Nature of the Cold War DO NOW: TURN IN POLITICAL CARTOON ASSIGNMENT KAHOOT REVIEW

Arms Race – decision by US to drop atomic bombs triggered the arms race  Both sides gained possession of A- Bomb by 1949  USA developed H – Bomb in 1952, USSR 1953  1957 USSR launched Sputnik (first satellite) & developed long range inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) – ’58 US  ‘58 US claimed there was a missile gap and must rapidly buildup its stock of ICBMs  Eisenhower & Kennedy knew this to be untrue  USA’s U-2 spy planes revealed real level of Soviet nuclear weaponry

Arms Race cont.  1960 – US announced possession of submarine- launched ballistic missiles SLBMs …1968 the Soviets  Soviets not able to keep to as many nuclear submarines at sea because it lacked naval bases around the world  Anti-ballistic missile system (ABM) – ’68 the Soviets created system with US following suit in ‘ 72  Multiple Independently Targeted Re-Entry (MIRVs) – missiles with multiple warheads, each being able to be directed to a different target – ’72 US & ‘75 Soviets

Arms Race Cont.  1963 – A hotline was set up to facilitate direct communication between the Kremlin and President  1980s US spurred on nuclear arms developing the stealth bomber, neutron bomb, and ‘first strike’ missiles  Soviet economy would not be able to withstand the costs of trying to match new nuclear technology

Space Race  Mainly linked to military developments (rockets & nuclear warheads)  Scientific rivalry – each side was determined to show that its social and economic system was superior  1957 – sputnik  1961 – Yuri Gagarin orbits the Earth  1969 – US lands on the moon

What is the United Nations? - an international organization designed to make the enforcement of international law, security, human rights, economic and social progress easier for countries around the world member countries - headquarters in New York City

United Nations  Had been agreed in the Atlantic Charter  Set up to replace the League of Nations  Allies would co-operate with each other to achieve stability, peace, and security  The UN Charter gave permanent seats on its Security Council to US, USSR, Britain, China, & France  Each member of Security Council could veto decisions  In event of veto, matter would be passed to General Assembly

Organization of the UN urposes of the UN: - Purposes of the UN: - maintaining international peace and security - developing friendly international relations among world nations - solving international problems of any nature (economic, cultural, social, humanitarian…)

Organization of the UN - principal organs of the UN: - the General Assembly - the Secretariat - the Security Council - the International Court of Justice - the Economic and Social Council - the Trusteeship Council

The General Assembly - main function: assessing member countries and deciding on the budget - the only organ where every member state is represented - consists of committees - convenes annually in September, special sessions can also be held

The Security Council - UN’s most powerful organ - deals with threats to international peace and security - has 15 members, 5 of which are permanent: the USA, China, Russia, Britain and France - permanent members have veto power when the Council decides on important issues

The Secretariat - includes the Secretary General and the Secretariat staff - primarily has an administrative function - the Secretary General holds office for five years per term

The ICJ - the principal judicial organ of the UN - based in the Hague, Netherlands - consists of 15 judges elected by the General Assembly and Security Council - applies international law - not bound by precedents - no appeals can be made by parties to its judgment

Realpolitik  Refers to politics and foreign diplomacy based on realities, strategic, or material needs  Rather on principles, ideology or morals  Tends to be goal oriented  Example ~ Richard Nixon in the 1970s working with the People’s Republic of China (communist country) going against the US policy of containment

The Riga Axioms (1920 – 1933)  Name given to views and policies of the US diplomatic experts  For a full generation American gov’t and diplomats over seas (1920s – 1930s) believed that Russia was committed to Marxist – Leninist ideology  In short a revolutionary state committed to unrelenting ideological warfare in its drive for world mastery  Believed that the west could never coexist with any success

Who is to blame for the Cold War?  Orthodox View  Cold War resulted from Soviet ideology based on Marxism – Leninism  Soviet Union was an expansionist state with ambitions of reaching beyond E. Europe  Revisionist View  1950s USA was to blame for the Cold War  Historian W.A. Williams argued 1945 Soviet Union was to weak in economic and human terms to pose any global expansionist threat  Stalin had concentrated on internal political and economic policies

Who is to blame for the Cold War?  Post – Revisionist View  Avoid blame on just one superpower  Developed through misunderstandi ng – FDR to Truman leadership change  Role of Individuals  Stalin  Truman