The Cold War Mrs. Bryant’s 5 th Grade Georgia Standards

SS5H7 Discuss the origins and consequences of the Cold War. SS5H7a Explain the origin and meaning of the term “Iron Curtain.”

The Cold War At the end of World War II, the Allied armies freed all the nations in western Europe that had been conquered by Germany. They agreed to help the countries recover from the war. The Allies helped them form new governments and gave them money to rebuild their cities. Then the Allies left Europe.

Communism Communism is a system where the government owns the factories and natural resources and controls the production of goods; people are not free.

Communism Things were different in eastern Europe. Soviet troops moved into eastern Europe and never left. They stayed in countries like Poland, Romania, Hungary, and the eastern half of Germany. They set up their political system known as communism.

America verses Soviet Union There was distrust between America and the Soviet Union. The two countries had different beliefs and political systems. These feelings grew into a state of tension called the “Cold War” because it never involved fighting, or a “hot” war. The Cold War divided the world into two camps- those who supported a free society and those who supported communism.

The Iron Curtain People living in countries controlled by the Soviet Union could not leave. Armed guards watched over the borders. In a 1946 speech, British prime minister Winston Churchill warned that an iron curtain had fallen across the continent of Europe. He meant that there was now a dividing line between eastern and western Europe. The Iron Curtain cut people off from the rest of the world.

The Iron Curtain No one is sure who used the term “iron curtain” first to describe a political boundary. But it comes from the actual iron curtain used in German theaters to separate the stage from the audience in case of a fire.

SS5H7b Explain how the United States sought to stop the spread of communism through the Berlin airlift, the Korean War, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

The Battle to Stop Communism The United States wanted to stop the spread of communism. One of their first challenges was in Germany.

The Battle to Stop Communism When Germany was divided after World War II, the city of Berlin was divided, too. The Soviet Union controlled the eastern half of the city, and the Allies controlled the western half. The Allied-controlled part of Germany became an independent nation in 1949.

The Battle to Stop Communism The Soviet Union did not like that. They wanted to control all of Germany and get the Allies out of West Berlin. In 1948, they decided to block all supplies from getting into West Berlin by railroad, train, or waterway. That meant no food, or fuel for heat in the cold winter. They thought that would drive the Allies out of the city.

The Battle to Stop Communism The Berlin Airlift Their plan didn’t work. U.S. and Allied airplanes delivered supplies to West Berlin every day for 321 days! This operation was known as the Berlin Airlift. Planes landed all day and all night. The U.S. was determined to stop Communism. In June 1949 the Soviet Union gave up and lifted the blockade.

The Battle to Stop Communism The Korean War After World War II, Korea was divided along the 38 th parallel of latitude. Communists controlled North Korea, and the United States backed South Korea. In 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea.

The Battle to Stop Communism The Korean War The United States was willing to go to war to keep Communism from spreading to this area. President Truman sent U.S. troops over and asked the United Nations to help him. It was a hard fight, but North Korea was finally driven out of South Korea. United Nations troops tried to go farther north to the Chinese border. The Communist country of China attacked them and killed many soldiers.

The Battle to Stop Communism The Korean War In 1953, the Korean War ended in a stalemate (a tie with no winner). The border between the two countries was almost the same as the original border before the war.

The Battle to Stop Communism North Atlantic Treaty Organization The United States and European countries decided to form an alliance for protection against Communist aggression. In 1949, 12 nations formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The treaty stated that they would help each other in the event of a military attack. The U.S. hoped that the strong union of free nations would help stop the spread of Communism.

The Battle to Stop Communism North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) The 12 original members of NATO; Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, & United States Other countries that have joined NATO since 1949; Greece and Turkey (1952), Germany (1955), Spain (1982), the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland (1999), Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia (2004), and Albania and Croatia (2009). NATO

SS5H7c Identify Joseph McCarthy and Nikita Khrushchev

Are There Communists Among Us Americans began to fear that Communist spies might be in the United States. The House of Representatives even created a committee to investigate people accused of Communist activity. In the late 1940s, many people in the entertainment industry were accused of being Communists. They were put on a “blacklist,” which meant that movie producers would not hire them.

Are There Communists Among Us In 1950 Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin accused U.S. state department officials of being Communists. This was a serious charge because the state department handles U.S. relations with other countries. His accusations could not be proven. He convinced many Americans that he was protecting the security of the country, and became a powerful man. People were afraid to speak out against him. Joseph McCarthy

Are There Communists Among Us People used the term “McCarthyism” to describe how McCarthy made charges against people without real evidence. His accusations ruined the reputations and lives of many people. In 1954 the Senate made a formal statement condemning McCarthy and his actions.

Nikita Khrushchev The Cold War got even colder after a comment made by the Soviet Union’s political leader. Nikita Khrushchev was premier of the Soviet Union and head of the Soviet Communist Party. In a 1956 speech to ambassadors from Western countries, he said, “History is on our side. We will bury you!”

This comment alarmed many people in the West. It led to more suspicion between the Western countries and the Communist countries in Eastern Europe. It also led to an “arms race,” where the U.S. and Soviet Union built lots of weapons and stored them in case of war. Each country also tried to have more powerful weapons than the other one.

Arms Race Within a few years of the U.S. dropping its first atomic bomb, the Soviet Union developed its own nuclear weapons. A few years later, both nations developed hydrogen bombs that were thousands of times more powerful than the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. A nuclear arms race developed between the U.S. and the USSR. Both nations created more and more nuclear weapons. Soon both sides had nuclear missiles that could travel thousands of miles in minutes and destroy cities on the other side of the world. People lived in fear of a nuclear war that would destroy the entire planet.

Enduring Understandings Beliefs and Ideals The beliefs and ideals of a society influence the social, political, and economic decisions of that society. How does democracy differ from communism and socialism? How did the United States and other sympathetic European nations try to contain the spread of communism or socialism in the world? How successful was the United States and other nations in limiting and containing communism or socialism in the world? Why did the United States get involved in the Berlin Airlift? Why were organizations like the United Nations and NATO created?

Enduring Understandings Conflict and Change When there is conflict between or within societies, change is the result. How did the term “Cold War” and the term “Iron Curtain” originate and are the terms accurate descriptions of the time immediately following WWII?

Enduring Understandings Individuals, Groups, Institutions: The actions of individuals, groups, and/or institutions affect society through intended and unintended consequences. How did the actions of Joseph McCarthy impact the lives of innocent Americans? Thinking ahead; How did the actions of Nikita Khrushchev influence the Cuban Missile Crisis? (This is coming up in the next unit)

Enduring Understanding Location Location affects a society’s economy, culture, and development. How was the United States able to supply its armed forces overseas in Europe and Asia?

Enduring Understanding Production, Distribution, Consumption The production, distribution, and consumption of goods/services produced by the society are affected by the location, customs, beliefs, and laws of the society. What was the opportunity cost for Americans that supported the efforts of the home front during WWII?

Enduring Understanding Technological Innovation Technological innovations have consequences, both intended and unintended, for a society. How did technology help the military forces engaged in WWII?