The Cold War 1945-1991
CONCEPTUAL UNIT QUESTION
Did the polarization of the world
by the two superpowers benefit
or harm global development?
2
ENDURING UNDERSTANDING
The Cold War led to the creation
of global alliances that continue
to impact the world today.
3
The “Cold War”
A newspaper columnist, Walter Lippmann
argued that the policy of containment could not
work because he did not think the U.S. could
contain the Soviet Union everywhere. He
published his columns about containment in a
book he titled, The Cold War.
Lippmann came up with the term Cold War to
describe a kind of war that did not include
bloodshed.
4
What?
War of words and military posturing between
the United States and the Soviet Union:
The Cold War
When?
1945-1991
5
Why?
6
US and USSR were allied in WWII against
Fascism but the common enemy had been
defeated the reason for co-operation was gone
Cold War Time Line
7
1945-United Nations Formed
1946- Churchill “Iron Curtain” Speech
1947- Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan
1948- Soviets blockade Berlin-US launches
Airlift effort.
1949-NATO formed
1953-Stalin dies
1955-Warsaw Pact formed
1956-Kruschev and de-Stalinization in USSR
Soviets crush uprising in Hungary
1960- U-2 Incident heightens tensions
1961-Berlin Wall goes up
What is a Superpower?
An extremely powerful nation with greater
political, economic, or military power than
most other nations.
After WWII the United States and the Soviet
Union emerge as the world’s Superpowers
8
Beginning of the Cold War 1945-1948
Yalta
Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin
Potsdam
Atlee, Truman, Stalin
At the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences, before WWII
was over, basic philosophical differences became
glaring: Democracy and the free enterprise system
versus dictatorship and communism
9
Seeds of fear and distrust
The Soviet Union feared the capitalist West.
The United States feared communism.
After World War II, the United States and
Great Britain wanted the Eastern European
nations to determine their own governments.
Stalin feared that the Eastern European nations
would be anti-Soviet if they were allowed free
elections.
10
Self-determination
United States and Great Britain wanted selfdetermination for Eastern European nations.
Self-determination embodies the right for all
peoples to determine their own economic, social
and cultural development.
11
What to do with Germany?
At the Potsdam Conference in 1945, it was
decided by the four victorious powers of World
War II - Great Britain, France, the Soviet
Union, and the United States of America
that the territory of the
former German Empire
as defined by the borders
of 1937 was to be divided
into four zones of occupation.
12
http://www.dhm.de/ENGLISH/ausstellungen/breakthrough/S1.htm
Division of Germany and Berlin
13
Germany-Two Countries - 1949
The Federal Republic of Germany, or West
Germany, was formally created in September
1949.
October 7th 1949 The German Democratic
Republic, East Germany was set up by the
Soviets
14
Two Capitols: Bonn and Berlin
15
Divided Berlin
16
Berlin-Deep in Soviet Germany
17
Buffer States
Satellite States
Buffer between
East and West.
Eastern Europe
became Soviet
satellite nations.
Pro-Soviet.
These people were
no longer free.
18
Iron Curtain
19
From Stettin in the Balkans, to Trieste in the
Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across
the Continent. Behind that line lies the ancient
capitals of Central and Eastern Europe.
-- Sir Winston Churchill, 1946
Iron Curtain Cartoon
20
21
Truman Doctrine: Background
Greek Government vs Greek Communists
Truman requested that Congress provide
$400,000,000 worth of aid to both the Greek and
Turks to stave off communism in the region
Truman argued that a Communist victory in the
Greek Civil War would endanger the political
stability of Turkey, which would undermine the
political stability of the Middle East.
22
This could not be allowed in light of the region's
immense strategic importance to U.S. national
security.
Truman Doctrine 1947
The United States was compelled to assist "free
peoples" in their struggles against "totalitarian
regimes" because the spread of authoritarianism
would "undermine the foundations of international
peace and hence the security of the United States."
The Truman Doctrine committed the United States to
actively offering assistance to preserve the political
integrity of democratic nations when such an offer
was deemed to be in the best interest of the United
States.
23
Truman Doctrine: Legacy
In the words of the Truman Doctrine, it
became "the policy of the United States to
support free peoples who are resisting
attempted subjugation by armed minorities
or by outside pressures."
The Truman Doctrine effectively reoriented
U.S. foreign policy, away from withdrawal
and isolation to one of possible intervention
in far away conflicts.
24
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmQD_W8Pcxg&feature=PlayList&p=2287E59C541E7692&index=5
Marshall Plan 1948: Rebuild War-torn Europe
“The U. S. should provide aid to all European
25
nations that need it. This move is not against any
country or doctrine, but against hunger, poverty,
desperation, and chaos.” ~ George Marshall
Marshall Plan: Legacy
A great humanitarian effort.
Secretary of State Marshall became the only
military general ever to receive a Nobel Prize
for peace.
The Marshall Plan also institutionalized and
legitimized the concept of U.S. foreign aid
programs, which have become a integral part
of U.S. foreign policy.
26
Marshall Plan Aid to Europe 1948-1952
27
War Crimes Trials
The Nuremberg Trials took place November
21, 1945 to October 1, 1946
Determined the fates of 22 Nazi officials who
played a role in the holocaust.
28
War Crimes Trials Legacy
The Nuremberg trials had a great influence on the
development of international criminal law such as:
Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
The Geneva Convention, and many others.
29
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Issued by the United Nations in 1948
The first global expression of rights to which
all human beings are entitled
30
Berlin Blockade: 24 June 1948 -12 May 1949
The three western sections of Germany and
Berlin and created a West German
government and announced a new currency.
Stalin responded on June 24, 1948 by
attempting to force the western allies out of
Berlin altogether. He cut off rail and road
access to the western side of the city and
turned off electricity.
31
Berlin Airlift Begins: June 25, 1948
The United States and
Great Britain mounted
a massive airlift to
keep the western
sectors supplied with
the 5000 tons of food
per day and fuel that
the city needed…and
chocolate for children!
32
Lt. Halvorsen dropping
candy. He became known as
the “candy bomber”.
Berlin Airlift
277,264
flights and
1.5 million
tons of aid.
33
Why was NATO created?
34
The Berlin blockade provided compelling
evidence that in order to deter the Soviets from
further aggression, an alliance was necessary
between nations of Western Europe and the
United States.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
4 April 1949
35
 Canada
 Netherlands
 Denmark
 Norway
 France
 Portugal
 Iceland
 Italy
 1952: Greece &
Turkey
 United States
 1955: West Germany
 Belgium
 1982: Spain
 Britain
 1990: Reunited Germany
 Luxemburg
 Former Soviet Republics
Article 5: "an armed attack against one or more of
the European signatories or the North American
signatories, would be considered an attack against
all of them".
Spread of the Communism: China
Chiang Kai-shek was the leader of the
anticommunist Nationalists, supported by the
United States
Chiang Kai-shek signing the UN charter
36
Spread of the Communism: China
毛泽东
Chairman
Mao
and his
Little Red
Book
Communist Mao Zedong was victorious over
Chiang Kai-shek
Establishment of the People's Republic of China
37
Maoist Phase 1949 – 1976
Spread of the Communism: China
People have come together to support the Communist Party.
38
Spread of the Cold War: Proxy Wars
The Korean War: when the Cold War became a
global conflict.
Mindful that a full-scale nuclear exchange
would be a disaster for both sides, the
superpowers fought each other through a
variety of proxy wars and "shadow struggles"
in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and dozens of
other places.
No global third world war has yet to take
place.
39
Spread of the Communism: Korea
In 1945, Korea was
freed from the
Japanese.
North Korea
Kim Il Sung
Communist
The country was split
in half at the 38th
parallel.
The two countries
hated each other.
40
South Korea
Syngman Rhee
Capitalist
U.N. Police Action In Korea: 1950-1953
The Korean War began when the Communist
government of North Korea, allied with the Soviet
Union and tried to take over South Korea.
41
Chinese Soldiers
U.N. Police Action In Korea: 1950-1953
The first military clash of the Cold War and the first
United Nations-sanctioned conflict
Technically American troops weren’t fighting the
Korean War-The United Nations sent troops from
its member states to ‘keep peace’.
The U.S. was the most important and richest
country in the U.N. so it sent the most troops and
supplied most of the weapons.
42
Began what became the U.S. policy of containment
Containment
43
In 1947, the United States adopted the policy
of containment: keep communism within its
existing boundaries and prevent further Soviet
aggressive moves.
44
Korean War: A UN Police Action
The United Nations sent
troops from its member
states to ‘keep peace’.
Declared a ‘police
action’ because US
operated under the UN.
The US sent the most
troops and supplied most
of the weapons.
45
Korean War
General Douglas MacArthur - Supreme
Commander of UN Forces
46
Korean War
A grief stricken American infantryman whose buddy has been killed in
action is comforted by another soldier. In the background a corpsman
methodically fills out casualty tags,
47
Haktong-ni area, Korea. August 28, 1950. Sfc. AlChang. (Army)
China Enters the Korean War
48
Korean War: A Police Action
Back and forth across the
38th Parallel
The ‘see-saw’ of the Korean
War.
49
50
Korean War 1950-53
51
Korean War Ends (or does it?)
Heavy fighting continued throughout the first half of 1953
The Armistice was suddenly signed on July 27th, 1953.
U.S. signed the peace deal with North Korea and China
North and South Korea have never officially signed any
peace pact, it is only considered a truce.
Technically, the Korean War is still going on today.
52
Korean War: Who Wins?
South Korea remained free of communism
Containment had worked
US continued presence: DMZ: Demilitarized Zone
Still two separate nations today. Kim Jung Il leads an impoverish and
backward country where his people are starving and freezing to death.
About 28,500 U.S. troops are currently stationed in South Korea. Efforts are
underway to recover thousands of US MIAs
According to a 2003 agreement, US troops will eventually be will be moved
farther south
53
The Human Cost
Casualties in the Korean War
4,500
30,000
NK & Chinese soldiers
and civilians
70,000
SK civilians
500,000
SK soldiers
780,000
USA soldiers
Other UN soldiers
54
What is this?
55
Warsaw Pact 1955
Warsaw Pact 1955
56
U. S. S. R.
East Germany
Albania
Hungary
Bulgaria
Poland
Czechoslovakia
Romania
NATO vs. Warsaw Pact 1949-1990
57
Space Race: 1957
The Russians beat the
United States to space—
they have the
technological edge!
Outcomes: Emphasis on
math an science in school
58
Sputnik I
59
Mutual Assured Destruction
Whoever shoots first, dies second.
60
STOP HERE
61
Spread of the Cold War: Vietnam War
Domino Theory
To justify his support
for South Vietnam,
President Dwight
Eisenhower and
Vice-President
Richard Nixon put
forward the 'domino
theory. It was argued
that if the first
domino is knocked
over then the rest
topple in turn.
62
63
64
65
Cuban Missile Crisis
66
Between 1945-1948 the Soviets under Stalin
consolidated their power in Eastern Europe. Poland,
East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Bulgaria,
Hungary became part of the "Soviet Bloc" – or
"satellite system." Within the communist parties of
these countries there were purges to remove national
communists - one in four were removed. Yugoslavia
under Tito was an exception to Soviet control. It
practiced "national communism" and was able to
remain independent largely due to western economic
aid.
67
68
Many British colonies gained their
independence because Britain was forced to
reduce expenses abroad,
and the colonies demanded their independence.
69
70
Mandates
71
The 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreement between Britain and France established
proposed zones of influence for those two countries over the Middle East.
Map: Geoffrey Gaudreault, NPR
72
After World War I, the French and British draw the borders of the modern
Middle East, and the League of Nations sanctions their domination of the
region.
Map: Geoffrey Gaudreault, NPR; Source: A History of the Arab Peoples
by Albert Hourani
73
East German Flag
74
At German reunification, on October 3, 1990,
German Capital Moves from Bonn to Berlin
75
76
Because we live as free peoples in a democratic
system in the United States is it our
responsibility and duty to ensure the rest of the
world becomes like us?
77
A Formally Divided Germany 1949
May 12 1949: End of Berlin blockade
May 24 1949: Federal Republic of Germany is
founded: West Germany
September 30 1949: Berlin Airlift ends
October 7, 1949: German Democratic Republic is
founded: East Germany
78