Transcript The Cold War

The Cold War
What is the Cold War?
A struggle between the US and it’s allies.
It was also a struggle between the Soviet
Union and it’s allies.
No war was openly declared. Spies and
propaganda were used to strengthen the
positions of each side.
Each side built up arms in case actual war
occurred.
What started the Cold War?
At the end of WWII, German forces were driven
out of Western Europe. The Soviet Union
occupied several countries in the eastern part.
This occupation was meant to be temporary on
order for the countries to get back on their feet and
re-establish their own governments.
In 1948 the Soviet Union had established proSoviet governments in the countries of Poland,
Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Czechoslovakia.
The Potsdam Conference
The Allies saw this action as evidence of a plan to
dominate the world.
Like the “Treaty of Versailles” after World War I,
the Potsdam Conferences aim was to draw up a
treaty to ensure lasting peace in Europe.
Because of the suspicion between the western
powers and Soviet powers the conference failed.
Why did the Soviet Union do
this?
The Soviet Union claimed that it needed to
protect itself from further German
aggression.
Britain and France did not agree. Tension
began to grow between the Allies.
Conflict occurred!
A Conflict Develops
The Soviet Union blockaded Berlin, preventing
supplies from the west.
Since Berlin was divided among the western
countries, The USSR hoped that France, Britain,
and the US would give up their rights to the city.
This attempt failed when the western zones used
aircraft to supply the city, this did however
increase tensions between the allies.
The Iron Curtain
Germany and Austria were divided into zones of occupation among the
British, Americans, French, and Soviets.
The city of Berlin(100 km inside the Soviet zone). Was also divided
into four zones
These zones were meant to be temporary until a final treaty could be
worked out. When the treaty failed the zones became permanent.
The Soviet zone became East Germany, The British, American and
French zones became West Germany.
The USSR retained control of eastern Europe, and restricted travel in
or out; establishing an “Iron Curtain”.
The division for the “Cold War” had been set.
Methods of Fighting The Cold
War
Propaganda
Propaganda was used
through such media
forms as radio,
television, books, and
newspapers.
Each side used
propaganda in order to
gain public support for
a certain opinion or
course of action.
Militarism
The development of
sophisticated technology, for
example; warning systems that
would attempt to reduce the
chance of a surprise attack.
Espionage
The information war
utilized spies and such
secret devices as
microphones and
telephone bugs in order to
learn about developments
in military, space, and
industrial technologies.
Competition
The arms race was a competition
between super powers to develop the
most efficient and destructive weapons
possible in order to gain military
superiority over each other. The arms
race helped to develop a balance of
power between them.