The Cold War was an ideological struggle between capitalist Western nations led by the US and communist Eastern bloc nations led by the Soviet Union from 1947 to 1990. They engaged in espionage, an arms race including nuclear weapons, and competing for influence in the Third World. This rivalry included events like the Berlin Blockade, formation of NATO and Warsaw Pact alliances, Soviet launch of Sputnik satellite, Cuban Missile Crisis, and US involvement in Vietnam War until the fall of the Berlin Wall helped end the Cold War.

1. The
Cold War:
1947-1990“We helped keep the Cold War cold… A
war without casualties cannot be as famous
as a horrible war, but it is preferable.” –
-Edward Teller (father of
the hydrogen bomb)

2. A Brief Overview of the Cold War

3. The Ideological StruggleThe Ideological Struggle
Soviet &
Eastern Bloc
Nations
U.S. & the
Western
Democracies
GOAL  spread world-
wide Communism
GOAL  “Containment”
of Communism

4. The Ideological StruggleThe Ideological Struggle
METHODOLOGIES:
Espionage [KGB vs. CIA]
Arms Race [nuclear escalation]
Ideological Competition for the
minds and hearts of Third World
peoples
[NATO vs. Warsaw Pact]

5. The “Iron Curtain”The “Iron Curtain”
From Stettin in the Balkans, to Trieste in theFrom Stettin in the Balkans, to Trieste in the
Adriatic, anAdriatic, an iron curtainiron curtain has descended across thehas descended across the
Continent. Behind that line lies the ancientContinent. Behind that line lies the ancient
capitals of Central and Eastern Europe.capitals of Central and Eastern Europe.
-- Sir Winston Churchill, 1946-- Sir Winston Churchill, 1946

6. Truman Doctrine [1947]Truman Doctrine [1947]
The U. S. should support free peoplesThe U. S. should support free peoples
throughout the world who were resistingthroughout the world who were resisting
takeovers by armed minorities or outsidetakeovers by armed minorities or outside
pressures…We must assist free peoplespressures…We must assist free peoples
to work out their own destinies in theirto work out their own destinies in their
own way.own way.

7. Marshall Plan [1948]Marshall Plan [1948]
1.1.Secretary of State,Secretary of State,
George MarshallGeorge Marshall
2.2.The U. S. should provideThe U. S. should provide
aid toaid to allall European nationsEuropean nations
that need it. This movethat need it. This move
is not against any country or doctrine, butis not against any country or doctrine, but
against hunger, poverty, desperation, andagainst hunger, poverty, desperation, and
chaos.chaos.
3.3.$12.5 billion of US aid to Western Europe$12.5 billion of US aid to Western Europe
extended to Eastern Europe & USSR, [butextended to Eastern Europe & USSR, [but
this was rejected].this was rejected].

9. Post-War GermanyPost-War Germany

10. Berlin Blockade & AirliftBerlin Blockade & Airlift
(1948-49)(1948-49)

11. The Arms Race:The Arms Race:
A “Missile Gap?”A “Missile Gap?”
} The Soviet UnionThe Soviet Union
exploded its firstexploded its first
A-bomb in 1949.A-bomb in 1949.
} Now there wereNow there were
two nucleartwo nuclear
superpowers!superpowers!

12. U.S. National Defense Budget

13. NNorthorth AAtlantictlantic TTreatyreaty
OOrganization (1949)rganization (1949)
 United StatesUnited States
 BelgiumBelgium
 BritainBritain
 CanadaCanada
 DenmarkDenmark
 FranceFrance
 IcelandIceland
 ItalyItaly
 LuxemburgLuxemburg
 NetherlandsNetherlands
 NorwayNorway
 PortugalPortugal
 1952: Greece &1952: Greece &
TurkeyTurkey
 1955: West Germany1955: West Germany
 1983: Spain1983: Spain

14. Warsaw Pact (1955)Warsaw Pact (1955)
} U. S. S. R.U. S. S. R.
} AlbaniaAlbania
} BulgariaBulgaria
} CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia
} East GermanyEast Germany
} HungaryHungary
} PolandPoland
} RumaniaRumania

15. Premier Nikita KhrushchevPremier Nikita Khrushchev
De-StalinizationDe-Stalinization
ProgramProgram

16. Mao’s Revolution: 1949Mao’s Revolution: 1949
A 2A 2ndnd
}} Power!Power!

17. The Korean War: A “PoliceThe Korean War: A “Police
Action” (1950-1953)Action” (1950-1953)
Syngman RheeSyngman Rhee
Kim Il-SungKim Il-Sung
““Domino Theory”Domino Theory”

18. Radio Free Europe/RadioRadio Free Europe/Radio
LibertyLiberty

19. Sputnik I (1957)Sputnik I (1957)
The Russians have beaten America inThe Russians have beaten America in
space—they have the technological edge!space—they have the technological edge!

20. U-2 Spy Incident (1960)U-2 Spy Incident (1960)
Col. Francis GaryCol. Francis Gary
Powers’ plane wasPowers’ plane was
shot down over Sovietshot down over Soviet
airspace.airspace.

21. Paris, 1961Paris, 1961
Khrushchev & JFK meet to discuss Berlin andKhrushchev & JFK meet to discuss Berlin and
nuclear proliferation. Khrushchev thinks thatnuclear proliferation. Khrushchev thinks that
JFK is young, inexperienced, and can be rolled.JFK is young, inexperienced, and can be rolled.

22. The Berlin Wall Goes Up (1961)The Berlin Wall Goes Up (1961)
CheckpointCheckpoint
CharlieCharlie

23. Ich bin einIch bin ein
Berliner!Berliner!
(1963)(1963)
President KennedyPresident Kennedy
tells Berlinerstells Berliners
that the West isthat the West is
with them!with them!

24. Khruschev Embraces Castro,Khruschev Embraces Castro,
19611961

25. Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

26. Vietnam War: 1965-1973Vietnam War: 1965-1973

27. Fall of Berlin Wall 1989
Tore apart a key symbol of the Cold War