Started working on the Cold War Project
Cold War:
Definition- a political, strategic, and ideological struggle between the US and the Soviet Union
Communism vs. Democracy
-Democracy: US government, where the people rule (have the rights to rule) their own country
-Communism: Russian government, usually led by a dictator, everyone is equal
Socialism vs Capitalism
-Capitalism: People run the businesses
-Socialism: Government runs the businesses
Causes of the War:
Different political systems
-US with democracy, capitalism and freedom
-USSR with dictatorship, communism and socialism
Both thought their system was better and distrusted the others intentions
Stalin broke his promise to allow free elections during the Yalta Conference
American fear of a communist attack (Red Scare) and USSR fear of a US attack
USSR's fear of atomic bomb
USSR's actions in their German zone
USSR's goal to spread communism around the world
Goals:
-US
Wanted to promote open markets for US goods to prevent another depression
Promote democracy throughout the world, especially in Asia and Africa
Stop the spread of communism
-Soviet Union
Wanted to create greater security for itself: lost millions of people in WWII and Stalin's purges; feared a strong Germany
Establish a buffer zone
Yalta Conference:
February 1945, meeting of Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin to discuss what would happen once the war ended
Main points:
-Establish the United Nations
-Germany to be divided into four zones (controlled by four allied powers)
-Free elections allowed in the states of Eastern Europe
-Russia would join US against Japan
Key Terms:
Iron Curtain Speech
-Winston Churchill, told on 1946, talked about how Europe was split between Eastern Communism and Western Democracy
Domino Theory (Effect)
-Where if one country becomes communist, others shall follow
Policy of Containment
-United States goal was to stop the spread of communism
Truman Doctrine
-President Truman, US would provide military and economic supplies to democratic countries (mainly Greece and Turkey)
Marshall Plan
-George Marshall, late 40s, provide aid (give billions) to European countries after WWII to prevent them from going communist
Brinkmanship
-Being able to talk and act tough, hoping the other side will back down instead of going to war
Massive Retaliation/Mutual Deterrence/Mutual Assured Destruction
-If you hit me, I hit you back/build weapons that would kill everyone, but never use them
NATO vs. Warsaw Pact
-North Atlantic Treaty Organization, 1949, aimed at stopping communism, US was allied with it
-Warsaw Pact, 1957,Communist country alliance, USSR was allied with it
CIA vs. KGB
-Central Intelligence Agency, gathers info from other countries, aimed mostly at Soviet Union
-KGB, main Russian security agency, spied on US
Peaceful Coexistence
-made after Stalin died, idea of peace instead of war
De-Stalinization
-process of change in USSR, no more executions
Detente
-1971, ease of tensions
Perestroika
-political movement for reformation within the communist party
Glasnost
-policy of increasing peoples freedom
Nuclear Test Ban Treaty 1963
-signed by the US and USSR to ban all above-ground nuclear tests
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty 1968
-international treaty to prevent the spread of nuclear weaponry, allowed Russia, US, GB, France, and China to legally have them
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks(Treaty) 1972
-two rounds of talk regarding peace between Russia and US, talked about reducing number of nuclear weapons
Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty 1972
-treaty between US and Russia, could not use anti-ballistic missiles to shoot down nuclear weapons, no longer active
United Nations
-help poor/hungry people around the world, have a security force (5 powers) to provide military power
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