Understanding the Cold War: Origins and Significance

1. Cold War Part 1 Origins

2. Origins • The Cold War lasted from the end of WWII until the collapse of the Soviet Union (USSR) in 1991 • The US and Soviet Union represented very different fundamental values

3. What is a “cold war”? • A war fought using methods that are short of actual fighting • Arms race- US and USSR built large military forces and nuclear weapons to scare each other • Alliances- US and USSR created alliances to protect themselves and friends from attack • Proxy wars- at times war broke out between a nations friendly to US and a nation friendly to USSR- each side sent money, supplies, troops • Propaganda- each side created and spread information to influence world opinion

4. Make mine freedom

5. United Nations • 50 nations- INCLUDING U.S. • Charter resembled the League of Nations • Initial successes: • Created Israel and preserve peace in the Middle East • Guided former colonies to independence • Set up a benefit organization (UNICEF) • Failure- to control the use/build up of nuclear weapons

7. Eastern Europe • The Soviets faced a lot of death in WWII and for that they justified their claims to Eastern Europe • Felt they could stop future invasions from the west • Stalin installed communist gov’ts in Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania and Poland • Called satellite nations • Europe was now divided into 2 political regions • Winston Churchill of Britain made a speech creating the phrase “iron curtain” • Stood for the division of Europe

9. The Truman Doctrine • 1947- President Truman launches a program to economically and militarily help nations resist communism anywhere in the world • Sent aid to Greece and Turkey • “Containment of communism” • Guiding principle of American foreign policy throughout the Cold War • Didn’t want to roll it back but wanted to keep it from spreading and to resist communist aggression into other countries

10. Marshall Plan • The strengthen democratic governments and lessen the appeal of communism, the US provided a massive economic aid package called the MARSHALL PLAN • Billions of US dollars helped western European nations recover from WWII

11. Cold War Score Board

12. Germany Divided • After WWII- divided into 4 zones- Britain, France and US in West, USSR in East • Berlin- although in Soviet sector, was also split into 4 sections • Stalin stopped all highway, railway, and waterway traffic from Western Germany into Western Berlin • Thought W. Berlin would suffer from lack of supplies and eventually get absorbed into USSR

14. Berlin Airlift • US Air Force supplied West Berlin by air for a year forcing an end to the blockade

15. Cold War Score Board

16. NATO • North Atlantic Treaty Organization • Formed as a defense alliance among the US and western European countries (12 nations in total) to prevent a Soviet invasion of Western Europe • ***“an attack on 1 is an attack on all”*** • Soviet allies in the eastern Europe formed the Warsaw Pact • for nearly 50 years both sides maintained large military forces facing each other in Europe

18. Communist Takeover in China • Revolution in 1949: Nationalists (Chiang Kai-shek and US) v. Communists (Mao Zedong and USSR) • Communists win • increased American fears of communist domination of most of the world • ¼ of the world’s landmass and 1/3 population

20. Cold War Score Board

21. Korean War • After WWII, Korea was divided into 2 independent countries by the US and USSR • The dividing line was the 38th parallel of latitude • North-USSR, South- US • June 1950, the N. Koreans attack S. Korea armed with Soviet weapons and tanks • Truman announced that he would support S.K. without a formal declaration of war • Ends with an armistice Korea Split at 38th parallel

22. Korean War results

26. Cold War Score Board

27. Cold War Score Board

28. Arms Race • 1949- USSR detonates its 1st atomic bomb • Both the US and USSR developed intercontinental ballistic missiles- long range rockets carrying nuclear warheads • Came with the possibility of mutually assured destruction • Eisenhower wanted to stockpile weapons and enforce “massive retaliation” • Threatening to use massive force in response to aggression

29. Brinkmanship • John Foster Dulles (Eisenhower’s Sec of State) believed that the way to protect the US and allies was to go “to the brink of war”

30. Cold War Goes Global • Eisenhower Doctrine- the US would use force to help any Middle eastern nation threatened by communism • In 1950s the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) aided coups in Iran and Guatemala that installed new democratic governments

31. The Space Race • 1957 the USSR launched the satellite Sputnik into earth’s orbit • US Congress soon created NASA to improve space technology and the race was on • US and USSR used satellites as propaganda

32. Cold War Score Board

33. Cold War Part 1 Cold War at home

34. Post WWII America • GI Bill- paid part of college tuition, a years worth of unemployment benefits, low interest loans • Helped families get new homes in suburbs- cookie cutter towns • Baby Boom- 40s-60s the birthrate in US soared- largest generation in the nation’s history

35. Levittown

36. Changing Roles • Women were often reluctant to give up their independence after the war • Most left their jobs and went back home however • Women were homemakers and images were glorified by tv shows • African-American veterans demanded more civil rights • Truman attempted to expand civil rights but Congress shut it down • Jackie Robinson 1947 • Dixiecrats- led by Strom Thurmond to protest Truman’s efforts

40. Medical advances • Dr. Jonas Salk- developed a vaccine for polio • Dr. Benjamin Spock- Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care • Advised parents not to spank or scold children • Mothers need to be home

42. Interstate Highway system • After WWII Americans bought a lot of cars • Suburban living required cars • President Eisenhower authorized the building of a nationwide highway network • In turn encouraged more development • Long-haul trucking replacing need for railroads • Disneyland opened in 1955

44. Consumerism and Leisure • People bought lots of stuff!! • Washing machines, dishwashers, microwaves, freezers, televisions, tape recorders, record players, grills, pools, toys etc. • Recreational activities- • Fishing, bowling, boating, golf, baseball, basketball, football (on tv too!)

45. Social conformity • Fast food restaurants standardized what people ate • Corporations didn’t want individual thinkers • Personality tests to make sure you “fit in” • Idea was to not draw unwanted attention to yourself • Everyone following the “American Dream”

47. Subculture 1950s • Beat movement- social and literary nonconformity of artists, poets and writers • Went against conformity • Rock ‘n’ roll- heavy rhythm, simple melodies and lyrics • Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard • Condemned by adults- lead to teenage delinquency

49. Pop Culture • TV was HUGE! • People having TV in their house • 1948-0.4%, 1954- 55.7%, 1958-83.2% • FCC-Federal Communication Commission to regulate • Stereotypical portrayal of women and minorities