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Unit 10- The Cold War. 1945-1991. Origins of the Cold War. Main Idea –The United States and the Soviet Union emerged from WWII as two - superpowers with vastly different political and economic systems that resulted in a bitter rivalry known as the Cold War .
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Unit 10- The Cold War 1945-1991
Origins of the Cold War Main Idea –The United States and the Soviet Union emerged from WWII as two - superpowers with vastly different political and economic systems that resulted in a bitter rivalry known as the Cold War. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpYCplyBknI
Former Allies Clash • USSR • Communist economic system = the state controlled all property and economic activity • Totalitarian government = Communist party controlled the government with no opposition political parties • Led by Joseph Stalin during and after WWII
Free market economic system (Capitalism) = private citizens controlled almost all economic activity • Democratic political institutions = private citizens vote on leaders from competing political parties • Led by President Harry Truman during and after WWII
United Nations • 50 nations (INCLUDING U.S.) • Goals: 1.Prevent war 2.Promote international cooperation 3.End hunger and disease 4.Improve education • Initial success: • Created Israel and preserve peace in the Middle East • Failure- to control the use/build up of nuclear weapons
Eastern Europe • The Soviets faced a lot of death in WWII and for that they justified their claims to Eastern Europe. • Felt they could stop future invasions from the west • Stalin installed communist governments in Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania and Poland • Called satellite nations • Europe was now divided into two political regions • Winston Churchill of Britain made a speech creating the phrase “iron curtain”, which stood for the division of Europe.
Post-WWII Germany • Post-WWII Germany was divided into West Germany and East Germany. ◦West Germany–under the control of western nations, eventually became democratic and resumed self-government after a few years of U.S., British, and French occupation. ◦East Germany–under control of the Soviet Union, did not develop democratic institutions.
U.S. Reactions To The Cold War and Communism • Truman Doctrine • “Containmentof communism” • Guiding principle of American foreign policy throughout the Cold War. • Didn’t want to roll it back but wanted to keep it from spreading and to resist communist aggression into other countries. • Truman asks Congress for $400 million in military aid for Greece and Turkey to fight communism. • Created alliances- most famous being NATO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xyoviiavusk
NATO • North Atlantic Treaty Organization • Formed as a defense alliance among the US and western European countries (12 nations in total) to prevent a Soviet invasion of Western Europe • “an attack on one is an attack on all” • Soviet allies in the eastern Europe formed the Warsaw Pact • For nearly 50 years both sides maintained large military forces facing each other in Europe
Marshall Plan • The Marshall Plan- the U.S. provided the nations of western Europe with massive financial aid ($13 billion) after WWII to rebuild their economies and prevent the spread of communism. • Significance –it worked and increased future trade with western European nations
Berlin Airlift • Remember, Berlin is split but is located right in the middle of USSR territory. • 1948- Stalin attempted to push the U.S., Great Britain and France out of Berlin by blocking rail and road traffic in and out. • Thought West Berlin would suffer from lack of supplies and eventually get absorbed into USSR. • U.S. Air Force supplied West Berlin by air for a year forcing an end to the blockade. • Later, the USSR built a wall around West Berlin. • Prevent a U.S. invasion of East Germany and to separate E. and W. Germany • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH-GVf9floo
The Arms Race • Race between the U.S. and USSR to be militarily superior to the other. • U.S. was ahead from the start due to knowledge base and materials obtained. • 1949: Soviet Union detonated its first nuclear weapon • 1952: U.S. tests H-Bomb (Thermo-Nuclear Bomb)…USSR tested one in 1953 • 1954: Castle Bravo H-Bomb test at Bikini Atoll in Pacific • Both built up a stockpile of Inter-continental ballistic missiles that the H-Bombs could be put into…starts in 1957.
The Cold War Heats Up • Communist takeover in China! • Revolution in 1949: Nationalists v. Communists • Communists win- Mao Zedong • Increased American fears of communist domination of most of the world. • The communist nations of China and the Soviet Union eventually became rivals for territory and diplomatic influence.
Korean War • Background: At the end of WWII, Korea was split into a pro-communist North Korea and a pro-democratic South Korea along the 38th parallel line. • North Korean forces attacked South Korea in 1950 = Korean War
Both the U.S. and the USSR wanted to establish Korea in their likeness- • Korea Split- NorthKorea (communist) vs. South Korea (democratic) • American involvement in the early 1950s reflected the American policy of containment of communism. • Communist North Korea invaded South Korea. • American forces led a counterattack that drove deep into North Korea. • Communist Chinese forces came into the war on the side of North Korea and threatened to widen the war. • It eventually ended in a stalemate with South Korea free of communist occupation. • In the end, Korea remained split – U.S. achieved its goal of “containing” communism.
Effects of the Korean War • 34,000 Americans killed, 103,000 wounded • Containment of communism had occurred without a nuclear war • First war in which whites and African Americans served in the same units • War led to a huge increase in military spending (mobilized troops around the world) • Helped shape future U.S. policy in Asia (Japan) • Created a tiff between Communist China and the U.S. • http://www.history.com/topics/korean-war/videos#sherman-pratt-survives-the-korean-war
The Cold War at Home • Main Idea –The fear of communism and the threat of nuclear war affected American life throughout the Cold War. The Cold War made foreign policy a major issue in every presidential election during the period. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07buRRJ6s4k
Fear and Paranoia • The Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and the Communist take over in China fueled a fear that communism would spread around the world and to the U.S. • At the height of WWII, about 80,000 Americans claimed membership in the Communist Party • People thought they had loyalty to USSR • Loyalty Review Board- set up to investigate government employees and dismiss those found to be disloyal to the US • List of 91 “subversive” organizations was formed- membership in these groups were grounds for suspicion
HUAC • House Un-American Activities Committee • Investigated Communist influence in the movie industry • Believed the Communists were sneaking propaganda into films • “Hollywood Ten”- group of actors that refused to testify- sent to prison • Hollywood execs issued a blacklist- list of people condemned for having communist background • Actors, writers, producers and directors (about 500 in total)
Soviet Spies Alger Hiss • (1948) –former State Department official who was accused of spying for the Soviet Union ◦Convicted of perjury and sent to jail due to the efforts of Richard Nixon ◦Significance–increased fears of communism in the U.S.
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg- accused of spying for the USSR. • When the USSR exploded their atomic bomb quickly, people thought that they were spying on the US • The Rosenbergs were activist in the American Communist Party • Denied the charges and said they were being persecuted b/c they were Jewish • Found guilty of espionage and sentenced to death http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-6BfCbrvuM
McCarthyism • Republican from Wisconsin • Took advantage of people’s concerns about communism • Recklessly accused many American government officials and citizens of being communist • Based these accusations on flimsy or no evidence • Led to the term McCarthyism- making of false accusations based on rumor or guilt by association • 1954, McCarthy made accusations against the Us Army which resulted in a nationally televised Senate investigation • McCarthy bullied the witnesses and alienated the audience
McCarthy eventually became chairman of the Senate subcommittee on investigations. • Using his new found power he forced government officials to testify about alleged Communist influences. • He never had any credible evidence to support his theories. • His tactic of damaging reputations with vague and unfounded charges became known as McCarthyism. • After a six week televised Army-McCarthy hearings involving the investigation of U.S. Army officials, America had enough.
Threat of Nuclear War • The fear of communism and the threat of nuclear war affected American life throughout the Cold War. • U.S. developed the Hydrogen bomb- more powerful than atomic bomb • USSR developed one too!! • U.S. encouraged math and science programs in schools in order to get ahead of the Soviets. • During the 1950s and 1960s American schools regularly held drills to train children what to do in case of nuclear attacks • “duck and cover” • American citizens were urged by the government to build bomb shelters in their basements. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKqXu-5jw60
Massive Retaliation • President Eisenhower’s policy to deter any nuclear strike by the Soviets. • Based on the idea that the threat of a nuclear war would destroy both countries.
Kennedy and the Cold War http://www.history.com/topics/john-f-kennedy/videos#john-f-kennedy
Space Race • 1957- the USSR launched Sputnik 1- satellite • People thought it was used to either spy on the US or launch missiles at the US • April 12, 1961- Soviet cosmonauts went into space • President Kennedy saw this as a challenge and set out to send a man to the moon • July 20, 1969- Neil Armstrongtook his first steps on the moon • Universities expanded their science programs • http://www.history.com/topics/space-race/videos#the-space-race
The Cold War in Virginia • The heavy military expenditures throughout the Cold War benefited Virginia’s economy proportionately more than any other state. • Hampton Roads was home to several large naval and air bases. • Northern Virginia- home to the Pentagonand numerous private companies that contracted with the military.
Election of 1960 • Election of 1960-John F. Kennedy (Democrat) defeated Richard Nixon (Republican) • Importance of television –first televised debates favored Kennedy • Kennedy looked and sounded better on TV than Nixon did (Nixon looked like a sinister chipmunk according to one viewer)
In President Kennedy’s inaugural address he pledged that the U.S. would “pay any price, bear any burden , meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” • Famous line of speech: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s6U8GActdQ
Crises Over Cuba • Fidel Castro, a communist, led the Cuban Revolution and took over the government in Cuba in 1959 ◦Castro relied on support and aid from the Soviet Union ◦Many Cubans fled to Florida
Bay of Pigs Invasion • 1961 failed invasion of Cuba by Cuban exiles that had been trained by the CIA. • Wanted to overthrow Castro and his communist regime • Significance-Kennedy accepted blame for the failure –humiliating defeat for the U.S.
Cuban Missile Crisis • (1962) –2 week crisis over offensive nuclear missiles in Cuba • Nikita Khrushchev (Soviet Union’s leader) gave Castro nuclear missiles • U.S. spy planes (U2) photographed missiles, Kennedy demanded they be removed • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S3HHkSA3z0
U.S. and U.S.S.R. were on the brink of nuclear war • Naval confrontation resulted in U.S.S.R. backing down • Dean Rusk (Sec. of State) said –We are eyeball to eyeball, and the other fellow just blinked. • Resolution = U.S.S.R. removed the missiles in exchange for U.S. pledge not to invade Cuba
Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 in Dallas, Texas, by Lee Harvey Oswald. • This event shook the nation’s confidence and began a period of internal strife and divisiveness. • Fueled the division over U.S. involvement in Vietnam. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-LA0ypFXig