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The cold war. An overview of the causes, the major events and the consequences. Causes. By the end of WWII, two superpowers faced each other. Both the allied forces and the soviet union had great military strength.
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The cold war An overview of the causes, the major events and the consequences
Causes By the end of WWII, two superpowers faced each other. Both the allied forces and the soviet union had great military strength. Source: http://www.fasttrackteaching.com/burns/Unit_11_Cold_War/Unit11_map_Cold_War_Europe_1.GIF
The soviet union • The soviet union was founded in 1922 and lasted until 1991. • By the end of WWII, it controlled most of eastern Europe and the eastern portion of Germany. • It became ideologically opposed to the united states.
Ideological conflict capitalism communism
Why a ‘cold war”? Both the U.S. and the USSR had nuclear weapons. Each side feared the consequences of nuclear war. Both sides tried to destabilize the other and expand their sphere of influence. Nuclear missile displayed on military parade in Moscow. Source: http://classroom.synonym.com/DM-Resize/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/198/74/2660982.jpg?w=600&h=600&keep_ratio=1
Korean War In 1945, Korea was partitioned. North: Soviet-backed communist regime. South: US-backed capitalist regime. In 1949, the US pulled out of south Korea. Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10162283
In 1950, the North invaded. A UN force, mostly us troops came to aid the south. China joined in to help north Korea. With neither side able to gain an advantage, the USSR proposed an armistice. 1953, borders almost the same as before war. Source: http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/s300000/s357227.jpg
Names given to the Korean war • United States: “The Forgotten War” or “The Unknown War” • South Korea: “6-2-5 War” (The date it started) • North Korea: “Fatherland Liberation War” • China: “War to Resist US Aggression and Aid in Korea”
US and Cuba 1956 to 1958: Fidel Castro wages leads guerilla warfare against us-backed dictator Batista. Castro creates communist government. Fidel Castro and Che Guevara Source: www.mirror.co.uk
Bay of pigs invasion 1961 US-backed invasion by anti-Castro Cubans. It failed.
Cuban missile crisis Ussr wanted to send missiles to Cuba. Tensions rose. Us blockade of Cuba. Soviets finally agree to withdraw weapons.
Vietnam war (1964 to 1975) 1954: Vietnam divided in two at 17º N after French defeat. USSR supports communist north. US arms south. Source: https://wikis.nyu.edu/ek6/modernamerica/uploads/Imperialism.ColdWarContainment/Vietnam_War.jpg
First US combat troops arrive in 1965. North Vietnamese and vietcong (rebels in south Vietnam) fought guerrilla warfare. This type of warfare favoured surprise attacks, sabotage, hit and run tactics, etc. Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Marine-raiders.jpg
North Vietnamese Tunnels Source:http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7D4Ux9E2k1A/T_5HnRkeVGI/AAAAAAAAaD8/4y72pa5Vsbw/cu-chi-tunnels-20%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800
In 1973, Paris peace accords were signed. Fighting continued until 1975 when the north took the city of Saigon in south Vietnam. Evacuation of CIA personnel on April 29th, 1975
Why did the us get involved in this conflict? The u.s.a. was following a policy of “containment”. This meant that they wished to keep communism from spreading; to avoid the “domino effect”.
Beginning of end for soviet union 1979 to 1989: soviet war in Afghanistan. Soviets withdraw in the end. 1980s: USSR less involved in satellite countries. Mujahideen fighters in 1987. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_war_in_Afghanistan
Fall of soviet union 1985: State starts to restructure politics and economy (“perestroika”) “Glasnost”: openness to outside (foreign) influence, less censorship. 1991: borisyeltsin elected president of Russia; end of USSR Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Boris_Yeltsin_21_February_1989-1.jpg