Download The Cold War

The Cold War
From Allies to Adversaries
After World War II the
United States and the
Soviet Union emerged
as the two main world
powers. The conflict
between the two was
called the Cold War.
Yalta Conference
The Big Three Allies
Roosevelt, Churchill,
and Stalin discussed
what would happen
after Germany was
defeated.
The Division of Germany
After WW II the
French, British,
Americans and
Soviets controlled
part of occupied
Germany. The
capital Berlin was
also divided into four
sectors.
The United Nations
50 nations met in San
Francisco to form the
United Nations. The
organization was
dedicated to
peacefully resolving
international disputes.
The Iron Curtain
In 1946 Winston
Churchill declared
the Soviets were
the enemy. He said
the eastern
European countries
were behind an
“Iron Curtain.”
Truman Doctrine
1947 Harry Truman
called for containing
the spread of
communism.
Therefore, the US aided
governments fighting
communism.
Containment was also
called the Truman
doctrine.
The Marshall Plan
In 1947 Secretary of
State George
Marshall proposed
economic aid to
Europe after WW II.
The US sent nearly
$13 billion to Western
Europe. This
economic aid rebuilt
Western Europe.
The Berlin Crisis: What would
you do?
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In 1948 the Soviets cut all road and rail traffic
to West Berlin.
Truman met with advisors to discuss options
including:
1. armed actions against the Soviets to keep
the rail lines open
2. Allowing West Berlin to fall to Soviet
control
3. Air lifting food and supplies to West Berlin
What would you suggest?
The Berlin Airlift
From June of 1948
the Soviets
blockaded all land
access to Berlin. For
almost a year the
US and British
planes airlifted 1.5
million tons of
supplies to residents
in West Berlin.
Crisis in Turkey and Greece
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Look at your map, are Greece and Turkey in
the US sphere or the Soviet sphere of
influence after WW II?
The Greek Government is being attacked by
communist guerilla
The Soviets are pressuring Turkey to control
the shipping lanes in Turkish waters
Both countries are asking for financial and
economic assistance from the US, should
President Truman provide aid?
Eastern vs.. Western Europe
After World War II
Europe was divided.
Eastern European
countries became
communist and
were part of the
“Soviet Bloc.”
Western European
nations were allied
with the US.
N.A.T.O.
In 1949 the North
Atlantic Treaty
Organization was
formed by the US
and its western
European allies. The
NATO alliance
protected members
against communist
aggression.
The Warsaw Pact
In response to the
western military
alliance NATO, the
Eastern European
countries formed
their own military
alliance with the
Soviets in 1955,
known as the
Warsaw Pact.
The Nuclear Arms Race
In 1949 the Soviet Union
announced it had
successfully tested an
atomic bomb.
In 1952 the US exploded
the first hydrogen bomb
at a test site. Less than
a year later, the Soviets
announced their first
test of a hydrogen
bomb. The arms race
was on.
Chinese Revolution
In 1949 the Chinese
Communists, led by
Mao Zedong took
over China. Now
China joined the
Soviet Union as the
second communist
nation in the world.
The Korean War
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After WW II Soviet and
US troops entered
Korea to disarm the
Japanese troops
Korea was divided, with
US troops controlling
the south and Soviet
troops controlling the
north.
IN 1950 the North
Koreans invaded South
Korea, beginning the
Korean War.
The US enters Korean War
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Truman wanted to
contain North Korean
communist aggression
The United Nations
requested US troops to
back the South
Koreans.
China and the Soviet
Union backed North
Korea
Truman Fires MacArthur
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General MacArthur
wanted to pursue North
Korean troops into
southern China
Truman did not want to
expand the war and
fired MacArthur for his
public criticism of
Truman’s Korea policy
A Stalemate
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In 1953 the Korean war
ended with each side
maintaining its territory
and Korea remained
divided at the 38th
parallel
33,600 US soldiers died
in the war
The Korean war marked
the expansion of the
Cold War into Asia
The Berlin Wall
The communist
authorities in East
Germany begin the
construction of the
Berlin Wall to
prevent East
Germans from
fleeing to West
Berlin.
The Berlin Wall Falls
Soviet Premier
Gorbachev
abandons Soviet
control of east
Germany. After
massive public
demonstrations in
East Germany the
Berlin Wall falls on
November 1989.
Germany Reunified
In 1990 the Soviet
Union, Great Britain,
the US, and France
withdrew from
Germany. East and
West Germany
united as the
Federal Republic of
Germany.
The Soviet Union Collapses
In 1991 Gorbachev
was ousted as
Soviet Premier.
Boris Yeltsin,
supported by
protestors, took
over. The Soviet
Union was dissolved
in December of
1991.
Cold War Ended
The fall of the Berlin
Wall and the
creation of
independent
countries from the
former Soviet Union
signaled the end of
European
communism, and
the Cold War .
Credits
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PowerPoint
Slideshow by Dave
Forrest - 2001
Visuals from
Ditto.com and CNN
Cold War Website
Http://www.cnn.com/
SPECIALS/cold.war