The Cold War (1945 – 1991)

1. The Cold War(1945 – 1991)

2. What was the Cold War? • The Cold War: a period of tension, threats, and competition between communist nations led by the Soviet Union and anti-communist nations led by the U.S. • The Cold war began at the end of WWII in 1945 and ended with the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 • The U.S. and the Soviet Union never attacked each other

3. The Superpowers • The United States • Government: democratic republic • Economic System: capitalism (free-enterprise) • Cold War Goal: wanted to stop the spread of communism • The Soviet Union (U.S.S.R.) • Government: totalitarian dictatorship • Economic System: communism • Cold War Goal: wanted to spread communism throughout the world

4. Communism • Classless society • No rich, middle class, or poor • All wealth is distributed evenly among the people • No ownership of private property • All property is owned by the government • Economy is strictly controlled by the government • All farms, factories, mines, etc. are run by the government • Individuals cannot earn profit from businesses • Prices and wages are set by the government • Government decides what and how much to produce

5. Capitalism • Free-enterprise: economy is free from government control • Individuals are allowed to own property • Businesses are privately owned and operated for profit • Economy is driven by competition • Businesses compete for profits • Workers compete for wages • Pay is usually based on productivity and skill level • A market economy • Wages are negotiated at the workplace • Prices are negotiated in the marketplace • Society is divided into classes • Rich, middle class, poor

6. Cold War Alliances

7. Europe After WWII

8. Communism in Europe • Soviet military occupied countries of Eastern and Central Europe during WWII • Stalin refused to hold free elections and instead set up communist governments • This created a “buffer zone” that protected the Soviet Union from invasion • Iron Curtain: cold war dividing line between communist Eastern Europe and non-communist Western Europe • Western Europe • Anti-communist • Democratic governments • Influenced by the United States • Eastern Europe • Communist • Totalitarian governments • Dominated by the Soviet Union

9. Division of Germany • After WWII, Germany was divided by Great Britain, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union (USSR) • Each nation was supposed to run its “zone” until free elections could be held • Berlin – the capital of Germany • Located in Soviet zone (East Germany) • Also divided into zones run by G.B, France, U.S., USSR

10. Conflict over Germany • U.S. and Soviets disagreed about reuniting Germany • President Truman (U.S.) wanted to reunite Germany and allow free elections • British, French, and American zones united to form West Germany • Included West Berlin (even though it was located in East Germany) • Stalin feared united Germany could attack the USSR • The Soviets refused to allow their zone to become part of a united Germany • Soviet zone became East Germany • Included East Berlin

11. Berlin • The Blockade • Soviets blockaded West Berlin in effort to end plans to unify Germany • The Berlin Airlift • Airplanes were used by Allies to deliver food and supplies to West Berlin • Soviets eventually lifted blockade • The Berlin Wall • Built around West Berlin by the communists • Kept people from Communist East Germany from leaving • Anyone who tried to climb over was shot • Became a symbol for the division between Communist and anti-Communist nations of the World

12. The Cold War Heats Up!

13. U.S. Fights Communism • Containment: plan to stop the spread of communism • The Truman Doctrine: U.S. policy to help weaker nations prevent communist takeover • Money and weapons were given to countries that were fighting against communist rebels • Ex. Greece and Turkey • Introduced containment policy • The Marshall Plan: U.S. plan to give aid to nations of Western Europe to prevent communist takeovers • Gave $13 billion to help rebuild economies damaged by WWII • Western Europeans were no longer desperate and most weren’t interested in turning to communism

14. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) • NATO: anti-communist military alliance created to protect member nations from threats by communist forces • Led by the United States • Included anti-communist nations from all over the world • Helped fight the spread of communism

15. The Warsaw Pact • The Warsaw Pact: communist military alliance created to protect member nations from anti-communist forces • Created in response to the creation of NATO • Led by the Soviet Union • Included communist nations from Central and Eastern Europe

16. A Divided World

17. The Spread of Communism

18. Communism Spreads to China • China during WWII • Ruled by Nationalist Party (KMT) • Led by Chiang Kai-shek • Anti-communist ally of the United States • Communist Revolution • Communist rebels fight Nationalists for power • Nationalists flee to Taiwan • Communists take control of China (1949) • People’s Republic of China is established • Mao Zedong becomes dictator

19. Communist China • Great Leap Forward (1958): Chairman Mao’s five-year economic plan to modernize China • Rapid shift from farming to industry • Privately-owned farms were seized and combined to form large government-run farms • Many peasants were taken from farms and forced to work in factories • Very harsh treatment of those who resisted • Results • Production of low-quality manufactured goods • Food shortages: 15-20 million people died of starvation • Many Chinese began rebelling against Mao’s harsh form of communism

20. Communist China • Cultural Revolution (1966-1976): Chairman Mao’s effort to increase control of China and create a more “pure” communist state • Red Guards: gangs of young people ordered by Chairman Mao to destroy “old” ideas and attack anyone who opposed communist views • Mao’s enemies were purged from Communist Party • Led to years of chaos

21. Korea • After WWII, Korea was divided • North Korea was communist • South Korea was anti-communist • Korean War (1950-1953) • North Koreans invaded South Korea • Supplied by USSR and China • Wanted to unite the two Koreas under a communist government • The United Nations (UN) sent troops (mostly Americans) to protect South Korea and to stop the spread of communism • The Chinese sent troops into North Korea to fight the UN • Armistice (ceasefire) signed (1953) • The border between North and South Korea was set at the 38th Parallel (38 ۫۫ N latitude) • Communism was contained • South Korea remained non-communist

22. Vietnam • Vietnam was divided (1955) • North Vietnam was communist • Led by Ho Chi Minh • Supported by China and the Soviet Union • South Vietnam was anti-communist • Supported by the U.S. and France

23. Vietnam War (1957-1975) • Vietnam War (1957-1975) • Viet Cong communist guerrillas tried to take over South Vietnam • Backed by North Vietnam, China, and USSR • U.S. involvement in Vietnam (1960s - 1973) • U.S. sent aid to South Vietnam • Money, weapons, and military advisors • U.S. began sending troops to Vietnam (1964) • 1.5 million Vietnamese and 58,000 Americans died • Americans were bitterly divided over war • Anti-war protests push U.S. to end war • U.S. withdrew troops from Vietnam (1969-1973) • Communists took over South Vietnam (1975) • Vietnam reunited as communist nation • U.S. failed to contain communism

24. Cuba • Cuba was communist • Led by Fidel Castro • Supported by the Soviet Union • The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) • Soviet Union brought nuclear missiles to Cuba • American spy planes took photos of the missile sites • Huge threat to U.S. security! • Cuba is only 90 miles away from the U.S. • Missiles could easily reach major U.S. cities • The U.S. and the Soviets came very close to nuclear war • U.S. President John F. Kennedy demanded that the Soviets remove the missiles from Cuba • Cuba was blockaded by the U.S. navy until the Soviets agreed to remove the missiles • Nikita Khrushchev, the Soviet leader, agreed to remove the missiles as long as the U.S. agreed not to invade Cuba • Nuclear war was avoided!

25. Struggle for Influence in Africa • After WWII, African nations began fighting for independence • The United States and the Soviet Union competed for influence in the African countries • Gave money and military aid • Tried to spread their ideas • Some African nations chose not to take sides

26. The Race For Technology

27. Nuclear and Military Technology • Nuclear power • Nuclear weapons • The United States and the Soviet Union had nuclear weapons • Both nations feared a nuclear war • nuclear annihilation: total destruction by nuclear weapons • Arms Race • U.S. President Ronald Reagan challenged the USSR to an arms race by building up the American military • USSR couldn’t keep up!

28. Space Technology • The Space Race: competition between the U.S. and Soviet Union to control outer space • Soviets • put first man-made satellite (Sputnik) into orbit • put first man in space • Americans • put first men on the moon • US took lead in space technology/exploration • Eventually, both countries began to cooperate in space exploration

29. The End of The Cold War

30. Communism Fails • Failures of Communism • Most Communist countries were struggling by the 1980’s • Economic failures • Extreme poverty • Food shortages • Political (government) failures • Corruption • Harsh treatment of people • Very few freedoms

31. Reform in the Soviet Union (1985-1991) • Mikhail Gorbachev: leader who reformed the Soviet Union • Perestroika: restructuring of Soviet economy and government • Allowed some private ownership and profit • Created a Soviet Parliament • Glasnost: openness of government and freedom of speech • Allowed people to openly criticize or disagree with the government • Self-determination: people of Eastern Europe could choose their own governments • The Soviet military would no longer be used to keep Communist governments of other nations in power

32. The Collapse of Communist Governments • Changes in Europe • Anti-Communist Revolutions begin in Eastern Europe (1989) • The Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989) • Germany is reunified under a democratic government (1990) • The Breakup of the Soviet Union (1991) • The Soviet Union split into 15 countries (Russia is the largest)

33. Changes in China • By the 1980s, many people in China were unhappy with the ruling Communist government • Tiananmen Square Massacre (1989) • Hundreds of pro-democracy demonstrators were massacred by Chinese military • China has relaxed its communist economic policies but it remains a totalitarian nation

34. Special Thanks to: • Google Images • ClipArt • Ben Bindewald author of Power Point