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The Cold War: Summary and Key Events

Explore the historical events of the Cold War, from the ideological clash between the US and Soviet Union to the Berlin Airlift, Korean War, and anti-communism movements.

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The Cold War: Summary and Key Events

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  1. The Cold War

  2. The Cold War • After WWII, there was a new kind of war • Countries fought this war with words and ideas, not weapons • Even though the Soviet Union and the US worked together in WWII, their beliefs later drove them apart- this was known as the Cold War

  3. Soviet Union vs. the US • The US believed in capitalism which is when ordinary people and businesses control the production of goods and services • The US economy is called a market economy where individuals and businesses make decisions

  4. Communism • In the Soviet Union, people lived under communism • In communism, the government controls production and owns all the country’s resources • The government tells people where to live and work • The government also commands what will be produced

  5. SU vs. US cont. • The US has a democracy where people vote for their leaders • In the Soviet Union, people had no control of who their leaders were • Under communism, citizens had few rights and little freedom • The government arrested people who spoke against communism

  6. The Iron Curtain • After WWII, the Allies shared control of Germany (US-western/ SU-eastern) • Berlin, Germany’s capital was also divided (SU- East Berlin/ US- West Berlin) • SU set-up communist governments • US set-up democracies • It was said that Europe was divided by an “iron curtain”- the curtain was a symbol of the differences between communism and non-communism

  7. The Iron Curtain

  8. NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization • Truman decided to help other countries protect themselves against communism • Leaders of the United States, Canada, Britain, and most other non-communist countries of Europe formed an alliance called NATO • They hoped the treaty would keep the SU from forcing communism on other countries

  9. The Conflict Continues… • The SU tried to take over the entire city of Berlin • They blocked off all roads that led to West Berlin and hoped it would make the Allies leave the city • The Allies refused to leave! • To get supplies into the city, they used planes • This was called the Berlin Airlift

  10. The Berlin Airlift

  11. The Berlin Wall • Many people tried to escape from East Berlin to go to the western part of the city • Communist leaders tried to stop them! • The Soviets closed the entrances to East Berlin and began to build the Berlin Wall • This wall divided the communist part of Berlin from the rest of the city

  12. The Berlin Wall

  13. Communism Spreads • As you know, Americans were very worried about the spread of communism • The Soviets gave money and supplies to a communist army in China and they succeeded in taking over the country • Now the SU and China were BOTH communist

  14. Nuclear War • The Soviet Union had built their own bomb and the US was scared • The US worked to develop bigger and better nuclear weapons • We were in an arms race! • People feared a nuclear war that could destroy all life on earth • People in the US prepared for attack by building bomb shelters

  15. Bomb Shelters and Drills

  16. The Anti-communism Movement • A movement to stop the spread of communism • Senator Joseph McCarthy was a strong anti-communist • He made many accusations that secret communists worked in the gov’t and were spying for the SU • Although most of the claims were false, some were actually true!

  17. Anti-communism • Members of Congress began to search for communists • Hundreds lost their jobs • A few were found guilty, but most were wrongly accused

  18. Nikita Khrushchev • A Russian politician who served as the general secretary to the Communist Party • Served as the leader of SU after Stalin • Tried to make living better for the people in SU • Was leader during the building of the Berlin Wall and the Cuban Missile Crisis which you will learn about next unit

  19. The UN • The United Nations formed after WWII led by the US • More than 50 nations joined to try and keep peace in the world • One of the UN’s first challenges was with Korea • Korea was divided into two parts- South Korea was a republic supported by the US; North Korea was communist supported by the SU

  20. The Korean War • In June 1950, North Korean troops invaded South Korea • The US thought that the SU was helping them • The US convinced the UN to help defend South Korea • UN troops succeeded in pushing them out • Then communist China sent troops to help

  21. And the war drags on… • Thousands of American soldiers died • In 1953, both sides agreed to stop fighting • Korea remains divided today

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