THE COLD WAR

  The Cold War existed between the USA and its allies, and the USSR and its allies.   While the war never went ‘hot’, resulted in lots of fear and suspicion, combined with nuclear weapons, kept the world on edge for over four decades.   Rough dates of the Cold War were The end was marked by the break up of the USSR and the destruction of the Berlin Wall. So What is the “Cold War”?

After the WW2   Europe was in ruins and the USA and Soviet Union (USSR) became the two major powers in the world.   Russia had suffered huge losses in WW2 and wanted something for its suffering, mainly new land in Europe.   Russian leader Joseph Stalin decided that Russia would spread the idea of communism into Europe by taking over areas that had been capitalist before the war, setting up a confrontation with the USA.   Russia makes a move to take areas occupied by the Nazis, areas of Europe are enraged. Russia also notifies the world they have nuclear weapons that they had been working on in secret having stolen plans/research from the USA.

The Iron Curtain   Russia set up communist governments in all the countries they ‘liberated’ during WWII.   Winston Churchill gave a speech in which he said:   “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe.”   Europe was now divided and there is a possibility for another war.   West = democracy   East = communism

Map: The Iron Curtain

Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan   US President Truman promised American support to any country where Communism was a threat to Capitalism. Became known as the Truman Doctrine.   Was seen as a aggressive threat to Russia, but war did not break out.   Instead, the US and Russia would spend more than 40 yrs fighting proxy wars and spying on each other.   Marshall Plan: The US government sent money and supplies to rebuild war-torn Europe, prevent the spread of Communism from Russia   If countries took the money they had to promise to be capitalists and have democratic elections.

The Berlin Blockade   After WWII, Germany and Berlin were split into 4 sectors by the Allies   West Germany = French, British, American and democracy and East Germany = Russian sector and communism   Berlin was also divided, even though it was in East Germany   Stalin decided to close the roads and rails from West Germany to West Berlin, he was determined to starve West Berliners into submission and gain control of all of Berlin. USA is enraged.   The Western democracies decided it was worth the effort to save West Berlin   They flew in EVERYTHING needed in West Berlin in the greatest airlift ever seen. This was known as the Berlin Airlift   Stalin was furious, but eventually gave in and opened up the roads and rails again   The West and democracy had won this time, seen as the first battle of the Cold War.

Cold War Hysteria   1950s and 60s were full of tension between the Eastern and Western “Blocs”.   West was scared that the Communists would continue to take land, make things worse.   The spread of Communism was seen as a direct threat to Europe and the US.   East was scared of the West’s intentions and so they kept a ‘buffer’ between its borders in case of invasion. (Still worried about invasion)   Wars all over the world are fought during the Cold War backed by US and Russian support. (Korean, Vietnam, Cuban Missile Crisis, 5 small civil wars)

The Threat of Nuclear War   Hysteria came from the possibility of nuclear war, both sides lived in fear that the other would start a nuclear war.   Any tension could rise into a war that could destroy most of the world, leave lasting destruction.   All it took was one push of the button!   At risk: Mutually Assured Mass Destruction. (Both US and Russia use ALL their nukes and destroy each other. Epic Boom)   Today there are still 19,000 nukes between the US and Russia!  x19,000.

Table of Global Nuclear Weapons Stockpiles

End of the Cold War/USSR   Mikhail Gorbachev assumed the reins of power in the Soviet Union in   Gorbachev introduced the policies of glasnost and perestroika to the USSR.   GLASNOST, or openness, meant a greater willingness on the part of Soviet officials to allow western ideas and goods into the USSR. PERESTROIKA was an initiative that allowed limited market incentives to Soviet citizens.   Once the people of the USSR started to get Western ideas there was no stopping them.   In June 1989 the USSR started falling apart, areas once part of Russia pulled away and became independent non- Communist states.   Later that year, the Berlin Wall separating East and West Berlin fell and Germany was unified for the first time since WW2.   Russia’s experiment with Communism had failed, now the country would become capitalistic and democratic…BUT… there are many in Russia that want to rebuild the USSR.   We see this with the crisis in Ukraine today, Russia looks to reclaim Ukraine and other areas it lost with the fall of the USSR.

This is your last slide…   I realize history is not for everyone, some find it dreadfully boring, BUT…   The more you know about your world and how it got to be this way, the better you can know what comes next.   Being able to know what comes next allows you to remain out of trouble or not get caught.   So study history…it will help you know what’s coming next.

The End of Your Notes Thank you for being my students this year, it has been my pleasure to teach you.