U.S. & U.S.S.R. emerged from WWII as the two world Superpowers
The Cold War [ ]: An Ideological Struggle Soviet & Eastern Bloc Nations [“Iron Curtain”] US & the Western Democracies GOAL spread world- wide Communism GOAL “Containment” of Communism & the eventual collapse of the Communist world. [George Kennan- Mr. X] METHODOLOGIES: 1.Espionage [KGB vs. CIA] 2.Arms Race [nuclear escalation] 3.Ideological Competition for the minds and hearts of Third World peoples [Communist govt. & command economy vs. democratic govt. & capitalist economy] “proxy wars” 4.Bi-Polarization of Europe [Warsaw Pact vs. NATO]
National Defense Budget [ ]
The De-Colonization of European Empires
Soviet Union USA Economy Socialistic, state directed Free Market Capitalism Government Totalitarian Dictator, Communism Democracy ReligionReligion was outlawed Christian Nation I.Contrasting Ideologies
Early Stages- WWI Woodrow Wilson sent troops to Russia to put down the Bolshevik Revolution
WWII US gave Russia fewer lend- lease act supplies US slow to open up second front against Nazis. Pearl Harbor Dec 7, 1941, D-Day June 6, 1944 Russia bore the brunt of the war deaths in Europe, need to protect itself for the future, a “buffer zone” Yalta Conference, there would be free elections in Eastern Europe, Stalin does not deliver on this promise and draws an “iron curtain” over Eastern Europe
Great Britain $31 billion Soviet Union $11 billion France $ 3 billion China $1.5 billion Other European $500 million South America $400 million The amount totaled: $48,601,365,000 U. S. Lend-Lease Act, 1941
WW II Casualties: Europe Each symbol indicates 100,000 dead in the appropriate theater of operations
The Bi-Polarization of Europe: The Beginning of the Cold War
The Division of Germany:
Why did the US drop the bomb? Save American lives or intimidate Russia and prevent them from invading Japan & expanding its Communist empire in East Asia? FDR kept Stalin in the dark about the weapon, yet told Churchill
Japanese Surrender Intimidate Russia OR
Korean War [ ]
WW II Casualties Country Men in war Battle deaths Wounded Australia1,000,00026,976180,864 Austria800,000280,000350,117 Belgium625,0008,460 55,513 1 Brazil 2 40, ,222 Bulgaria339,7606,67121,878 Canada 1,086, , ,145 China 3 17,250,5211,324,5161,762,006 Czechoslovakia— 6, ,017 Denmark—4,339— Finland500,00079,04750,000 France—201,568400,000 Germany20,000,000 3,250, ,250,000 Greece—17,02447,290 Hungary—147,43589,313 India2,393,89132,12164,354 Italy3,100, , ,716 Japan9,700,0001,270,000140,000 Netherlands280,0006,5002,860 New Zealand 194,000 11, ,000 Norway75,0002,000— Poland—664,000530,000 Romania 650, ,000 6 — South Africa 410,0562,473— U.S.S.R.— 6,115, ,012,000 United Kingdom 5,896, , ,267 United States 16,112,566291,557670,846 Yugoslavia3,741,000305,000425,000 1.Civilians only. 2.Army and navy figures. 3.Figures cover period July 7, 1937 to Sept. 2, 1945, and concern only Chinese regular troops. They do not include casualties suffered by guerrillas and local military corps. 4.Deaths from all causes. 5.Against Soviet Russia; 385,847 against Nazi Germany. 6.Against Soviet Russia; 169,822 against Nazi Germany. 7.National Defense Ctr., Canadian Forces Hq., Director of History.