Foreign Policy 1945-1989 The Cold War
YALTA CONFRENCE February 1945 Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin meet to plan the future of Germany and Poland Agreed to divide Germany and allow the Polish people to elect their own government
Europe at the End of World War II US/Great Britain Approaches Germany From West Soviet Union From the East
Iron Curtain Imaginary line separating communist eastern Europe from democratic western Europe Symbolized by Berlin Wall
Berlin Airlift City of Berlin was located in Soviet controlled East Germany. The Soviets blocked American access to city. 15 months = 200,000 flights US flew supplies to West Berlin
World Sentiment After the War United Nations started to make sure that nations can work out problems UN also works to be a response force in times of crisis UN works to solve other world problems
Cold War Begins A showdown between the US and Soviet Union (USSR) Both nations compete for global influence Called cold war because no war between the two powers Time of tension and fear of the spread of communism
Warsaw Pact vs NATO Warsaw Pact NATO Eastern Europe (communist) influenced by Soviets NATO Western Europe (democratic) influenced by US
Truman Doctrine Communism must be contained and not allowed to spread If one more country goes communist, the rest will fall like dominos Also known as Containment and Domino Theory
Marshall Plan Similar to dollar diplomacy Give aide to rebuild Europe after the war Giving aide will keep countries from becoming communist
Fear of World War III Arms Race- The US and USSR race to build weapons, each not wanting the other to gain the upper hand MAD- Mutually Assured Destruction- there were enough nuclear weapons to destroy the world several times over
Red Scare Fear of Communism McCarthyism Senator Joseph McCarthy accuses Americans of being communist He is proven to be a fraud but did add to fear
Proxy Wars The Soviet Union and the US would fight in smaller countries never directly against each other This would lead to three confrontations
Korean War 1950-53 US supports South Korea USSR supports North Korea War fought to a stalemate at the 38th parallel where troops still face each other today US still has troops in South Korea 33,741 battle field deaths
Vietnam War 1964-75 US supports South Vietnam USSR supports North Vietnam North fights guerilla war US forced to withdraw forces in defeat in 1975 47,410 battlefield deaths
Cuban Missile Crisis Soviets give nuclear missiles to Cuba, 90mi.from FL President Kennedy considers it an act of war US and Soviet Union are on the brink of all out war
Space Race Competition to see which nation was superior Soviets first to build satellite (sputnik) US first to land on the moon 1969
ARMS RACE 9/1949 Soviets test atom bomb 1952 US works on hydrogen bomb 1954- US tests 19 hydrogen bombs
Cold War Ends 1989 Soviet Union breaks up Berlin Wall falls Germany reunited