THE COLD WAR

1. THE COLD WAR U.S.HISTORY SCOTTS HILL HIGH SCHOOL COACH STROUP

2. INTRODUCTION • At the end of the WWII, the economies of most European countries were in ruin. • Peace time relations were still threatened because of many disagreements between the Allied Powers (England, France, Soviet Union, and the U.S.) over Communist expansion. • Became know as the “Cold War”, a struggle between the U.S. and Soviet Union. • Took place from 1945 – 1991. • Called “cold” because instead of direct warfare, U.S. & Soviet Union funded armed conflicts around the world between non-Communist & Communist governments. • Also a war of fear and contrasting philosophies between western democracies & the Communist bloc.

3. Promoting Democracy • Following WWII, Estonia, Latvia, & Lithuania were annexed by Soviet Union. • Soviet citizens, & others die in Soviet prison camps, called Gulag. • Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, & Albania become satellites states. • Satellites state are controlled militarily and economically by the Soviet Union. • U. S. feared that Soviet influence would move into the Mediterranean region. • In 1946, Winston Churchill warned of the “Iron Curtain” . • The term “Iron Curtain” became symbolic of the political division of Western and Eastern Europe. • In 1947, American diplomat George F. Kenan proposed a Policy of Containment.

4. Promoting Democracy • Policy of Containment included both economic and military support to vulnerable countries as way to prevent them to falling to communist rule. • March 1947, President Harry Truman announced the Truman Doctrine (based on Kennan’s theory). • Truman Doctrine guided America’s foreign policy for the next four decades.

5. The Marshall Plan • In 1947, to aid in Europe’s recovery process, Secretary of State George Marshall proposed a massive relief plan. • Under the Marshall Plan, the U.S. would provide Western European countries with funds needed to purchase supplies to rebuild their economies. • The Marshall Plan allowed Western Europe to rebuild itself and remain strongly democratic.

6. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization • Created in 1949 in response to fear that Soviet Union would attack Western Europe. • Initially, 12 countries formed NATO, pledging to consider an armed attack against on member as an attack on all. • Including : • 1. U.S. • 2. France • 3. United Kingdom • 4. Belgium

7. The Warsaw Pact • Created in 1955 by Soviet Union in response to West Germany becoming apart of NATO alliance. • Mutual defense agreement, similar to NATO, among the communist countries in Eastern Europe. • Pact was dissolved with the end of the Cold War in 1991.

8. The Berlin Blockade, Airlift, and Wall • After WW2, Germany divided into four zones by Allies. • Each of the Allies controlled one of the zones. • Berlin, the capital of Germany, surrounded by the Soviet Union’s zone, also divided into four sections. • Rest of the countries zones in Berlin were controlled by the United Kingdom, U.S., France, and Soviet Union. • 1948, the three occupation zones n Germany were economically joined. • Soviet’s viewed this as a threat to East Germany economy and set up Berlin Blockade between Berlin and West Germany. • Blockade is the isolation of an area, often by force, in order to prevent the entrance and exit of traffic and trade. • U.S. and Britain responded by supplying city with food & supplies, by military air transport and airlifting out West Berlin exports. • Became known as the Berlin Airlift.

9. The Berlin Blockade, Airlift, and Wall • People were fleeing Communist-controlled East Germany and East Berlin through the city streets of Berlin. • Border was still open between the east and west. • To stern the tide of defections, Communists erected a wall dividing Berlin. • Known as the Berlin Wall, a physical barrier that isolated West Berlin from the rest of Germany.

10. Arms Race • Tension continued to escalate between Western nations and Communist countries. • Though some thought the use of horrific potential of atomic weapons would force the hand of diplomacy, instead political division ushered in long years of struggle for world power between the two world superpowers: • 1. United States • 2. Soviet Union • Each superpower sought to extend its influence through political, military, and economic support of other countries, creating a divide between Communist and democratic countries. • In 1949, Mao Zedong led a Communist take-over of China. • After the events in Eastern Europe, the U.S. feared country after country in Asia would fall to communism.Called the “domino theory”. • U.S. fought two ground wars (Korean War & Vietnam War) in an effort to prevent the spread of communism.

11. The Korean War • Following WW2, Japanese control over Korea was replaced by Soviet and American control. • Soviets and U.S. split country in two equal parts at the 38th parallel (which falls at the line of longitude at 38 degrees north on a map). • This line was used to dived the Communist North Korea from the Democratic South Korea. • Korean War fist of Cold War to test Truman Doctrine. • Began in 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea, drawing both U.S. and China into war. • War lasted three years and ended a stalemate with neither side gaining territory. • A peace treaty ending the war has never been signed.

12. McCarthyism • McCarthyism was a crusade against suspected Communists led by Wisconsin senator Joseph McCarthy. • Using data that shifted with each speech, McCarthy utilized the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) to accuse individuals of all professions, especially in the State Department and entertainment industry, of Communists affiliation. • Some were jailed, passports revoked, and many entertainers were blacklisted in their industry, effectively ruining their careers.

13. The Cuban Missile Crisis • Fidel Castro led an army that overthrew the government in 1959. • Under Castro, Cuba became Communist, supported by Soviet Union. • Cuba fist Soviet-backed country in Western Hemisphere. • 1961, U.S. sponsored an invasion of Cuba by Cubans who had fled Cuba and were living in the U.S. • Invasion known as the Bay of Pigs, failed and was and embarrassment for President John F. Kennedy. • Soviet had no missiles that could reach the U.S. • In 1962, Soviets install missiles on Cuba, the Cuban Missile Crisis began. • U.S. launched a navy blockade of Cuba. • After tense negotiations during which the possibility of nuclear war was always present, the Soviets removed the missiles and the U.S. Navy withdrew.

14. Questions • 1. The Policy of Containment was introduced as America’s foreign policy with whom? • 2. The domino theory held that if one country in a region fell to communism, others would soon follow. The domino theory was a factor in what? • 3. What was the focus of McCarthyism? • 4. What was a political out come of the United States’ blockade of Cuba?

15. Essay • The Cold War era involved much involvement in foreign affairs. How have those events affected foreign policy today?

16. Quiz