The Cold War 1945- 1991.pps

The Cold War

1945- 1991

The Cold War: An Overview

•

At end of World War II, European

power system was destroyed.

•

The only two countries left with any

true global power (USSR and the US)

•

Referred to as

Superpowers

.

•

Intense rivalry grew, became known

as the

Cold War

.

•

Tension would exist between the

two from 1945 to 1991.

•

Cold War divided the world into two

camps. Soviet communism vs.

American capitalism and democracy.

•

Brought a nuclear arms race.

•

Massive decolonization after WWII,

new countries felt need to choose

sides.

•

Superpowers never faced off against

each other but many smaller

conflicts (Korea, Vietnam,

Afghanistan) occurred because of

them.

•

Cold War may be responsible for the

Wartime Tensions: Tehran Conference

(late 1943)

•

First Allied conference in which

Stalin was present.

•

Soviets expressed frustration that

the Western Allies had not yet

opened a second front against

Germany in Western Europe.

Wartime Tensions: Yalta Conference

(Feb. 1945)

• the Allies attempt framework for postwar settlement in Europe.

• could not reach firm agreements on the crucial questions: the occupation of Germany, postwar reparations from Germany, and loans.

• no final consensus was reached on

Germany, other than to agree to a Soviet request for reparations totaling $10 billion "as a basis for negotiations.“

• Debates over Poland's postwar government were also acrimonious.

• Allied victory in May 1945, Soviets effectively occupied Eastern Europe, US had much of Western Europe.

• In occupied Germany, the US and the Soviet Union established zones of

Wartime Tensions:

Potsdam Conference (July/Aug 1945)

• May 7 and May 8, 1945, V-E day.

• Serious differences emerged over future development of Germany and Eastern Europe.

• U.S. was represented by new president, Harry S. Truman, who on April 12 succeeded to the office upon Roosevelt's death.

• Truman was unaware of Roosevelt's plans for post-war engagement with the Soviet Union, and generally uninformed about foreign policy and military matters. The new president, therefore, was initially reliant on a set of advisers.

• Took harder line towards Moscow than Roosevelt had done.

The Atomic Age (1945)

• Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

• V-J Day August 14/15, 1945.

• U.S. developed disarmament plan to

turnover all fissionable materials, plants and bombs to international regulatory agency.

• Soviets responded quickly with their own plan – nothing less than a total ban on production of all fissionable material.

• Added that all existing bombs would be destroyed.

• Wishing to preserve monopoly on nuclear weapons, U.S. continued to stress regulation and inspection by an independent agency.

• Soviets, hopes of neutralizing U.S.

The Iron Curtain

(March 5, 1946)

•

Europe wrecked by WWII.

Many were on the verge of

collapse.

•

From 1945 to 1948, the

Soviets install governments in

eastern Europe that support

them. East Germany, Poland,

Czechoslovakia, Hungary,

Romania, and Bulgaria fell

under the protective umbrella

of the Soviet Union.

•

Churchill warns, ”an iron

The Long Telegram (

1946)

•

Kennan explained communist mentality in the following way:

The Soviet's hostility to the west is rooted in the need to legitimize their bloody dictatorship -- they must therefore believe in the inevitable triumph of communism over the beast capitalism.

• _{The Soviets, Kennan continued, would}

exploit every opportunity to extend their system and therefore could not and would not be converted to a policy of harmony and cooperation.

The Sources of Soviet Conduct

(1947)

•

Journal

Foreign Affairs,

article

written by an author named X

observed the Soviet empire would

expand as far as it could as long as

it did not have to fight.

•

He stated that expansion could be

halted by “long-term, patient, but

firm and vigilant

containment

.”

U.S. Fear: Domino Effect

•

Domino theory

was a foreign policy theory during the 1950s to 1980s.

•

Promoted at times by the government of the U.S.

•

speculated that if one land in a region came under the influence of

communism, then the surrounding countries would follow.

•

Was used during the Cold War to explain need for American intervention

Truman Doctrine (1947)

• _{January 1947, British informed the U.S. that}

they could no longer supply economic aid to Greece or Turkey.

• Believed that Soviet Union was responsible for Britain's pullout.

• U.S. decided they had to assume the role of supplying aid.

• March 12, 1947 announced aid to Greece and Turkey in general war against

communism.

• $400 million was approved by the House and Senate by a margin of three to one.

• Marked the formal declaration of the cold war between the United States and the Soviet Union

• Solidified the United States' position regarding containment.

• _{Soviets accepted the Truman Doctrine's "two}

rival worlds" idea.

• _{Went along with the Marxist-Leninist notion}

of a world divided into two hostile camps -- one capitalist, the other communist.

• _{For Stalin, a final class struggle, determined}

1947: The Turning Point

•

A crucial year in early cold war history.

•

The forces of the free world were rallying to resist Soviet

aggression.

•

Build up of military defenses and European economic recovery --

massive assistance from the United States.

National Security Act (1947)

•

Policy of unification military forces and

its strategy were required by the Cold

War.

•

Congress solved both issues by

creating the

National Security Act

.

•

Created familiar

Department of

Defense

to serve as an organizing

principle over the army, navy and air

force.

•

Act created the

National Security

Council

, special advisory board to the

executive office.

•

Lastly, the Act created the

Central

The Marshall Plan (1948-1951)

proposed scheme of extensive aid to all European nations .

• a free market economy directed by forces not in Europe but across the Atlantic.

• Marshall even included Soviets in his plan.

• _{Soviets gave their response by walking out of}

Paris conference.

• Neither Russia nor its satellite states would take up the offer. “Dollar enslavement”

• Marshall Plan pumped U.S. dollars into Europe, West German economic recovery- began to trigger a general European

recovery.

• _{Soviets viewed this development as little}

The Berlin Blockade (1948)

•

June 24, 1948- May 12, 1949.

•

Stalin cutoff Berlin during the

Berlin Blockade

.

•

Hope was to force the Allies

out of Berlin so that he could

have the city to himself.

•

West airlifted supplies to the

city.

•

Stalin backed down.

Operation Vittles

•

All necessities for West Berlin’s 2.5 million

residents - estimated 4,500 tons of food, coal

and other materials each day - had to enter

the city by air.

•

On biggest day, the "Easter parade“, April 16,

airlift sent 1,398 flights into Berlin - one every

minute.

•

Before was over, more than 278,000 flights

The Arms Race is Born (1949)

•

American military planners

received a shock: the Soviets

had just succeeded in

exploding an atomic bomb of

their own.

•

Considered obsolete but intent

was what threatened the U.S.

•

First United States explosion of

an H-bomb (hydrogen bomb),

took place in 1952. “Mike”

•

Soviets announced detonation

similar thermonuclear device

in 1953. “Joe-4”

Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)

•

Doctrine of military strategy and national

security policy.

•

Full-scale use of nuclear weapons by two

opposing sides would effectively result in

the destruction of both attacker and

defender.

•

Based on the theory of deterrence.

•

Strategy is effectively a form of Nash

equilibrium - both sides are attempting to

avoid worst possible outcome (nuclear

annihilation).

NATO (1949)

• Issue of Soviet containment played out with the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

(NATO).

• Grew from European fears of Soviet aggression. Stalin next Hitler?

• Western Europe needed some guarantee from U.S. that they would be protected from aggression while they economically recovered.

• NATO created with sole aim of protecting Europe from Soviet aggression, "to safeguard the freedom, common heritage and civilization of their peoples founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty, and the rule of law.“

• Two main features of the treaty:

• First, the United States made a firm commitment to protect and defend Europe. "an armed attack against one shall be considered an attack against all."

• Second, the U.S. would honor its commitment to defend Europe. Truman selected Dwight D.

Eisenhower in 1950 as Supreme Commander of NATO forces.

Eastern Bloc (1944-1991) and

Warsaw Pact (1955-1991)

• After the war, Stalin sought to secure the Soviet Union's western border by installing communist-dominated regimes under Soviet influence in bordering countries.

• During /In years immediately after the war, Soviet Union annexed several countries as Soviet Socialist Republics within the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

• _{Warsaw Treaty (1955–91) is the informal}

name for the mutual defense Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual

Assistance commonly known as the Warsaw Pact.

• _{The Warsaw Treaty was the Soviet Bloc’s}

Communist China (1949)

• _{Mao Zedong declared People's Republic of}

China on October 1, 1949.

• The Soviet Union was the first country to recognize the People's Republic followed in quick order by other communist countries.

• Truman criticized for failure to prevent the spread of Communism.

• _{The United States, refused to recognize the}

Peoples Republic until 1979.

The Cold War Heats Up:

Korea (1950-1953)

•

Was a military conflict between the

Republic of Korea, supported by the

United Nations, and the Democratic

People's Republic of Korea, supported

by the People's Republic of China and

the Soviet Union.

•

Began on June 25, 1950 and an

armistice was signed on July 27, 1953.

•

The war was a result of the political

division of Korea by agreement of the

victorious Allies at the conclusion of

the Pacific War.

Sputnik (1957)

•

First Earth-orbiting artificial

satellite.

•

Launched by Soviets Union on

October 4.

•

Unanticipated announcement

of success led to Sputnik crisis

in the U.S.

•

Ignited the Space Race within

the Cold War.

•

1958, the U.S. creates the

Castro Takes Power (1959)

•

January 1, leftist forces

overthrow Fulgencio

Batista.

•

Castro nationalizes the

sugar industry and signs

trade agreements with the

Soviet Union.

•

1960, Castro seizes U.S.

U-2 Affair (1960)

•

May 1, an American high-altitude U-2

spy plane is shot down on mission

over the Soviet Union.

•

After the Soviets announce the

capture of pilot Francis Gary Powers.

•

Eisenhower forced to admit the truth

behind the mission and the U-2

program, although he refused to

publicly apologize to Soviet leader

Nakita Khrushchev.

•

Powers sentenced to ten years in

prison, including seven years of hard

labor, following an infamous

show-trial.

•

He served less than two years,

Bay of Pigs (April, 1961)

•

U.S. organized invasion force of 1,400 Cuban exiles is

defeated by Castro's government forces.

•

Launched from Guatemala in ships and planes provided by

the United States, the invaders surrender on April 20 after

three days of fighting.

The Berlin Crisis (1961)

•

June – Nov. 1961

•

Last major political-military

European incident of the Cold War

about the occupational status of

the German capital city, Berlin, and

of post–World War II Germany.

•

U.S.S.R. provoked the Berlin Crisis

with an ultimatum demanding the

withdrawal of Western armed

forces from West Berlin.

•

Ended with the city's

de facto

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

•

After Bay of Pigs invasion, the

Soviet Union installed nuclear

missiles in Cuba.

•

After U-2 flights Kennedy

ordered a naval blockade of

Cuba on October 22 until the

Soviet Union removed its

missiles.

•

On October 28, the Soviets

agreed to remove the missiles,

defusing one of the most

The Cold War Heats Up Again:

Vietnam (1959-1975)

• _{Cold War military conflict that occurred}

in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from September 26, 1959 to April 30, 1975.

• Fought between the communist North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of South Vietnam, supported by the United States and other anti-communist nations.

• U.S. forces and allies 1.7 million dead/wounded.

• _{Communist North Vietnamese forces 1.7}

million dead/wounded.

• _{March 29, 1973 U.S. forces withdraw.}

• _{Becomes Socialist Republic of Vietnam in}

The Cold War Heats Up: Afghanistan

(1979-1989)

•

December 1979, President Leonid

Brezhnev sent in troops to support

struggling communist government.

•

Thousands of Soviet troops intervened

to prop up the pro-communist regime,

leading to a major confrontation that

drew in the US and Afghanistan's

neighbors.

•

About a million Afghans lost their lives

as the Red Army tried to impose

control and millions more fled abroad

as refugees. Soviet deaths were

estimated to be around 15,000.

•

Soviets hailed the withdrawal (2/15/89)

as a victory - many felt the exit marked

a major humiliation.

Able Archer 83 (1983)

•

A

10 day NATO command post exercise

starting on November 2, 1983 that

spanned Western Europe.

•

Simulated a period of conflict

escalation, culminating in a

coordinated nuclear.

•

Incorporated a new, unique format of

coded communication, radio silences,

participation by heads of state.

•

Deteriorating relations with U.S. and

anticipated arrival of Pershing II

nuclear missiles in Europe, led Soviets

to believe exercise was a cover for

genuine first strike.

•

Soviets readied their nuclear forces

and placed air units in East Germany

and Poland on alert.

Glasnost (1985)

•

Introduced by

Mikhail

Gorbachev

in the second

half of 1980s.

•

Policy of publicity,

openness, and transparency

in activities in the Soviet

Union with

goal of ending

government corruption

.

•

Drawing back of the “Iron

Curtain”.

•

Result was less censorship

Perestroika (1987)

•

Russian term for the political and

economic reforms introduced in

June 1987 by Soviet leader Mikhail

Gorbachev.

•

Often argued to be one reason for

the fall of communist political

forces in Soviet Union and Eastern

Europe, and for ending Cold War.

•

Reforms sought by Gorbachev

would liberalize elections,

government structure and

The Soviet Collapse (1985-1991)

• After years of Soviet military buildup at expense of domestic development, economic growth was at a standstill.

• Failed reform, a stagnant economy, and war in Afghanistan led to discontent, especially in the Baltic republics and Eastern Europe.

• Greater political and social freedoms created atmosphere of open criticism of Moscow.

• Several Soviet republics began resisting central control, and increasing

democratization led to a weakening of the central government.

• _{Trade gap lead to eventual bankruptcy.}

• Gorbachev resigned on December 25, 1991 and the Soviet Union was formally dissolved the next day.