1. Superpower Smackdown?!?

2.  Trying to plan for final peace settlement  Soviets get major land concessions in Eastern Europe & agree to support nationalist Chiang Kai-shek in China (over the communists)  Conference tinged by fear of communism spreading  Shortly after, Churchill gives “Iron Curtain” speech  Outcomes:  Europe divided into “spheres of influence” (Communists & non-communist)

3.  Berlin and Germany have been divided into 4 sections  US, France, & UK are going to reunite sections into West Germany and West Berlin  Soviets build Berlin Wall, cut off all land routes to Berlin  US & UK send cargo plans day & night for 10 months  Outcomes:  Soviets relent and lift blockade, create East Germany, East Berlin  1 st test of willingness of the west to resist expansion of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe

4.  Basically, says that the US will oppose communist rebels anywhere in the world  1 st real discussion of “containment”  Outcomes:  Commits US to a position of world guard dog (even though does not yet promise military resources)  Marshall Plan – rebuild Europe & Japan, ultimately help US economy

5.  Mutual defense pact of west European countries (“collective security”)  Greece, Turkey, & W. Germany join later  Outcomes:  Soviets and satellites sign Warsaw Pact in 1955  Same idea in Eastern Europe  Basically set up who would be on which side of the Cold War

6.  U.S. would help any country (with military force) that was fighting “international communism”  U-2 incident in 1959 (Gary Powers)  Outcomes:  US goes from guard to policeman  Puts US military and economic resources on an international stage, not just to fight for immediate US interests

7.  1959, Castro gets control of Cuba  U.S. helps train rebel forces, indicates that if they overthrow Castro, U.S. would give support  Coup falls apart, rebels ask for assistance  U.S. sends absolutely no help, all rebels slaughtered  Outcomes:  Castro’s position solidified  U.S. for. policy disaster  Makes Kennedy look weak & inexperienced

8.  Soviets place nuclear warheads on Cuba, 90 miles off the Florida coast (capable of hitting anything on the Eastern seaboard)  U.S. demands that they be removed, sets up a full blockade of Cuba for 5 days  Tensions very high, some military leaders in both countries advocate using nuclear weapons  Secret “win-win” solution – Soviets will pull out missiles, US pledges never to invade Cuba or start a rebellion again  Outcomes:  Brinkmanship  Closest we get to launching a nuclear war  Scares lots of people  “hotline” set up

9.  Japanese had conquered Korea during WWII  When Japan surrendered, Soviets occupied Korean Pen. North of the 38 th parallel, set up communist government  In south UN sponsored elections set up South Korean gov’t in 1948  North Korean troops invade 1950  UN troops go to defend; fighting goes back and forth, ends at same place they started at  Outcomes:  Truman fires MacArthur  Seen as a tie  Helps Eisenhower get elected  Many neutral nations pull closer to US and start to increase arms and military

10.  French colony, reclaimed after WWII, split in 1954  Northern half adopts nationalist government, which is led by communist Ho Chi Minh  US sends military advisors to advise and help, French pull out and leaves US holding the bag—pull out means all Vietnam will be Communist  Military build-up begins under Kennedy, escalation and gradualism  Gulf of Tonkin incident (1964)  Major build up during Johnson  Peace negotiations begin in 1968; slow & halting  Saigon falls in 1975  Outcomes:  Vietnam reunites under Communist leadership  US begins to see distinction between types of communists  Seen as only US military loss  Incredible domestic dissent  TV coverage shows body counts and full coverage on evening news  Changes how US views war

11.  SALT Treaty 1972  Nixon opens door to China  “vietnamization” – back off from unconditional containment  “shuttle diplomacy”  Outcomes:  Some tensions ease  Both sides concentrate on domestic difficulties  Military build up continues

12.  Hostage Crisis – 1979  Election of Ronald Reagan—Reaganomics, deficit spending  Iran-Contra Affair  Reykjavik Summit 1986—glasnost and perestroika  Outcomes:  Active efforts to destroy communism  Huge military build up on both sides  Some fears of military buildup increase

13.  Wall was built in 1961 – symbolic of split between East and West – of Cold War itself  Soviet economy collapses, taking satellite countries with it  By 1989, Soviets unwilling to squash rebellion in satellites, wall comes down  Outcomes:  End of Cold War  Coup in Russia, 1991  End to Soviet Union