1 / 159

The Cold War 1945-1991

The Cold War 1945-1991. Vs. EQ. What is meant by the term “Cold War”? What were the root causes of this “war”? What were the weapons used? Who were the major players? Where/when did the Cold War turn hot? What brought about the end of the Cold War?. The Cold War Begins.

shing
Download Presentation

The Cold War 1945-1991

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Cold War1945-1991 Vs.

  2. EQ • What is meant by the term “Cold War”? • What were the root causes of this “war”? • What were the weapons used? • Who were the major players? • Where/when did the Cold War turn hot? • What brought about the end of the Cold War?

  3. The Cold War Begins • The Yalta Conference (February 1945) • F.D. Roosevelt • Winston Churchill • Josef Stalin

  4. Yalta Conference

  5. Yalta Conference • Germany to be divided by the Allies (Americans, British & French) • Germany to pay USSR for damages • Soviets promise free elections in Eastern Europe • Allies don’t believe Stalin

  6. Yalta Conference • Soviets promised to enter the war against Japan within 90 days of the end of the war in Europe • Mistrust between Allies is already present in February 1945 • Two very different world views

  7. The United Nations • Formed April 1945 • An organization of nations designed to prevent aggression • Had 50 original members including the US & USSR • Made up of General Assembly & Security Council

  8. The United Nations • Security Council has 11 total members and 5 permanent members • 5 permanent members are the US, USSR, Britain,France & China • Real power of the UN is in the Security Council

  9. The United Nations • Security Council members can veto any resolution they want • 1 veto kills a resolution • Nothing gets done without the Security Council

  10. Different GoalsUS & USSR • US wanted to encourage: • Democracy • Capitalism • Free trade • Personal freedom • A unified Germany

  11. Different GoalsUS & USSR • USSR wanted to encourage: • International communism • A divided Germany • Buffer of east European nations to protect USSR • Totalitarianism

  12. Setting The Stage For Trouble • Potsdam Conference, July 1945 • Harry S. Truman • Josef Stalin • Winston Churchill

  13. Setting The Stage For Trouble • Stalin went back on pledges at Yalta to hold free elections • Potsdam Ultimatum issued: • Japan either surrenders or is hit with the atomic bomb

  14. Setting The Stage For Trouble • USSR assures US it will enter war against Japan in early August • Truman finds out the atomic bomb works & decides to use it against Japan • Decided to use bomb to scare Soviets? • Atomic diplomacy?

  15. Atomic Diplomacy • Bully the Soviets with the bomb • Don’t threaten the USSR but show them what they potentially face • Let the world know who is boss

  16. Iron Curtain Speech • Given by Winston Churchill at Westminster College, March 1946 • http://www.historyguide.org/europe/churchill.html • “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent…”

  17. Iron Curtain Speech • Stalin had said after Potsdam that the US & USSR could not live in peace & war was inevitable • Churchill’s speech drove the former allies further apart • Tension increasing constantly

  18. US Prepares for the Future • US adopted policy of containment • Keep the Soviets/communists right where they were were as of 1946 • Expansion of communists to be met with resistance each time (Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan etc.)

  19. US Prepares for the Future • After the war, US needed to rebuild Europe • Why?

  20. US Prepares for the Future • Europeans need food, medicine & fuel (humanitarian concerns) • US needs trading partners • US needs allies against the Soviets • If Europeans do not get help, they will turn to the Soviets

  21. US Prepares for the Future • Truman Doctrine (March 1947) • Britain could no longer support nationalists in Greece • Greek communists would win if nationalists were not supported • President Truman asked Congress to aid the Greeks

  22. US Prepares for the Future • “…I believe it must be the policy of the United States to support free people…resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or outside pressures….” • President Harry Truman, March 1947

  23. US Prepares for the Future • President Truman asked Congress for $400 million in aid for Greece and Turkey to resist communists • $4.198 Billion in 2012) • Aid must go to Greece and Turkey or the Turks will turn to the USSR

  24. US Prepares for the Future • The Marshall Plan (July 1947) • Secretary of State George Marshall proposed plan to aid European nations in need • Aid to any nations in Europe who asked for it • Had to tell US how money was spent

  25. US Prepares for the Future • While Plan was debated in Congress, communists seized power in Czechoslovakia • Plan immediately passed • Congress authorized $12.5 Billion in aid • 131Billion in 2012 • Even Yugoslavia received aid

  26. Tension Increases • As a result of the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan, the Soviets looked weak • Soviets responded with blockade of Berlin beginning in June 1948 • Wanted to cut Berlin off from the West to test the West

  27. Tension Increases • In June 1948 Britain, France & US had allowed the creation of West Germany • Soviets were furious • Soviets wanted Germany weak and divided • Still smarting from Marshall Plan

  28. Tension Increases • Soviet response was to block the roads to Berlin off from the West • Soviets wanted to bully the US & Britain into giving up the idea of a unified Germany • Berliners lacked food, fuel & medicine • US & Britain responded with the Berlin Airlift

  29. Berlin Airlift • June 1948 - May 1949 • US & G.B. flew over the Soviet blockade of Berlin and dropped much-needed supplies to Berlin • Dared the Soviets to shoot • Showed the world about strength

  30. Berlin Airlift • The Soviets were forced to back down & were humiliated. Again. • They were made to look weak in the eyes of the world. Again. • The West looked stronger than ever

  31. Collective Security • In response to the tension created by the Berlin crisis, the US, Canada & 10 western European nations formed NATO • North Atlantic Treaty Organization • A collective security organization

  32. Collective Security • NATO • Formed 1949 • Designed to deter Soviet aggression through the use of military force • An attack on one considered an attack on all

  33. The Parties of NATO agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all. Consequently, they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defense will assist the party or parties being attacked, individually and in concert with the other parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.

  34. Collective Security • Soviets responded to West Germany being included in NATO in 1955 with Warsaw Pact • Made up of the Soviet Union & eastern European nations • Yugoslavia was only nation not in the Warsaw Pact

  35. The Arms Race • Between 1945 & 1949 only the US had the atomic bomb • US had shown its willingness to use the bomb when it bombed Japan • Soviets acquired the bomb in 1949 through spying on the US atomic program

  36. The Arms Race • In 1949, the US developed the Hydrogen Bomb (H-Bomb) which was more powerful than the atomic bomb • In the 1950s the US reduced its conventional forces & increased its nuclear forces

More Related