Download The Cold War

Cold War images ( page 4)
United Nations
• Organization set up in 1945 to help solve
global conflicts.
Types of Government
United States
democratic and capitalistic
Soviet Union
United States flag
(images)
Soviet Union flag
communist and dictatorial (images)
The Cold War
State of tension between
the United States and
the Soviet Union with no
actual fighting but divided the
world into two camps
Iron Curtain
• An imaginary boundary
between Eastern and
Western Europe.
containment
United States policy that
aimed to stop the spread
of communism
Marshall Plan
• Much of Europe was in ruins following
WWII. Soviet forces occupied most of
Eastern and Central Europe and the eastern
portion of Germany. The U.S. felt it was in
the best interest to rebuild Europe and
prevent political and economic stability.
• The purpose of the Marshall plan was to
provide economic aid to Europe and to stop
the spread of communism.
Truman Doctrine 1947
• This doctrine allowed the U.S. to send
military and economic aid to countries
threatened by a communist takeover.
The Berlin Airlift 1948
• The Soviet Union blockaded all railroads
and road traffic between West Berlin and
West Germany. For over a year, the U.S.
dropped food and other supplies through an
airlift to the people of West Berlin.
democratic alliance
communist alliance
American Society
Economy
• The United States experienced a
booming peacetime economy.
Reasons for Rapid
Growth of Economy
•Businesses switch from production of war materials
to consumer goods
•Americans purchase goods on credit
•Women return to work inside of the home
•Labor unions become more powerful and workers
get new benefits and higher wages
•The next generation of women enter the work force
Education and
Employment
• Under the G.I. Bill of Rights, WWII
veterans could get loans for education,
housing, and farms.
• Truman desegregated the armed forces
• Civil Rights legislation led to increased
educational, economic, and political
opportunities for women and minorities.
Changing Patterns in U.S.
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Strong economy
Greater investment in education
The “Baby Boom”
Interstate highway system
Evolving role of women
Eleanor Roosevelt helped expand human
rights
• African Americans’ aspirations for equal
opportunities
• Changes in immigrants after 1965 – Asia
and Latin America (Hispanic)
The Baby Boom
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Americans bought more homes
Housing boom
The growth of suburbs
An increase in U.S. population
Suburbs
• People moved to the suburbs to buy homes
• The construction of interstate highways
contributed most to the expansion of
suburbs.
McCarthyism
• In the 1950s, Senator McCarthy claimed
thousands of government employees were
communists.
• He created a fear of communism in
American society.
South Korea and U.S.
vs.
Communist Chinese and
North Korean aggression
Map of Korea (images)
Korean War
• The war began when North Korea crossed
the 38th parallel and invaded South Korea
• The U.S. got involved because of fear of the
spread of communism.
• General MacArthur was fired by President
Truman for not following orders because he
sent United Nations and U.S. troops past the
38th parallel.
• The war ended in an armistice and the
border was drawn again at the 38th parallel.
• The Korean War is the first war to see a
desegregated military
Space Race
• The Soviet Union launched Sputnik in
1957-this was the first artificial satellite to
circle the Earth.
• American feared that the Soviets achieved
technological superiority.
• In 1958, The U.S. created NASA to take
charge of the space race against the Soviets
• The U.S. won the race and landed the first
humans on the moon in 1969.
•Soviets placed
missiles in Cuba
•U.S. blockade
•Soviets remove
missiles in
response to
blockade
Cuban Missile Crisis
(images)
Crisis
• During the Cuban Missile Crisis, President
Kennedy blockaded Cuba.
• The crisis brought the two powers close to
war.
• It was considered a crisis because there was
a possibility of a nuclear war between the
U.S. and U.S.S.R.
•U.S. enters Vietnam War to stop the Vietcong and North
Vietnamese communists from taking over South Vietnam
(Domino Theory)
•Ho Chi Minh was the leader of N. Vietnam
•The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution gave the President the
power to send troops to Vietnam and launch an attack
without congress declaring war.
Vietnam War
• Americans divided over whether U.S.
should be involved militarily
• Conflict ends in cease-fire
• U.S. troops withdraw in 1973
• The North Vietnamese took control of
the South and reunited Vietnam
Berlin Wall
• 1960s – Symbol of division in Europe
• 1989 - Berlin Wall is destroyed
• Germany is reunited
1990s Collapse of Soviet Union
•Soviet Union breaks into various
countries
•Became more democratic
•End of Cold War