Unit 5
• Topic: The Cold War (1945-1991)
• The United States and the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics (USSR) emerged as the two
strongest powers in international affairs.
Ideologically opposed, they challenged one
another in a series of confrontations known as
the Cold War. The costs of this prolonged
contest weakened the USSR so that it
collapsed due to internal upheavals as well as
American pressure. The Cold War had social
and political implications in the United States.
Chapter 1: Atomic Bombs
• Content Statement: The use of atomic
weapons changed the nature of war,
altered the balance of power and
began the nuclear age.
• Expectations for Learning: Summarize
how atomic weapons have changed the
nature of war, altered the balance of
power and started the nuclear age.
Section 1: Dropping of Atomic
Bombs Begins Nuclear Age
• Content Elaboration: The dropping of
the atomic bombs on Japan hastened
the end of World War II and is
considered the beginning of the
nuclear age. The use of these bombs
introduced a new type of weapon
capable of mass destruction.
Cold War Defined
• intense economic, political, military,
and ideological rivalry between
nations, short of military conflict;
sustained hostile political policies and
an atmosphere of strain between
opposed countries
• OR, a war with no fighting!
• US/SU Cold War 1945-1991
Splitting the Atom
• A. The best from around the world came to the US
1. Albert Einstein--Jew from Germany
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2. Enrico Fermi--Italy
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3. Others from Austria, Czech, and Denmark
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B. Atomic bomb
1. split atoms
2. catastrophic weapon
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C. December 2. 1942 at 3:45pm
1. successful in splitting uranium atoms
2. university of Chicago
The Atomic Bomb
• A. Manhattan Project: this is what the U.S. called
the secret plan to build the atomic bomb
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1. FDR set it up to prepare to build the bomb
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2. took 3 more years to develop the bomb
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3. cost $2 billion
• B. July 16, 1945 at 5:30am
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1. test
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2. Alamogordo, New Mexico
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3. first “mushroom” cloud
• C. Germany and Italy already surrendered
The Atomic Bomb,
continued
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D. Warned Japan
1. they still didn’t give up
E. Should we drop bomb
1. If yes--thousands of innocent people killed
2. If no--thousands of Americans killed
F. U.S. dropped 1st bomb on August 6, 1945
1. Hiroshima
2. 75,000 killed immediately
3. Thousands more died of radiation
G. U.S. dropped 2nd bomb on August 14, 1945
1. Nagasaki
The Cost of World War II
• A. U.S.--lost 292,000. (four times
more than WWI)
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B. Russia--27 million
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C. Germans--4 million
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D. Japanese--2 million
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E. Chinese--22 million
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F. Jews--6 million killed in
concentration camps
• ***WAR IS OVER. NOW, A WHOLE
NEW SET OF PROBLEMS!
THE UNITED STATES AND THE
SOVIET UNION BECOME THE 2
SUPERPOWERS ON THE PLANET.
THESE 2 COUNTRIES WILL BE
INVOLVED IN A “COLD WAR” FOR
THE NEXT 50 YEARS.
OGT Multiple Choice
Which is FALSE about the Manhattan project?
A. FDR set it up to prepare to build the atomic
bomb.
B. This project took 3 years to develop the
atomic bomb.
C. This project cost $2 billion.
D. The project was not kept secret, and the
American public knew about it.
OGT Multiple Choice
The United States lost how many people in
World War II?
A. About 300,000
B. About 1,000,000
C. About 4,000,000
D. About 10,000,000
OGT Multiple Choice
On August 14, 1945 the U.S. dropped the
second atomic bomb on which city?
A. Tokyo
B. Hiroshima
C. Nagasaki
D. Kyoto
OGT Multiple Choice
Where was the first test of an atomic bomb?
A. Denver, Colorado
B. Alamogordo, New Mexico
C. Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
D. Phoenix, Arizona
OGT Multiple Choice
On August 6, 1945 the U.S. dropped the first
atomic bomb on which city?
A. Tokyo
B. Hiroshima
C. Nagasaki
D. Kyoto
OGT Multiple Choice
At which university were uranium atoms first
split?
A. University of Chicago
B. University of Ohio State
C. University of Michigan
D. University of Indiana
OGT Short Answer
When World War II ended, this began a new
world order. There were now two superpowers
in the world. (2 points)
Who were the two superpowers? (1 point)
What is the name given to the relationship
between these two countries over the next
50 years? (1 point)
OGT Extended Response
(Practice Test Booklet 2005) The United
States dropping the two atom bombs on
Japan remains a controversial issue. If
you were an advisor to President
Truman, what advice would you give?
Explain why you would give him this
advice. (4 points)
Section 2: United States is the
Sole Superpower
• Content Elaboration: In the four-year
period following World War II, the
United Stgates was the only country in
possession of atomic bombs and this
contributed to its status as a
superpower. The threat of using this
weapon was seen as a deterrent to the
ambitions of the Soviet Union.
Postwar
A. United States:
1. Lost thousands during the war
2. stronger than ever after the war
3. Capitalism: economic system based on a free
market, open competition, profit motive and private
ownership of the means of production
4. believed the rest of the world should model us
5. want free elections, free trade, and business
expansion all around the world
Old world order gone. U.S. could no longer be isolated.
U.S. now relied on world trade to prosper!
Postwar
• B. Soviet Union
• 1. Lost over 7 million during the war
• 2. torn apart after the war. Wanted to build a
strong country
• 3. communism: a theory or system of social
organization based on the holding of all property in
common, actual ownership being ascribed to the
community as a whole or to the state
• 4. believed the rest of the world should be
communist
Old world order gone. U.S. could no longer be isolated.
U.S. now relied on world trade to prosper!
1 Superpower
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For 4 years after end of WWII
U.S. is only superpower
Why? We have atomic bomb!
This deterred the S.U. from expanding
their influence over other countries
President Harry S Truman
• A. Took over after FDR died
• B. Important decisions
• 1. Drop atomic bombs
• 2. United Nations
Harry S Truman
QuickTim e™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decom pressor
are needed to see this picture.
The United Nations
• 1st met April 12, 1944 (50 nations) in
San Francisco, California
• Similar to League of Nations after WWI
• US joins the UN
• Goal: Prevent another World War!
• Collective security: an attack on one
is an attack on all
• Click on the link below to get a great
detailed chart of the United Nations.
http://www.un.org/ http://www.un.org/
UN Headquarters in New York
OGT Multiple Choice
• (Practice Test Booklet 2005) The
international organization created to
preserve the peace after World War II was
the
• A. United Nations
• B. League of Nations
• C. Organization of American States
• D. North Atlantic Treaty Organization
OGT Multiple Choice
• Which is true about the involvement of the United
States in the League of Nations (after World War I)
and the United Nations (after World War II)?
• A. The United States joined the United Nations, but
not the League of Nations
• B. The United States joined the League of Nations,
but not the United Nations
• C. The United States joined both organizations
• D. The United States did NOT join either
organization
Section 3: Soviet Union
Becomes a Superpower
• Content Elaboration: The testing of
the atomic bomb by the Soviets in 1949
established the Soviet Union as a
second superpower. It also began a
nuclear arms race that continued for
decades and threatened world peace.
Beginning of the Cold War
• 1. Cold War = War with no fighting. Instead, used military
threats, espionage, propaganda, and politics.
• 2. NUCLEAR WEAPONS DEVELOPED!!!
• 3. The period right after World War II will begin 50 years of Cold
War between the US/SU.
• 4. U.S. and G.B. allies with S.U. for one reason--to beat Adolf
Hitler
• 5. We did not trust Stalin. Did not tell him of the atomic bomb
• 6. Stalin expected entire world to become communist
• 7. U.S. and S.U. had very different views of the future
Soviet Union Tests Atomic Bomb
• 1949
• Soviet Union tests and explodes
atomic bomb
nd
• This makes Soviet Union the 2
superpower
Joseph Stalin
• A Soviet political leader of the twentieth
century. He ruled the Soviet Union, often
with extreme brutality, from the death of
Lenin in the early 1920s until his own death
in the early 1950s. His policies of
collectivization, which abolished private
ownership, were followed by political purges
in which thousands of Communist
party officials were killed, usually on
trumped-up charges of treason
Joseph Stalin
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompr essed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Arms Race
• A. Arms race between US/SU
• 1. occurred throughout Cold War
• 2. guarantee security
• 3. the two sides competed with each
other to make the most and best weapons
for the next 50 years
OGT Multiple Choice
• (Practice Test Booklet 2005) The period after
World War II is referred to as the “Cold War.” It is
called this because the two superpowers, the
United States and the Soviet Union
• A. had several conflicts that never escalated into
a full-scale war
• B. used nuclear weapons that lowered the
temperature as they exploded
• C. has chilly but friendly relations during the is
time period
• D. fought a war in Siberia to determine control of
East Asia
OGT Multiple Choice
• During World War II, the United States was
an ally of this country. After World War II, the
United States became enemies with this
country.
• A. France
• B. Great Britain
• C. Soviet Union
• D. Spain
OGT Multiple Choice
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The term ‘Cold War’ refers to
A. A war with a lot of battles.
B. Another name for the Korean War
C. A war with no fighting.
D. Another name given to World War II.
OGT Multiple Choice
• (Practice Test Booklet 2005) As World
War II was nearing an end and it was clear
that the Allies would be victorious,
relations between the United States and
the Soviet Union could be described as
• A. becoming increasingly suspicious of
each other’s motives
• B. good as both Harry Truman and
Joseph Stalin trusted each other
• C. never better as the two nations agreed
on postwar issues
• D. on the brink of going to war against
each other
OGT Multiple Choice
• (2005 Practice Test) Which factor helped lead to
the Cold War between the United States and the
Soviet Union?
• A. the lack of U.S. aid to the Soviet Union under
the Lend-Lease Program during World War II
• B. differing intentions between the two nations for
the political and economic rebuilding of Eastern
Europe after World War II
• C. both nations being members of the United
Nations Security Council after World War II
• D. uneven prosperity between the two nations
after the Great Depression