Cold War The Early Years Cold War The Early Years

The Ideological Struggle Soviet & Eastern Bloc Nations [“Iron Curtain”] US & the Western Democracies GOAL  spread world- wide Communism GOAL  “Containment” of Communism & the eventual collapse of the Communist world. METHODS:  Espionage [KGB vs. CIA]  Arms Race [nuclear escalation]  Ideological Competition  Economic Aid

Cold War Strategies

Post-War Germany Germany was divided among the allies. Divided into two pieces, Eastern Germany (Communist) & West Germany (Democracy)

The world became divided into two camps, democracies versus communist nations (Bi-polar) Non-aligned Nations (Egypt, India) tried to play both sides off each other –Non-aligned nations were usually in the “Third World” – former colonies

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (1949)  United States  Belgium  Britain  Canada  Denmark  France  Iceland  Italy  Luxemburg  Netherlands  Norway  Portugal  1952: Greece & Turkey  1955: West Germany  1983: Spain

Warsaw Pact (1955) }U. S. S. R. }Albania }Bulgaria }Czechoslovakia }East Germany }Hungary }Poland }Romania

The “Iron Curtain” From Stettin in the Balkans, to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lies the ancient capitals of Central and Eastern Europe. -- Sir Winston Churchill, 1946

Truman Doctrine [1947] TheThe U. S. will support people who are resisting Communist takeovers [aka: We will help you fight the dirty red commies] ”We”We must assist free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way.”

Domino Theory Theory of Democratic Governments Believed if one nation became Communist, its neighbors would follow.

Marshall Plan [1948] 1.“European Recovery Program.” 2.The U. S. should provide aid to all European nations that need it. This move is not against any country or doctrine, but against hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos. 3.ACTUALLY…TO STOP THE SPREAD OF COMMUNISM! 4.$12.5 billion of US aid to Western Europe extended to Eastern Europe & USSR, [but this was rejected].

Berlin Crisis First Showdown of the Cold War USSR tries to cut off all of Berlin from the West US and British planes drop supplies to West The Soviets backed down the Soviets began building a wall to prevent migration to the West. Berlin was split in two.

Berlin Blockade & Airlift ( )

The Arms Race }The Soviet Union exploded its first A-bomb in }Now there were two nuclear superpowers!

During the Cold War, the U.S.S.R and the U.S. followed a policy of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD). The U.S. and U.S.S.R had enough nuclear bombs to destroy the world about 400 times. I guess it made sense at the time. MAD = military strategy in which a full scale use of nuclear weapons by one of the opposing powers would result in the destruction of both.

Premier Nikita Khrushchev About the capitalist states, it doesn't depend on you whether we (Soviet Union) exist. If you don't like us, don't accept our invitations, and don't invite us to come to see you. Whether you like it our not, history is on our side. We will bury you. you De-Stalinization Program

Mao’s Revolution: 1949 Who lost China? – A 2 nd } Power!

The Korean War: A “Police Action” ( ) Syngman Rhee Kim Il-Sung “Domino Theory”

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

The Hungarian Uprising: 1956 Imre Nagy, Hungarian Prime Minister }Promised free elections. }This could lead to the end of communist rule in Hungary.

Sputnik I (1957) The Russians have beaten America in space—they have the technological edge!

Nixon-Khrushchev “Kitchen Debate” (1959) Cold War ---> Tensions <--- Technology & Affluence

U-2 Spy Incident (1960) Col. Francis Gary Powers’ plane was shot down over Soviet airspace.

Paris, 1961 Khrushchev & JFK meet to discuss Berlin and nuclear proliferation. Khrushchev thinks that JFK is young, inexperienced, and can be controlled.

The Berlin Wall Goes Up (1961) Checkpoint Charlie

Ich bin ein Berliner! (1963) President Kennedy tells Berliners that the West is with them!

Castro’s Cuba 1950’s- Cuba ruled by an unpopular dictator, Batista- who the U.S. supported. Cuban resentment led to an overthrow led by Fidel Castro.

Castro ruled Cuba harshly: –Suspended elections –Jailed/Executed opponents –Censored press –Took over U.S. sugar mills located in Cuba. U.S. ordered an embargo on all trade with Cuba. –Castro asks for assistance for Soviet Union.

Khrushchev Embraces Castro, 1961

1960- CIA begins to train anti-Castro Cuban exiles. April Exiles invade Cuba landing at the Bay of Pigs hoping that fellow Cubans join them in regaining Cuba.

Bay of Pigs (1961) What do you think happens ?

President Kennedy withdraws air support for the Cubans –Believes the U.S. is becoming too involved. Why would this matter? Was if fair to do this to the exiles without their knowledge? Castro’s forces crushed the invaders within two days.

U.S. failure at the Bay of Pigs convinced Khrushchev that the U.S. could not resist Soviet expansion into Latin America. July Khrushchev began to secretly build missiles sites in Cuba. October U.S. spy planes discovered 42 missile sites in Cuba. –Just 90 miles south of Florida

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

We went eyeball-to-eyeball with the Russians, and the other man blinked!

Kennedy demands the removal of the Soviet Missiles. He demands a naval blockage of Cuba to prevent more installing of Soviet missiles.

Meanwhile in the country of Turkey, right outside of the Soviet Union, the United States had missiles pointed toward Moscow, the Soviet’s capital. This was the Soviet’s way to play the Cold War fair. October 22 nd -Preparations were made for an air attack on the missile sites. How do you think the American people felt during this crisis?

On October 26 th Kennedy received a message from the Soviet Premier Khrushchev implying that the Soviet’s would remove the missile bases as long as America didn’t invade Cuba. President Kennedy agreed. Was it fair for the Soviet’s to have to remove their nuclear weapons, but the United States didn’t have to remove their missiles from Turkey?

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

Vietnam War:

“Prague Spring” (1968) Former Czech President, Alexander Dubček Communism with a human face!

“Prague Spring” Dashed! Dissidents/playwrights arrested [like Vaclav Havel—future president of a free Czech Republic ].

The End of Empires 6.Europe is in a big debt! 7.Most former colonies establish independence. For example:  India – 1947  Palestine – 1948  Kenya  Mau Mau uprising