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The Cold War

Explore the opposing economic and political philosophies of the United States and Soviet Union in the Cold War, along with their competing aims and the origins of the conflict.

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The Cold War

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  1. The Cold War 1945-1990

  2. 3/25 Focus: • The opposing economic and political philosophies of the democratic United States and the communist Soviet Union led to a nearly half century conflict known as the Cold War . • Important Terms: • Iron Curtain • Do Now: • Which nation suffered the greatest number of causalities during WWII?

  3. Cold War • A continuing state of tension & hostilities between the United States and Soviet Union • 1945-1991 • differences in political and economic philosophies • Ended in 1991 with collapse of communist government in the Soviet Union

  4. Competing Philosophies of the Cold War The United States Soviet Union Capitalist economic system; private ownership of the means of production Communist System; Command economy; state control of the means of production; wealth shared Communist Party established totalitarian government with no opposing political parties Representative democracy where people elect representatives from competing political parties

  5. Competing Aims of the Cold War The United States Soviet Union Encourage democracy in other countries to prevent spread of communism Encourage the spread of communism throughout the world Gain access to raw materials and markets to fuel industry Rebuild Soviet economy using Eastern Europe's industrial equipment and resources Rebuild European governments to promote stability and create new markets for U.S. goods Control Eastern Europe to protect Soviet borders and balance U.S. influence in W. Europe

  6. Origins of the Cold War • The Yalta Conference (Feb. 1945) • Meeting between Allies to make post war plans • Decided Germany would be divided into 4 zones • Free elections would be held in occupied zones • New governments would be determined by the people

  7. Origins of the Cold War • Stalin kept his troops in Eastern Europe • Cancels elections • Sets up communist governments in territories captured by the Soviet troops

  8. The Iron Curtain • Described an imaginary line that divided the communist countries of Eastern Europe with the free countries of Western Europe

  9. The Iron Curtain “From Stettin in the Baltic, to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent. Behind that line lies the ancient capitals of Central and Eastern Europe.” -- Sir Winston Churchill, 1946

  10. Points for Discussion • What is the difference between a “cold war” and a “hot war”? • What was the purpose of the Yalta Conference? • What did the Iron Curtain refer to?

  11. 3/26 Focus: • The United States and the Soviet Union had cooperated to win WWII but conflicts in ways of thinking and mutual distrust led to the development of the Cold War. • Important Terms: • Containment • Do Now: • What is the difference between a “cold war” and a “hot war”

  12. Containment • Western Democracies feared the spread of communism • Stalin had established satellite nations of the Soviet Union in E. Europe • Communist governments under the influence of the Soviet Union • Stalin began putting pressure on Greece and Turkey

  13. Containment • U.S. President Harry Truman established the Truman Doctrine in 1947 • Economic and military program designed to block Soviet influence and expansion of communism • United States would try to containcommunism to areas already under Soviet control

  14. Containment • The United States pledged to provide assistance to any nation resisting Soviet and communist expansion • Provided $400 million to Greece and Turkey to resist communism

  15. The Marshall Plan • U.S. Plan to provide massive economic aid to help European nations rebuild after WWII • Developed by Sec. of State George Marshall • strengthen democratic governments • Provide stability • Lessen the appeal of communism

  16. Points for Discussion • What was President Truman’s policy for dealing with spread of Communism? • What was the Marshall Plan? • What was the western response to Stalin’s blockade of Berlin?

  17. 3/27 Focus: • During the Cold War, the Soviet Union and the United States competed for power and influence with confrontations between the East and West becoming increasingly severe. • Important Terms: • Blockade, Defense Pact, Repression • Do Now: • What was President Truman’s policy for dealing with spread of Communism?

  18. Berlin Blockade • Stalin blocked all road and rail traffic into French, British, and U.S. controlled sections of Berlin in 1948 • Berlin was located in Soviet controlled section of Germany • Control of city was divided between Allies

  19. Berlin Airlift • Western nations responded by flying in supplies to Berlin • 2,250,000 tons of goods including food and coal were delivered by air

  20. Berlin Airlift • Stalin was forced to lift the blockade

  21. Crisis over Germany • Federal Republic of Germany formed in 1949 (West Germany) • Formed in areas occupied by Britain, France, and U.S. • W. Germans wrote a new constitution and setup a democratic government • Received American help to rebuild economy

  22. Crisis over Germany • Stalin feared a strong, united Germany • Wanted to keep Germany divided

  23. Crisis over Germany • East German government built a wall between East Berlin and West Berlin in 1961 • Keep E. Germans from fleeing to the West • E. German soldiers ordered to shoot anyone trying to escape

  24. NATO • North Atlantic Treaty Organization • United States and other European democracies formed mutual defense pact in 1949 • United States • Belgium • Britain • Canada • Denmark • France • Iceland • Italy • Luxemburg • Netherlands • Norway • Portugal • 1952: Greece & Turkey • 1955: West Germany • 1983: Spain

  25. Warsaw Pact • Mutual defense pact between the Soviet Union and its satellite nations in 1955 U. S. S. R. Albania Bulgaria Czechoslovakia East Germany Hungary Poland Romania

  26. Soviet Repression • Soviets used military force to crush revolts and opposition to communist control of Eastern Europe • Hungarian Revolt (1956) • Czechoslovakian Revolt (1968)

  27. Nuclear Arms Race • The United States and the Soviet Union built more and more nuclear weapons in an effort to surpass each others military strength • Soviet Union developed an atomic bomb in 1949 • Started the nuclear arms race

  28. Nuclear Arms Race 45,000 warheads, 1986 32,040 warheads, 1966

  29. Space Race • The Soviet Union launches Sputnik in 1947 • The first man made satellite

  30. Space Race • Americans feared that the U.S. was falling behind the Soviets in science • NASA created in response to the Soviet’s launch of Sputnik

  31. Cold War Questions 1. What was the Cold War? 2. Discuss the two competing philosophies of the Cold War. 3. How did the western democracies respond to Stalin’s blockade of West Berlin? 4. What were the origins of the Cold War? 5. What was the Iron Curtain? 6. What was the Berlin Airlift?

  32. Cold War Questions continued 7. What is the full name of N.A.T.O? 8. What was the purpose of NATO? 9. Which countries made up NATO? 10. What was the Warsaw Pact? 11. Which countries made up the Warsaw Pact? 12. Discuss the crisis over Germany. 13. What was Sputnik? 14. Why did the U.S. create NASA?

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