Overview and Further Understanding
The Cold War
The Cold War
What was the Cold War?
The ideological conflict between the United States and the USSR that lasted from
1945 until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Why was it called the “Cold War”?
Neither nation ever directly engaged the other in combat.
Terms to Know
Containment:
Main strategy of the United States during the Cold War. “Contain” communism
where it exists to stop the spread of communism.
(ex: Truman Doctrine, Eisenhower Doctrine, Reagan Doctrine, Korean War, Vietnam)
Domino Theory:
Belief that if one nation falls to communist ideas the nations nearby will also fall
to communism (plague/disease ideology).
Satellite Nation:
A country that is dominated politically and economically by the USSR.
(ex: Poland during the Cold War).
Brinkmanship:
The practice of threatening an enemy with massive military retaliation for any
aggression; taking a conflict to the “brink” of nuclear war.
Terms to Know
North Atlantic Treaty Organization:
In April 1949, the USA set up NATO for collective security against any Soviet
attack.
Warsaw Pact:
The USSR set up an alliance known as the Warsaw Pact in 1955, uniting all
Communist countries in Eastern Europe (except Yugoslavia).
NATO & Warsaw Pact
1948
1948 to 1949
1961
Berlin Blockade, Berlin Airlift, Berlin Wall
Understanding Berlin
Understanding Berlin
The Berlin Blockade
How did it start?
When the United States, France, and Great Britain united their
sectors to form West Germany.
USSR blockaded West Berlin in 1948 to stop the flow of supplies
in hopes of winning West Berlin.
The West faced their first tough decision:
How could they save West Berlin without starting a war?
What would the West ultimately do to save West Berlin?
QUESTION.
The Berlin Blockade and Airlift
Why was the Berlin Wall built?
What was the Berlin Wall?
What was the Iron Curtain?
QUESTION.
Iron Curtain & Berlin Wall
Understanding Berlin
The Berlin Wall
A concrete wall that separated East Berlin and West Berlin from
1961 to 1989.
Built to prevent East Berliners from fleeing to the West Berlin.
RFK looking into East Berlin
Reagan in Berlin
The Arms Race and the Space Race
Technology in the Cold War
The Space Race
Sputnik
1957
Apollo 11
Neil Armstrong, Buzz
Aldrin, and Michael
Collins land on the
moon.
1969
Remembering Laika.
Sputnik II
Belka and Strelka
Korabl-Sputnik II
How is the Space Race important to the Arms Race?
QUESTION.
The Arms Race
Star Wars: Strategic Defense Initiative
Define: Nuclear Proliferation.
QUESTION.
1961
1962
Fidel Castro, Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Conundrum
Bahia de Cuchinos
The Bay of Pigs Incident
Fidel Castro
“By the beginning of 1960, Cuba was for all practical
purposes a Communist dictatorship and, in military
perspective, a Soviet satellite.”
“When Kennedy took over early in 1961, he found a proposal… for
[1,200] armed Cuban exiles… to be landed in an area called the Bay of
Pigs to detonate a popular uprising…
The operation was a total disaster from the start, primarily because
Castro was able to read all about it… in the US media… Castro’s troops
killed 114 of the invaders and took the rest captive: 1,189.
Nearly all of whom were executed or later died in Castro’s prisons.”
“Success has a thousand fathers, but failure is an orphan.”
John F. Kennedy
America and JFK look weak.
What impact will the Bay of Pigs have on the United
States in the Cold War?
QUESTION.
The Cuban Missile Crisis
Thirteen Days in October
October 14th
US spy planes take the first clear pictures of the
missiles. Moscow denies deployment.
Thirteen Days in October
October 22nd
President Kennedy, on TV, imposes a sea blockade
of Cuba as Soviet ships approach Cuba.
Thirteen Days in October
October 26th
USSR agrees to remove missiles from Cuba
USA removes missiles from Turkey & promises not to invade Cuba
QUESTION.
How close was the world to nuclear war?
“There is no doubt the world came close to nuclear war, probably
closer than at any other time, before or since.
On October 22nd all American missile crews were placed on
maximum alert. Some 800 B47s, 550 B52s, and 70 B58s were
prepared with their bomb-bays closed for immediate take off…
Over the Atlantic were 90 B52s carrying multi-megaton bombs.
Nuclear warheads were made active on 100 Atlas, 50 Titan, and 12
Minuteman missiles, and on American carriers, submarines, and
overseas bases. All commands were in a state of Defcon-2, the
highest state of readiness next to war itself.
“Then and for some years afterwards, [The Cuban Missile
Crisis] was considered the finest hour of the Kennedy
Presidency.”
Mao Zedong, China, and Communism
The People’s Republic
Explain the Chinese Revolution.
QUESTION.
The Chinese Revolution
Chiang Kai-shek
Mao Zedong
Backed by Western Powers
Backed by the Soviet Union
Terms to Know
What did Mao do?
The Great Leap Forward
Mao’s attempt to modernize the economy through agriculture and industry.
Burden was placed on citizens. Failed.
The Cultural Revolution
Mao’s attempt to cleanse the communist party and get it back to its roots.
What impact would China becoming communist have on
the Cold War?
QUESTION.
1950 to 1953
The Korean War and North Korea
The
th
38
Parallel
The Korean War
Causes?
North Korea attacked South Korea in hopes of unifying
the Korean peninsula as one.
Stage One
June 25th, 1950
Phase ends August 1st, 1950
Stage Two
August 1, 1950
Phase ends November of 1950
Stage Three
November 25th, 1950
Phase ends April 22nd, 1951
Stage Four
April 22nd, 1951
Phase ends July 27th, 1953
The Korean War
Outcome?
Stalemate.
North Korea remained communist.
South Korea remained democratic.
Split along the 38th Parallel (DMZ)
Korea Today
1946 to 1954 & 1955 to 1975
Exploiting Vietnam, the Vietnam War, and the Cambodian Genocide
The
th
17
Parallel
The 17th Parallel
Exploitation of Vietnam
Vietnam has been occupied by five major nations throughout its history:
1. China
2. France
3. Japan
4. Great Britain
5. United States
When did Western Powers have a chance to free Vietnam?
QUESTION.
The Vietnam War
Causes?
French and Japanese imperialism of Vietnam encouraged
Vietnam to seek freedom from outside powers.
Outcome?
North Vietnamese forces defeated the French (1950s) and
the United States (1960s & 1970s).
Captured Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and united Vietnam as
one communist nation.
Outcome of the War?
19 years and five months of fighting.
Roughly 58,000 Americans dead.
1.5 to 3.6 million non Americans killed.
In 1970, President Richard Nixon would order the invasion of
Cambodia. What impact would this have on Cambodia?
QUESTION.
The Killing Fields
The Cambodian Genocide
Pol Pot
The Effects of the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot