The Cold War Split Nations, Occupied Nations, United Nations, Conflicting Nations
What is the Cold War? Era of high tension between two ideologically opposed sides led by the USA and USSR USA’s buddies = NATO Alliance USSR’s buddies = Warsaw Pact
NATO & Warsaw Pact
How Was the Cold War Fought? Arms Race – MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) theory = huge nuclear weapon build-up Proxy Wars –USA & Soviets support opposing sides of wars across the decolonizing “3 rd World”
I. Post War Axis Powers Germany divided in two, East and West Germany City of Berlin divided into four sections, (run by Britain, USA, France, USSR)
II. Occupied Japan Japan occupied by USA from Kept the emperor (but no power) Democracy installed; beginning of economic power
III. United Nations Currently has 190 member nations Includes: –General Assembly of all nations –Security Council of 5 permanent members (US, USSR, Great Britain, France, China) and 10 rotating members
UN General Assembly Room
IV. Creation of Israel UN establishes Israel as homeland for Jews in 1948 Arab nations hated it, since Palestinians had no nation of their own and land was taken from them A series of wars have followed
V. Berlin Crisis First Showdown of the Cold War USSR tries to take all of Berlin US and British planes drop supplies to West Soviets backed down Berlin Wall built to prevent migration to the West.
The Berlin Wall Goes Up (1961) Checkpoint Charlie
VI. US/Former Colonial Conflicts Syngman Rhee Kim Il-Sung Korean Conflict South (democracy) invaded by North (communist) Remains divided today
VII. Vietnam War: Commie North tries to take over US ally South Vietnamese viewed it as war of liberation US viewed it as “Containment” of communism US withdraws 1973, North takes over South
VIII. Uprisings against Soviets Hungarian Revolt – 1956 Prague “Spring” – 1968 Both crushed by Soviets
IX. Afghan War Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan to support communists U.S. helped Muslim guerrilla fighters Soviet resources drained