The Cold War
Teheran Conference
The Yalta Conference
Following the
Teheran
Conference the
Big Three met
again in Yalta
on the Crimean
peninsula.
By this time Germany is all but defeated
and discussions turn to the post-war world.
The U.S. resisted
Stalin’s demands but
they believed the
Soviet military
would be needed to
defeat the Japanese.
This was before the
atom bomb was
tested.
The Soviets
agreed to allow
democratically
elected
governments in
Eastern Europe they lied.
This left the
USSR in control
of a large sphere
of influence at
the end of the
war.
The Potsdam Conference
Stalin was warned
indirectly about the
existence of the
Atomic bomb.
The soviets felt
slighted about
being out the loop
on the Manhattan
Project.
Truman, knowing
he has the bomb,
takes a harder line
with Stalin and
again insists on free
elections in Eastern
Europe.
American - Soviet Relations
Decades of distrust and
misunderstanding came
to a head at the end of
the war.
Washington abruptly
ended lend-lease to the
Soviets and refused to
grant them loans.
The US and
USSR
resembled each
other in many
troublesome
ways.
Both were large, expansionist, born in
revolution and believed their way was
the best way for the world.
Postwar Tensions
 The
Bretton Woods
Agreement created
the World Bank and
the International
Monetary Fund.
The Soviets refused
to participate in
either.
Postwar Germany
The Nuremberg
Trials -- 22 top
nazi war
criminals were
put on trial for
crimes against
humanity.
Bormann
Ribbentrop
Goering
Frank
Jodl
Hess
Kaltenbrunner
The Russians
sought to make
Germany pay
reparations for its
losses in the war.
Divided Germany
Germany was
divided into four
territories at the end
of the war - British,
French, American
and Soviet.
The US realizes the
need for a
economically
strong but militarily
weak Germany.
The
Western
Allies began
to call for a
reunited
Germany.
Poland turns Communist
Stalin arrests the
London Polish
government-in-exile
and has the Lublin
Communists put into
power in Poland.
In the November 1945
Hungarian election, the
Communist party wins
only 17 percent of the
vote.
Stalin moves to
eradicate opposition
and to consolidate the
Soviet position in
Hungary.
Tito in Yugoslavia
Josip Broz
At the same
time
Yugoslavia
becomes a
federated
republic under
Marshal Tito.
The Soviets in Iran
1945-1946 In
Iran, America
and Great
Britain
withdraw their
troops from
Iran; the Soviet
Union does not.
The Iron Curtain
The Soviets
force the Eastern
European
countries behind
what Winston
Churchill called
the “Iron
Curtain.”
Fulton, Missouri
“ From Stettin in the
Baltic to Trieste in
the Adriatic, an iron
curtain has
descended across
the Continent.”
-- Winston Churchill
The Iron Curtain
Stalin’s Response
“Mr. Churchill is
standing now in the
position of a
warmonger.”
The Baruch Plan
Bernard Baruch
called for a UN
agency to oversee
nuclear power to halt
weapons
development - Stalin
rejects the idea.
Czechoslovakia Falls
February 25, 1947:
Czechoslovakia
is taken over by a
Communist
Coup.
Brussels Treaty
On March 17, 1947 the
Brussels Treaty was
signed by Belgium,
Britain, France, Holland,
and Luxembourg created
a Atlantic regional
mutual-defense treaty, in
part a response to the
Czechoslovakian crisis.
Berlin Blockade
The Soviet Union
blockades all
highway, river, and
rail traffic into
Western-controlled
West Berlin to
force the Western
powers out of
Berlin.
The Berlin Airlift - 1947
The West responds to
the Berlin blockade by
airlifting supplies to
West Berlin beginning
June 21 and counterblockading East
Germany.
The Soviet blockade
ends after 321 days.
Berlin
Airlift
Iran Crisis
Stalin seeks to test
the west's resolve
in the Middle East
and began
fomenting
revolution in Iran.
Truman’s protest
caused Stalin to
back down.
The Containment Policy
George F. Kennan, writing
anonymously in Foreign
Affairs, articulates America's
policy to block peacefully
the expansion of Soviet
political and economic
influence into vulnerable
areas around the world.
Kennan
suggests a
policy of
“containment”
The Truman Doctrine
Greece and
Turkey were
turning leftist
- danger of
Soviet
involvement.
Truman issues
his Doctrine
describing the
need to
“contain”
communism.
Containment in Action
The Marshall
Plan - Secretary of
State George
Marshall develops
the European
Recovery Program
to stop
communism.
12.5 Billion
dollars to be
spent in
Europe over
four years.
The North Atlantic Pact - 1949
NATO - North
Atlantic Treaty
Organization defensive alliance of
US and 12 W.
European countries.
Greece and Turkey
join in 1952 and
West Germany in
1955.
West Germany
German Federal
Republic established
as Allied High
Commission
relinquishes control
of the administration
of the American,
British, and French
occupation zones.
The Federal Republic of Germany, founded
on 23 May 1949, was declared "fully
sovereign" on 5 May 1955.
Konrad Adenauer
Konrad Adenauer,
the new German
president, will work
closely with the
allies to counter
Soviet expansion.
East Asia
 1949
Communists in
China under Mao
Zedong defeat
the Nationalists.
Nationalists
under Chiang
Kai Shek
establish the
Republic of
China on
Taiwan.
The H-Bomb
1952 - the
first Hydrogen
Bomb (fusion)
was tested
successfully by
the U.S. in the
South Pacific.
The Russians
explode their
H-bomb in
1953 - the arms
race is on.
The Korean War (1950 - 1953)
June 25, 1950
- North Korea
invades south US and Korean
forces retreat to
Pusan
perimeter.
The Cold War Wanes
1953 - Armistice
in Korea - ceasefire declared
short of victory.
Stalin dies in
March, 1953 Khrushchev gains
power in USSR,
denounces Stalin
and seeks peaceful
coexistence.
Brinkmanship
US Secretary of State
John Foster Dulles
vows to "roll back"
Communism
follows policy of
brinkmanship - vows
massive retaliation.
Geneva Summit
Brinkmanship and
West Germany in
NATO were leading
to increases in
tension.
Eisenhower sought
direct discussion with
Soviets - Soviets
agree to withdraw
from Austria.
French lose Vietnam
1954 - French lose
Battle of Diem Bien
Phu in Vietnam to
communists under
Ho Chi Minh
Algerian Crisis
Charles
De Gaulle
Geneva Conference
Geneva Conference
divides country at
17th parallel elections fall through
and US backs Ngo
Dinh Diem in the
south - US forms
SEATO treaty.
Warsaw Pact
May 14, 1955 - The
Warsaw Pact signed,
calling for the mutual
defense of Albania,
Bulgaria,
Czechoslovakia, East
Germany, Hungary,
Poland, Rumania, and
the Soviet Union.
The Bomber Gap
Fear of a "Bomber Gap" is created in the US
after Soviets fly Bear and Bison long-range
bombers multiple times past American visitors at
an air show, causing an exaggerated assessment
of Soviet inventories.
20th Congress Speech
• February 14 1956 -Khrushchev
denounces Stalin in
speech to the 20th
Congress of the
Communist Party of
the Soviet Union.
New Crises add to tensions
Hungarian
Revolt (1956)demonstration
in Hungary
leads to open
revolt - Soviets
invade and
crush rebellion.
The Red Tanks
Crisis in the Middle East
Suez Crisis (1956) Israel, France and
Britain invade Egypt
to take back canal US intervenes
fearing US - Soviet
conflict.
The Space Race
Oct. 1957 Soviets launch
Sputnik
satellite - the
US – Soviet
“Space Race”
begins.
The Berlin Crisis
Berlin Crisis 1958 - Soviets give 6 month
deadline for western powers to leave Berlin.
 Eisenhower refuses to budge and
Khrushchev backs down.
Paris Summit
• Paris “Summit
Conference” called
for May 1960
American U2 spy
plane shot down
over Russia on the
eve of Paris
Summit.
What’s so funny?
Plausible Deniability?
Francis Gary Powers
• U-2 pilot Gary
Powers
sentenced by the
U.S.S.R. to ten
years in prison;
he is exchanged
for a Soviet spy
in 1961.
Nixon goes to USSR
Nixon has his
“Kitchen Debate”
with Khrushchev
over the merits
communism
versus capitalism.
Fidel Castro
1959 - Castro
overthrows
Bautista in
Cuba becomes Soviet
satellite.
Yuri Gagarin
1960 - Soviet
astronaut Yuri
Gagarin is the
first man to
go into space.
Vienna Summit
• At the Vienna Summit in
1961, Khrushchev reissues his
ultimatum to begin talks on
Germany within 6 months or
face a permanent division of
Germany.
US Response
• Kennedy
responds with
call for military
build-up,
beginning of
civil defense
program.
The Berlin Wall
• August 13, 1961: East
Germany closes the
Brandenburg Gate, sealing the
border between East and West
Berlin in preparation for
building the Berlin Wall.
The Berlin Wall
Jack is a Jelly Doughnut
• Kennedy visits
Berlin in 1963
and declares
"Ich bin ein
Berliner."
The Cuban Missile Crisis
• October 23, 1962:
Cuban Missile Crisis
• The United States
establishes an air and
sea blockade of Cuba
in response to
photographs of Soviet
missile bases under
construction in Cuba.
• United States threatens
to invade Cuba if the
bases are not
dismantled and warns
that a nuclear attack
launched from Cuba
would be considered a
Soviet attack requiring
full retaliation.
• October 28: Khrushchev
agrees to remove
offensive weapons from
Cuba and the United
States agrees to remove
missiles from Turkey
and end Cuban-exile
incursions.
• November 21: United States
ends Cuban blockade, satisfied
that all bases are removed and
Soviet jets will leave the island
by December 20.
Cuban Fallout
• Kennedy signs Limited Test
Ban Treaty Britain, Soviet
Union, and United States agree
to outlaw tests in the
atmosphere, under water, and in
outer space.
• The US and Soviet
Union create the
Hotline and
Khrushchev becomes a
non-person.
• He is replaced by
Brezhnev and Kosygin
De Gaulle and the “Atlantic
Community”
• Charles De Gaulle of France
vetoed Britains entry in the
European Community, refused to
allow a NATO nuclear arm and
started developing his own
nuclear force.
The War in Vietnam
• 1964 - American
gunships are helping
patrol North Vietnam
shores
• US accuses North
Vietnam of firing on
an American ship in
the Gulf of Tonkin.
Tonkin Gulf Resolution
• US Congress give
war powers to
president Johnson,
who begins
escalating the war
in Vietnam.
Protests and Problems
• American allies in
Europe began to
denounce US
aggression in
Vietnam.
• De Gaulle ordered
NATO troops out of
France in 1966.
Tet Offensive
•
Jan 1968 - Tet
offensive launched
by Vietcong and
NVA on Vietnamese
New Year -American forces will
win the battles but
public opinion turns
against the war.
The Prague Spring
• January 1968 : Prague
Spring reforms led by
Alexander Dubcek in
Czechoslovakia to
bring about "socialism
with a human face."
Prague Spring
• "Socialism with a Human
Face," as Dubchek ended
censorship and instituted
liberal economic reforms.
• Dubchek continued to
proclaim loyalty to Moscow
to avert a replay of 1956 in
Hungary, but increasingly
Soviet leaders became
suspicious.
Students Revolt in Paris – May 1968
More Soviet Tanks
• August 20, -Soviet invasion
of
Czechoslovakia
ends Dubcek’s
experiment.
The Brezhnev Doctrine
• Brezhnev Doctrine
(Pravda, 25 September
1968), justified the
intervention.
• Soviets vow to use
troops to protect
socialism anywhere in
the world.
The Nixon Doctrine
• Nixon Doctrine and "
Vietnamization " begins.
• Nixon reaffirms U.S.
commitment to defend its
allies, but calls on Third
World nations to assume
primary responsibility for
their security
• Nixon orders first troops
out of Vietnam.
Willie Brandt
• German statesman
and Nobel laureate,
whose leadership
was of major
importance in the
development of
West Germany into
a world power.
• His policy, known as
Ostpolitik, led to the
signing of nonaggression pacts
between West Germany
and both the Union of
Soviet Socialist
Republics and Poland in
1970.
• Willy Brandt will
be forced to resign
in 1974 after an
East-German spy
was uncovered on
his personal staff.
SALT Agreement
• Treaty on the NonProliferation of Nuclear
Weapons between the
United States and the
Soviet Union, goes into
effect, preventing transfer
of nuclear weapons to
non- nuclear nations or
production of nuclear
weapons in those nations.
• SALT I agreement signed
restricting development
of ABMs and freezing
numbers of ICBMs and
submarine-launched
ballistic missiles
(SLBMs) in place for 5
years.
Detente
• Nixon and Brezhnev sign
agreement on the "basic
principles of detente" which
produces a relaxation on the
tensions, recognizes the
Soviet Union as the militarypolitical policeman of Eastern
Europe, and opens economic
markets between the two
countries.
Paris Accords
• 1973 – The Paris Accords
establish cease-fire and
political settlement of
Vietnam War.
Space Detente
• 1975 -- U.S.Soviet
astronauts in
Apollo and
Soyuz spacecraft
link up in space.
The Helsinki Accords
• Helsinki Accords signed,
pledging the United
States and Soviet Union
to accept European
borders, protect human
rights, and promote freer
transnational trade and
cultural exchanges.
SALT II
• SALT II
agreement to limit
long-range
missiles and
bombers signed by
Carter and
Brezhnev.
Soviets in Afghanistan
• Red Army enters Afghanistan and becomes
embroiled in a prolonged anti-guerilla war.
• Russia’s “Vietnam?”
US Sanctions
• U.S. sanctions against the
U.S.S.R., in reaction to its
invasion of Afghanistan,
include a grain embargo,
decreased scientific and
cultural exchanges, boycott
of the 1980 Moscow
Olympic Games, and failure
to ratify SALT II.
Dual-Track
• December: NATO
announces "DualTrack" deployment of
intermediate-range
nuclear forces (INF)
in Europe to counter
Warsaw Pact SS-20
missiles.
Protests over INF
• Protests break out
in Western Europe
over the
deployment of INF
missiles.
Solidarity
• Solidarity union
formed in Poland
in 1980 under the
leadership of Lech
Walesa.
• Walesa will
lead Polish
workers in an
illegal strike
for a 5-day
workweek.
START Talks
• Reagan outlines U.S.
Strategic Arms Reduction
Treaty (START) proposal,
to reduce ICBMs and arrive
at verifiable agreement to
reduce risk of war and
number of strategic nuclear
weapons on both sides.
Star Wars
• Reagan proposes
SDI (Strategic
Defense Initiative,
popularly known as
Star Wars) to
develop technology
to intercept enemy
missiles.
Soviet Reaction
• Soviet Union
suspends
START talks.
Mikhail Gorbachev
• Mikhail
Gorbachev
succeeds
Chernenko as
Soviet General
Secretary
• Nuclear and Space Talks (NST)
open in Geneva, based on
START proposals of 1983.
Geneva Summit
• Geneva Summit:
Reagan and
Gorbachev issue joint
statement on
cooperation in arms
reductions with goal
of 50 percent
reductions of nuclear
arms.
Reykjavik Summit
• Gorbachev proposes
eliminating all
nuclear weapons
over next 15 years,
contingent on United
States backing off
SDI.
• Reagan applauds
proposal, but won't
change position on
SDI and supports
principle of 50
percent reduction as
agreed to in 1985.
• Gorbachev-Reagan
arms talks stall over
Reagan's refusal to
limit SDI research
and testing to the
laboratory although
agreement is reached
on other details.
Reagan Speaks to USSR
• Reagan addresses the
Soviet people via Voice of
America saying that the
United States and Soviet
Union are "closer now than
ever before ... to agreement
to reduce nuclear arsenals
and have taken major steps
toward permanent peace."
Gorbachev goes to Washington
• Washington Summit
Meeting: Reagan and
Gorbachev sign a treaty
eliminating INF and
agree to work toward
completing START
agreement, if possible
for Moscow meeting in
first half of 1988.
Reagan goes to Moscow
• Moscow Summit:
Reagan and
Gorbachev reiterate
their commitment to
concluding the
START treaty.
Glasnost and Perestroika
• June 28 1988:
Gorbachev tells
Communist Party
leaders that key
elements of
Communist doctrine
are outdated; defends
his proposals for
change.
..`
• Gorbachev’s plan
calls for Perestroika
or governmental
reform and
Glasnost or
“openess”.
• Party attempts to relax its
grip on Soviet society in
order to advance
Gorbachev's Glasnost
policies.
Solidarity wins in Poland
• Pro-Solidarity
strikes take place in
Poland.
• Demonstrators
demand that
government grant
legal status to the
union.
• Poland agrees to
legalize
Solidarity union.
• Lech Walesa will
be elected
President of
Poland in 1990.
1989 – Communism
begins to Crumble
• September-December
1989 : Eastern European
nations leave Soviet Bloc,
renounce ties to Moscow.
• November 9: Berlin
Wall is opened as
hundreds of
thousands of East
Germans stream
into West Berlin to
visit without
restrictions.
• November 10:
Bulgarian President
Todor Zhikov
resigns after 35
years of hard-line
Communist power.
The Velvet Revolution
• The six-week period
between November 17
and December 29,
1989, also known as the
"Velvet Revolution"
brought about the
bloodless overthrow of
the Czechoslovak
communist regime.
• Alexander Dubcek who had led the illfated Prague Spring
movement in the
1960's - was elected
Speaker of the
Federal Assembly.
• One day later, the
parliament
elected the Civic
Forum's leader,
Vaclav Havel,
President of
Czechoslovakia.
Vaclav Havel
• A prize-winning
playwright and former
stagehand, brewery worker
and convict, he became
president after his crusade
for human rights won him
the respect of his
countrymen and the world.
Violence in Rumania
• Rumanian
President
Ceausescu is
overthrown by the
army; three days
later he and his
wife are executed.
Reunification of Germany
• East German voters opt
for German reunification
and market-based
economy.
Hardliners in the USSR
• Coup d'etat
attempt against
Gorbachev fails,
but power shifts to
Russian President
Boris Yeltsin.
The End of the USSR
• The Soviets recognize the
Ukraine, Baltic
Republics, Byelorussia
and Moldvia as
independent republics.
Commonwealth of
Independent States
• Commonwealth
of Independent
States created
in the former
Soviet Union.
Gorbachev Resigns
• December 25, 1991: Gorbachev
resigns as Soviet President,
transfers control of nuclear arsenal
to Russian President Boris Yeltsin,
as the United States recognizes six
independent republics: Armenia,
Belorussia, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia,
Russia, Ukraine.