SOVIET UNION PERSPECTIVE The Cold War

TODAY’S OBJECTIVE After today’s lesson, students will be able to… Discuss the beginning of the Cold War from the Soviet perspective by analyzing primary source documents. Essential Skill: To consider multiple points of view

U.S. AID TODAY Considering the current state of the world (US War on Terror), what should the priorities of the United States in providing foreign aid? Consider each of the following forms of aid and rank them from most (1) to least (6) important Humanitarian aid (food, clothing, medicine, etc.) to nations experiencing droughts, earthquakes, civil wars, and other disasters Cash grants to poor developing nations Loans to poor developing nations Civilian advisors to provide assistance in building the economy and democracy in poor developing nations US military bases and troops in strategic countries around the world Military arms and equipment to countries threatened by terrorists 2014 Figures U.S. Spent $32.2 Billion on Humanitarian Aid

WINSTON CHURCHILL’S “IRON CURTAIN” German fascist threat replaced by Soviet communist threat Authoritarian, communist dominated governments – Soviet proxies Soviet (communist) expansion will test the resolve of America (democracy/free will)

DOCUMENTS Working with your partner analyze the primary source documents and answer the coinciding questions Where indicated take the perspective of KGB specialist and create a response Keep in mind, the USSR had lost 30 million men in WWII. Stalin felt security for his country was best obtained by creating a barrier between the USSR and Western Europe

TRUMAN DOCTRINE “It must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressure.” - President Truman

MARSHALL PLAN Collective European effort (financed by the U.S.) to rebuild war-torn Europe $13 billion in economic aid to sixteen Western European nations Provide humanitarian aid Prevent worldwide economic depression STOP THE SPREAD OF COMMUMISM

THE MARSHALL PLAN AIDED WESTERN EUROPE Marshall Plan proved to be a great success Within 4 years, countries receiving aid saw a 41% higher industrial production than on the eve of WWII Countries were stabilized and exports were rising rapidly

THE MARSHALL PLAN AIDED WESTERN EUROPE US Benefited U.S Government bought foods and goods from farms to be sent to Europe U.S. farms and factories raised production to record levels. U.S. economy continued its wartime boom without faltering W. Europeans became great consumers of American exports.

THE “X” ARTICLE State Department official George Kennan using the pseudonym “Mr. X,” publishes an article The article focused on Kennan’s call for a policy of containment toward the Soviet Union and established the foundation for much of America’s early Cold War foreign policy.

NSC-68 National Security Council Report 68 (NSC-68) Top secret policy paper issued on April 14, 1950 Largely shaped U.S. foreign policy in the Cold War for the next 20 years Involved a decision to increase the pressure of Containment against global Communist expansion a high priority It rejected the alternative policies of friendly Détente or aggressive rollback

AMERICA’S COLD WAR STRATEGY Brinkmanship: Flexing of military “muscle” in response to Soviet threats Containment: Prevent the further spread of communism to more countries around the world Economically Politically Socially Military

REFLECTION How might the United States’ Cold War foreign policy initiatives been interpreted by the Soviet Union? How might the US’s foreign policy documents furthered the tensions of the Cold War?