Skip to main content
Power Point Presentation
By
V. MURUGAN
Assistant Professorof History
Vivekananda College,
Tiruvedakam West,
Madurai District, Tamil Nadu
The Cold War
Introduction
• The strained relationship between the U.S.A. and
the U.S.S.R. till the collapse of the U.S.S.R is
known as the Cold War.
• The term ‘Cold War’ was first used by Bernard
Baruch.
• This term gained popularity through the
journalist Walter Lippman.
• The Cold War was otherwise an ideological war
or a propaganda war or a diplomatic war.
• It was neither a condition of war nor a condition
of peace.
Berlin Blockade
• The Soviet Union had imposed
Communist regimes in the East European
countries of Poland, Bulgaria, Rumania,
Hungary and Yugoslavia.
• Immediately after the War the Soviet
Union brought East Germany under her
influence.
• West Germany came under the influence
of the U.S.A.
• The Soviet Union blocked all roads to the
west-occupied zones in Berlin.
Marshall Plan
 On 5th June 1947, the Marshall Plan
was announced by the U.S.A.
 Economic assistance was to be
provided to the western European
nations.
 It was a step to save the European
Continent from the growing
influence of Communism.
Molotov Plan
 In response to American Marshall Plan,
 the Soviet Union initiated Molotov Plan.
 To provide aid to re build the countries in Eastern
Europe that were politically and economically aligned
with Soviet Union.
Truman Doctrine
 On 12th March 1948, Truman Doctrine was
announced
 The U.S.A. provided economic and the military aid to
Greece and Turkey to the tune of 400 million dollars.
 In order to stop the Soviet influence in those countries.
NATO • The U.S.A. had created a military alliance
• To prevent further spread of communism into Western
Europe.
• Brussels Treaty in March 1948.
• Britain, France, Holland, Belgium and Luxemburg signed
this treaty promising military collaboration in case of war.
• On 4th April 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty was signed.
• Formed a military power bloc.
• Known as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or
NATO.
• Canada, Britain, France, Holland, Belgium and
Luxemburg, Portugal, Denmark, Italy and Norway
became its members.
• They had agreed to mutually extend military help in case
of an attack on any one of them.
Warsaw Pact
 Between 1955 and 1958, West Asia remained the centre of the Cold War.
 The Baghdad Pact was concluded in 1955.
 Later known as Central Treaty Organization (CENTO).
 In response to these western military pacts,
 The Soviet Union concluded the Warsaw Pact on 14th May 1955
with her satellite powers.
Cold War in China
• The establishment of People’s’ Republic of
China by Mao-Tse Tung in October 1949
strengthened the Soviet bloc.
• The U.S.A. refused to recognize the
Communist Government of China.
• On the other hand the U.S.A. helped Chiang
Kai-Sheik to establish his Nationalist
Government in Taiwan.
• The U.S.A. recognized the Nationalist
Government as the legal Government of
China
• Made her as a permanent member of the U.N.
Security Council.
• The Communist China or the People’s
Republic of China was prevented by the
U.S.A. to become a member in the UNO.
Korean Crisis • In 1950, the arena of the cold war was changed from
Europe to East Asia.
• After the Second World War, Korea was split into North
and South Korea.
• In the North Korea the Soviet – supported communist
government was formed.
• The South Korea had an American – sponsored
government.
• The two Korean governments were in conflict with each
other.
• On 25th June 1950 North Korea attacked South Korea.
• North Korea was fighting with Soviet weapons and
Chinese troops,
• The U.S.A. in the name of U.N. force was fighting on
behalf of South Korea.
• The Korean War turned the Cold War into an open
armed conflict.
Vietnam War
• By Geneva Agreement, Vietnam was
partitioned as North Vietnam and South
Vietnam.
• A conflict developed between North Vietnam
and South Vietnam.
• The U.S.A. entered the war supporting South
Vietnam.
• Further, in order to contain Communism in
South East Asia
• The South East Asia Treaty Organization
(SEATO) was formed in 1954.
SEATO
 Southeast Asian Treaty Organization.
 International Organization.
 For collective defence in Southeast Asia.
 Created by the Manila pact in September 1954.
 Members:
 Australia
 France
 New Zealand
 Pakistan
 Philippines
 Thailand
 United Kingdom
 United States
The Cuban Missile
Crisis (1962)
 The Soviet Union stationed her nuclear missiles in
Cuba.
 A communist country and Soviet ally.
 The U.S.A. considered this as a great threat to her
security.
 John F. Kennedy sent the 7th nuclear fleet towards
Cuba.
 This literally brought the two super – powers to the
verge of war.
 However, the good sense prevailed on both the
sides and the crisis was averted.
 Subsequently, the U.S.S.R. dismantled missiles in
Cuba.
Détente - Reduction of Tension
• After 1960, the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R. had developed equality in nuclear weapons.
• Thus any nuclear war would lead to co-destruction.
• This awareness led both the super powers to believe in the inevitability of peaceful co-existence.
• They were, therefore, prompted to conclude the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963.
• This treaty was followed by a ‘Hot Line Agreement’ between Washington and Kremlin.
• After the 1970s, the friction between the Soviet Union and Communist China led to Sino-Soviet rift.
• The People’s Republic of China was admitted into the UN.
• President Nixon of U.S.A. visited Moscow in May 1972 and concluded the SALT –I Treaty (Strategic Arms
Limitation Treaty).
• In June 1973, Brezhnev paid a nine-day visit to the United States and further progress was made in the direction
of strategic arms limitation.
• This reduction of tension between the U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. is known as era of détente.
End of the Cold War
• With the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the collapse of Communism in the Soviet Union and
Eastern Europe occurred.
• The bi-polar world became unipolar world.
• On 31st July 1991, American President George Bush and Soviet leader Michael Gorbachev signed
the ‘historic’ START – I Treaty in the Moscow Summit.
• This marks the end of the Era of Cold War.
• The ideological war otherwise known as Cold War was fought for about five decades since 1945.
• The world saw the vertical division of nation states.
• Military alliances were made.
• Arms race developed.
• Nuclear holocaust threatened the world on many occasions.
• However, after the 1970s détente resulted in the gradual relaxation of tension between the two
super powers which ultimately ended with the dissolution of Soviet Union.
1. cold war