Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
THE COLD WAR After World War II, two countries emerge as new super powers in the world. The Soviet Union (U.S.S.R.) would represent the ideals of communism, and the United States, which would represent the ideals of democracy. This ideological “war” would be termed the “Cold War”. Countries “freed” by the Soviets during W.W.II would become part of the Soviet Block. On the surface, they were freed, but , in actuality, they were puppet governments controlled by the Kremlin. THE RED SCARE Fear that the Communists would take over our country would begin in the 1920’s. This fear continued throughout the 30’s and 40’s but reached its peak in the 1950’s after the U.S.S.R. created its “Iron Curtain” between Eastern and Western Europe. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of trying to sell atomic secrets to Soviets, they were executed in 1953 Alger Hiss was accused of selling secret government documents to the Soviets in the 1930’s These cases will whip the country into a hysteria, and they would be ripe for the events that would follow. In 1950, a senator from Wisconsin named Joseph McCarthy would show a list of government workers who had been tied to the Communist Party. Leading the Senate sub committee on “Un-American Activities”, he went about destroying many careers in government and in entertainment industry. The play The Crucible is an analogy of what was happening during this time. This is the peak of the “Red Scare”. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_uTbVfDtgI&feature=PlayList&p=1C9729BC2BF THE POLICY OF CONTAINMENT From 1945 to 1989, it would be the “duty” of the U.S. to “contain” the spread of communism throughout the world. We would become involved with many “wars” under the banner of “containment”. Marshall Plan- The U.S. decided to economically aide any countries devastated by W.W.II. If we didn’t, perhaps the Russians would, thereby making allies of them. Many countries, including the current economic powerhouses of Germany and Japan, used this plan. Truman Doctrine- the U.S. would militarily aide any free people struggling to maintain their freedom. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)a military alliance of European democratic countries, bound to aide one another against Communist aggression. South East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) a military alliance of Asian democratic countries. Warsaw Pact- A military alliance of communist countries, formed to answer NATO and SEATO. The Domino Theory- we could not allow one country to fall to Communism, lest those countries behind it fall to communism as well. We must stand guard in front of the first “domino” to ensure that it doesn’t “fall”. This first domino had many names: The Berlin Airlift, The Korean Conflict, The Viet Nam Conflict, The Cuban Missile Crisis, etc. The Berlin Airlift- After W.W. II, Germany was divided up into four military sections. In time, those sections controlled by the U.S., France and Britain create West Germany. The section controlled by Soviets becomes East Germany and part of the Soviet Bloc. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKqXu-5jw60any The U.S.S.R. decided to “starve out” West Berlin by cutting off the corridor running from West Germany to West Berlin. The U.S. decided on a massive airdrop of goods, into West Berlin, which kept West Berliners supplied and stopped the “starve out”. The Berlin Wall: Since the Soviets could not gain West Berlin, they decided to build a wall between East and West Berlin. This Berlin Wall would stand between the two Germany’s until 1989 when it will finally come down. This marks the end of the Cold War. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_uTbVfD tgI&feature=PlayList&p=1C9729BC2BFFA0E 7&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=4 Korean Conflict- After W.W.II Korea, like Germany was divided into military zones. The North was controlled by the U.S.S.R., the South by the U.S. Just as in Germany, the South is freed while the North creates a puppet government subject to the U.S.S.R. The 38th parallel was set to divide the two. In June, 1950, the North attacked the South. The United Nations demanded that they withdraw north of the 38th parallel. They refuse, and the U.N. sends a “peacekeeping” force to physically remove them, led by U.S. General Douglas Mac Arthur. The Truman-Mac Arthur ConfrontationGeneral Mac Arthur attacked the North Koreans and found that they were armed with Chinese weaponry. He wants to continue up the Korean peninsula and attack China. Thereby removing Mao Tse Dong and placing Chiang Kai Shek back into power. Truman demanded that he not go any farther north than the 38th parallel. Mac Arthur openly criticizes Truman. Truman flies to Korea and relieves Mac Arthur of his command, thereby excercising his authority as commander-in-chief. (Military challenge to executive branch) THE VIETNAM CONFLICT The French were in control of Vietnam until the early 1950’s at which time nationals demanded their county's independence. The French begin to withdraw from the area, so the United States sends advisors to help the Vietnamese fight Communism The U.S. keeps this advisory role until 1964 THE GULF OF TONKIN RESOLUTION In August, 1964 the North Vietnamese fire on a U.S. navy ship in the Gulf This angers president L.B. Johnson and he wants to retaliate He asks Congress to give him this power and Congress passes the resolution giving the President the power to send troops without a declaration of war The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution: Johnson asks Congress for power to retaliate against the North Vietnamese by sending troops. Congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution which gives him the power to send troops without a declaration of war. With this power, Johnson and Nixon would send more and more troops to Vietnam, escalating it into a full scale war. President Johnson and Nixon would send more and more troops under this law, escalating it into a full scale war The War Powers Act: passed after the war says the President can send troops, but after 30 days must get Congresses approval Cuban Missile Crisis: In the fall of 1962 J.F. Kennedy learned that the Soviets are building silos for nuclear missiles in Cuba. He demanded that they be removed (as part of the Monroe Doctrine) and the Soviets refuse. Kennedy places our navy around Cuba and threatens to blow out of the water any Soviet Ships coming to Cuba, carrying missiles for the silos. The Soviet ships sailing toward Cuba were called back and the silos were dismantled Détente: By the 1970’s the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. began to “relax” the tension by addressing nuclear stockpiles. STRATEGIC ARMS LIMITATION TREATIES Both the Us and the Soviet Union understood that the arms race was out of hand By 1970 there were enough nuclear weapons to blow up the entire world 3 times The Strategic Arms Limitations Treaties began to stop the production of further nuclear weapons and begin the process of eliminating those in existance. THE NEW WORLD ORDER In 1989 the Berlin Wall Came falling down. This signaled the end of the cold war and the destruction of the Soviet Union. Since that time, the United States, Russia, and all other world powers have worked together to put down would be world dictators such as Sadam Hussien.