA

1950-1953KOREAN WAR

BEGINNING OF THE WAR Korea was divided at the 38th parallel

after WWII North Korea was occupied by Soviet

Union America occupied South Korea Division was supposed to be temporary,

but ended up staying divided

ALLIANCESNorth Korea = Communist Led by dictator Kim Il Sung

Supported by China and Soviet UnionMao Zedong Joseph Stalin

South Korea = republic Led by presidentSyngman RheeSupported by US and the UN

Truman Eisenhower

United Nations

1945-49Chinese Communist Revolution

1950-1953Korean War

1962Cuban Missile Crisis

1954-1974Vietnam War

North Korea invaded South Korea and captured the capital, Seoul in 1950

General MacArthur led the UN troops against North Korea

They kept fighting back and forth along the 38th parallel for 3 years

WHAT HAPPENED?

NORTH KOREA

SOUTH KOREA

Neither side won Signed an armistice (cease fire) Country still remains divided into North

and South Korea, on the 38th parallel Even though South Korea was a republic, it

was not democratic – it was ran by dictators until 1998

1998 it became a democracy

RESULT

VIETNAM WAR After WWII, tried to regain control over Vietnam

Communists in N. Vietnam led by Ho Chi Minh fought back against France

France occupied S. Vietnam France failed to reunite Vietnam, and left the

country in 1954 Vietnam remained split in half

North Vietnam = Communists Led by Ho Chi Minh Supported by Soviet Union and China

South Vietnam = anti-Communist Led by Ngo Dinh Diem Supported by the USA

VIETNAM

1945-49Chinese Communist Revolution

1950-1953Korean War

1962Cuban Missile Crisis

1954-1975Vietnam War

Both sides agreed to hold elections to reunite Vietnam as one country Elections were never held, country remained

divided 1954 - United States sent aid to S. Vietnam

to help prevent takeover by the North Viewed conflict in terms of the Domino Theory

– idea if one country falls to communism, the rest will follow

US became involved in the war to contain communism

1964 – President Johnson sent troops to Vietnam – we were officially at war

END OF VIETNAM WAR War ended in 1973 under Nixon

Stalemate for much of the war US withdrew their troops from Vietnam Two years later communists had defeated S.

Vietnam Vietnam was reunited as a communist

country 1975 – both Laos and Cambodia were also

communist

Did the USA achieve their goal of containing communism?

CUBA

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CUBA

BAY OF PIGS INVASION 1959 – Fidel Castro became dictator of Cuba 1960 – USA put a trade embargo on Cuba

and broke all diplomatic ties 1961 – Castro exiled (banished) those who

opposed his rule Came to the USA for help to overthrow Castro US supported an invasion of Cuba by the exiles

Invasion failed Exiles captured Embarrassed JFK and his administration

Castro kept a watchful eye over the USA Afraid of another US-backed invasion

CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS October 1962 – lasted 13 Days USA took pictures of Soviet Union

missiles being built in Cuba, pointing at the USA

JFK had to negotiate with Khrushchev to remove the missilesBlockaded Cuba

Closest we ever came to nuclear war

Ohio

END OF THE COLD WAR

THE BREZHNEV ERA Brezhnev replaced Khrushchev in 1964 Passed the Brezhnev Doctrine – USSR

could intervene if communism was being threatened in another country

Agreed to a détente (relaxation of tensions) with the USASigned treaties limiting nuclear armsBegan trading goods with the USA

AFGHANISTAN 1979 – Soviets invaded Afghanistan to

restore a pro-Soviet government US saw this as a threat to expansion Ended the détente

Pres. Carter cancelled our involvement in 1980 Olympics in Moscow

Carter also placed an embargo on US grain to Soviets

Reagan began military buildup and a new arms race

Reagan gave military aid to Afghan rebels

GORBACHEV AND REFORM 1985 - Gorbachev took over after Brezhnev Reformed the political and economic structure of

the USSR Political changes:

Set up Soviet Parliament with elected members Created a new state presidency

Economic changes: Established a market economy (private ownership of

businesses) Improved the relationship with the USA

Slowed down arms race Stopped giving military support to communist

countries Allowed many countries to overthrow their communist

governments

GERMAN REUNIFICATION November 9, 1989 – Berlin Wall torn

down October 3, 1990 – East and West

Germany reunited as one Germany

END OF THE SOVIET UNION Soviet Union was diverse:

92 ethnic groups and 112 different languages

As Gorbachev moved toward reform, nationalist movements beganSoviet Union was breaking apart

December 1991 – Soviet Union was dissolved and the Cold War ended