Download Chapter 30 The Cold War at a Glance

Dylan Cox
Chapter 30 The Cold War at a Glance
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Section 1: The cold war unfolds.
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After post WWII tensions, Europe was divided between east and west. The west
was controlled by free western states and the east was controlled by the USSR.
The line between Western Europe and Eastern Europe became known as the iron
curtain. Even a wall was erected in Berlin separating east and west.
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By 1953 both the USSR and the USA had developed the hydrogen bomb. These
bombs were extremely powerful. One could devastate and entire country and
many could potentially destroy the world.
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After the USSR assisted forces in China and Korea, the USA took measures to
contain the spread of communist ideology by creating many alliances (such as
NATO) and placing military bases all over the globe. The Soviet Union also made
alliances in order to spread power and ideology (Warsaw Pact).
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Fidel Castro led a rebellion in Cuba. After Cuba fell to communism and the Bay
of Pigs disaster, the USSR sent nuclear weapons into Cuba. The US set up a
blockade and the President JFK demanded that the USSR pull back. After a tense
confrontation The USSR premier Khrushchev removed the missiles. This was the
closest step to nuclear war and this became known as the Cuban missile crisis.
Section 2: The Industrialized Democracies
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The United States emerged untouched by the destruction from WWII. Its
economy boomed because of foreign trade among democratic nations. This
created a post-war boom. The US experienced Booms and Recessions. It also
experienced suburbanization.
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In the 60’s the US expanded rights to all citizens. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
became the leader of the civil rights movement. He was able to convince the
government to outlaw segregation against all minorities. The civil rights
movement inspired the women’s rights movement which won laws banning
discrimination against women.
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With the aid from the United States, West Germany experienced an “economic
miracle,” through rebuilding. Despite high taxes for recovery, West Germans
created a booming industrial economy. Other western countries like Britain
however weren’t so quick to recover, ending up having to abandon their colonial
empires. These nations later recovered.
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The United States removed the emperor from power in Japan a created a newer
democratic government. The two countries kept close ties and the US maintained
military bases in Japan.
Section 3: Communism Spreads in East Asia
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By the end of WWII Chinese communists gained control over most of northern
China. After the defeat of Japan, communist forces lead by Mao Zedong fought a
civil war between nationalists. The communists won and set up the People’s
Republic of China. The nationalists created their own state Taiwan.
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China was considered a “wild card” because it seemed at first to be a strong ally
to the soviets but in the end the USSR stopped sending aid due to conflicting
ideologies and border clashes.
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In Korea, the nation was also divided. It was divided at the 38th parallel. The north
was ruled by a communist leader and the south by a non-communist leader. Both
wanted control over the entire country. In 1950 North Korean leader Kim Il Sung
launched an attack to reunite the country. The U.N. Security Council sent a force
to help South Korea. Mao Zedong sent troops into the war and pushed US forces
south of the 38th parallel and the war turned into a stalemate. No peace treaty was
ever signed.
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South Korea recovered slowly but in 1967 the economy leaped ahead. The north
however clung to hard-line communism at the economy sank.
Section 4: War in Southeast Asia
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In Indochina the French ruled since the 1800’s. During WWII, the Japanese
invaded these colonies and met with resistance especially in Vietnam from
guerrillas. After WWII, the guerrillas turned their gun on to the French and were
determined to be free of all foreign powers. Communist leader Ho Chi Minh led
forces that took North Vietnam.
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The US entered the war primarily because of the domino theory. After President
Johnson presented this issue along with evidence of an attack on an American
ship, congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in 1964. The resolution gave
the president the power to prevent future aggression in Southeast Asia. After US
bombing and deforestation the Viet Cong (communist guerrillas) launched the Tet
offensive, killing many US and South Vietnamese soldiers.
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As the war raged on, American public opinion was negative. The war was widely
covered by journalists and for the first time Americans were able to see the
bloody consequences of war at home on television. Because of massive protest at
home, The US pulled out of Vietnam and negotiated a peace treaty in 1973.
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Two years after the withdrawal of American forces, the Viet Cong invaded the
south unifying Vietnam as one nation. After Vietnam fell so did Cambodia and
Laos. Many fled from Indochina and settled in the US.
Section 5: The End of the Cold War
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The Soviet Union declined do to its inefficient command economy, overspending
on newer technologies, and a major loss in Afghanistan. The Soviets tried to
impose laws and reforms that were seen as threatening to Islamic traditions.
Battling the guerrilla fighters, known as the mujahedin, proved to be costly and
provoked a crisis in morale at home for the USSR.
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Dealing with a sinking economy and a failing war, the new leader Gorbachev
pulled out of Afghanistan and tried to put in place reforms. These reforms sparked
economic turmoil and Gorbachev policies became widely unpopular. Poland,
Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia broke away from the USSR in the late
80’s. The remaining republics separated to form 12 independent states.
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Poland embraced Solidarity, which was the first independent labour union led by
Lech Walesa. This group sparked widespread protest and disdain to communism.
Many different soviet countries grew more independent. The Berlin wall fell and
finally, in 1991 the Soviet Union fell after Russia backed out.
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All other countries declined economically due to the Soviet Union collapse
leaving the US as the sole world power. Europe was united by the European
Union.