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Essential Question: What are the origins of the tensions between the Soviet Union and the western world.
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Between 1914-1945 › WWI › Collapse of old Euro. dynasties › Russian Rev. › Fascism and Nazism › WWII › Nuclear Bomb › End of colonial empires › Rise of commie in China
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Only 2 countries left standing › USA – unscathed, economically strong, atomic bomb › USSR – 20 million dead but controlled all of eastern Europe Super Powers › Continental land giants › Had enormous resources › Overshadowed all other states VS.
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USSR › All capital owned by State › Given to people as needed › Public authority controlled all production and interchange Not really commie, but world called it that Weaknesses › Lack of freedom › Stifling of initiative
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USA › Capital owned by private persons › Private people choose channels of investment Availability of jobs › Not purely capitalist either › Weaknesses Periodic economic crises
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Ideological tension Clash of interests › Diplomatic › Geopolitical › Ideological › Fall short of open or direct military conflict
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Truman’s foreign policy › containment –stopping the expansion of communism Truman Doctrine – (1947) Speech to Congress Truman promises to support countries that rejected communism (i.e. Turkey & Greece) Congress authorizes Truman $400 million to aide Turkey & Greece President Harry Truman
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Turkey › USSR mass troops on Turkish border Greece › Civil war raged (1946-1949) › Communists vs. royalists Yugoslavia › Tito Communists Supports Greek communists
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WWII – Most of Western Europe lay in ruins 1947 U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall proposed that the U.S. give aid to needy countries Marshall Plan Provided food, machinery and other materials to rebuild Europe Plan spectacular success encourages countries not to go communist
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Stalin ignores Yalta Agreement and builds a buffer by installing communist governments in Eastern Europe › Violated free elections Makes Truman mad Had agreed at Yalta Euro. Now divided between east and west › Churchill's phrase “ Iron Curtain ” came to represent Europe's division (1946)
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Churchill and the iron curtain
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East = Commies West = Capitalists
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Against Japan 1945 › Invades Manchuria › In position to help Chinese Communists Korea › Soviets liberate North › USA liberate South Leads to Korean War (1950- 1953) Iran Soviet troops in Korea
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Leads to Korean War (1950-1953) Iran › Iran occupied by USA, British, and USSR To stop Nazi take over › But Soviets refuses to leave when war over Wanted oil concessions USA and Brits already had Soviet troops in Korea
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No intern’l reg. of Atomic weapons Everyone scrambles to create own atomic weapon 1949 Soviets have atomic bomb 1952 both superpowers have Hydrogen bomb Both nations begin arms race – develop more nuclear weapons and new ways to deliver them › Brinkmanship – go to the brink or edge of war
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World shudders Post-war contest to produce more nukes and better delivery systems A 3 rd world war was unthinkable › End of the world
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After WWII Germany in Ruins Split into 4 pieces and occupied › USA, Brits, USSR, France Soviets want to keep Germany weak and divided By 1948 France, Britain and U.S. decide to withdraw from Germany and allow it to form one nation Allies agreed Germany should pay reparations › Soviets took the most Allies limited Germany’s productive capacity
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1948-1949 Soviets hold West Berlin hostage › Soviets cut off highway, water, and rail traffic Berlin faces starvation until U.S. and British flew food and supplies into West Berlin › for nearly 11 months May 1949, U.S.S.R admits defeat and lifts blockade
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› NATO – North American Treaty Organization (1949) U.S., Canada & 10 Western Europe Countries (England, France, etc.) › Warsaw Pact – Soviet Union, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania (1955 )
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1961 Germans build Berlin Wall › Symbolizes a world divided into two camps Some Countries stay neutral › China – largest communist country but distrust Soviets › India
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1957 Soviets launching Sputnik, first human made satellite Americans feel Soviets were ahead in science and technology U.S. increases spending to improve science education and land on moon first ( Space Race )
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Closing of the skies › Soviets refuse to let U.S. fly over Soviet Skies › U.S. CIA starts secret high altitude spy flights called U-2s to monitor Soviet Nukes › May 1960 Soviets shoot down U-2 plane and its pilot, is captured HEIGHTENS COLD WAR TENSIONS
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