The Cold War and Beyond

1. The Cold War and Beyond Homburg American Studies

2. Cold War • Term used for the breakdown of post WWII alliance with the Soviet Union into a rivalry

3. American policy (1947) was “containment” • Resist Soviet expansion • Led to overseas alliances • Enormous military expenditures • Truman Doctrine- Supported free people who were resisting subjugation from the Soviets or their allies • The Marshall plan- provided economic aid to European states willing to work together

4. Marshall Plan continued • Restored prosperity to Western Europe • The democratic movements in Italy, France, and W. Germany kept communism at bay • Allowed U.S. to exert permanent influence on Europe

5. Soviet Union • Soviets sought to use E. European satellites as a buffer against future invasions • 1947 Stalin organizes “Cominform”- meant to spread communism throughout world • Stalin moves to dominate the governments in Eastern Europe

7. Plans for Germany • America took lead in rehabilitating Germany • America wanted to unite all 4 zones (Amer., G.B., Fr., & S.U.), Soviets did not. • Berlin- Although Berlin was within Soviet territory, it was governed by all 4 powers • Western powers introduce new currency, infuriates soviets

9. Berlin Blockade • Soviets sealed off city • Western response- Berlin Airlift, June 1948-September 1949. Airlifted supplies to the city. • May 1949- Russians reopened access to city • 1949 NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) founded

10. NATO • Mutual assistance if attacked • Military alliance against communism • Based on shield and sword strategy (troops on ground-shield, Nuclear weapons- sword)

11. NATO members today

12. Warsaw Pact • May 1955- Soviet response to NATO • Europe was divided into two blocs

14. Korean War • After WWII Korea was divided along the 38th parallel ( North support by S.U., South- U.S.) • 1950-1953 • N. Korea invades S. Korea- U.N. voted to go to war • Aim- to drive N. Korea out of the south and halt the spread of communism

15. …continued • McCarthur invades N. Korea (against Truman’s orders) • China sent troops to support N. Korea • America retreats • Armistice July 27, 1953 • U.S. thought communist Korea was because of S.U. string pulling, it wasn’t.

16. The Khrushchev Era • Stalin dies March 6, 1953 • Khrushchev was a retreat from Stalinism • Secret speech of 1956- attacked policies of Stalin • Poland- Gomulka wanted to re-enter leadership after Stalin died • Khrushchev orders troop movements- they ended up finding Gomulka acceptable

17. Uprising in Hungary • Nagy forms Hungarian Communist party • Wanted Hungary to be a neutral state, withdraw from Warsaw Pact, & removal of Soviet troops. • Soviets invade Hungary- Install new premier

18. Berlin Wall • America and S.U. supposed to meet at Paris summit. • 1960- U2 American plane shot down over Soviet territory- Soviets cancel meeting • 1961 JFK elected • Thousands from E. Germany flee to W. Germany- embarrassed E. Germany & hurt economy • Soviets & E. Germans built wall

21. Cuba • Cuban revolution 1957-1959- Fidel Castro comes into power (Castro=Communist) • Bay of Pigs- Kennedy inherits plan to invade Cuba using Cuban exiles trained by the CIA- U.S. defeated in 4 days • Castro demands Nuclear weapons from Khrushchev • Kennedy blockades Cuba, Soviets back down, humiliates the S.U.

22. Nuclear Test Ban Treaty- 1963- reduction in tensions between the superpowers

23. Decolonization • Result of indigenous nationalist movements within Africa, Asia, & middle East • Europeans could not afford to maintain positions abroad

24. Vietnam • France occupies Laos, Cambodia, & Vietnam • Ho Chi Minh (Communist) organizes movement against France • 1947 French and Vietnamese go to war • 1954 peace accord secured- Divided Vietnam (North and South) • North Vietnam-communist stronghold • U.S. puts puppet gov’t in south

25. Kennedy assassinated in 1963, LBJ expands U.S. involvement in Vietnam • Troop numbers peak at 541,000 • April 1975 Saigon falls to the N. Vietnamese

26. Under Nixon & Brezhnev-policy of Détente (we shall agree to disagree, no war) • Helsinki accords- U.S., Europe, & S.U.-recognized human rights of signers’ citizens

27. Soviets Invade Afghanistan • S.U. Invaded Afghanistan in 1979 • Carter boycotted 1980 Olympic game sin Moscow • U.S. sent aid to Afghan rebels (Mujahedeen) • S.U.’s Vietnam

28. Reagan • Increased rhetoric against the Soviets, called them an “Evil Empire” • Proposed “Star Wars”- space based defense against nuclear attacks

29. Fall of Communism • Soviet Union implodes from within • Gorbachev comes to power in 1985 • Believed corruption & terror prevented the original Bolshevik vision from being realized • Economic policy Perestroika- Restructured the economy and bureaucracy • Advocated some free markets • Economy remained stagnant

30. Glasnost (openness)- allowed public discussion and criticism of Soviet history and policy • Gorbachev was inept in addressing concerns • Solidarity movement in Poland- Non-communist political party, worked for free trade unions and democracy • Solidarity party member was appointed prime minister • One after another Soviet-dominated states moved towards independence

32. Gorbachev would not rescue old-line communist governments- allowed self-determination • 1991 a coup was attempted- Gorbachev returned- was humiliated and led to gradual loss of power • Boris Yeltsin becomes dominant political figure- pro-democracy. • December 25, 1991 the Soviet Union ceased to exist