Monday, May 16

Today, we did some more Cold War projects...

Essentials for US History--Semester 2

7. Students will understand the causes and effects of the Great Depression.

1. Students will understand the impact the Great Depression and New Deal had on the US.

2. Students will understand the causes, effects and major events of WWII.

3. Students will understand how/why the Allies won WWII.

4. Students will understand the causes, effects and major events of the Cold War.

5. Students will understand the causes, effects and major events of the Korean Conflict.

6. Students will understand the causes, effects and major events of the Vietnam Conflict.

7. Students will understand the causes and effects of the Persian Gulf Wars as well as the War on Terror.

For semester tests, i go on Monday from 11:25 to 11:35

The Decades Project
1950’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s

You or your group will research one of the decades from the 1950’s to the 2000’s. The focus of your research should be based on social history.

Your group must put together a video slideshow showing us the decade you were assigned. Once completed, your presentation must be put onto your website.

Items to research and include in your presentation:
-music
-movies
-sports
-fashion
-fads
-minorities push for equality-Civil Rights, Equal Rights push for women, etc.
-major events that shape the culture-Vietnam for example
-Government scandals-Watergate, Iran-Contra, Clinton scandals
-anything else that you find fun or interesting about the decade

To get the most points, your group will be required to interview one man and one woman that “came of age” during that decade. They must have been in middle school, high school, college or their early twenties throughout most of the decade. The questions you ask them are up to you. You can tape them if they agree to be taped. Be sure to let them know that it will be put online.

Your group must put together a video slideshow showing us the decade you were assigned. Once completed, your presentation must be put onto your website.

Presidential Blog Discussions:

Cold War: stretegic struggle between communism and democrasism...we wanted to stop communism

Truman:

Became vice president fro FDR in January, 1945 (only 3 months into FDR's presidency)
Took over for FDR when he died in April, 1945
One of the most unpopular presidents of all time when he left office-22% approval rating--there was a recession; he fired MacArthur during the Korean war (conflict): because MacArthur wanted to go to war with China and to drop a bomb on China with a nuclear bomb...
Rating has improved greatly over the last 60 years
In the 1948 election, he went up against Thomas Dewey--in the weeks prior, everyone thought that Dewey would win, but Truman ended up winning
foreign policy: what presidents do with other countries
domestic policy: what you do back home "domestically" ...like the New Deal/Fair Deal

Accomplishments:

ended WWII--was president when WWII ended with Germany and Japan
militaries were desegregated
issued the Fair Deal (is the New Deal by extending it or adding things; trying to help the poor people as well as the economy)--many of the Fair Deal proposals didn't get passed because of opposition->aimed to promote economic development and social welfare..civil rights, housing, social security, minum wage, health, labor, education, agriculture, tried to help African Americans
Made the decision of dropping the atomic bomb
stopped the spread of communism as best he could
Potsdam Conference/Declaration (to determine German consequences/Japan's surrender or else face destruction)
thus, Decided to use the atomic bomb against Japan
took responsibility for the good and bad
had to deal with transition from wartime economy to peacetime economy
Helped organize and later join the United Nations
Took a hard-line stance against communism and the Soviet Union-Policy of Containment (to stop communism)
Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan were passed--giving money to European countries to help them stop communism...
Created the CIA and the National Security Council--designed to keep the US secure from terrorists, etc.
Recognized Israel as a homeplace for the Jewish people
Got the US involved in Vietnam by giving aid to France
Berlin Airlift
NATO established
Chinese Civil War ends
McCarthyism
The Korean Conflict and firing of General Douglass MacArthur:: did this because he suggested that we go to war with China....we traded with them, so it would lead to WWIII
Assassination attempt over Puerto Rican independence

President Dwight Eisenhower (R)-24th 1953-1961

Famous WWII general
Decided to join the Republican Party after WWII
This all but guaranteed him a win in the 1953 election
Richard Nixon was his Vice-President
Diagnosed with Crohn's disease and had a minor stroke while president
Started NASA
was very poor when he was little
was unsure whether to be a democrat or republican
Domestic policy:: laissez-faire; believed in balanced budget; deported around 1 million illegal immigrants (mostly Mexican); sent federal troops to Little Rock, Arkansas to help in the desgregation of all public schools-1954-Brown case; helped set up the Interstate Highway system

Accomplishments:

Ended the Korean War
Signed the Civil Rights Bill
Cold war dominated his foreign policy
Laissez-faire--big on saving money
oldest man to be elected president
commander of the Allied forces
started the Interstate Highway system
Dominated the Cold War-Containment Policy
Also used CIA to do covert-ops to disrupt communist goverments abroad (Iran/Guatamala)
Opened relations with Spai
Ended the Korean Conflict as promised in his 1952 election campaign
Defensive alliances were signed with South Korea and Taiwan
SEATO was formed (South East Asian Treaty Organization)--helped try to stop communism
Increased US involvement in Southeast Asia (Vietnam)-US advisors sent
Developed idea that nuclear weapons would be defensive weapons (deterrence)
NASA created due to Soviet Sputnik launch
US spy plane (U-2) was shot down over USSR
Allowed McCarthy to do his thing but privately did not approve
Eisenhower Doctrine: told middle eastern countries that they could ask the US for assisstance (money or military aid) in fighting communists

John F. Kennedy

Served in WWII
1960 election: ran against Vice-President Richard Nixon; first presidential televised debates took place; many say this helped JFK win the election
Escalation: started small and escalated

Accomplishments

"Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." JFK
Cold War Issues dominated Kennedy's presidency
Berlin Wall was built in 1961
Bay of Pigs invasion-1961
Cuban Missile Crisis--we found out that the Soviet Union had missiles in Cuban
Alliance for Progress with Latin America
Kennedy increased the number of helicopters, military advisors and undeclared US Special Forces in Vietnam
The CIA helped the new Ba'ath Party government overthrow Communists in Iraq. This new party systematically murdered large numbers of Iraq's educated elite-killings in which Saddam Hussein himself is said to have participated
Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was signed in 1963
The New Frontier-
- Promised federal funding for:
- 1. Education
- 2. Medical care for the elderly
- 3. Economic aid to rural regions and
- 4. Government intervention to halt the recession
- 5. End racial discrimination
Peace Corps was established in 1961 where Americans volunteer to help underdeveloped nations in areas such as education, farming, health care, and construction
Signed the Equal Pay Act of 1963, a federal law aimed at abolishing wage disparity based on sex
JFK Act: Congress passed the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (JFK Act), mandating the gathering and opening of all records concerned with his death...

--Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald

--Lee Harvey shot police officer JD Tippet

--He shot Kennedy from Sniper's building

--Warren Commission: the official investigation into the JFK assassination

President Lyndon Johnson (D)-36th 1963-1969

JFK's Vice-President
Took over as President after JFK was assassinated

Accomplishments:

Put togehter the Warren Commission to investigate the JFK assassination
Passed Civil RIghts Act of 1964, which outlawed most forms of racial segregation
Passed Voting Rights Act (1965) which outlawed discrimination in voting, thus allowing millions of southern blacks to vote for the first time
Started affirmative action laws
Passed immigration Act of 1965 which allowed more non-European people to immigrate to US. Immigration more than doubled between 1965-1970
- Johnson's plan to:
  - Aid education
  - Attack disease
  - Medicare and Medicaid
  - Urban renewal
  - Beautification, conservation, development of depressed regions
  - War on poverty
  - Control and prevention of crime
  - Removal of obstacles to the right to vote--helping african americans
Elemetary and Secodary Education Act of 1965--helped education; gave loans to states to help with education : for the first time, large amounts of federal money went to public schools and the focus was poor schools
Higher Education of 1965: focused on funding lower income students, including, grants, work-study money, and government loans ^^
Set up the National Endowmennt for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts
**Economic Opportunity Act helped start Head Start, food Stamps, Work Study, Medicare and Medicaid
all part of his domestic policy ^^^^^^^
Gun Control Act of 1968 regulates the firearms industry and firearms owners. Passed in response of JFK, RFK (Robert F. Kennedy), and MLK (Martin Luther King)
The Vietnam Conflict dominated much of Johnson's presidency
Believed in Domino Theory-if one country falls, others are going to too, if you don't stop it and help it
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (1964)-Congress gave Johnson power to wage war in Vietnam as he saw fit

Richard Nixon (R)-37th 1969-1974

Refused to take part in debates for 1968 election
was previously beat by JFK
Vice-President of Eisenhower
Lost 1960 election to JFK
the only person to be elected twice to both the presidency and the Vice Presidency
Only President to resign from office--because of the Watergate scandal
Used FBI and CIA to keep track on things
Wrote some books
During his presidency, he had a lot of haters, and he was very paranoid...
"Silent Majority"--the majority of the people who didn't speak out, need to speak out

Accomplishments:

Opened up relations in China
In 1972, he was part of the Watergate scandal: some people associated with him were caught going into this hotel snooping on some democrats to find out what they were doing...find dirt to help them win the election.
He put equal opportunity for everyone to get equal opportunity for jobs
Ran on a platform to get out of the Vietnam war
Vietnam Conflict dominated much of his presidency-war became very unpopular
Promised to end the war-"Peace with honor"--ended up extending the war
Expanded the war into Cambodia and Laos-bombing Ho Chi Minh Trail ^^ made americans very mad
Started pulling troops out of Vietnam as promised
The Nixon Doctrine-"Vietnamization" of the war--we're pulling our troops out and let the Vietnamese fight the rest of the war
Paris Peace Accords signed in 1973 stopped the fighting and got the US out of the war
Evironmental Decade
- National Environmental Policy Act
- Clean Air Act of 1970
- Federal Water Pullution Control Act
- Established many government agencies:
  - 1. Environmental Protection Agency
  - 2. Occupational Safety and Health Administration
  - 3. Council on Environmental Quality
War on Drugs-1971--first president to declare war on drugs
Supplemental Security Income--provides money to low-income people who are either aged (65 or older), blind, or disabled
Saw large scale integration of schools in the south
Supported affirmative action
Signed Title IX (1972) prohibiting gender discrimination in all federally funded schools
Equal Employment Opportunity Act-enforces laws against workplace discrimination based on individuals's race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, perceived intelligence and disability
Abortion was legalized during Nixon's presidency (Roe vs. Wade-1973)
US astronauts landed on the moon-1969
Nixon approved the development of NASA's Space Shuttle program
In 1972, President Nixon traveled to China where the president was to have direct talks with Mao Zedong and Chou En-lai---he had US relations with communist China
This eased relations with the US and China and China (not Taiwan) was recognized as the official China
- Nixon's visit to the Soviet Union
  - Went to Moscow in 1972
  - SALT I was signed, limiting nuclear weapons--The Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty/Talk
  - Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty was signed which banned the development of systems designed to intercept incoming missiles
  - This led to a new era of "peaceful co-existence" and/or detente with the USSR
The 1972 election was rigged...
Supported Israel in the Yom Kippur War (1973) where Israel was attacked by Egypt and Syria
This support of Israel led to the 1973 oil crisis where OPEC countries did not trade oil with the US as a result
Nixon lowered the maximum US speed limit to 55 mph to conserve gasoline during the crisis
Nixon took US completely off of the gold standard
- Water Gate
  - Five men were caught breaking into Democratic party headquarters at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C. on June 17, 1972 to find dirt on the Democratic Party
  - Two Washington Post reporters, Carl Berstein and Bob Woodward, insvestigated the story
  - Woodward and Berstein relied on an FBI informant known as "Deep Throat" (Mark Felt) to link the men to the Nixon White House--"follow the money"
  - This became one of a series of scandalous acts involving the Committee to Re-elect the president
  - Nixon downplayed the scandal and denounced the story as biased and misleading
  - FBI eventually confimed that Nixon aides had attempted to sabotage the Democrats--many began resigning and faced prosecution
  - Nixon was involved by trying to cover up the break-in (obstruction of justice) and eventually resigned from the presidency--broke the law of justice

President Gerald Ford (R)-38th 1974-1977

Nixon's Vice President
Took over when Nixon resigned
Only Vice President and President to never be elected
"I am acutely aware that you have not elected me as your president but by your ballots, and so I ask you to confim me as your president with your prayers." Ford
Had two assassination attempts within three weeks
Real name was Leslie but changed it

Accomplishments

Pardoned Nixon-a "corrupt bargain"...
Offered conditional amnesty program for Vietnam War draft dodgers who had fled to countires such as Canada
"Whip Inflation Now" called for Americans to reduce their spending and consumption in an attempt to stop inflation (WIN)
Education for All Handicapped Children Act (1975) established special education in school throughout the US
Continued detente with the USSR
Ford wanted to help South Vietnam when North Vietnam invaded in 1974 but Congress refused
By April 1975, all of Vietnam became Communist
Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act was passed to allow refugees to immigrate to the US

Definitions... (1947- 1991)

Policy of Containment: It was a policy out of the US using economic and military strategy to slow the spread of communism.
- The policy was created after the Soviet Union tried to spread communism into Western Europe, Vietnam, China, Korea, Afghanistan, and others
- The policy was also there so the US could have a better influence on other countries
- It was also a way to make America's security for secure and to better it
- In doing this it helped reduce the chances of the "domino effect"Cold War: was all about Democracy and Communism..a free world and a controlled world
Domino Effect: in simple terms if someone starts a bad habit, so to say they knock it down..
- Was promoted by the US between 1950 and 1980
- It showed that smaller countries involved in communism would influence other countries around it into communism ...this isn't a good thing
- Led to our policy of containment
Iron Curtain Speech: Spoke by WInston Churchill in 1946
The Iron Curtain was describing the differences and separation between the areas controlled by the Soviet Union and the Western Powers
- The "Curtain" was there from the end of WWII in 1945 and the end of the Cold War 1989
  - Because of the Iron Curtain the states of both side began doing their own thing
  - coming up with international military and economic alliances
Marshall Plan: was a plan made during George Marshall's speech in 1947
- was a plan to make a difference in the economy between 1947-1951
- It was originally made to help European conutries and make the economy stronger
- Later it was offered to the Soviet Union but they wouldn't accept it
- Was supposed to ensure that European countries wouldn't turn communist
- Also called the ERP European Recovery Program
Truman Doctrine: Policy set by Harry Truman in his 1947 speech.
- The speech was agreeing to support Turkey and Greece against the struggle from the Soviet Union.
- They would help with military and economic aide to precent them into the problems the Soviet Union was trying to pull them into.

House Committee On Un-American Activities (HUAC)

Was an Anti-communist investigative commiettee in the US house of representatives
First chairman-Martin dies
Richard Nixon was an active member
Investigated public employees, private citizens, and organizations suspected of having communist ties
Went to Hollywood in 1947: promoting communsit through propaganda in movies..9 days of hearings
Hollywood 10 refused to answer questions about their beliefs--using the First ammendment
They were charged for contempt of congress....
....

Joe Mcarthy

Macarthyism-accuse people without any real evidence
McCarthyism was named afer Joe McCarthy
Is the pratice of making accusations of disloyalty/treason
It happened in the second red scare of the US
Happened after WWII
They put McCarthysim on commericials and posters, if you looked suspicious you were accused of being communist
Joe McCarthy was always accusing people of being communist, he finally got turned away from the senate because he had no evidence that these people were communist
Joe was always afraid of communists taking over the US
Didnt want communists in the state departement
His downfall was going after the military and he was saying they were communist when they were really heroes..

-He went into drinking he drank a lot! Alcoholism took him over..

China Becomine Communism-Mao

Causes of the Cold War

America had a democracy and the Soviet Union was communist..Americans feared a communist attack..Both countries feared the other's government
- Democracy-freedom..people have the power
- Communism-government controls everything and there's no freedom
Truman vs. Stalin:
- were allies during the war
- argued about power
- broke ties at the end of the war
- D-day delay
- Refused to join the United Nations
3 Power disagreement
- Stalin wanted an agreement from Germany that they wouldn't attack
- US wanted to help build Germany back up after the war
- US and Germany wanted to stop Communist control...didn't want it to spread any further

NATO, de-Stalinization, and Peaceful and Co-existence

NATO
- North Atlantic Treaty Organization
- aka North Atlantic Alliance
- Governmental military alliance
- Based on the North Atlantic Treaty
Started in 1949
- North Atlantic Treaty signed on April 4, 1949
- Signed by the US, Canada, Portugal, Italy, Norway, Denmark, etc.
- It's a defensive alliance---countries working together to stop communism
- First NATO Secretary was General was Lord Ismay
- Lord Ismay stated that the goal of NATO was to:
  - "Keep the Russians out, and the Americans in, and the Germans down."
NATO in the Cold War
- Communist countries were expected to be working together during the Korean War.
- Operation Mainbrace in 1952
NATO Today
- Purpose: to protect the freedom of all the members
- Political Influence and Military capacity
- 28 member countries:
  - US, UK, Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, etc.
De-Stalinization
- Nikita Kruschev began the process
- Process of eliminating the Stalinistic government and Gulag labor camp
- Large numbers were released from the Gulag labor camp.
- Ended forced labor in the country
Peaceful Co-Existence
- Theory developed by the Soviet Union
- Stated that they could peacefully coexist with non-communist countries, especially those involved with NATO
- Used at different points in the war
- Communist states adopted the foreign policy
  - Mutal Respect for each other's territory
  - Non-agression
  - No interference in each other's internal affairs...

The Nuclear Arms Race 1945-1970

Introduction
- Competition between the US and Soviet Union
- During Cold War
- More weapons=more power
- US and Soviet Union heavily built up stockpiles of nuclear weapons
- Other countries developed bombs also
- Did not produce nearly as much
WWWIi
- Manhattan Project created first nuclear weapon
- Soviet Union was not informed until Potsdam Conference on JUly 24, 1945
- Americans distrusted Soviets
- Klaus Fuchs--German scientist/atomci spat at Los Alamos National Laboratory
- Gave nuclear info to USSR after WWII
- ...
August 1945
- Atomic bombs dropped on two Japanese cities
- First: Hiroshima
- Second: Nagasaki
- ...
Cold War
- Soviets began working on their own weapons
- Americans predicted USSR's weapons wouldn't be ready until mid-1950's
- First Soviet bomb dropped on August 29, 1949
- Known as "joe One"
- Both began working on hydrogen bombs
- smaller in size but 2500 times more powerful
- ...
ICBMs
- Intercontinental ballistic missiles or rockets
- most important development in terms of delivery
- missiles were thought to be more effective thatn strategic bombers
- also cheaper, faster and more diffucult to destroy
- US employed German scientist who had developed the V2 Rocket in WWII
Development
- Biggest problem was accuracy
- Further distances traveled=less accuracy
- US needed missiles to travel long distances
- ICBMs were lighter and smaller
- By 1967, US had developed Atlas missile
Minuteman
- Atlas took over an hourt to prepare
- By end of the 1950's the Minuteman was produced
- ...
Space Race
- On OCtober 4, 1057, the SUSR launched their first milssile/sattelite called the Sputnik
- Showed the had missiles able to reach any part of the world
- US launched own satellite two years later
- When USSR launched Sputnik, America built DEW line around the Arctic-Defense and Early Warning System
- If Russia attacked with missiles, twenty million Americans would die
- There were enough bombs to destroy world by 1961
Polaris
- Subarmarine that the US developed
- Could carry nuclear weapons
- Subs could move closer to USSR
- Accuracy increased
- Could carry 16 nuclear missiles
- One Polaris sub carried more power than bombs during WWII
Defense
- 1950's saw first attempts to defend agaisnt nuclear weapons
- The US and USSR built large radar systems to detect bombers and missiles
- Fighter and anti-ballistic missile wer also developed
Massive Retaliation/Mutual Deterreence
- If an attack from an agressor nation would occur, the attacked country would massively retaliate by using force greater thatn the size of the attack
- The aim was to deter that country from attacking in the first place
The US would use bomb shelters and nuclear weapons helped to defend the US from attacks

The Cuban Missile Crisis

It is considered the closest the world had ever came to nuclear war
Cuba was on the edge of using their nuclear weapons if anyone were to invade
It all started because the US and Soviet Russia were in the Cold War. THe USSR was way begind the US in the arms race...
Cuba was already expecting an invasion from the US. Fidel Castro thought that a follow up to the Bay of Pigs invasion..
the plan was constructed by Primier Nikita Khrushchev, as he felt this was the only wat to catch up to the US in the nuclear arms race.
The actual crisis began on October 15, 1962 when US reconnaissance photos expulged the USSR missiles were under construction in Cuba
When JFK found out, he hastily formed the EX-COMM. This was he and 12 of his closest buddies brainstroming to get out of this mess.
He also stated that any missiles launched from Cuba would still be considered an attack from the USSR, and that all weapons must be removed from the island -JFK
You could cut the suspense with a knife. JFK and Khrushchrev would communicate through writing letters. In the meantime, soldiers would be on their toes, alert.
The culmination of the Cuban Missile Crisis was when a U-2 recon plane was shot down over Cuba
The U-2 Recon Planes were commonly used during this time...
The first letter was from Khruschrev stating that he'd remove all personnel and weapons from Cuba, provided that the US guarantee not to invade Cuba.
The second was another propostion from the USSR, saying that they'll assure to leave Cuba, as long as the US removes its missiles from Turkey
The attorney General, Robert Kennedy cleverly suggested that the US ignore the second letter and agree to the first.
All tensions began to disappear, when both agreed to the terms. That same day, the US demanded that Soviet light bombers...
they get missiles to ultimately save Cuba...hidden in Turkey

The New Map of Europe:: wanted freedom and the Soviet Union said do what you want

Before the end of the Cold War, the map of Europe looked different than it does now
- Soviet Union:
  - The Soviet Union was known as the IRon Curtain
  - They were involved in the COld War with us
  - The Soviet union started to really collapse in 1991.
- Countries that formed after the break up of the Soviet Union
  - Estonia
  - Latvia
  - Lithuania
  - Moldova
  - Russia
  - Ukraine
  - Belarus
- Estonia
  - It was a part of the Baltic States
  - It first startedoff as wanting economic freedom
  - As the Sovet Union weakened Estonia decided to go for full independence.
  - They gained their independence on September 6, 1991
- Latvia
  - A part of the Baltic States
  - The Baltic States formed a human line from Estonia to Lithuania to get freedom
  - Became free in 1991
- Lithuania
  - Was a part of the Baltic States
  - Became a part of the United Nations on September 18, 1991
- Moldova
  - On June 23, 1990, Maldova adopted the Declaration of Sovereignty
  - This put Modova's laws over the Soviet Union Laws
  - Sovet Union tried to stop this but Moldova became free
- Russia
  - In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev came to power in the Sovet Union
  - He tried to move the Sovet Union to a more democratic government
  - The Sovet Union broke up..
- Ukraine
  - After the communist tried to remove Gorbachev
  - On August 24, 1991, The Ukrainian Gov. passed the Act of Independence
  - This act declared Ukraine of being a free nation
- Belarus
  - Belarus became free on December 8, 1991
  - They had a National Constitution
- Other countries formed after break up of the Soviet Union
  - Armenia
  - Georgia
  - Kazakhastan
  - etc.
- Yugoslavia
  - Yugoslavia's leader was Tito
  - The breakup of Yugoslavia was a slow andn war-fiiled process
  - It took awhile for all the countries to break up...
- Countries formed after the break up of Yugoslavia
  - Bosnia Herzegovina
  - Croatia
  - Kosovo
  - Macedonia
  - Montenegro
  - Serbia
  - Slovenia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
  - there were politicians who kept Bosnia and Herzegovina Sovereignty in mind
  - When the leader of Yugoslavia died (Tito), the efforts of these men helped led Bosnia and Herzegovina to their Independecne
  - They later became independent
- Croatia
  - Declared independence in 1991
  - Yugoslavia then went to war in Croatia
  - They became independent in June 1991
- Kosovo
  - a huge war broke out when they wanted to become independent
  - On February 17, 2008 the declared independence
  - they atempted to get independence earlier in September 7, 1990 but didn't get it
- Macedonia
  - Gained indepencednce in September 8, 1991
  - Macedonia stayed at peace while the Yugoslavia...
- Montenegro
  - Montenegro broke away from Yugoslavia
  - When this happened, they became a part of Serbia
- Serbia
  - one of the last countries to break away from Yugoslavia
  - On June 5, 2006, Serbia declared independence
- Slovenia
  - became independent in June 1991
  - After this happened, a war broke out
- East and West Germany
  - They split at the end of WWII
  - They reunited after 45 years
  - Became independent on on October 3, 1990

KNOW SOME OF THE COUNTRIES NAMES! ^^^^

Berlin Blockade and Airlift

was when the Soviet Union tried to block the allied access into Berlin. When this all ended, it was a failure for the Soviet Union
Was caused by the beginning of the Cold War
Stalin was aiming towards wanting to destroy Germany, but the US and Britain wanted to help rebuild it
The blockade was an event in the Cold War between the super powers
USA and USSR had different plans for what they wanted to happen to Germany
The 3 western zones of Germany were to unite and had the political aurhtority to recieve aid from the Marshall Plan
The airlift began on June 24, 1948
It was a rough yera because Harry Truman was wanting to reelect
They thought that they were looking at WWII with Soviet Union Over a conflict in Berlin
In Sept. 1947, the US and Berlin combined their military zones into on area and callied in Bizonia
Bizonia: area of lnad in Germnay where the American and British occupatioin zones combined
They thought it would help bring security back to the Germany people
Trizonia established their own currency on June 18, 1948
The Soviets tried to push the west out of Berlin
They made sure that everyone going west was searched
The trizone refused to let the Soviets search their cargo
It was harsh German winter...
THe blocakde of Berlin finally passed over on May 12, 1949
Berlin was a symbol of the US
They rose up to the Soviet threat w/o having to be f

Fidel Castro and the Bay of Pigs

The Bay of Pigs invasion was an unsuccessful action by the CIA (invasion)
was launched on the night of April 16
took place in the Bay of Pigs
only name for the bay...
purpose was to take down Fidel Castro
a couple nights befor the invasion, we attacked airports
we had ships at Guantanamo bay to make it look like an invasion
The CIA ran the invasion with permission of JFK
CIA recruited Cuban exiles (people who fled Cuba) that were in Florida
They had 1300 of them invade the Bay of Pigs
The Exiles invaded Cuba through the Bay of PIgs hoping to cross the country and take over the capital of Havana
The exiles were hoping that the villagers would help them
The Castro's forces stopped the invasion after three days of fighting
Although Kennedy had the option to use the US air Force, he opted not to
Once the fighting wa sover there were 90 casualites for the CIA's exiles and the rest were taken pirsoner and put to death
It made Castro wary of and future US involvement in Cuba
The invasion was set into over through Fidel Castro and his revolutionist
But instead, it just made them stronger

Berlin Wall (EAST AND NORTH COMMUNIST)(WEST AND SOUTH DEMOCRATIC)

Barrier constructed by German democratic republic
Cut of West Berlin from east Berlin and Germany
Death strip, Wire fence to concrete, Guard Towers, more than 87 miles long
Why it was constructed:
- Eastern Bloc was dominated by the Soviets
- Fascist-radical political ideology
- Socialist state in East Germany
- West Germany hadn't been de-Nazified "Wall of Shame"
- Stopped people from fleeing from East Berlin to West Berlin
Effects:
- many tried to escape to be free
- some families were split because of the wall
- many lost jobs because they were cut off from it
- East German government able to reassert control
Response:
- Kennedy appointed General Lucius D. Clay
- ordered the Berlin airlift to drop supplies
- US troops marched from West Germany to East headed to Wes Berlin
- The convoy arrived in West Berlin
- Berliners felt reassured
The Fall:
- Hugary had disabled its border defences against Austria
- Many East Germans escaped through Hungary to Austria
- Then flooded West Germany and refused to return
- East Germany disallowed travel to Hugary
- Protest broke out in East
- "Peaceful Revolution"--
- Germans gathered at gate, guards overwhelmed
Demolition
- Started on November 9, 1989 (it was put up in 1961)
- Wall not completely torn down
- People came with sledgehammers, and chissels, and hammers
- More border crossings added
- Bulldozers reinstated old roads
- Visa-free travel on December 23
- Short sections and watchtowers left as memorials
- German reunification not official until October 3, 1990

Nixon's visit to China

President Nixon was a strong Anti-communist
Wanted to improve relations between the Soviet Union, China, and the US after WWII were deterioratin
China was teetering on the edge of communism under the control of Mao Zedong
Government officials were secretly visiting China in order to prepare
There was a lot of security involved
The meeting:
- took place in 1972 in Beijing, Hanzghou, and Shanghai
- Nison met with Mao Zedong in Beijing to discuss tension....
Shanghai Communique
- The US and China issued it
- It stated that the countries would work toward normalization
Results
- improved relations between China and US
Nixon's trip was set the stage for economic sharing...

Effect of the Soviet Incasion on Afghanistan

Easing of tensions between us and the soviet union
In 1979, the USSR started wanting more nad more control over surrounding areas because its government was failing--wanting more and more control over Afghanistan and its people
Expand influence in Asia
People were very stuck in their clan of religious group
Invasion
- 100,000
- Afghanistan got support from Islamic people by claiming it Holy War
- The uS supproted them with money and weapons
- The invasion was a failure
- The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to help Afghanistan with their communist government and help them fight off the Mujahid
Afghanistan sort of invite the Soviets so that they help the communist government stay in power
guerilla warfare
Mujahid
- Muslim fighters
- they used Guerilla Warfare
- a small group of combatants ambus larger less movile armies
- home advantage because they knew their mountains..etc.
Repercussions
- The Soviets bombing
- Refuge camps were made all over Afghanistan
- US sent more weapons and money
- December 17, 1979-February 15, 1989
- we sent millions of money to the Mujahids
Ultimately ended the Cold War...really took its toll on the USSR

The Strategic Offensive Initiative (Ronald Reegan's Defense)

was created by Ronald Reegan
It's a US government program
used to protect the US frm potential missile attack like from the Soviet Union
The system had many new technologies
The missile defense systems could be on ground, air, etc.
was initially designed to defeat a soviet union offensive strike
not a lot of hope in the system
Nill Clinton changed the name of SDI to The Ballistic Missile Defense ORg. (BMDO)
still in testing
blocks missiles with satellite detecting them...dummy rockets shoot up and knocks the missiles off course into the ocean

The Fall of Communism/end of the Cold War

Iron Curtain-used to describe the boundary between communinist and not communist
Countries behind the Iron Curtain had struggling economies
Perestroika-allowed limited market incentives to Soviet citizens
Us and Soviet improved relations
....terrible economies caused more to want to improve their countries

Blogs

Monday, May 16

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