Restructuring the Postwar World Cold War: Superpowers Face Off

Vocabulary – Superpowers Face Off veto – no vote animosity – feeling of strong dislike or hatred, hostility skeptical – doubting; questioning bloc – a group of persons, nations, etc. combined for a common purpose arms race – weapon competition between powerful nations doctrine – ideology or set of ideas

containment – the foreign policy of keeping communism from spreading to other countries

The Cold War Opening Activity: Why did the United States and the Soviet Union split after WWII and become rivals?

From World War to Cold War In 1945 total war had gutted cities, factories, harbors, bridges, railroads, farms, homes and lives. 75 million people had been killed worldwide.

February 1945, Yalta Conference Meeting of leaders from the United States, Britain and the Soviet Union

Yalta Conference, February 1945 Winston Churchill Franklin Roosevelt Joseph Stalin

February 1945, Yalta Conference Meeting of leaders from the United States, Britain and the Soviet Union Postwar Plan: –Germany will be divided into zones of occupation controlled by the Allied military forces

February 1945, Yalta Conference Meeting of leaders from the United States, Britain and the Soviet Union Postwar Plan: –Germany will be divided into zones of occupation controlled by the Allied military forces –Germany will pay the SU to compensate for loss of life and property –Eastern Europe will have free elections –The SU will join the war against Japan

Creation of the United Nations June 1945 the United Nations was formed The purpose of this organization was to keep peace in the world The UN is based in New York City, NY Military force to enforce UN decisions General Assembly –All member nations have equal voting and speaking rights Security Council – 11 members (currently 15) –Five Permanent Members; Britain, China, France, the United States and the Soviet Union

The United Nations

From World War to Cold War The Soviet Union experienced the worst casualties during WWII; 22 million dead possibly more. Compare this to the US; The Allied powers occupied Germany and Japan: –Work was done to strengthen democracy to ensure tolerance and peace. –New governments and democratic constitutions were developed to protect the rights of all citizens.

Soviet and US soldiers meet at the Elbe River in Germany 1945

Two superpowers; the United States and the Soviet Union emerge from WWII. The US and the SU had cooperated to defeat the Axis powers, but following the war conflicting ideologies and mutual distrust divided the superpowers.

United States Soviet Union Reunite Germany to stabilize it and increase the security of Europe Keep Germany divided to prevent its waging war again Reunite Germany to stabilize it and increase the security of Europe Rebuild European governments to promote stability & create new markets for US goods Reunite Germany to stabilize it and increase the security of Europe Gain access to raw materials and markets to fuel booming industries Encourage democracy in other countries to help prevent the rise of Communist governments Encourage communism in other countries as part of a worldwide workers’ revolution Rebuild its war- ravaged economy using Eastern Europe’s industrial equipment and raw materials Control Eastern Europe to protect Soviet borders & balance the US influence in Western Europe Successful Allied power during World War Two Post WWII Superpower

Roots of Soviet-U.S. Mistrust and Hostilities Western Democracy supported the White Army in Russia’s Civil War Stalin was not included in the Munich Conference Stalin signs the Non- aggression Pact with Hitler Britain and the U.S. were slow to respond to Stalin’s request that they open a western front The U.S. uses the atomic bomb Stalin does not allow free elections in Eastern Europe (post WWII) A buffer zone between the East and West is created

The Iron curtain has dropped on Czechoslovakia (1948) Textbook page 533

People Objects Human arm labeled Czechoslovakia Iron Wall Hammer & Sickle Torch

Just like RF: symbolize(s) Just like Iron CurtainSoviet Union/ Communism People of Czechoslovakia Liberty

Roots of Soviet-U.S. Mistrust and Hostilities Western Democracy supported the White Army in Russia’s Civil War Stalin was not included in the Munich Conference Stalin signs the Non- aggression Pact with Hitler Britain and the U.S. were slow to respond to Stalin’s request that they open a western front The U.S. uses the atomic bomb Stalin does not allow free elections in Eastern Europe (post WWII) A buffer zone between the East and West is created The Cold War SU – spread of communism and protection from Western invasion U.S. – spread of democracy, rebuild European economics and establish United Nations

cold war – a state of tension and hostility among nations without armed conflict between the major rivals. Cold War – term used to describe the atmosphere of hostility and tension that existed between the superpowers in the decades following World War II brought on by different governing ideologies.

Weapons of the Cold War –Propaganda –Diplomacy –Technology Space Race Arms Race –Espionage (Spying)

Cold War Ideologies United StatesSoviet Union EconomyPoliticsValueSocietyEconomyPoliticsValueSociety capitalism democracy freedom individualism collective equality totalitarianism socialism

Contrasting Cold War Terms Totalitarian –Government by one or a few –Total (hence the term) control over most aspects of people’s lives –No freedoms

Contrasting Cold War Terms Capitalism –Private ownership of industry –Freedom of competition –Survival of the fittest –Laissez-faire: government keeps “hands off” –Creates different economic classes

Contrasting Cold War Terms Collective –Stresses the need for people to do things together to benefit the whole –“all for one, and one for all” –Example: collective farm

Contrasting Cold War Terms Socialism –Government ownership of industry –Created as reaction to capitalism –Goal is to bring economic equality to people –Classless society

Contrasting Cold War Terms Democracy –Government by the people –Two Forms Representative Direct

Contrasting Cold War Terms Freedom –The condition of being free –Most valued: Freedom of the press Freedom of speech Freedom to do business

Contrasting Cold War Terms Equality –Condition of being equal –Most valued: Basic needs met for all; food, housing, education and jobs

Contrasting Cold War Terms Individual –Stresses the need for people to d things on their own –Competition: the best get to the top –Laissez-faire –Example: individual class work

Cold War Heats Up Marshall Plan Warsaw Pact U.S. Policy of brinkmanship Sputnik & the U-2 Incident Soviet Blockade of Berlin - Berlin Airlift NATO Soviet Union tests an atomic device Soviet Buffer Zone (Eastern Europe) The Truman Doctrine

The Truman Doctrine is issued Turkey and Greece were weaker counties trying to fight of communist pressures Turkey and Greece remain free countries The United States practices their commitment to the containment of communism The United States adopts the foreign policy of containment The U.S. did not want to repeat the outcomes of indecisive policies practiced in the 1930’s

The Marshall Plan is passed by the U.S. Congress The U.S. had adopted a foreign policy of containment European countries receiving aide recovered their economic stability and remained free from communist influence The Communist state of Yugoslavia received aid and broke away from Soviet domination Europe was in ruins following WWII Europe faced economic turmoil; a scarcity of jobs and food European trade was vital to the economic success of the United States

The Soviet Union blockades Berlin The U.S. and British officials organized flights of food and supplies to Western Berlin for nearly 11 months The Soviet Union wanted Germany to remain weak and divided The city of Berlin was divided; East Berlin was Soviet controlled, West Berlin was part of West Germany/fee. The Soviet Union wanted the West to surrender West Berlin The West refused to surrender West Berlin to Soviet control. Western Europe’s fear of Soviet aggression increased

NATO is formed (a peacetime military alliance) The Soviet Union was threatened by NATO and formed it’s own alliance called the Warsaw Pact Western European nations were alarmed by the Berlin blockade Collective security provides

The Soviet Union successfully tests an atomic device Ideological differences between the U.S. and the Soviet Union led to conflict and completion between the two countries An arms race begins between the United States and the Soviet Union The United States was the Soviet Union’s most powerful rival and the U.S. had atomic bombs The United States adopts the policy of “brinkmanship”

Think about it… Why would the U.S. be willing to support cruel and unjust leaders of foreign nations during the Cold War?