1. The Cold War Origins of the Cold War
1945 – 1991

2. Vs. The Who? The United States and the “West” = Blue
The Soviet Union and the “East” = Red
Vs.

3. What is the Cold War?
Cold War was a state of tension and hostility between nations aligned with the United States and those aligned with the Soviet Union
Known as the West vs. East

4. What is the Cold War?
After WWII, the United States and the Soviet Union emerged as the two major superpowers of the world
Each had differing views of post-war Europe:
U.S.
Soviet Union
Feared spread of Communism
Wanted free elections
Create “buffer zone” of friendly countries
Support of pro-communist governments

5. Iron Curtain Falls
By 1950, an imaginary line known as the Iron Curtain divided Europe.
East – Soviet-dominated Communist countries
West – Democracies backed by U.S

6. Iron Curtain Falls
…From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe….
~Winston Churchill, 1945

8. Truman Doctrine
March 1947 – Harry Truman established this policy to stop the spread of communism
Rooted in the idea of containment, or limiting Communism to areas already under Soviet control

9. Marshall Plan
1947 – U.S. provided this massive economic aid package to western European countries devastated by WWII
Designed to lessen the appeal of Communism
Stalin forbid Eastern European countries from accepting this aid

10. Marshall Plan

11. Germany Remains Divided
Germany was divided into 4 zones after WWII: French, British, US, and Soviet
Further, the capital of Berlin was also divided among the four countries
East Germany,
Communist
West Germany,
Democratic
Capital of Berlin

12. The Division of Germany and its capital city Berlin after WWII

13. Germany Remains Divided
The three western countries united their regions to form a free West Germany and West Berlin by 1949.
In 1948, Stalin tried to force the Western powers out of Berlin by blockading all supplies into West Berlin
For nearly a year, the West flew in supplies and food in what was known as the Berlin Airlift

14. Opposing Military Alliances
In response to the building tension, two new military alliances were forged:
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forms in 1949
Western European countries and U.S.
Warsaw Pact forms in 1955
Soviet Union and seven of its satellites