cold war notes
TRANSCRIPT
COLD WARCOLD WAR
BALANCE OF POWERBALANCE OF POWER
#1 East vs. WestWest supported by
US & GB.Democracy & free enterprise restored Western countriesEastern Europe had pro-communist govts supported by
the Soviet UnionEurope divided by
imaginary line: Iron Curtain
#2 West German Govt Germany divided into 4
zones - eventually, Western three
combined into 1Berlin is also divided in
4, but in Soviet zoneNazis outlawed, tried
at NurembergGermans wrote a
constitution1949, Federal Republic
of GermanyGuaranteed asylum for
political reasons (sanctuary)
#3 Holocaust Lessons
Germans want to be sure it doesn’t happen again
Today, strong ties to IsraelAttempt to compensate
financially some victimsWill grant asylum to
anyone escaping political persecution
#4 Japan’s Constitution
Want to end militarism and
ensure democracyConstitution drafted by Gen.
Douglas MacArthur & advisors
Constitutional monarchy;
representatives elected to Diet;
women can vote; basic rights guaranteed
#5 Cold War2 superpowers emerge
after WWII - US & Soviet Union
A continuing state of tension & hostility btwn
them.Armed battle did not occur
directly- stakes are 2 high!Soviets have atomic bomb
in ‘49, hydrogen bomb ‘53Marxist Communism vs.
American Capitalism - ideological conflict;
hatred!
#5 Cold War begins
Stalin forced Eastern European countries to
adopt pro-communist govtsThe Soviets did not trust
the West, won’t give up lands they gained in war
Stalin puts pressure on Greece & Turkey, we step
in.
#6 Satellite?Not that kind of
satellite!A country that
was forced to be pro-
communist 7 of them:
Poland, Czechoslovakia, East Germany,
Hungary, Romania,
Yugoslavia, Bulgaria
#7 Truman Doctrine 3/47, President Truman establishes military & economic policy to help other nations resist Soviet
aggression Theory of
Containment - limit commies from
spreading Sends $400 million in
military & economic aid to Greece &
Turkey War on Communism
“It must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples
who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.”
— Harry S Truman
#7 Marshall PlanEconomic aid
package to strengthen
democratic govts in W. Europe, help them
rebuild$13 Billion
Extremely successful, source of
embarrassment for Stalin when W.E.
recovers, E.E. doesn’t
#8 Crisis in Germany
Tension btwn democratic West and
communist EastStalin feared a strong,
united GermanyW. Germany is doing
better, industry up 600%, currency better
in West than EastBerlin was in East,
blockaded by Stalin to stop supplies
Berlin Airlift
#8 Berlin Airlift 1948 Allies bring in food & supplies through the air to Berlin for nearly a year Blockade is ineffective
Led to the formal creation of West Germany (1949)
1961, East German govt builds wall separating East Berlin from West Berlin - shoot anyone
trying to escape
#9 Opposing AlliancesNorth Atlantic Treaty
Organization - NATODesigned to make
sure Soviets don’t grab any more of
EuropeWarsaw Pact - Soviet
alliances w/ 7 of its satellites
Critics said the purpose of NATO was:
“to keep the Russians out, the Germans down, and the Americans in.”
#10 Soviet Repression
Stalin dies in 1953, glitter of hope
But Soviets keep their thumb on satellite
countriesSoviets put down revolts by rolling tanks, show the West they will use force to support communism
#11 Revolts
1956, Imre Nagy - Hungarian nationalist &
communist seeks independence
Soviets roll in tanks, Nagy executed & thousands of
others dieSoviets crush dissent by
force
Time magazine’s Man of the Year in 1956 was the
Hungarian freedom fighter
#11 Czechoslovakia 1968, “Prague Spring” movement among students
Alexander Dubcek became Communist Party leader,
called for liberal reforms & easing of communist
controls “Socialism w/ a human
face” Tanks rolled, new govt
installed Again, use force when
necessary
#12 Arms RaceDistrust & fear permeate in
cold war societyBoth sides stockpile atomic
weapons, position them “in case of attack!” - fear
1960 - US U2 Spyplane shot down over Soviet airspace prior to East-West summit
meeting in ParisAmericans deny, Soviets
produce evidence, captured pilot - Relations fall apart
#12 Space Race
1957 Sputnik, a Soviet satellite, is first man-made
object to orbit the Earth US shocked, Soviets are
Better? WTH? NASA started - major $$$$$$$
for science and math education1961 - Soviets 1st man in space
1969 - US on moon
#13 East Asia
By supporting govts or rebel groups in other
countries, the superpowers could exert
their influence w/out engaging directly (through
surrogate means).Korean War, 1950-1953Vietnam, 1954-1975 Provided eco. aid, advisors, & troops to contain communism
Tens of thousands die not fighting Soviets, but other
communists
#14 Middle East
1950s, Gamal Abdar Nasser rules Egypt,
Soviets help him with Aswan Dam
Fights 2 wars vs. Israel, backed by
SovietsUS backs Israel
#14 Middle East
US & USSR needed oil for their economies -
interfere in Iran & Iraq Iran - US backs anti-communist shah, who
gets overthrown in Islamic Revolution,1979
USSR supports socialist dictator in Iraq after
military coup overthrows monarchy
#15 Africa
Congo - free from Belgium in 1960 - Soviets help new leader suppress rebels
Anti-communist dictator Mobutu Sese Seko gets support from the west & takes control, renames it
ZaireStays in power until late ‘90s.
#16 Latin America
Cuba - Fidel Castro establishes communist
dictatorship in 1959Very close to US
Bay of Pigs invasion to overthrow Castro
fails, 19611962 Cuban Missile
Crisis
Castro & Khrushchev
#17
Nonaligned nations - did not choose a side in the Cold War, but chose to
make economic progress a goal
Accepted aid from both U.S. and Soviet Union
India, Yugoslavia, many African nations
#18 United Nations
The UN was a place that representatives from the
USSR and the US could voice their differences peacefullyMember countries would
side w/ one of the superpowers in votes
though, limiting the UN’s effectiveness
Soviet World Crumbles
#19- détente – btwn 1963-1981, a lessoning of
tensionsDétente involved arms
control talks and treaties (like SALT, Strategic Arms
Limitation Treaties ’69, ‘79)Cultural exchangesTrade agreements
Joint Apollo Soyuz Space Mission
Joint Apollo Soyuz Space Mission
#20 Afghanistan Soviets launch war in Afghanistan, 1979 to keep the pro-communist govt in power - West sees Soviets as still
aggressive US backs Mujahideen “freedom
fighters” (led by Saudi Arabian, Osama bin Laden) CIA trains and arms
them through Pakistani secret services
Unpopular in Soviet Union, lots of casualties on both sides “USSR’s Vietnam”
After Soviet withdrawal in 1989, all sides forget Afghanistan - warlords control country, then Taliban wins
civil war Taliban harbors Al-Qaeda –> 9/11/01
#21Perestroika Under Soviet Premier
Mikhail Gorbachev He reformed the USSR so
much it crumbled Restructured the failing state-run economy to create
growth, efficiency Free market reforms – led to
inflation, shortages of food & medicine
People got something for doing little for so long,
didn’t know how to make things on their own
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
#21 Glasnost
Means “openness”Ended censorship, so
people could discuss problems openly
Stalin is rolling in his grave!
Nationalist sentiments are opened up – Soviet
empire will collapse (Freedom please)
#22
When Gorbachev introduces democracy,
the Soviet Union crumbles
#23 – Gorbachev 1985-1991
Wants to shake Soviet society from top to bottom
World had changed –3 worlds – Capitalist, Communist,
3rd World radio & TV makes world smaller, sense of connectivity, capacity to
destroy humanity, world capitalism (McDonald’s, Coca-
Cola) Perestroika & Glasnost
#23 Yeltsin Coup led by Gen. Yennaiev
to overthrow Gorbachev fails
Boris Yeltsin saved Gorbachev, takes over
when Gorbachev resigns Struggles to make
transition from communism to capitalism
“We pretend to work as they pretend to pay us.” – no incentive to work hard,
laziness is a way of life under communism
Yeltsin retires in 1999
#23 Vladimir PutinFormer KGB officer1st time in Russian
history that power passed peacefully from 1 elected leader to anotherHas suppressed dissent
(jailed opponents), curbed power of regional
leaders and DumaNuclear arms reduction
w/ U.S. and cooperation w/ NATO
#24 Poland is 1st country to break
up Eastern Bloc Strikes in Gdansk shipyards,
labor unrest, rising prices lead to union movement –
Solidarity led by Lech Walesa
Free elections 1989, he is President – Comm Party loses
monopoly on power Hungary – Comm party is
broken up, opens borders to West
East Germany – Nov 9, 1989 – Berlin Wall comes down
#24 Bulgaria – Comm dictator
Zhivkov resigns, 1989 Czechoslovakia – Vaclav Havel, a poet elected Dec.
26, 1989Romania – Nikolai Ceaucescu,
brutal dictator sends out army to break up protests – they arrest, kill him instead Yugoslavia – Lead by Tito,
declares itself separate
#25Ethnic Tension erupts in former Soviet bloc as they
struggle for democracy Czechoslovakia splits
Armenians vs AzerbaijanYugoslavia torn apart in
Balkans (Milosevic) Chechens vs. Russia
(terror) U.S. is #1