The Cold War Continues Stephanie Fuhrmannek

Berlin Wall From 1945-1961, Berlin was divided into 4 sectors. The Soviets controlled one sector and the US, France, and England controlled the others. Many Berliners went between the sectors during this time. Around 2.7 million people under Soviet control left for West Germany. On August 13, 1961, West Berlin was surrounded by barricades and barbed wire by Soviet-controlled East Germany to keep their own people from leaving. Eventually, the city was surrounded by a tall, concrete wall. East Germans trying to flee were often shot. It wasn’t torn down until 1989 when Germany was reunited.

Korea Japan had controlled Korea for many years. After WWII, it was divided along the 38th parallel with the Soviet Union controlling the North and the U.S. controlling the South. The goal was to re-establish a self-ruling country. By 1949 the Soviets and Americans had left Korea, but the Soviets had left a well trained North Korean army supplied with Soviet weapons. Instead of uniting as one country, communist North Korea invaded democratic South Korea on June 25, 1950. By July 1953, an uneasy peace was reached with the 38th parallel once again being the dividing line between the 2 countries. They remain enemies to this day.

Vietnam 1945-1975 Began as Vietnamese trying to rid themselves of French colonial rule after WWII. The U.S. became involved in the 1950s trying to help Vietnam become a democracy. The North Vietnamese were communists backed by China. In 1975 the North Vietnamese army entered Saigon, South Vietnam. We evacuated and lost the war. The country was united under communism. 58,000 American soldiers died.