The document provides an overview of the Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union from 1945-1991. It discusses the ideological differences that emerged between the two former allies after World War II and the establishment of opposing military alliances like NATO and the Warsaw Pact. Key events of the Cold War included the Marshall Plan to rebuild Western Europe, the Berlin Blockade and Airlift, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Growing economic troubles in the Soviet Union led to reforms under Gorbachev and the eventual collapse of Soviet control over Eastern Europe and dissolution of the Soviet Union.

1.  Objective:Provided Notes and an Activity SWBAT Analyze
ideological differences and other factors that contributed to the Cold
War and to the United States involvement in conflicts intended to
contain communism, in addition SWBAT evaluate the effectiveness
of the Marshall Plan and regional alliances in the rebuilding of
European nations in the postWWII period
 Agenda:
 Do Now
 Notes
 Activity
The Cold War

2. AN OVERVIEW
OF THE COLD
WAR

3. Cold War -
 The tension and rivalry between the USA and
the USSR was described as the Cold War
(1945-1990).
 There was never a real war between the two
sides between 1945 and 1990, but they were
often very close to war (Hotspots). Both sides
got involved in other conflicts in the world to
either stop the spread of communism (USA) or
help it spread (USSR).

4. Beginnings:
 US, USSR, Great Britain unnatural allies during World
War II
 Tensions submerged until close of war
 Yalta and Potsdam Conferences (1945)
 Stalin, Churchill, Roosevelt
 Decided on USSR declaration of war vs. Japan, setting
up of International Military Tribunal
 Free elections for Eastern Europe
 Truman drops A-Bomb hint to Stalin…
 Stalin arranges pro-communist governments in Eastern
European countries
 1946: “Iron Curtain” descends.

5. “Churchill,Roosevelt,andStalinworkingtogethertosave
theworld”

6. The Big Three Disagreed…
But in fact the Allies had disagreed openly
about:
 The details of how to divide Germany.
 The size of reparations Germany had to
pay.
 Soviet influence over the countries of
eastern Europe.

7. Western Reactions to Soviet Threat
The Truman Doctrine (1947)
World divided into free and enslaved states
 US to support all movements for democracy
 “containment” of Communism “domino theory”
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and the
Warsaw Pact established
The Marshall Plan (1947)
Named for George C. Marshall (1880-1989), US
Secretary of State
Proposed in 1947, $13 billion to reconstruct western
Europe
The United Nations formed (1945) to resolve
international disputes

8. Division of Germany
 Germany was
divided into four
zones
 West Germany
free
 East Germany
communist
controlled

9. · In June of 1948, the
French, British and
American zones were
joined into the nation
of West Germany after
the Soviets refused to
end their occupation of
Germany.
Soviet blockade:
West
Germany
East
Germany
West Berlin
East Berlin

10. · In response, the
Soviets cut off West
Berlin from the rest of
the world with a
blockade.
Eventual site of the Berlin Wall

11. · President Truman
decided to avoid the
blockade by flying in
food and other supplies
to the needy people of
West Berlin.
The Berlin Airlift:
· At times, over 5,000
tons of supplies arrived
daily.

12. The Berlin Airlift, 1948
Stalin blockaded the city and the U.S. came to the rescue with “Operation Vittles”

14. · The Soviet zone of Germany, including
East Berlin, became known as the nation
of East Germany.
Germany remains divided:
· In May of 1949, Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union ended
the blockade.

15. The Berlin Wall 1961
•Between 1949-1961 3.5 million East Germans fled
•1961: Barrier built, barbed wire, watchtowers, guards, “shoot to kill”

16. The Cold War: Roots of the Conflict
Soviet
Expansion:
· The Soviet
Union
occupied
most of
Eastern
Europe by
the end of
World War
II.

17. • In 1946,
Winston
Churchill
correctly
warned that
the Soviets
were creating
an “iron
curtain” in
Eastern
Europe.
Winston Churchill giving the “Iron
Curtain” address at Westminster College
on March 5, 1946

18. · By 1948, every Eastern European country was under
communist control.
American Response:
· Truman Doctrine – statement of President Truman that
promised military and economic support to nations
threatened by communism

19. · Secretary of State George Marshall toured Western
Europe and witnessed widespread homelessness and
famine.
•Marshall, fearing that communist revolts could occur in
such an atmosphere, proposed that the U.S. help to rebuild
the European economy in what became known as the
Marshall Plan.
Aid for Europe:

20. Cold War Alliances
 NATO-North AtlanticTreaty Organization
 Free nations pledged support to each other if attacked by
communism
 SEATO-Southeast AsiaTreaty Organization
 Stop the spread of communism in SoutheastAsia, following
KoreanWar
 Warsaw Pact
 Included Soviet Union and it’s seven satellite nations

21. Cold War Heats Up
 1940’s-50’s Hungarian and Czechoslovakian
anti-communist revolts forcefully repressed
by USSR
 Beginning of Atomic Age
 1949 Soviet Detonation of Nuclear Bomb
 U.S. begins work on hydrogen bomb
 Next 50 years arms race between two

22. The Space Race
 Competition for space
 1957 Soviet’s launch
Sputnik
 U.S. starts NASA
 Use of Spy satellite
equipment
 1958- U.S. sent Explorer
 1969- Man lands on
Moon

24. The Korean War

25. The Chinese Communist
Revolution

26. The Cuban Missile Crisis 1962

27. The Vietnam War

28. Cuba
 Fidel Castro (1926-2016), 1959 revolution
 Cancels promised elections and kills or
exiles political enemies
 US imposes trade embargo- US will not
trade with a communist nation
 Soviets step in with massive aid, gain
foothold off US shores (very close to the
coast of Florida)
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29. The Bay of Pigs
 Castro declares undying allegiance to Soviet
foreign policy, 1960
 Kennedy and CIA send 1,500 Cubans into
Bay of Pigs to spur revolution
 American Air support does not appear, force
destroyed in 3 days
 US embarrassment
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30. Cuban Missile Crisis
 October 1962 Soviets begin assembling missiles in
Cuba
 Kennedy publicly challenges USSR
 Quarantines CUBA
 Soviets concede, but US guarantees non-
interference with Castro regime
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31. The Cold War: 1945-1960

32. The Cold War: 1960-1991

33. The Cold War in Africa and Asia
Examples:
- In Africa, the U.S. supported Somalia while the Soviets
supported Ethiopia.
· The United States and Soviet Union supported their
allies worldwide, turning small conflicts into international
wars.
- In Asia, Pakistan became an ally of the U.S., while
India accepted assistance from both the U.S. and the
Soviets. Also, the U.S. supported democratic forces in
Indochina while the Soviets supported the communists.
- Today, Indochina consists of the nations of Laos,
Cambodia and Vietnam.)

34. End of the Cold War
 President Ronald Reagan (in office 1981-
1989) deeply opposes USSR
 The “evil empire”
 Promotes massive military spending,
beyond Soviet economy to keep up
 Strategic Defense Initiative (“star wars”)
 Forces Soviet Mikhail S. Gorbachev
(1931- ) to implement reforms, ultimately
brings down the USSR
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35. Revolutions in Eastern and Central
Europe
 Polish trade union Solidarity movement
opposes Polish Communist Party rule,
forces multiparty elections, 1989
 Bulgaria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia,
Romania follow
 East Germany decides to open the Berlin
Wall
 East and West Germany reunite (1990)
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36. Collapse of the Soviet Union
 Reforms under Gorbachev
 Economic
 Social
 Perestroika: “restructuring”
 Glasnost: “openness”
 Several non-Russian republics secede, August
1991
 Attempted hardliner takeover in Moscow fails,
Soviet Union collapses by end of the year
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