Download The Cold War

The Cold War
that would change the future of
warfare forever
2 Types of War
Hot War: full scale warfare; opponents
have deployed troops and peace through
compromise is unlikely
Cold War: opponents do not fight
directly but through “client states”
Only cold war in history: 1945-1980
Long Term Causes
AMERICA
USSR
•Capitalist economy
•Communist economy
•Democratic
government
•Autocratic government
(dictatorship)
•Free elections
•Lack of/fixed elections
•Personal
freedoms/freedom of
the press
•Suppression/censorship
by secret police
•Survival of the fittest
•Everybody helps
everybody
Short Term Causes
American fear of communist attack
Truman’s dislike/distrust of Stalin
America’s secrecy involving atomic
secrets
Russia’s fear of nuclear weapons
Russia’s hatred of capitalism
Russia’s expansion west in Europe
Both sides desire to spread their
form of government
Conflict in Germany, especially
Berlin
The Road to War
Yalta Conference
End of WWII conference with Stalin, Roosevelt,
Churchill
Key Points: a) Germany and Berlin>divided into 4
zones, b) Poland (which was at time under control
of Red Army) was to become a free and democratic
nation, c) Russia would have “buffer” of friendly
nations to ensure protection
Conflict
By end of WWII Stalin broke promises, was forcing
communism on all west provinces except Yugoslavia
Poland-Red Army ensured fixed election,
communists won
Berlin Airlift
•Germany-> divided into 4
zones
•U.S., Britain, France united
their parts; Marshall Aid
helped German’s in their
section prosper again
•Russia wanted to keep
Germany poor to reduce threat
of future war
•Problem: German’s in Soviet
zone could see prosperity
other Germans were
experiencing
Stalin (Russian leader)
ordered closing of all
roads, rails, & canals
entering West Berlin
Solution: America took
hold of the one route not
closed: the skies
Hundreds of planes flew
food and essentials into
West Berlin (very
expensive
Soviets did not dare shoot
down American planes;
were still a threat because
of A-bomb
Soon after, roads reopened
Korean War
Divided in half
(U.S.S.R.=North,
U.S.=South) each half
wanted to conquer other
Communist China fought
to overtake South Korea
armed by Soviet Union
U.N. Security Council
sent in troops (mainly
American) led by Gen.
Douglas MacArthur, an
American
MacArthur launched
attack on North Korea
against orders
Forced China to
retaliate->caused a
stalemate very high in
casualties
Stalin died 1953 & Pres.
Truman replaced by
Eisenhower-helped
peace talks
Armistice signed 1953
*First war fought using
client states!*
Suez Crisis
Israel: new Jewish
nation created from
Palestine, backed by
Americans
Egypt: leading Arab
nation; very poor but
contains valuable Suez
Canal owned by Britain
and France
Conflict between Arab
nations (Egypt) and
Israel
For support, Egypt
looked to the USSR
1956 new Egyptian leader
Nasser nationalized canal,
angered Britain and
France
Tension grew between
Egypt and Israel, and
Egypt and Britain and
France-> all three
countries attacked
Soviets began pumping
money into Egypt
However nuclear warfare
was avoided because
America declined to
intervene in war
The Berlin Wall
After Berlin Airlift, allied
zones united in Germany
West Germany (allied
zone) much more
prosperous, East
German’s began moving
to West Germany through
Berlin
1961: 1/6 of population
of E. Germany left
Khrushchev had to take
action: determined an
overnight plan
August 13, 1961-East German
and Russian “shock workers”
erected barbed wire fences
along Soviet border
August 16- barbed wire
replaced with 4 m high, 111
km long concrete block wall
Manned by 300 watch
towers, 190 people shot
dead attempting to escape
Russian authorities called it
a “protection barrier”
Stood as symbol of the
suppression and brutality of
a communist state
Cuban Missile Crisis
In 1962, the world came dangerously close to
nuclear war. Cuba was a communist country and
the Soviet Union had installed missiles in Cuba.
These missiles could attack most major American
and Canadians cities. The U.S. demanded the
Soviet missiles be removed and blockaded the
shipment of Soviet military equipment to Cuba.
Canada’s Position
The U.S. requested that Canada's Bomarc missiles
be armed with nuclear warheads. Prime Minister
Diefenbaker accused the United States of pressuring
Canada. He also accused Liberal leader Pearson of
flip-flopping on the issue of nuclear arms. Pearson
had opposed nuclear missiles in Canada, but in 1963
decided that Canada had an obligation to accept
them. After Pearson was elected as Prime Minister in
1963, the Bomarc missiles were armed with nuclear
warheads. The issue highlights the controversy in
Canada over fears of nuclear attack on the one hand,
and the desire for a strong anti-nuclear policy on the
other.
Vietnam War
Before WWII, Vietnam had been part of French
Empire
After WWII, North Vietnam given to non-communist
China, South Vietnam to France
China pulled out of North Vietnam, and communist Ho
Chi Minh took over
1946-France decided to take over North Vietnam by
fighting the Viet Minh- was backed by Americans
1954-Geneva Conference-world’s powers decided to
divide Vietnam along 17th parallel
Ngo Dinh Diem led South, Ho Chi Minh the North
Ngo Dinh Diem hated
communism therefore had
support of America
Poor record for human
rights
Viet Cong (North) guerilla
tactics were effective
despite America’s $1
billion/day war effort
Also, Viet Minh gaining
support amongst people in
the south
By 1968, American support
for war waning; North was
willing to have peace talks
Very slow progress made
over 5 years
Ho Chi Minh wanted all
foreigners out, wanted
Vietnam accepted as united
country
1969, Nixon agreed to
reduce troops from 350 000
to 40 000
Without major American
troops, South Vietnam could
not support its cause
Jan. 1973, a cease-fire
agreed to, Americans told to
pull out
Soon after, North squashed
the South; Vietnam united
as a communist country
The Arms Race
1949-U.S.S.R. explodes atomic bomb
1952-U.S. develops hydrogen bomb and B52 long range
missile
1953-Russia explodes hydrogen bomb
1957-Russia launches Sputnik, world’s first artificial
satellite
In response, America built Defense Early Warning (DEW
Line) system around arctic, and launched Explorer I
1960s-Russia spent money building as many bombs as
possible, America spent money building fewer better
quality bombs
1967-Communist China explodes H-bomb
During the 1960s, the concept of Mutually Assured
Destruction developed
The number of nuclear missiles available to each
side, and the guarantee of a reaction for every action,
ensured that any deployment of a bomb would mean
destruction for both sides
In 1967…
NATO
Warsaw Pact
Troops: 2.6
million
Troops: 4
million
Tanks: 13 000
Tanks: 42 500
Artillery: 10
750
Artillery: 31
500
1981-USA had 8 000 Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles,
USSR 7 000 ICBM’s
1981-USA had 4 000 planes that could drop an atomic
bomb, USSR had 5 000
At this point all 3 powers (America, the Soviet Union
and China) were willing to work towards détente
China was worried because it had fewer weapons than
America
USA was prepared to find better ways to deal with
communism, and did not want to spend even more money
after the Vietnam War
USSR was spending so much money on artillery that the
standard of living was falling far below normal
Afghanistan
•Afghanistan, a middle
eastern country, was in midst
of civil war
•Hazifullah Amin (Prime
Minister):supported
communist government, but
wanted to become more
Western
•Outraged Afghans as most
were very religious and
communism rejects religion
•Thousands joined
Mujahdeen, a guerilla force
•Russians entered Afghanistan to support communist gov’t
•Mujahdeen saw this as invasion
•1979-Russians shot Amin and replaced him with Babrak
Kamal
•1982-75% of Afghanistan controlled by Mujahdeen, Kamal
only in power because of Soviet military backing
•U.N. condemned invasion from 1980, but Russia ignored
them
•America banned exporting grain to Russia, stopped SALT
talks and boycotted 1980 Moscow Olympic games
•Soon, Gorbachev took out Russian forces; war was too
costly (Russia’s Vietnam War)
Why did it End?
Afghanistan: drained money from
the Soviet economy, and the defeat
dampened public support
Arms Race: almost bankrupted the
USSR, money that should have been
spent on necessities was being spent
on military equipment
Mikhail Gorbachev: came to power
in the USSR in the mid 1980s, was
determined to end foreign policy
burdens and rebuild the Soviet
economy
1985: Gorbachev and
President Regan begin
summit talks
1987: agree to
eliminate an entire
class of nuclear missiles
1989: USSR pulls troops
out of Afghanistan;
Eastern countries elect
democratic leaders &
communism falls;
Berlin Wall is torn down
1990: Germany once
again a unified country
1991: Soviet Union
dissolves