The Cold War

1. The Cold War The Division of Germany, The Berlin Blockade and Airlift, NATO and the Warsaw Pact

2. Quick Review – How does the United Nations Work?

3. Handout • Compare the League of Nations and the United Nations based on the following characteristics (can work in partners but each complete your own copy for reference): • Date created and following what event • Headquarters • Key original members or lack of • Diff’t parts of (agencies within) • Purpose/rationale • Another similarity or difference (ex how was Canada involved?)

4. The Cold War - Intro • After the end of WWII, there was no longer a group of 5 or 6 superpowers, instead there were only two: The United States and the Soviet Union • Europe was in ruins after the war: Germany, Italy, and Britain were in serious decline and suffered great damage (both in causalities and in the land) • This new power structure (of US and USSR) formed the basis of the cold war • The Cold War was an ideological struggle (of ideas) between the United States and the Soviet Union. It was different from other wars in that it fought using propaganda, espionage, and economic and political pressures

5. The Cold War • An arms race resulted between the two powers • They did not face each other in combat • That is why it is called the Cold War. Because there were no physical conflict hot spots. • It was a fight for power and influence on a global scale, characterized by an ever-present fear of a nuclear war, as both sides raced to build nuclear weapons • As a result, the world became divided into two hostile camps (of siding with the US or the USSR) • Two strategies were used by the superpowers: containment and domino theory

6. The Cold War Term • The term “Cold War” was coined by a writer, George Orwell after the first atomic bomb was dropped in 1945. • He and H.G. Wells described a world where two major powers would fight each other, not in military combat, but with nuclear and psychological warfare • H.G. Wells warned humanity that it would destroy itself with its own weapons

7. Containment • Containment: the American strategy was to “contain” communism, by preventing it from spreading to other countries. • In order to do so, the Americans tried to win non-aligned countries over to their “camp” while the Soviets tried to the same. • The first step in the policy of containment came from President Truman. Called the Truman Doctrine • It was a policy declaring support to Greece and Turkey who were resisting subjugation (people in countries threatened by communism) • This policy was set forth March 12, 1947 and is considered to be the start of the Cold War

8. Truman Policy and Marshall Plan • (1947) The Truman Policy was the first step in developing the American policy of containment – to halt the spread of communism by providing economic aid and military support to people threatened by communism, • Later, in 1947, the US further developed the policy of containment when they passed the Marshall Plan • The Marshall Plan offered billions of dollars in aid to war-torn European economies to help them resist the advance of communism

9. Domino Theory • Domino Theory: Fuelled the idea of containment. Americans feared that once one country was pulled into the Communist camp, then all surrounding countries would be soon to follow • The United States was very concerned with the way that Stalin was able to quickly establish Soviet-style communist regimes in six countries after the war (in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia) • As these countries fell to communism, the Americans developed the domino theory metaphor: as dominoes quickly cause the next to fall, so to will European counties, one by one, to the Soviets

10. Satellite States • Satellite States was a new concept in the Cold War • The countries controlled by the Soviet Union were called Satellite states because they were absolutely controlled by the USSR (Yugoslavia, Albania, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and half of Germany) • In 1946, Winston Churchill declared that an Iron Curtain had fallen across Europe, dividing communist and non-communist states • Churchill was speaking metaphorically and literally. The dominion of the USSR was as strong as “iron” but there was also a literal fence dividing East from West

11. “Man in the Mask” The Gouzenko Affair • 1945, a young store clerk with the Soviet Embassy in Canada, Igor Gouzenko asked Canada for protection from the USSR • In return, he gave the Canadian gov’t documents that proved the USSR was operating a spy ring in Canada • After he gave these documents, the USSR threatened his life • He and his family were given protection for the rest of their lives Igor Gouzenko had to disguise his identity after revealing the spy ring in Canada

12. The Gouzenko Affair • The event marked the beginning of the Cold War in Canada. • It hit home that there was a potential communist threat in Canada Igor Gouzenko interviewed on television in 1966, 20 years after his defection from the Soviet embassy. Right up to his death in 1982, Gouzenko would hide his face every time he made a public appearance without an alias

14. Louis St. Laurent – the New PM • Secretary of State for External Affairs in 1946 • He represented Canada at international conferences and the UN. He promoted Canadian membership in NATO • Acknowledged Canada must be more involved in external affairs • Replaced King as Prime Minister November 1948. • He would remain as PM until 1957 when he is defeated by John Diefenbaker’s gov’t

15. Pearson and St. Laurent • Lester Pearson, a civil servant in the department became St. Laurent's deputy. • St. Laurent and Pearson would have a major impact on Canada’s foreign policy in the early Cold War years. Pearson St. Laurent

16. The Red Scare • In response to the fear of communism (the Gouzenko affair increased this fear) the RCMP carried out illegal and secret inquiries regarding potential communists in Canada. • Potential immigrants were denied entry to Canada • Known (and suspected) communists were deported • This massive fear became known as the The Red Scare • The Red Scare was even more pronounced in the US

17. The Division of Germany • At the end of WWII, the Allies agreed to split Germany into four occupation zones: Britain, France, US and the Soviet Union • The US, France, and Britain joined sectors to form West Germany • Stalin created the German Democratic Republic – known as East Germany

18. Division of Berlin • Likewise, the city of Berlin was also divided into four occupied zones. • What was unusual was Berlin was in the Soviet sector of Germany • The Western Nations were permitted access to West Berlin through East Germany – but only on specified highways, railways, and air corridors.

19. The Berlin Blockade • One of the first international crises of the Cold War • The Western powers decided to introduce a new currency into West Germany. • This is because the Reichsmark (German currency) was unstable and over circulated (citizens would use cigarettes instead). • This is the Deutsche Mark (used until 2002 when the Euro was introduced) • The Soviets refused to accept it in Berlin, had blocked the West to enter by major highways and canals, and wanted the West completely out of Berlin

20. The Berlin Airlift (1948) • The Soviets blockaded transportation corridors (preventing the Western powers from accessing Berlin) • This was a direct confrontation by Stalin. • At first the Allies considered abandoning Berlin, but the domino theory made them think otherwise • They began to airlift supplies to the 2.5 million citizens. A plan would land every 2 mins with everything they needed. • The Soviets realized the blockade was not working • And the world saw the Soviets as international bullies

21. The Berlin Airlift • The allied powers responded with “Operation Vittles” • 4,500 tons of food, coal, & other materials were needed daily. • Three airports were used; planes landed continuously, in 3 minute intervals, 24/7. • The Soviets harassed the aircraft, using jamming, drifting balloons and spotlights. • This blockade lasted until May 1949. • Canadian forces did not participate directly, but many Canadian pilots flew American planes during the crisis. Germans watching supply planes at Tempelhof. Smith-Hudson i-Teach

22. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (1948) • Fall 1948 – US, Canada and other European countries create an alliance to prevent further expansion of Soviet control • Allies feel a stronger and permanent military presence is needed to prevent Soviet expansion • NATO formed August 24, 1949 • Designed almost solely for mutual defence • Canada pushed for NATO to not only protect members from communist aggression, but to bind them together in peaceful coexistence • The Canada Clause: outlined NATO’s second objective: create an economic relationship that would help maintain peace

23. The Warsaw Pact • The Warsaw Pact was a response to NATO in 1955 • It was a defensive alliance of the Soviet Union and her satellite states

24. A video to summarize today