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The Cold War

The Cold War. U.S. Strategies. Focus Question:. Origins of the Cold War. U.S. – Soviet alliance was a weak link United to fight a common enemy Too many differences to remain allied after the war Split began before the war ended. Conflicting War Aims. United States Promote democracy

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The Cold War

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  1. The Cold War U.S. Strategies

  2. Focus Question:

  3. Origins of the Cold War • U.S. – Soviet alliance was a weak link • United to fight a common enemy • Too many differences to remain allied after the war • Split began before the war ended

  4. Conflicting War Aims United States • Promote democracy • Gain access to markets • Rebuild Europe for stability • Reunite Germany for peace Soviet Union • Encourage Communism • Rebuild the USSR • Establish a buffer zone of satellite states • Keep Germany weak and divided

  5. Political Differences United States • Democratic Republic • Rule of law • Respect for civic rights Soviet Union • Totalitarian Dictatorship • Ruthless legal system • Little regard for rights

  6. Economic Differences United States • Capitalist system • Free Market • Private ownership • Profit motive Soviet Union • Communist system • Command Economy • State ownership

  7. “Iron Curtain” • Open split occurs in Eastern Europe • Allies agreed to hold free elections to be held in Poland • Soviet Union refused to allow these elections • Churchill announces “an Iron Curtain has descended upon Europe”

  8. U.S. Strategies • All strategies based on “Containment” • Understanding that the U.S. was not prepared for war against the USSR • Seen as a way to outlast the Soviet Union • Theory developed by George Kennan

  9. Containment (Truman) • Designed to prevent the spread of Communism • First seen with the Truman Doctrine (1947) • U.S. sent $400 million to aid Greece and Turkey • U.S. would support “free peoples” of the world • Demonstrated strength under the Marshall Plan • U.S. provided $12.5 Billion to rebuild Europe • “Berlin Airlift” • Development of NATO

  10. Brinksmanship (Eisenhower) • Communism had to be “rolled back” • Conduct forceful, bold foreign relations to “liberate captive peoples” • Bring the world to the brink of war, then let cooler heads prevail • Utilize “massive retaliation” with nukes to push agenda • Saw massive cuts in conventional forces

  11. Flexible Response (Kennedy) • American policy too linked to nuclear weaponry • Multiple options needed in foreign relations • Strong nuclear forces for MAD • (Mutual Assured Destruction) • Strong conventional forces to deal with smaller wars • Demonstrated its strength with the Cuban Missile Crisis • Demonstrated its weakness with Vietnam

  12. Détente (Nixon) • Developed as a result of the war in Vietnam • The public was unwilling to use troops overseas • Negotiate with the Communist powers • The Soviet Union and China • Saw the development of practical arms control

  13. Arms Race (Reagan) • Argued the U.S. suffered a gap in conventional and nuclear forces • Pushed a massive military build-up • Challenged ideas of containing Communism • Pushed challenging Communism “Roll Back” • Invaded Grenada • Supported contras in Nicaragua • Mined harbors in El Salvador • Supported mujahedeen in Afghanistan

  14. Cold War • Formed the basis of U.S. policy for 50 years • Shaped many aspects of American policy • Foreign relations • Domestic affairs • Provided unity within the partisan system

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