1947-1991: The Cold War Era

Origins of the Cold War Soviet Union was angry that the USA waited so long to attack Hitler in Europe (WWII) The Soviets were angry the USA kept the invention of the Atomic Bomb a secret USA was angry the Soviet Union Dictator Stalin signed a pact with Hitler before WWII The USA wanted European nations to have free elections but Stalin wanted to spread communism

Communism- a system with government owning all property & government controlling all money Since Soviet Troops were already in Eastern Europe they controlled it and began communist nations The Cold War-time of hostility between The Soviet Union & USA but without military action The Iron Curtain- division of the free democracies of the West vs. Communist nations of the East

Containment Policy- The U. S Containment Policy- The U.S. attempt to stop the spread of Communism throughout the world 1949 China, Communist Mao Zedong leads forces to victory & China becomes a Communist nation In 1948 South Korea is established and Soviet Union controlled North Korea becomes a communist nation 1950 North Korea invaded South Korea starting the Korean War & The United Nations sent troops (mostly U.S.) aiding South Koreans

1953 Both sides agreed to a cease fire and a demilitarized zone at the 38th parallel latitude After the war nothing changed, North Korea remained Communist & South Korea Non-Communist Americans were scared of war or communism spreading as both The USA and Soviet Union had spies Both nations raced to produce more nuclear weapons coining the term arms race, both nations lived in fear