Chapter 17: Restructuring the Postwar World, 1945–Present

The United States and the Soviet Union vie for superiority, and both countries extend their control over other nations.

Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Joseph Stalin (left to right) at the Yalta Conference (February 1945).

Section 1: Cold War (Superpowers Face Off)

The opposing economic and political philosophies of the United States and the Soviet Union lead to global competition.

Allies Become

EnemiesYalta Conference: A

Postwar Plan

• 2/1945: British, U.S.,

Soviet leaders meet at

Yalta

• Agree to divide Germany

into zones of occupation

when WWII ends

• Stalin agrees to allow

free elections in Eastern

Europe

The Big Three

continuedAllies Become

Enemies

Creation of the United

Nations

• 6/1945: 50 nations form

United Nations—

international organization

• All members represented in

General Assembly; 11 on

Security Council

• Five permanent members

have Security Council veto

power

continuedAllies Become EnemiesDiffering U.S.

and Soviet

Goals

• U.S. and

Soviets split

sharply after

WWII ends

• U.S. is

world’s most

powerful, richest country after WWII

• Soviets recovering from high war casualties, many

destroyed cities

Eastern Europe’s Iron CurtainSoviets Build a Buffer

• Post WWII: USSR controls

Eastern European countries

• Stalin installs Communist

governments in many countries

• Truman urges free elections;

Stalin refuses

• 1946: Stalin says capitalism,

communism cannot co-exist

An Iron Curtain Divides

East and West

• Germany divided; E. Germany

(Communist), W. Germany

(democratic); Iron Curtain—

Churchill’s name Europe’s split

United States Tries to ContainSovietsContainment• Containment— U.S.plan to stop thespread of communism

The Truman Doctrine• Truman Doctrine—U.S. supportscountries that reject communism• Congress approves Truman’s request foraid to Greece, Turkey

continuedUnitedStates Triesto ContainSovietsThe Marshall Plan• Much of WesternEurope lay in ruinsafter World War II• Marshall Plan—U.S. program ofassisting WesternEuropean countries• Congress Oksplan after Communist takeover of Czechoslovakia

Marshall

continued United States Tries to Contain SovietsThe Berlin Airlift• 1948: U.S., Britain, Francewithdraw forces from W. Germany (their formeroccupation zones form onecountry); USSR opposes this• Soviets stop land and watertraffic into West Berlin• West Berlin, located inSoviet occupation zone, faces starvation; U.S., Britain fly insupplies for 11 months untilblockade ends

The Cold War

Divides the WorldThe Threat of Nuclear War

• 1949: USSR explodes its first

atomic bomb

• U.S., USSR develop more

powerful hydrogen bombs

• Brinkmanship— policy of

willingness to go [the edge] of war

• Increasing tensions lead to

military buildup by U.S., USSR

The Cold War in the Skies

• 1957: Soviets launch Sputnik,

first unmanned satellite

• 1960: Soviets shoot down U.S.

spy plane, increasing tensions

Section 2: Communists Take Power in China

After World War II, Chinese Communists defeat Nationalist forces and two separate Chinas emerge.

Communistsvs. Nationalists

World War II inChina• Mao Zedong— leadsChinese Communistsagainst Japanese invaders• Jiang Jieshi— leaderof Chinese Nationalistsduring WWII• Nationalists, Communists resume civil war after WWII ends

Civil War Resumes• Economic problems lead many Nationalist soldiers to flip sided• Mao’s troops take control of China’s major cities• 1949: People’s Republic of China created; Nationalists to Taiwan

Jiang Mao

The Two Chinas Affectthe Cold WarThe SuperpowersReact• U.S. supports Nationaliststate in Taiwan, calledRepublic of China• Soviets and China agree to help each other in event of attack• U.S. tries to stop Soviet expansion and spread of communism in Asia

China Expands under the Communists• China takes control of Tibet and southern Mongolia• India welcomes Tibetan refugees fleeing revolt against Chinese• China, India clash over border; fighting stops but tensions remain

The CommunistsTransform ChinaCommunists Claim aNew “Mandate of Heaven”• Chinese Communists organizenational government, Communist Party

Mao’s Brand of Marxist Socialism• Mao takes property from landownersand divides it among peasants• Government seizes private companiesand plans production increase

“The Great Leap Forward”• Communes— large collective farms often supporting over 25,000 people• Program is ended after inefficiency leads to crop failures and famines

continuedThe CommunistsTransform ChinaNew Policies and Mao’s Response• China, Soviet Union clash overleadership of Communist movement• Strict socialist ideas are moderated,Mao reduces his role in government• Red Guards— militia units formedto enforce strict communism in China

The Cultural Revolution• Cultural Revolution— movementto build society of peasants, workers• Red Guards close schools and execute or imprisonmany intellectuals• 1968: Chinese army imprisons, executes, or exiles mostRed Guards

Section 3: Wars in Korea and Vietnam

In Asia, the Cold War flares into actual wars supported mainly by the superpowers.

War in KoreaA Divided Land• 38th parallel— linedividing Korea intoNorth and South Korea

Standoff at the38th Parallel• 1950: N. Koreans (w/Soviet support) invadeS. Korea• S. Korea requests UNhelp; 15 nations respond• N. Koreans control most of peninsula when Douglas MacArthur (leader of UN forces) attacks• In a stunning UN victory, ½ of the North’s army surrenders, ½ retreats

continuedWar in KoreaThe Fighting Continues• UN troops push N. Koreansalmost to Chinese border• Chinese send 300,000troops against UN forces,capture Seoul• MacArthur calls for nuclearattack, is relieved of command• 1953: Cease fire signed,border est. at 38th parallel

Aftermath of the War• N. Korea builds collectivefarms, heavy industry, nukes;S. Korea est. democracy, growingeconomy with U.S. aid

War Breaks Outin VietnamThe Road to War• Ho Chi Minh— Vietnamesenationalist, later Communistleader

The Fighting Begins• 1954: French surrenderto Vietnamese aftermajor defeat• Domino theory— U.S.theory of Communistexpansion in SoutheastAsia

Ho Chi Minh

continuedWar BreaksOut in VietnamVietnam— A Divided Country• International peace conference agrees on a divided Vietnam• Ngo Dinh Diem—leads anti-Communistgovernment in South Vietnam• Vietcong— SouthVietnameseCommunist guerillasfighting against Diem

Diem

VC guerillas

The United States Gets InvolvedU.S. Troops Enter the Fight• 1964: U.S. sends troopsto fight Vietcong, NorthVietnamese• U.S. fights guerilla wardefending increasinglyunpopular government • Vietcong gains support fromHo Chi Minh, China, USSR

The United States Withdraws• War grows unpopular in U.S.; in 1969, Nixon starts withdrawing• Vietnamization— Nixon’s plan to withdraw U.S. from war gradually• Last U.S. troops leave in 1973; South Vietnam overrun in 1975

President

Nixon

Postwar Southeast AsiaCambodia in Turmoil• 1975: Khmer Rouge(Communist rebels) takecontrol of Cambodia• Slaughter 2 millionpeople; eventually overthrown byVietnamese invaders• 1993: Cambodia adopts democracy, holds elections with UN help

Vietnam After the War• Saigon renamed Ho Chi Minh City; Vietnam united as Communist nation• About 1.5 million people flee Vietnam, some settling in U.S., Canada• 1995: U.S. normalizes relations with Vietnam

Section 4: The Cold War Dividesthe World

The superpowers support opposing sides in Latin American and Middle Eastern conflicts.

Fighting for the Third WorldMore ThanOne “World”• Third World—developingnations; oftennewly independent,nonaligned

Cold WarStrategies• U.S., USSR,China competefor influenceover Third World• Back revolutions and give economic, military, technical aid

continuedFighting for the Third WorldAssociation of Nonaligned Nations• Manycountries, likeIndia, want toavoid involvementin Cold War• 1955: Indonesiahosts Asian, Africanleaders who wantneutrality• Nonaligned nations—independent countriesnot involved in Cold War

Confrontationsin Latin AmericaFidel Castro and theCuban Revolution• Fidel Castro— leads revoltin Cuba against dictatorsupported by U.S.• 1959: Castro in power,nationalizes economy, takesU.S. property• 1961: Castro defeats U.S.-trained exiles at the Bay of Pigs

Nuclear Face-off: the Cuban Missile Crisis• 1962: U.S. demands removal of Soviet missiles in Cuba• Soviets withdraw missiles; U.S. promises not to invade Cuba• Cuban economy is left dependent on Soviet support

Santa Anna

Castro Khrushchev

continuedConfrontationsin Latin America

Civil War in Nicaragua• Anastasio Somoza—Nicaraguan dictatorsupported by U.S.• Daniel Ortega— leadsSandinista rebels whotake power in Nicaragua• U.S., USSR both initiallysupport the Sandinistas• Sandinistas aid Communist rebels in El Salvador• U.S. helps anti-Communist Contras in Nicaragua to assist El Salvador• 1990: Nicaragua holds first free elections; Sandinistas lose

Santa Anna

Ortega

Somoza

Confrontations in the Middle EastReligious and Secular Values Clash in Iran• Shah Reza Pahlavi embraces Western governments, oil companies• Iranian nationalists overthrow shah, seize British oil company• U.S. restores shah to power, fearing Soviet encroachment

Shah Reza

continuedConfrontationsin the Middle EastThe United States Supports Secular Rule• Shah Reza Pahlavi westernizes Iran with U.S. Support• Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini— Iranian Muslim leader; lives in exile• 1978: Khomeini sparks riots in Iran; shah flees Ayatollah

Khomeini

continuedConfrontations in the Middle East

Khomeini’sAnti-U.S. Policies• Islamic revolutionarieshold American hostagesin Tehran (1979–80)• Muslim radicals takecontrol in Iran, increasingtensions with Iraq• Iran, Iraq fight 8-yearwar; U.S. aids bothsides, Soviets help Iraq

continuedConfrontations in the Middle East

The SuperpowersFace Off in Afghanistan• 1979: Soviets invadeAfghanistan, helpCommunist governmentagainst rebels• Muslim rebels fightguerilla war againstSoviets with U.S.weapons• U.S. stops grainshipments to USSR• 1989: Soviets withdraw

Section 5:

The Cold War

Thaws

The Cold War

begins to thaw as

the superpowers

enter an era of

uneasy

diplomacy.

Soviet Policy in EasternEurope and ChinaDestalinization andRumblings of Protest• Nikita Khrushchev— leader ofUSSR after Stalin dies (1953)• Khrushchev condemns Stalin;Soviets, West can peacefully compete• Citizens of Soviet-controlledgovts, begin protesting communism• Khrushchev sends Soviet military toput down Hungarian protesters

The Revolt in Czechoslovakia• Leonid Brezhnev— Soviet leaderafter Khrushchev— represses dissent• 1968: Warsaw Pact troops blockreforms in Czechoslovakia

Brezhnev

Khrushchev

The Soviet-Chinese Split

• 1950: Mao and Stalinsign friendship treaty,but tensions grow• Chinese and Sovietseach want to lead worldcommunism• Khrushchev endseconomic aid and refusesto share nuclear secrets• Soviets and Chinesefight small skirmishesacross the border

From Brinkmanship to Détente

BrinkmanshipBreaks Down• Brinkmanship causesrepeated crises; nuclearwar a constant threat• John F. Kennedy—U.S. president duringthe Cuban Missile crisis• Lyndon Johnson—president who increasesU.S. involvement in Vietnam

continuedFromBrinkmanshipto DétenteThe United StatesTurns to Détente• Vietnam-era turmoil fuelsdesire for less confrontationalpolicy• Détente— policy of reducingCold War tensions to avoid conflict• Richard M. Nixon— U.S. president who launches détente• Détente grows out of philosophy known as realpolitik(“realistic politics,” recognizes need to be practical, flexible)

continuedFromBrinkmanshipto Détente

Nixon VisitsCommunist Powers• Nixon visitsCommunist Chinaand USSR; signs SALT I Treaty• SALT— Strategic Arms Limitation Talks— limit nuclear weapons

Mao Nixon

The Collapse of Détente

Policy Changes• Nixon and Gerald Fordimprove relations withSoviets and China• Jimmy Carter hasconcerns about Sovietpolicies, but signsSALT II• Congress refuses toratify SALT II due toSoviet invasion ofAfghanistan

Nixon Ford

continuedThe Collapse of Détente

Reagan Takes anAnti-CommunistStance• Ronald Reagan— anti-Communist U.S. president takes office in 1981• Increases military spending, proposes a missile defense program• 1985: New Soviet leadership allows easing of Cold War tensions

PresidentReagan