Week of April 23rd-April 27th

Monday- End of the Year Project- 5- Amendments, Scandals, Non-Cold War Related things, Presidents Achievements

50 points- good, easy to understand, and well explained information

20 points- good visuals, pictures charts, videos, ccartoons, and no typos 

20 points- good voice tone and showing that you understand the content you are presenting

10 points- for doing something creative and innovative - self-made video, song, role play, game, etc. 

The cold War 1945-1990- US vs Soviet Union- Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Definition- A political, strategic, and ideological struggle between the US and the Soviet Union from 1945-1990 that spread throughout the world- Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America

Communism vs Democracy, Socialism vs Capitalism

Theory vs Practice- Classless Society vs Totalitarianism 

Tuesday- Presentation work

Wednesday- 

Presentation work

Communism vs Capitalism/Democracy

History of the Soviet Union

Bolshevik Revolution- Tsar Nicholas leader of the Russian Empire was at war with Germany in World War I. Germany sends in Vladimir Lenin to Russia to try and get Russia out of the war. It worked well, and Russia left the war (lost). Revolution in Russia in which the communists win. Vladimir Lenin first leader of Soviet Union. He believed in Marxism, that the state will disappear. Lenin dies in 1924 of natural causes - had Lenin lived, no one knows if they could've followed through with the Marxist theory. 

Stalin takes over in 1927 as leader of the Soviet Union. He takes the country in a different direction and purged opponents in political and military spheres. Millions were killed and imprisoned. Collectivization was started in the Soviet Union. The government took away farms and gave it to the state. Took over businesses as well. Set up Five Year Plans to boost the economy every five years. 

Soviet-German Non-Aggression Pact- Hitler turns on the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa.

War with Germany- Soviets join the Allies

Battle of Berlin- April-May, 1945- Soviet Union went into Berlin

Causes of the Cold War- Different political systems

US based on democracy, capitalism, freedom, opportunity, and hard work

USSR based on dictatorship, communism, control and equality

Red Scare- 1919

Both thought their system was better and distrusted the others' intentions

Stalin despised capitalism

Stalin broke his promise to allow free elections in Eastern Europe, which he promised at the Yalta Conference

American fear of a communist attack (2nd Red Scare) and USSR's fear of an American attack

Soviet Union was afraid of the atomic bomb

USSR's actions in their German zone

USSR's goal to spread communism around the world

Thursday-

Yalta Conference- Free elections in Eastern Europe (broken promise by Stalin)

The "West" - Democratic - United States-led

The "East" - Communist- Soviet Union-led

Non-aligned movements in Sweden, Finland, Spain, Yugoslavia (communist but able to wrangle away from Russia)- Tito freed Yugoslavia without Soviet help.

Tito was not that close with Stalin

US goals for Cold War

-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

-Rebuild Europe (Western)

-Policy of containment

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

-Encourage friendly governments on its borders

-Spread communism around the world

Winston Churchill's "Iron Curtain" Speech-

Countries have fallen under an iron curtain

Domino Effect- Eisenhower- 1954- President Eisenhower says that as countries fall, it will keep going until it hits the US

Policy of Containment (1946)- worried that Communism is spreading farther and farther. 

Truman Doctrine- In 1947, the British were helping the Greek government fight against communists, they appealed to the US for help

They appealed to America for aid, Greece receieved large amounts of weapons and supplies from the US, and by 1949, the Communists were defeated.

In 1947, the US government announced the Marshall Plan. Massive economic aid program for Europe to help it recover from WWII. Help Europe to recover economically would give markets to American goods. A prosperous Europe would be better able to resist the spread of communism.

Largest was 3.2 billion to UK, France was given 2.3 billion, West Germany 1.5 billion, and Italy was 1.2 billion, had the four most money. 

Stalin refused to allow Eastern Bloc countries from taking Marshall plan money. Yugoslavia promptly left and took the money.

Brinkmanship- 1950's-1960's- Be ready to go to war, but never do it. 

Massive Retaliation/Mutual Deterrence/Mutual Assured Destruction- Retaliate with nuclear weapons- created mutual deterrence and Mutually Assured Destruction

North Atlantic Treaty Organization- Set up in 1949 Western nations formed NATO to coordinate their defense against the USSR- defensive in nature

It consisted of America, Canada, Britain, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal, Denmark, Norway, and Italy

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