Download An overview of the Cold War

THE
BEGINNING
OF THE
COLD WAR
EQ: How can a war be
‘cold’?
EQ: What were the
Hotspots of the Cold
War?
WWII is over… Ready for peace? (p.384)
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After WWII, the USA and the
USSR were the two world
superpowers (to be powerful
enough to influence events
throughout the world).
The USA was a capitalist
society with a democracy.
The USSR was a communist
country with a dictatorship.
Both wanted to be the most
powerful nation in the world.
Capitalist vs. Communist
(p. 384-385)
Capitalism
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Private ownership—People
are free to live/work where
they want
The economy is based on
people’s wants/needs
Earn your worth—you get
paid based on the work you
do
Social classes—upper,
middle, lower
Individual > Society
(creativity > uniformity)
Communism
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No private ownership—The
government often tells
people where to live and
work
The economy is based on
government decisions
Everything is shared—
goods, wages, etc.
No social classes—no poor,
no rich
Society> Individual
(uniformity > creativity)
The New Struggle (p.384)
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Even though the USA and USSR were Allies
during WWII, they had a much different ideas
of how government should be run.
This began a war of words, not guns, but once
it began it caused tension throughout the
world.
Countries were fighting to spread their type of
government and beliefs to other countries.
Now the question was, which would win?
After WWII, Europe was split in two
(p. 385)
After WWII, the world changed!
(p.385)
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Many countries became communist because
they were under Soviet rule:
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Czechoslovakia (1948)
Poland (1947)
Hungary (1947)
China (1949) (see p. 390)
Cuba (1959)
North Korea (1945)
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See also… p. 394-395
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The domino effect (p. 390)
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The USSR had a lot of influence over
many of the new communist
countries (especially those in
Europe).
The USA was very worried that the
USSR’s influence over these
countries was making the USSR and
communism more powerful.
The USA did not want communism
to spread any further – they were
worried about the domino effect
(one country becomes communist,
then another, then another, etc.)
“Cold War” (p. 384)
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The tension and rivalry between the USA and
the USSR was described as the Cold War
(1945-1990).
There was never a real war between the two
sides between 1945 and 1990, but there were
often hotspots (times when war was very close).
Both sides got involved in other conflicts in the
world to either stop the spread of communism
(USA) or help the spread (USSR).
Iron Curtain (p. 385)
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In Europe, the separation
of sides was labeled the
“iron curtain” by Winston
Churchill in 1946.
The term represented the
impassable barrier that
separated free Europe
from communist Europe.
The communist countries
were said to be “behind
the iron curtain,” meaning
they were cut off from the
rest of the world.
VIDEO

http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?gui
dAssetId=F28AB7D5-9526-4D86-99EF1053D8ACCA32&blnFromSearch=1&productcode
=US
(Stop at 11:51)
Berlin, Korea, and NATO
EQ: How can a war be ‘cold’?
EQ: What were the Hotspots of the
Cold War?
Germany divided
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After World War II,
Germany was divided
into four zones,
occupied by French,
British, American, and
Soviet troops.
The capital city,
Berlin, was also
divided into four
sectors.
Soviet blockade:
East Berlin
West
Germany
East
Germany
West Berlin
• In June of 1948, the
French, British and
American zones were
joined into the nation of
West Germany after the
Soviets refused to end
their occupation of
Germany.
Germany – divided (p.386)
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Germany and its capital were
now split in two.
Germany’s capital, Berlin,
was located in East Germany,
but West Germany still
controlled a small part of it.
West Germany and West
Berlin were free.
East Germany and East Berlin
became communist.
Berlin- also divided (p.386)
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The Soviets did not want the
Western Allies in the capital
city, so they cut off West
Berlin from the rest of the
world with a blockade (to
prevent entry or outside
communication).
They blocked highways,
railways, water routes, etc.
and would not allow any food
or fuel into the city.
The Berlin Airlift
(p.386, 388)
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President Truman decided
to avoid the blockade by
using airlifts (using
planes to fly in food and
other supplies) to supply
the needy people of West
Berlin.
At times, over 5,000 tons
of supplies arrived daily.
British and American
pilots did this for 11
months, and so the
Soviets finally backed
down and allowed land
deliveries again.
The Berlin Wall (p. 387)
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After the blockade ended, many people tried to escape the
communist rule in East Berlin by sneaking over to West
Berlin.
In 1961, the East Berlin government and Soviets built a
concrete wall to keep people from leaving.
Sentries, soldiers hired to keep watch, with guns guarded
the wall ready to shoot anyone that tried to sneak across.
This wall, the Berlin Wall, became a real “iron curtain” in
the city of Berlin, and it became one of the most wellknown symbols of the Cold War.
The Berlin Wall, 1961
The Berlin Wall was built in 1961 to keep East Germans from escaping to West Germany.
View of the Berlin Wall
from the West
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Berlinermauer.jpg
Where’s Korea?
The Korean War (p.392)
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Like Germany, Korea was also divided in two parts after
WWII.
The USSR supported North Korea, and the USA supported
South Korea.
In 1950, North Korea, with the help of China, invaded
South Korea in hopes of making the entire nation
communist.
The USA and United Nations sent soldiers to aid South
Korea in their fight.
The Korean War,
1950-1953
War = Stop to Communism?
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However, so many American soldiers were dying the war, that
it soon became a controversy as to whether the USA should
even be a part of the war or not.
Dwight D. Eisenhower, a famous WWII general, promised the
people that he would end the war if he was elected president.
The people believed him and elected him as President in 1952.
One year later, President Eisenhower was able to keep his
promise.
The North Korean troops were pushed back to North Korea,
and a cease-fire was signed in 1953.
South Korea was still independent.
NATO (p. 386)
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Another way the USA tried to stop the spread of
communism was through the formation of an alliance with
other countries in 1949.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was
formed. It stated, “The Parties of NATO agreed that an
armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North
America shall be considered an attack against them all.”
List of current countries a part of NATO:
http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/nato_countries.htm
All the countries a part of NATO