Transcript cold war begins

DO NOW!!!



What makes a country a superpower?
Explain the different political and economic
philosophies of the US and USSR
Why would it be a particularly terrible war if
the US and Soviet Union fought?
The Cold War Early
Years

2 superpowers emerge after WWII—what 2
countries are they?



Can project power on a worldwide scale
Influence world events and other states
Alliance between Soviets and Americans quickly
collapses after WWII


Fight over Europe and nuclear proliferation for the next 40
years or so
Cold War-Competition for global power and influence

What specifically is this going to involve?
Origins


Waged more on political and economic fronts than on the battle
field
Opposing ideology



After WWII Stalin continues to take territory around the USSR
(Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)



United States—Classical Liberalism, Capitalism, democracy
Soviet Union—Communism-also includes totalitarian one-party rule,
suppression of religion (atheism), and use of force to destroy competition
Wanted a buffer zone of friendly nations—was this a wise strategy?
Satellite Nations—“Iron Curtain had descended across the Continent”
(Churchill)
Containment—restricting the spread of communism
Iron Curtain
Questions:


What are some reasons that the United
States and Soviet Union had a tense
relationship?
Describe a time when those tensions nearly
reached a boiling point.
Nuclear Proliferation



US physicists working on stronger nuclear
weapons
Soviets test their first bomb in 1949
Atomic Energy Agency created to promote
peaceful use of nuclear technology (1946)
Containment


Truman Doctrine—“It must be the policy of the
United States to support free peoples who are
resisting attempted subjugation by armed
minorities or by outside pressures”
In other words—the US should fight
communism/dictatorship/anti-US ideals in other
countries

1947 congress approves $ 400 million in aid to Greece
and Turkey

US helps pro western factions
Marshall Plan

George C. Marshall (Sec. of State/Defense1950) believes US should aid war torn
Europe to prevent communist takeover and
promote democracy


Was this a wise strategy? Why
Gets congress to give $ 17 Billion for
Europe in spite of heated debate—wins
noble peace prize for this
Berlin Air Lift


Non-Soviet areas of Europe recover
economically due to US assistance
Soviets block all roads, railways, and
waterways to Berlin in 1948


US and British planes carry supplies to West
Berlin for 10 months
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=44253
20n
NATO vs Warsaw Pact