1. The Cold War
Part #1

2. The Cold War
A period of great tension and conflict after WWII between the United States and the Soviet Union
After WWII, the U.S. and the Soviet Union are the two Super Powers of the world
Known as the Cold War because the U.S. and Soviet Union never engage in direct combat against one another, despite the fact that they are enemies

3. Ideologies Democracy Totalitarianism
The U.S. and the Soviet Union represent vastly different fundamental values
United States Soviet Union
Democracy Totalitarianism
Capitalist Economy Communist Economy
Contain Communism Spread Communism

4. Pre-Cold War The Yalta Conference (Feb., 1945)
Meeting between Churchill, FDR, and Stalin
Accomplished Three Important Decisions:
Europe will be split in half – Western half would be democratic and the Eastern half is ruled by the Soviet Union
Germany and Berlin are split into 2 zones – Western half controlled by U.S., Britain, and France - West Germany and Eastern half controlled by USSR – East Germany

5. Germany After WWII

6. Pre-Cold War
3. Creation of the United Nations (UN)
Started by around 50 nations in order to keep peace in the world
Will be much more powerful than the former League of Nations because it will have soldiers to enforce its laws and rules
“The United Nations is designed to make possible lasting freedom and independence for all its members.”  — Harry S. Truman

8. Rebuilding
After WWII, Europe is left in ruins
U.S. implements the Marshall Plan to rebuild Western Europe – named after U.S. Secretary of State, George C. Marshall
The Marshall Plan provides massive amounts of money to rebuild Europe
In the Pacific, the U.S. occupies Japan to rebuild the country
Japan will eventually adopt a
democratic government and is
one of our strongest allies

9. Many believed that Stalin would attempt to block the Marshall Plan so that the demolished countries would adopt Communism

10. The Iron Curtain
The division in Europe, both geographically and politically, becomes known as the Iron Curtain
The Iron Curtain refers to the separation of the Western democratic countries and the Soviet controlled countries
Iron Curtain becomes the physical boundary between the Democratic Western Europe and the Communist Eastern Europe

12. Truman Doctrine
Once it became clear that the U.S. was going to oppose the expansion of Communism, Truman signs the document that would come do symbolize U.S. foreign policy throughout the entire Cold War – The Truman Doctrine
The goal of the Truman Doctrine
is the policy of containment,
U.S. will try to contain the spread
of Communism
In addition, the U.S. will aid any
foreign gov’t that resists having
Communism in its country

13. Alliances North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
Signed in 1949 to combat the spread of Soviet influence in Europe – stated that an attack against any one of its members was considered an attack against all
Original members were the U.S., Britain, France, Belgium, Canada, West Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Norway, and Denmark
The Warsaw Pact
Created in response to NATO and was a mutual defense treaty, just like NATO
Included the USSR, Poland, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary

14. NATO countries are West of the Iron Curtain and are in Green
Warsaw Pact countries are East of the Iron Curtain and are in Red
Neutral countries are in Yellow
Yugoslovia, despite being Communist, is Neutral

15. Hydrogen Bomb
In 1950, Truman orders the construction of the world’s first Hydrogen Bomb, which proves to be 100 times more powerful than the atomic bomb

16. Hydrogen Bomb Explosions
Castle Bravo – the largest nuclear weapon to be tested in the United States

17. The Korean War ( )
After WWII, the Allies had split Korea into two different countries: North Korea and South Korea
Communism quickly began to sprout up in parts of North Korea while South Korea remained democratic
In July 1950, North Korea invades South Korea in order to claim the territory and turn it Communist
The UN rules that North Korea’s actions are unlawful and begins to send in troops
Truman vows that the U.S. would counter the “unprovoked aggression” of N. Korea and lead the UN forces to save South Korea

19. Korean War ( )
By September 1950, N. Korean forces had nearly overrun all of South Korea.
The U.S., led by Douglas MacArthur, lands in South Korea at Inchon, south of the 38th Parallel and quickly turns the tide of the war.
It’s not long after U.S. intervention
that China comes to the aid of North
Korea in October and pushes U.S.
forces back
A stalemate occurs for the next two
years until an armistice (cease-fire) is
agreed upon in 1953
N. Korea remains Communist
In this case, containment succeeded

20. Korean War