The Cold War: 1945 - 1990 (US vs Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)
Defintion:
- A political, strategic and ideological struggle between the US and the Soviet 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
- United States is based on democracy, capitalism, and freedom
- USSR is based on dictatorship, communism and control
- Both thought their system was better and distrusted the others intentions
- Stalin despised capitalism.
- Stalin breaking his promise to allow free elections at the Yalta Conference.
- American fear of a communist attack(Red Scare) and USSR's fear of a US attack.
- USSR's fear of the Atomic Bomb.
- USSR's actions in their German zone.
- USSR's goal to spread communism around the world.
- This feeling of suspicion lead to mutual distrust and this did a great deal to deepen the Cold War.
Yalta Conference Feb 1945
- The big three (FRD, Churchill, Stalin) agree to:
- The establishment of the United Nations
- German to be divided into four zones.
- Free elections allowed in the states of eastern Europe
- Russia promised to join the war against Japan.
Post WWII/Cold War Goals for US
- Wanted to promote open markets for US goods to prevent another depression.
- Promote democracy throughout the world, especiallly in Asia and Africa.
- Stop the spread of communism
Post WWII/Cold War Goals for USSR
- Wanted to create greater security for itself
- Lost tens of millions of people in WWII and Stalin's purges(killing own people)
- Feared a strong Germany.
- Establish defensible borders
- Encourage friendly governments on it's borders.
- Spread communism around the world.
The Berlin Crisis
- In 1948, three western controlled zones of Germany's (US,France, UK) were united.
- The west wanted the east to rejoin, but Stalin feared it would hurt Soviet security.
- In June 1948, Stalin decided to try to gain control of West Berlin which was deep inside the eastern sector.
- He cut road, rail and canal links with West Berlin, hoping to starve it into submission.
- The west responded by airlifting in the necessary supplies to allow west Berlin to survive.
- In May 1949, Soviet Union admitted defeat and lifted the blockade.
USSR's First Atomic Test
US Test Hydrogen Bomb - 1952
Stalin Dies - 1953
- Wasn't very liked.
- Director of KGB, said if you don't like Stalin spit on his face.
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 on 1969.
- USSR would also put animals into space.
- Conspiracies?
- Moon landing
- Moon flag
Fidel Castro Overthrows Batista
Berlin Wall -1961
- Put up to divide Berlin, Germany
- East side was communistic
- West side was non-communistic.
Bay of Pigs
- It was the United States secret attempt to overthrow Castro
- JFK was the President at the time.
- Failed miserably.
- Arguably led to Cuban Missile Crisis.
Cuban Missile Crisis
- USSR put missiles into Cuba
- They said it was for defensive purposes so that the U.S. wouldn't invade communistic Cuba
- Most intense time of the Cold War
- The United States wanted the missiles out of Cuba.
- The resolution: take U.S's secret missiles out of Turkey secretly in exchange for the missiles in Cuba.
Berlin Wall Comes Down - Nov 9th, 1989
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