SS6H7 The student will explain conflict and change in Europe to the 21 st century ( SS6H7c)

1. War and Change Cold War SS6H7 The student will explain conflict and change in Europe to the 21st century (SS6H7c)

2. Essential Questions • How did the location of the U.S. and Soviet Union contribute to their rise as superpowers after WWII? • What events led to the collapse of the Soviet Union? • What events led to the reunification of Germany? • What is the relationship between the collapse of the Soviet Union, the reunification of Germany and the end of the Cold War?

3. Vocabulary • NATO –North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Created to defend against Soviet aggression. Members included Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, UK, US, Greece, Turkey, Germany and Spain. • Warsaw Pact –The Soviet Union’s response to NATO. A mutual defense treaty between eight communist states of Central and Eastern Europe in existence during the Cold War. Members included  People's Republic of Albania,  People's Republic of Bulgaria, Czechoslovak Republic, German Democratic Republic,  People's Republic of Hungary, People's Republic of Poland, Romanian People's Republic and the  Soviet Union • Cold War –Open yet restricted rivalry and hostility that developed after World War II between the U.S. and the Soviet Union and their respective allies.

4. The USA and the USSR were the two world Superpowers. • The USA was a capitalist society with a democracy. • The USSR was a communist country with a dictatorship. • Communism versus Capitalism • Created economic, political, and military conflicts around the world • Both wanted to be the most powerful nation in the world.

5. Nuclear Tensions • The USA had shown its atomic power when it exploded the A-bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II. • The USSR was also developing atomic weapons/bombs. • The USA and the USSR were in competition with each other to have the best, most powerful weapons in the world – this was called the Arms Race.

6. Why is it called the Cold War? • The tension and rivalry between the USA and the USSR was described as the Cold War (1945-1990). • There was never a real war between the two sides between 1945 and 1990, but they were often very close to war (Hotspots). Both sides got involved in other conflicts in the world to either stop the spread of communism (USA) or help the spread (USSR).

7. Germany - divided • Germany, which had been ruled by Hitler and the Nazis until their defeat in 1945 was split in two. • The western side became West Germany and the eastern side became East Germany. • East Germany became another communist country.

8. Iron Curtain – A term used by Winston Churchill to describe the separating of Those communist lands of East Europe from the West.

9. Berlin Blockade • West Berlin, was an outpost of Western democracy and economic success deep within the communist zone – like a capitalist island within communist East Germany • Berlin Wall- was a physical barrier erected by the German Democratic Republic completely encircling West Berlin, separating it from East Germany, including East Berlin. • The Berlin Blockade was an attempt to starve West Berlin into submitting [giving up] to the Communists

10. Why are the two sides of the wall so different?

11. Berlin Airlift • In response, the Western Allies organized airplanes to carry supplies to the people in West Berlin. • Great Britain and the U.S.’s air force flew over 200,000 flights in one year that provided 13,000 tons of daily fuel and food to the Berliners.

12. The Allied [western powers] airlift signalled the West’s determination to use all resources to defend Berlin. • The success of the Berlin Airlift brought humiliation to the Soviets who had refused to believe it could make a difference. • The blockade was lifted in May 1949 and resulted in the creation of two separate German states. • The Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) split up Berlin.

13. End of the Cold War • Soviets spent all of their money on nuclear weaponry= no money • By 1989, the Soviet system was deprived of Soviet military support, the Communist leaders of the Warsaw Pact states were losing power. The Berlin Wall also fell. • The USSR was declared officially dissolved on December 25, 1991.

14. Reunification of Germany • Also, with the fall of the Soviet economy, there was not enough financial stability to control anything outside of its own countries. • This allowed Germany to reunite once again, and also let West Germany restructure East Germany's failed planned economy. • Economic union with the West occurred in July, and on Oct. 3, 1990, political reunification took place under what had been the West German constitution. • The United State's interference in West Germany's economy may have had something to do with the fact that it was so successful.

15. Essential Questions • How did the location of the U.S. and Soviet Union contribute to their rise as superpowers after WWII? • What events led to the collapse of the Soviet Union? • What events led to the reunification of Germany? • What is the relationship between the collapse of the Soviet Union, the reunification of Germany and the end of the Cold War?

16. Essential Questions • How did the location of the U.S. and Soviet Union contribute to their rise as superpowers after WWII? • U.S. and Soviet Union did not fight on their soil during WWII. So they didn’t have to rebuild and could focus their funds on paying for nuclear weapons. (aka they had the bomb) • What events led to the collapse of the Soviet Union? • The Soviets spent all of their money on nuclear weaponry and eventually ran out of funds. By 1989, the Soviet system was deprived of Soviet military support, the Communist leaders of the Warsaw Pact states were losing power, and the Berlin Wall fell. The USSR was declared officially dissolved on December 25, 1991. • What events led to the reunification of Germany? • With the fall of the Soviet economy, there was not enough financial stability to control anything outside of its own countries. This allowed Germany to reunite once again, and also let West Germany restructure East Germany's failed planned economy. Economic union with the West occurred in July, and on Oct. 3, 1990, political reunification took place under what had been the West German constitution. • What is the relationship between the collapse of the Soviet Union, the reunification of Germany and the end of the Cold War? • Without the Soviets spending all of their money and losing support, the Soviet Union wouldn’t have collapsed, the Berlin Wall wouldn’t have fell and Germany wouldn’t have been allowed to reunify. Without all of these events, the Cold War may have lasted longer.