the cold war from 1945 to 1991, the cold war dominated international affairs. the global competition...

THE COLD WAR

From 1945 to 1991, the Cold War dominated international affairs. The global competition between the United States

and the Soviet Union took many forms: political, economic, ideological, cultural.

EVEN THOUGH WE WERE ALLIES AT THE END OF WORLD WAR II

…The two Superpowers would soon become rivals.

WHY IS IT THE “COLD” WAR?…Because the two Superpowers never confronted each other directly in open warfare.

It was inevitable that the United States and the Soviet Union would clash.

Joseph Stalin: Communist Leader of the Soviet Union• Supposed to be created a “classless society” that helped all workers.• Actually established a brutal dictatorship over which he exercised

absolute control• People suspected of being opponents and critics were arrested and often

sent to Gulags (forced labor camps) in Siberia.

Category Soviet Communism

American Democracy

Political System One Political Party. (Communist Party)

A Multi-Party Democracy.

Organizations All labor groups and other associations are run by the

Communist Party.

Unions and other organizations openly

negotiate with employers.

Economic System

Individuals & farms are owned by the state; central planners

determine the nation’s economic needs; limited

private property; education and health care provided by

the state

Free enterprise system; private ownership of property;

supply and demand determine prices; people

meet their own needs with some limited government

involvement.

Religion Religion is discouraged Free exercise of religion

Individual Rights

Secret police arrest opponents; censorship; no

free exercise of beliefs.

Freedom of the press and expression

The Roots of The Cold WarCompeting ideological System of the United States and the Soviet Union

February 1945: Yalta• President Roosevelt,

Winston Church, and Joseph Stalin meet at Yalta Conference

• Plan the reorganization of Europe a the end of the war

• Agree on the Formation of the United Nations

• Agree Germany would be divided into 4 occupation zones

• Agree to allow free elections in the countries liberated from German Rule.

• Stalin pledges to allow free election in Poland post WWII

August 1945: Potsdam• President Truman met with

Stalin• Meeting took place in

Germany• Serious differences began

to emerge

The Cold War Begins

Stalin creates wall of Satellite nations.

The United States refused to share the secrets behind the atomic bomb with the Soviet Union.

An Iron Curtain fell over Eastern Europe, closing it off from the West. It was both physical and

ideological