The Cold War began after World War II as tensions grew between the United States and Soviet Union. They emerged as rival superpowers with opposing political and economic ideologies of capitalism versus communism. This led to a long period of geopolitical tension and military buildup between the two nations and their respective allies that stopped short of direct armed conflict. Key events during the Cold War included the Marshall Plan and NATO helping rebuild and defend Western Europe, the division of Germany and Berlin, and escalating arms races and proxy wars. The space race and Cuban Missile Crisis heightened tensions. The Cold War ended in the late 1980s as communist governments fell in Eastern Europe and the USSR dissolved.

1. The Cold War1945 - 1990

2. 2Bell RingerWhat is a “Cold War?”30 secondsDiscuss w/ Partner

3. 3Cold War a state of political hostility and military tension between two countries or power blocs, involving propaganda, subversion, threats, economic sanctions, and other measures short of open warfare

4. 4Post WWIIUS and USSR emerged as rival superpowersSchism between East & West

5. 5European Recovery ProgramMarshall Plan1948 - 1952Provided $13 billionRebuild war-torn EuropePrevent spread of communism

6. 6Potsdam ConferenceJuly 1945Stalin promisedto allowfree elections in Eastern Europe

7. 7Satellite StatesStalin never allowed truly free electionsInstead, installed Satellite States; communist governments in Eastern European nations that were politically & economically dependent upon the USSRWhy?To protect USSR from Western invasion

8. 8Containment PolicyPolicy of “Containment”:US would not get rid of communism, but would not allow it to spreadUS would “contain” communism where is already existed

9. 9Division of GermanyAfter World War II,Germany was broken into four “zones of occupation”Each of the majorAllies, was given onepiece.Berlin, the capital,was also split intofour pieces.

11. 11The Iron CurtainWinston Churchill coined this term in 1946Refers to…The military, political, and ideological barrier established between the Soviet bloc and western Europe from 1945 to 1990

13. 13What is going on in this cartoon?What symbolism do you see?Discuss w/ partner - 1 min.

14. 14Churchill’s WarningChurchill felt that behind the Iron Curtain, the USSR was planning to attack and conquer Western Europe

15. 15The Problem with BerlinBerlin was in the Soviet ZoneStalin was not happy with any presence of democracy in Eastern EuropeWhat did he do?

16. 16Berlin BlockadeJune 1948, Stalin attempted to starve West Berlin into submission by cutting off food/suppliesAll rail and street access was blocked

17. 17Berlin AirliftAmerican and British planes flew food and supplies into Berlin for 327 daysMay 1949 - Stalin lifted the blockade

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19. 19NATONorth Atlantic Treaty OrganizationEstablished in 1949Created a system of collective defense member states agreed to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external partyOriginal members were:United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Later…Greece (1952), West Germany (1955)

20. 20The Warsaw PactCommunist Response to NATOSigned on May 1, 1955 in Warsaw, PolandMilitary treaty that obligated its members to come to the others’ aid should any one of them be the victim of foreign aggression Original Members:Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, East Germany, Poland, Romania, the USSR, and Czechoslovakia

22. 22Cold War in Asia

23. 23ChinaChang Kai Shekfought to stop the communists but was unsuccessfulMao Zedong wanted China to become a communist state after WW II

24. 24Communist China: 1949

25. 25TaiwanChang Kai Shek, retreated from mainland China and moved his government from Nanjing to Taipei, TaiwanTaiwan then proclaimed they were separate from ChinaStill a problem area

26. 26Change in LeadersUS1952Dwight EisenhowerUSSR 1953 Stalin died Nikita KhrushchevDe-Stalinization - the process of eliminating the more ruthless policies of Stalin

27. 27Uprisings Against CommunismEastern Europeans of the Soviet Bloc resented the poor, harsh conditions under which they livedUprisings occurred in:PolandHungaryCzechoslovakia

28. 28Hungarian Uprising 1956Hungarians revolted and called for a democratic government…and in elections that is what they choseThe Soviet response was swift and brutal

29. 29Hungarian Rebellion CrushedSoviet tanks rolled into Hungary and killed 30,000 Hungarians and executed the resistance leader Imre NagyUS and UN did nothing to help

30. 30Space RaceOctober 4, 1957 - Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik IThe world's first artificial satellite = about the size of a beach ballOrbited the earth in 98 minutesThis began the space race

31. 31The Berlin WallBerlin truly symbolized the Cold War in Europe. This was where it all started with the blockade of 1948, and where 41 years later, it all came to an end. Two dates, one dramatic, the other a joyful, marked the high points…August 13, 1961, when the Wall went up November 9,1989, when it came down

32. 32East Germans had limited access to West German media and were aware that their standard of living was substantially lower than that of their counterparts in West Germany. Many East Germans left their side, hoping to find better economic opportunities in the West.In 1961, the East German government decided to stop this flight to the West, which was depleting the country's labor force. During the night of August 13, 1961, East German soldiers and members of its militia surrounded West Berlin with temporary fortifications that were rapidly replaced by a concrete wall, 12 ft high and 103 miles long, of which 28 miles lay between two sides of the city. Where a wall was not possible, buildings were bricked-up. The only openings in the wall were two closely guarded crossing points. Although East Germany announced that the wall was needed to prevent military aggression and political interference from West Germany, the East German government built tank traps and ditches along the eastern side of the wall, suggesting that it was constructed to keep East German citizens in.

33. 33 It began with armed guards moving in to seal up the border between East & West Berlin…

34. 34Next, barbed wire was laid down…

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36. 36Then, concrete walls were put in…

37. 37The wall totally trapped the citizens of West Berlin

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40. 40Many East Berliners wanted to leave and come to the Western side. They were not allowed to leave; however, many tried…

41. 41 In 28 years, the Wall claimed at least 239 victims, shot by guards, drowned in the waters of the Spree or one of the lakes, or killed jumping out of their houses. The border guards, often young brainwashed men doing their military service, felt that shooting down a fugitive was a patriotic action. Shooting fugitives earned them a rich reward in fact – a decoration, personal congratulations from the head of the Stasi, a substantial bonus and extra leave in a holiday village on the Baltic. After the Wall came down, some of these border guards were tried for murder

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43. 43 The first victim was Rudolf Urban, who was killed on August 19, 1961 after jumping out of a window in theBernauer Strasse. That same street was the scene of another tragedy on October 4, 1961 when young Bernd Lünser, under fire from the Vopos, leaped from the fourth story of a building but mis-landed and was killed.

44. 44 A year after the Wall went up, on August 17, 1962, the death of young Peter Fechter was met with great agitation. After being badly wounded by border guards, he lay dying for nearly an hour at the foot of the Wall, during which time nobody came to help him.

45. 45On the first anniversary of the tragic death of Peter Fechter, citizens place wreaths at the foot of the cross erected near the spot where he died.

46. 46Many showed their disgust with the wall by adding graffiti to it on the Western side.

47. 47Wall Stats96 mi27 mi 69 mi 23 mi66 mi41 mi 65 mi 79 mi 77 mi 30220ca. 5000ca. 3200192 ca. 200Total border length around West BerlinBorder between East and West BerlinBorder between West Berlin and East GermanyBorder through residential areas in BerlinConcrete segment wall3.6m (11.81 ft.) high Wire mesh fencingAnti-vehicle trenchesContact or signal fenceColumn track6-7 m (7.33 yd) wideNumber of watch towersNumber of bunkersPersons succeeded in passing the WallPersons arrested in the border areaPersons killed on the Berlin WallPersons injured by shooting

48. 48The Wall fell as the combined result of both internal and external pressures. The evolution of the USSR played a crucial role in this process. On his first official visit to West Germany in May 1989, Mikhaïl Gorbachev, whose ambition was to save his country from decline and ruin through an innovative policy based on restructuring (perestroïka) and openness (glasnost), informed Chancellor Kohl that the Brezhnev doctrine had been abandoned ; Moscow was no longer willing to use force to prevent democratic transformation of its satellite states.

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50. 50The Fall of The Berlin Wall….Reagan SpeechThe CelebrationThe Hoff’s Claim to Fame(for real)This meant that Germany was once again unified as one

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52. Western Europe Post WWIIThe Formation of the EU

53. 53Bell RingerWhat are “glasnost” and “perestroika?” How did they pertain to the Cold War?Discuss with partner45 seconds

54. 54Bell RingerGlasnost: opennessPerestroika: restructuringContributed to the fall of communism in the Soviet Bloc

55. 55Just For Fun…Check out this song about the Cold War EraAs it plays, jot down as many things as you can that you recognize or can define/ describe now that you know a little about the Cold War Era

56. 56Jean Monnetis regarded by many as the architect of European Unity. Never elected to public office, Monnet worked behind the scenes as a French administrator to unify the Western European powers.

57. 57Three “Communities” Developed:European Coal and Steel CommunityGuaranteed access for all to coal and steel in Ruhr + eliminate import duties and quotas on coal and steelEuropean Atomic CommunityCoordinated their nonmilitary atomic research and technology1957European Economic Community (Common Market)Eliminated trade barriers and create common tariffs + free movement of capital and labor19571952

58. 58Community Members1967 - Six Countries United:FranceFederal Republic of Germany (West Ger.)Italy“Benelux” UnionBelgiumNetherlandsLuxembourg

59. 59European Union (EU)Created in 1992 with the Maastricht TreatyCurrently 29 membersCovers a variety of issues: Health, Economic, Foreign Affairs, Defense Created a free-trade union Created single currency (Euro) adopted by 20 of 29

60. 60European Social WelfareWhat is a social welfare state?Concept of government in which the state plays a key role in protecting and promoting the economic and social well-being of its citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those who lack the minimal provisions for a good life.

61. 61European Social Welfare Basic Features:“Cradle to Grave” carePaid family leaveUniversal health carePaid vacation (4-weeks MINIMUM)Unemployment compensationRetirementEducation (even university…free or min. cost)

62. 62What’s the Catch?Europeans pay much higher taxesup to 50% of incomeRead article “Going Dutch…”Write the following in your notebooks:3 pros of this system 3 cons of this systemWould you like to live in a social welfare state? Why or why not? (use specific examples)Worth 5 points of 10…you will need this for an activity… You may list these in 2 columns labeled “Pros” and “Cons”