THE COLD WAR
Defining The Cold War
• A period of intense tension, hostility and
competition between the superpowers: the
United States and the Soviet Union
• Lasted from 1945-1991
• Called a cold war because no direct armed
conflict occurred between the two
• Fought their battles through various countries
across the globe in Asia, the Americas, & Africa
What is a Superpower?
• First used in 1944 to describe
the Soviet Union & the United
States
• Refers to a country so powerful
due to its economic & military
resources, that it can dictate &
control international events to
suit its own interests.
Clash of Ideologies
The United States
Capitalism
• Individuals free to compete for profits
(supply & demand) with minimum state interference
• Private ownership of all parts of economy by a dominate
minority class of individuals/companies who make all key
decisions concerning investment, production & employment
• Often called market or free enterprise economy
• Influenced by ideas of Adam Smith (1776 Wealth of Nations)
Liberal Democracy
• Government chosen by the people – vote for the political
party who best represents one’s views
• Rights are protected: freedom of speech, press, assembly,
information, religion, & peaceful protest
The USSR (Soviet Union)
Communism (Marxist-Leninism)
• All private ownership of property abolished
• Goal: classless society, economy (banks, land, industries) controlled
by the people, no need for money & state would “wither away”
• Reality: Government control of economy (banks, industries, land),
economic production based on needs of people not profit
• “Each according to their ability; to each according to their need.”
• Influenced by ideas of Marx and Engels (1848 Communist Manifesto)
One Party State
• Only Communist Party allowed to exist – “dictatorship of the
proletariat”
• Rights not protected - limited free speech, anti religion, state
controlled press & banned protest
Early Causes of the Cold War
1. The Russian Revolution
February 1917 – Russian Tsar Nicholas overthrown in revolution & a Provisional
Government installed until elections
October 1917 - Lenin’s Bolsheviks seized power – “Peace, land & bread”
Withdrew Russia from WWI, abolished private property, nationalized key
industries & banks, suppressed religion, created the Red Army
Lenin set up Comintern in 1919 to help efforts of communists around the world
US sent troops during the Russian Civil War (1918-1921) to restore Tsar – Tsar &
family executed & Bolsheviks victorious
Established the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics in 1922 (USSR)
US refused to formally recognize the SU until 1933
2. WWII Nazi-Soviet Pact - August
1939
Stalin signed a non-aggression pact
with Hitler – to last 10 years
Neutrality towards each other &
secretly agreed to divide Poland
between them
Lasted until June 1941 – Operation
Barbarossa, Nazis attacked SU
3. The Second Front
After joining the Allies in
1942, Stalin pushed US & Britain
to open a 2nd front
Did not occur until June 1944 Stalin suspicious Allies wanted
Nazis to kill as many Soviets as
possible (80% of Nazis military
resources thrown at SU)
Catastrophic losses – Stalingrad
99% of city destroyed, 2 million
deaths
Nazis withdrew after 200 days – turning
point in the war for the Allies
4. Yalta & Potsdam Conferences - 1945
Cooperation crumbling –
disagreements over the fate of
Germany, Poland & Eastern Europe
Stalin’s aims: sphere of influence for
security - keep territorial gains in
Poland, Finland & Romania, establish
pro-Soviet governments in Eastern
Europe, weaken Germany through harsh reparations
US aims: curtail Soviet expansion, rebuild Germany & Eastern Europe to
ensure future economic prosperity
Soviets & Americans Meet in Berlin - 1945
5. Atomic Bomb
August 1945 – US dropped atomic
bombs on Hiroshima & Nagasaki
ending the war with Japan
Stalin’s “ally” had not included
the SU in the development
or plans to use this new
weapon
Stalin saw it as a future warning
to the SU of America’s power.
COLD WAR CAUSES AFTER 1945
1. Competing Ideologies
Soviet Union – Communist One
Party State
US – Capitalist Democracy
Both made it clear they
wanted to spread their beliefs
and influence around the world.
2. Eastern Europe
SU refused to leave the Eastern
European countries it had occupied &
liberated from Nazi control.
Soviet troops remained to set up proSoviet Communist governments.
Spheres of Influence – Stalin believed
it was his right to create a buffer zone
by controlling East Germany, Poland,
Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania &
Bulgaria to protect the SU from
future attacks. (Satellite states)
US saw it as a threat – the spread of
Communism
3. Two Camps Speech
Feb. 1946 – USSR declared
the world was now divided
into two hostile camps of
Communism and Capitalism
US interpreted this to
mean that war was
inevitable
4. Iron Curtain Speech
Mar. 1946 – Winston Churchill
declared that an “Iron Curtain”
had fallen across Europe
seperating the free people of
Western Europe and “the
enslaved” people of Soviet
controlled Eastern Europe.
Stalin accused the West of
wanting to “rule over the
remaining nations of the world.”
6. Truman Doctrine
1947 – President Truman promised
the US would fight the spread of
communism and Soviet influence
anywhere in the world
Financial help would be
provided & military help soon
followed
Civil war in Greece was the first test
case – US provided $400 million in
aid to defeat the communists
Soviets saw it as a declaration of war
against Communism
7. Marshall Plan
1947 – US offered
economic aid ($13 billion)
to all countries rebuilding
after the war
Stalin refused any help for
the SU or Eastern Europe
as he saw it as a form of
American imperialism and
control
8. Molotov Plan
All eastern European
countries under Soviet
control had to refuse help
from the Marshal Plan
Molotov Plan was the Soviet
alternative and offered aid
in the form of trade
agreements between
communist countries
Potsdam Conference
• Occupation zones decided.
• Nazi party banned and were to be tried as war
criminals.
• For reparations each power was to collect
industrial equipment from its zone. USSR
zone was mostly agriculture.
• Germans living in Poland, Hungary, and
Czechoslovakia were to return to Germany.
Potsdam
Tensions after Potsdam
• Truman replaced Roosevelt after his death.
• Stalin invited non communist leaders in
Poland to the Soviet Union and imprisoned
them. Communists replaced them in
Government.
• Truman did not tell Stalin about plans to drop
bomb on Japan.
Tensions after Potsdam
• Truman was suspicious since USSR had the
largest army in the world.
• USSR was developing its own atomic Bomb.
• Truman believed Stalin was influencing
Eastern Europe to become communists.
9. Berlin Blockade 1948-49
Berlin Blockade
Political Divisions
• After Potsdam Berlin was divided between
West, (allied controlled) and East, USSR
controlled.
• West was capitalist democracy and East was
Socialist.
Berlin Blockade
Reconstruction Differences
• Allies wanted to rebuild Germany to be a
strong country.
• Would not fall to Communism
• Create a trading partner
• Act as a shield against the spread of
communism in Europe
Berlin Blockade
Reconstruction Differences
• USSR wanted a weak Germany that would be
incapable of an attack.
• USSR refused to let their zone trade with the
Western allied zone (West Berlin).
• U.S creates a new currency (Deutsche mark)
• USSR kept the Reichsmark.
• USSR believed the west was taking over the
economy.
Berlin Blockade
Conflict
• Since Berlin was in Soviet zone, they
controlled all access to city.
• Believed the Allies had no business in Berlin
since it was in the Soviet zone.
• U.S built a military base.
• Capitalist way of life was on show as the U.S
tried to make their zone better.
Berlin Blockade
• In protest, Stalin decided to restrict access of
the allies to Berlin.
• Hoped to get the allies to pull out of Berlin by
starving the people.
• Abandon plans to develop Germany
• Eventually the people would turn to him and
switch to Communism and create one city.
Berlin Blockade
Western Options
• Ignore and drive through Blockade.
Advantages: 1)Show the Russians the U.S could
not be blackmailed.
2)They were the only ones with an A bomb.
Disadvantages: 1)High risk of War
2)Russian forces outnumbered U.S forces in
Europe.
Berlin Blockade
Option 2: Pull Out of Berlin
Advantages:
1) Avoid any risk of War
2) No one trust the Americans in the future to
stand against Communism.
Disadvantages:
1)Loss of prestige (positive reputation) for the
Western powers
Berlin Blockade
Option 3: Supply West Berlin by Air
Advantages:
1)Less risk of War than option 1
Disadvantages:
1) Risky Operation 4000 tons of supplies
required daily.
2) Costly to supply by two million people by air.
The Airlift
• A round the clock airlift was organised
between the U.S and British Air force.
• In 11 months 275,000 flights dropped supplies
on Berlin.
• Included food fuel medicine
• Averaged 4000 tons per day
The Airlift
• US stationed b-29 aircraft in Britain which
were capable of carrying atomic Bombs.
• As a result, Stalin’s plan failed
• The people continued to reject Communism.
• Stalin reopened access
Results of Crisis
• Western Powers claimed this as a victory.
• Stalin had to back down
• Allies unified their areas to create West
Germany.
• Germany fully divided between East and West.
“Operation Vittles”
Military force was debated, but many
feared WWIII
Berlin Air Lift - for 11 months 13 000 tons
of food & supplies were airlifted by US &
British planes
A total of 200 000 flights were made
Soviet plan had failed – after 320 days
Stalin ended the blockade and the West
celebrated a “Cold War victory”
**US fighter jets with atomic bombs were in
Britain on stand by just in case
May 1949 – West
Germany was reunited &
renamed the German Federal
Republic & democratic
elections held
October 1949 – East Germany
renamed the German
Democratic Republic,
Communist & controlled by SU
**Germany remained divided
until 1990.
10. Soviet Union Atomic Bomb
Test
1949 – SU detonated an atomic bomb
“First Lightning” (nicknamed Joe 1
by Americans)
The race between the superpowers
to build more powerful and deadlier
weapons had begun!
11. Rival Alliances
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) signed in 1949 and included
most of Western Europe and Canada. It was led by the US. 8 million soldiers
Warsaw Pact signed in 1955 and included all of Eastern Europe,
controlled by the SU. 7.7 million soldiers
12. Communist Revolution in
China
1949 – the Communists won the
civil war in China
October – the new leader Mao
declared the creation of the Peoples
Republic of China
25% of the world was now under
Communist rule
Not officially recognized by US
until 1978
By 1949 the superpowers were clear enemies:
East vs. West.
The SU controlled much of Eastern Europe
(Poland, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary,
Romania, Bulgaria & Albania)
The US supported Western Europe (Britain,
France, West Germany, Italy, etc…)
Cold War Key Terms
Domino Theory – American belief that if one country fell
to communism, others would follow including the US.
Containment – American policy to contain the spread of
communism anywhere in the world – believed it would
result in the collapse of global Soviet power
Spheres of Influence – US and SU competed to spread
their power and influence in different regions of the
world.
Brinkmanship – when a conflict escalates to the highest
level of hostility and tension before all out war. One
side then backs down.
MAD – Mutually Assured Destruction, the superpowers
did not fight each other directly because each could
completely destroy the other. The fear of nuclear
attacks kept the peace – balance of power
Arms Race – a competition between the superpowers to
build more powerful and deadlier weapons.
Space Race – SU and US competed for superiority in
space.
• 1957 – Soviet launched Sputnik, the first orbiting
satellite and Sputnik II with the first living creature in
space - dog
• 1958 – first US satellite
• 1961 – Soviet Yuri Gagarin was the first human in space
• 1969 – Neil Armstrong first person to walk on the
moon
Détente – a period of cooperation between the
superpowers during the 1970s. Agreements (SALT I &
II) were signed to limit the number of missiles on both
sides.