The Cold War 1945-1990
US vs. Soviets
Definition
- A political, strategic and ideological struggle between the US and the Soviets Union
- Spread throughout the world Europe, Asia Africa and Latin America
Discussion
- Communism Vs. Democracy
- Socialism Vs. Capitalism
Causes of the cold war
- Different political systems
- US is based on democracy, capitalism and freedom
- USSR is based on dictatorship commusism and control
- Both thought their systems were better
- Stalin despised capitalism
Causes of cold War Continued
- Stalin breaking his promise to allow free elections are the Yalta Conference
- American fear of a communist attack and USSR’s fear of US attack
- USSR’s fear of the atomic bomb
- USSR’s actions in there German zone
- USSR’s goal to spread communism around the world
Yalta conference
- The big Three agree to
- The establishment of the United Nations
- Germany to be divided into four zones
- Free elections
- Russia promised to join the war to fight against Japan
Post WWII/ Cold War goals for the US
- Wanted to promote open markets for US goods and to prevent another depression
- Promote democracy throughout the world
- Stop the Spread of communism
Post WWII/ Cold War goals for the USSR
- Wanted to create greater security for itself
- Lost tens of millions of people in WWII and Stalin’s purges
- Feared a Strong Germany
- Established defensible borders
- Encouraged friendly governments
- Spread communism around the World
Berlin crisis
- In 1948 the three western controlled zones of Germanys were United and grew in prosperity due to marshal aid
- The west wanted the east to rejoin
- IN June 1948 Stalin tried to gain control of west berlin which was deep inside the eastern sector
- He cut road, rail, and canal links with the west Berlin, hoping to starve it into submission
- The west responded by airlifting
Stalin dies in 1953
Nikita Khrushchev takes over
- Talks of peaceful coexistence and destalinization
USSR launches Sputnik
Space Race
- USSR was the first to put a satellite/ space ship into space
- US was first to land on the moon in 1969
- USSR put animals into space
Fidel Castro Overthrows Batista
Berlin wall was put up in 1961
WALL
- Put up in Berlin Germany
- East side was Communistic
- West side was not
Bay of Pigs
- It was the US’s secret to overthrow Castro
- JFK was president at the time
- Failed miserably
- Lead to Cuban Missile Crisis
- People that were there were captured or killed within three days
Cuban Missile Crisis
- USSR put missiles in Cuba
- They said it was for defensive purposes so that the US wouldn’t invade communist Cuba
- Most intense time of the Cold War
- The US wanted the Missiles out of Cuba
- Resolution
- Take US missiles out of Turkey
- Cuba take out there missiles
Berlin wall comes down in 1989
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