An%20overview%20of%20the%20Cold%20War

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An overview of the Cold War

• How can a war be cold?
• What were the Hotspots of the Cold War?

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After World War 2 the Cold War began and caused
tension throughout the world.

• The USA and the USSR were the two world
  Superpowers.
• The USA was a capitalist society with a
  democracy.
• The USSR was a communist country with a
  dictatorship.
• Both wanted to be the most powerful nation in the
  world.

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Nuclear tensions

• The USA had shown its atomic power when it
  exploded the A-bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at
  the end of World War 2.
• The USSR was also developing atomic
  weapons/bombs.
• The USA and the USSR were in competition with
  each other to have the best, most powerful
  weapons in the world this was called the Arms
  Race.

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After World War 2, the world changed!

• Many countries became communist after World War 2
  including
• Czechoslovakia (1948)
• Poland (1947)
• Hungary (1947)
• China (1949)
• Cuba (1959)
• North Korea (1945)

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Germany - divided

• Germany, which had been ruled by the Hitler and
  the Nazis until their defeat in 1945 was split in
  two.
• The western side became West Germany and the
  eastern side became East Germany.
• East Germany became another communist country.

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The domino effect

• The USSR had a lot of influence over many of the
  new communist countries (especially those in
  Europe).
• The USA was very worried that the USSRs
  influence over these countries was making the
  USSR and communism more powerful.
• The USA did not want communism to spread any
  further they were worried about the domino
  effect (one country becomes communist, then
  another, then another etc)

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Cold War?

• The tension and rivalry between the USA and the
  USSR was described as the Cold War (1945-1990).
• There was never a real war between the two sides
  between 1945 and 1990, but they were often very
  close to war (Hotspots). Both sides got involved
  in other conflicts in the world to either stop
  the spread of communism (USA) or help the spread
  (USSR).

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The Korean War 1950-1953
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The Berlin Wall 1961
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The Cuban Missile Crisis 1962
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The Vietnam War c.1963-1975
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The Cold War 1945-1991 An Ideological
Struggle
Soviet Eastern Bloc NationsIron Curtain
US the Western Democracies
GOAL ? Containment of Communism the eventual
collapse of the Communist world.
GOAL ? spread world-wide Communism

• 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

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The Cold War 1945-1991
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• In 1946, Winston Churchill correctly warned that
  the Soviets were creating an iron curtain in
  Eastern Europe.

Winston Churchill giving the Iron Curtain
address at Westminster College on March 5, 1946
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The Truman Doctrine

• Truman had been horrified at the pre-war Allied
  policy of appeasement and was determined to stand
  up to any Soviet intimidation.The Truman
  Doctrine 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 Greece, it was followed by aid to Greece and
  Turkey, and also money to help capitalists to
  stop communists in Italy and France.It
  signalled the end of isolationst policies.

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The Marshall Plan

• The Marshall Plan offered huge sums to enable the
  economies of Europe to rebuild after World War
  II, and, by generating prosperity, to reject the
  appeal of Communism.
• The Soviet Union (USSR) prevented Eastern
  European countries from receiving American money.

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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 Berlin Blockade was an attempt to starve
  West Berlin into submitting giving up to the
  communists
• The Allied western powers airlift signalled the
  Wests determination to use all resources to
  defend Berlin.It was feld by both sides that
  Berlin could act as the trigger for general war
  between capitalist and communist countries

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A huge airlift
President Truman decided to avoid the blockade
by flying in food and other supplies to the needy
people of West Berlin.
At times, over 5,000 tons of supplies arrived
daily.
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Flag of the United Nations
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Keeping the Peace
United Nations
An international peacekeeping organization, the
United Nations (UN), came into existence in 1945
with 51 original members.
United Nations New York City, NY
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Original 51 Members of the United
Nations Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia,
Brazil, Belarus, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia,
Costa Rica, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Denmark,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Ethiopia, France, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti,
Honduras, India, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia,
Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand,
Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Saudi Arabia, South Africa,
Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, Ukraine, Union of
Soviet Socialist Republics, United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States
of America, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia
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The Security Council has 15 members-- five
permanent members and 10 elected by the General
Assembly for two-year terms. The permanent
members are
Great Britain
China
Russia
France
United States
U.N. - Live Webcast
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Opposing Alliances
In 1949, the U.S. formed an alliance with
friendly European countries called the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
The members of NATO would defend each other
against any Soviet aggression.
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In 1955, the Soviet Union formed its own
military alliance called the Warsaw Pact.
The Warsaw Pact was made up of Eastern European
countries dominated by Soviet control.
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Hunting Communists at Home
A dramatic fear of communism and communist
spies spread across the nation.
Joseph Stalin and Kliment Voroshilov depicted
saluting a military parade in Red Square above
the message "Long Live the Worker-Peasant Red
Army a Dependable Sentinel of the Soviet
Borders!"
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In 1949, the U.S. learned that the Soviet Union
also possessed atomic weapons.
Video Atomic tests (435)
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Video Duck and Cover (1951 - 915)
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Aside from the destructive impact of atomic and
hydrogen bombs there is another threat for
mankind involved in atomic war--poisoning the
atmosphere and the surface of the globe with
radioactive substances originating from nuclear
explosions. In the form of minuscule particles
and gases, these are lifted by the force of the
blast together with dust particles to
comparatively high altitudes. Wind spreads them
all over the earth's atmosphere. Later these
radioactive substances fall onto the surface of
the earth with rain, snow, and dust, thus
poisoning it. - Igor Kurchatov
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Example of American fears of Communism
- Americans, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, were
accused of stealing nuclear secrets for the
Soviets.
- The Rosenbergs were executed for their crimes
in 1953.
Testing of an Atomic Cannon (117 - 1953)
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McCarthys reckless claims
In 1950, Senator Joseph McCarthy announced that
he had a list of 205 State Department employees
that were members of the Communist party.
Audio Senator Joseph McCarthy Responds to E.R.
Murrow on CBS's See It Now
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McCarthys claim was never proven, but he
helped to increase a fear of communism in America
known as the Red Scare.
After thousands of Americans had their lives
ruined after being accused of being communists,
McCarthys popularity lessened as the nation
learned that he had no proof behind his
accusations.
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Communists at the State Department
- State Department official Alger Hiss was
imprisoned for perjury in 1950.
- Hiss had lied under oath, denying that he was a
part of a Soviet spy ring that sent U.S.
government secrets to the Soviet Union.
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Crisis Over Cuba

• By the 1960s, the U.S. and the Soviet Union
  emerged as superpowers.

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• In 1959, Fidel Castro led a communist revolution
  in Cuba, causing thousands of Cubans to flee to
  the United States.

Fidel Castro, 1950s
Fidel Castro, 2006
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Bay of Pigs Invasion
The U.S. became worried as Cuba received
increased amounts of aid from the Soviet Union.
In 1961, President John F. Kennedy approved of
a plan to overthrow Castros government with the
help of Cuban exiles.
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The exiles landed at the Bay of Pigs in
Southern Cuba where they were easily defeated by
Cuban forces, strengthening Fidel Castro and
embarrassing the United States.
Fidel Castro, parading through the streets of
Havana after his victory against Cuban
expatriates in the Bay of Pigs invasion. (1961)
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(audio JFK takes the blame)
Americans, two of whom were eventually executed,
are arrested in April 1961. They were accused by
the Cuban government of smuggling guns to
anti-Communist rebels a few days before the Bay
of Pigs invasion.
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The Cuban Missile Crisis

• The Soviet Union began to build missile bases in
  Cuba, worrying Americans that we were vulnerable
  to attack.

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Pres. Kennedy announced that American warships
would stop any Soviet ship carrying missiles.
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Video Cuban Missile Crisis (109)
"That Tuesday the first of thirteen days of
decision unlike any other in the Kennedy years
or, indeed, inasmuch as this was the first direct
nuclear confrontation, unlike any other in the
history of our planet."

- Theodore Sorensen, aide to Pres. Kennedy
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• Upon approaching Cuba, the Soviets turned back.

• Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev agreed to remove
  Soviet missiles from Cuba, and the U.S. agreed
  not to invade Cuba.

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"I found myself in the difficult position of
having to decide on a course of action which
would answer the American threat but which would
also avoid war.  Any fool can start a war, and
once he's done so, even the wisest of men are
helpless to stop it-- especially if its a nuclear
war. - Nikita Khrushchev
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13 Days in October

• 14th photographs of missiles on Cuba
• 22nd Kennedy decides to blockade Cuba
• 24th Soviet ships turn back
• 24th message from Khrushchev saying must find
  peaceful solution
• 25th U2 spy plane shot down
• 26th 2nd message from Khrushchev
• 28th agreement reached

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Outcomes

• Perceived as great humiliation for Soviet Union

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Outcomes

• Eyeball to eyeball, they blinked first Dean
  Rusk, US Secretary of State
• Hotline between Washington and Moscow created
• 1963 - Limited test Ban Treaty
• 1968 Non Proliferation Treaty

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THE BERLIN WALL
By Mr Crowewww.SchoolHistory.co.uk
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What they wanted

• The West
• Prevent USSR from gaining control of East Germany
• To see a united, democratic Germany

• The East
• Maintain control over E Germany
• Make the West recognise it as an independent
  state
• Stop the flood of refugees especially the skilled
  and professional ones much needed in E Germany

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Results

• Important results for Berlin, Germany and the
  Cold War
• Berlin was divided, free access ended between
  East and West, many families split, many
  attempted to escape to the West-between 1961 and
  1989 86 people died trying to cross the Berlin
  Wall

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Results continued

• Kennedy accepted the Soviet action. He refused to
  use US troops to pull down the wall to avoid war.
• Kennedy looked weak but West turned it into
  propaganda why if Communism was so attractive
  was a wall needed?
• 1963 Kennedy visited West Berlin pledged
  continued support Ich bin ein Berliner (I am
  a Berliner) famous speech
• Khrushchev lost face by failing to remove the
  West from Berlin