The Cold War

Causes Communist regimes launched global conflict that touched the lives of almost everyone Rift began soon after Russian Revolution, but threat of Nazis gave Russia unlikely Allies After WWII ended, there was no longer a need for Soviet Union to be friends with democracies Geopolitical and ideological realities of post-war world US and USSR competing “superpowers”

Military Conflict and the Cold War Europe was cold war’s first arena – Soviet concern for security and control in Eastern Europe – American and British desire for open societies linked to the capitalist world economy “Iron Curtain” divided Europe Creation of rival military alliances – NATO – Warsaw Pact – American sphere of influence in Western Europe mostly voluntary – Soviet sphere in Eastern Europe imposed

Military Conflict in the Cold War Communism spread into Asia, creating more tension between superpowers Korean War – North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950 – Ended in standoff and a divided Korea Vietnam – Massive US intervention in 1960s – Vietnamese communists successfully united the country by 1975 Map

Military Conflict and the Cold War Conflict in Afghanistan– The Soviet Union’s Vietnam – Marxist party took power in 1978 but alienated much of population – Violated traditional Afghan beliefs Mujahedeen – Soviet Military intervention met with little success Faced American weapons – USSR withdrew in 1989, communist rule in Afghanistan collapsed – Rebuilt by Taliban

Military Conflict and the Cold War Cuba– the battle that never happened – Fidel Castro came to power in 1959 – Nationalization of US assets provoked Bay of Pigs invasion – Castro gradually aligned himself with USSR – Cuban Missile Crisis (October 1962) Khrushchev deployed nuclear missiles to Cuba US detected missiles and didn’t know about them US blockades Cuba USSR agrees to remove missiles if US removes missiles from Turkey

Nuclear Standoff and Third World Rivalry USSR created nuclear weapon in 1949 Massive arms race: by 1989, world had roughly 60,000 nuclear weapons Space Race : fear of massive nuclear destruction – Air-raid drills – Massive retaliation Both sides reluctant to fight – Knew only battle tactic was nuclear war

Third World Rivalry US fearful of communist expansion – US intervened in Iran, the Philippines, Guatemala, El Salvador, Chile, the Congo US often support corrupt authoritarian regimes in opposition to communism Many developing countries resisted being used as pawns Some countries (India) claimed non-alignment status to avoid cold war tensions Some played superpowers against each other – Indonesia received Soviet aid but destroyed communist party within own country – Egypt turned toward USSR when US wouldn’t help, turned back to US after Soviets became too aggressive

The United States: Superpower of the West, Became leader of the West against Communism – Creation of an “imperial” presidency in the US – Power given to defense and intelligence agencies creating a “nation security state” – Fear that democracy was being undermined – Anticommunist witch-hunts (s950s) – Strengthened influence of the “military-industrial complex”

The United States US military effort sustained by flourishing economy and increasingly middle-class society – US industry not harmed by WWII – Americans were “people of plenty” Enjoyed consumerism boom – Growing pace of US investment abroad American popular culture spread around the world – Jazz, Rock-and-roll, rap – Conglomerates and Franchises spread across the globe

The Communist World Nikita Khrushchev took power in 1953 Denounced Stalin as a criminal in 1956 Cold war justified continuing Soviet emphasis on military and defense industries – Continuous government propaganda glorified the Soviet system and vilified America Growing conflict among the Soviet Bloc – Yugoslavia rejected soviet domination – Soviet invasion of Hungary and Czechoslovakia Truman Doctrine FAILED

The Communist World Poland threatened with invasion in early 1980s Brutal suppression of reform tarnished the image of Soviet communism, gave credence to Western views of the cold war as a struggle between tyranny and freedom Sharp opposition between USSR and China – Territorial disputes – Ideological differences – Rivalry for Communist leadership – 1960: USSR withdrew advisors from China – China developed their own nuclear weapons – USSR and China close to war in late 1960s – China went to war against a communist Vietnam in 1979