Transcript The Cold War - Reading Community Schools

THE COLD WAR
Q.O.D. #24 3/12/10

What are some factors that contributed to
rising tensions between the East and the West
at the start of the Cold War?
Q.O.D. #24 3/12/10

What are some factors that contributed to rising
tensions between the East and the West at the
start of the Cold War?
Division of Germany and Berlin: regions treated
differently by occupying powers
 Truman Doctrine: policy of containment, attempted to
limit communism to areas already under Soviet control
 Marshall Plan: aid package offered by the United States
to strengthen democratic governments, gave food and
economic aid to European countries
 Berlin Blockade and Airlift: growing suspicion
 Alliances: NATO and Warsaw Pact

THE COLD WAR

Following World War II, two superpowers
remained:
 United
States: West
 Soviet Union: East

Each side formed alliances:
 NATO:
West (formed 1949)
 Warsaw Pact: East (formed 1955)

Continuing tension
BERLIN
Former capital of
Germany located
within the Soviet
zone
 Divided among four
powers
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West Berlin: democracy,
occupied by West (U.S.,
Britain, France – jointly)
East Berlin: socialist,
occupied by Soviets
BERLIN WALL
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At first, Berlin's citizens could move freely between the zones to
work or visit family and friends.
1949 - West and East Germany formed separate governments.
1950s - the West-East gap continued to widen.

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West Berlin and West Germany - rebuilding boomed, economy was
prospering.
East - food and housing were scarce.
People began "voting with their feet“: fleeing to the West.
"I no longer had any reason to stay on in what I had considered
my homeland," said Walter Kocher, after his East Berlin
business had been seized by the government.
More than 3 million people left East Germany for the West.
By 1961, East Germany knew it had to stop the exodus.
BERLIN WALL

1961 – East
Germany built
a wall around
West Berlin
 Massive
concrete
barrier
topped with
barbed wire,
patrolled by
guards

1 - East Berlin
2 - Border area
3 - Backland Wall
4 - Signal fence
5 - Different kind of barriers
6 - Watch towers
7 - Lighting system
8 - Column track
9 - Control track
10 - Anti-vehicle trenches
11 - Last Wall, known as the "Wall"
12 - Border
13 - West Berlin
BERLIN WALL
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The West Germans called it
Schandmaur, the "Wall of Shame."
It was rebuilt at least three times –
each time bigger and stronger.
Towers, guards, and dogs guarded
the territory.
A pipe that was too large in diameter
for a climber's grip ran along the top
of the wall.
"Forbidden zones" were created
behind the wall. No one was allowed
to enter the zones. Anyone trying to
escape was shot on sight.
ESCAPE

10,000 attempted to escape. 5,000 succeeded
A
family floated over the wall in a hot air balloon
 A group dug a145-yard tunnel from the cellar of a
former West Berlin bakery to an outhouse on the
eastern side. They freed 57 East Berliners. The
escape ended when East German soldiers sprayed
the tunnel with machine-gun fire.
 A W. German woman made a U.S. Army uniform, got
badges from U.S. soldiers. Drove into East Berlin
and left with two friends.

246 died at the wall
TWO SIDES


West Berlin side covered with graffiti
and drawings showing
how residents feel
about their divided
city.
East Berlin side unmarked. East
Berliners were not
allowed near the wall,
for fear that they
might escape.
TWO SIDES
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In response to Churchill’s Iron Curtain speech Stalin said:
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"The Soviet Union's loss of life [during World War II] has been several
times greater than that of Britain and the United States of America put
together. . . And so what can be so surprising about the fact that the
Soviet Union, anxious for its future safety, is trying to see to it that
governments loyal in their attitude to the Soviet Union should exist in
these countries?”
Churchill: Moscow "controlled" residents behind the Iron
Curtain.
Stalin: spoke about people being "loyal" to the Soviet Union.
Two different viewpoints:

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West: people were being held captive by the Soviet Union.
Soviet Union: its citizens were safer because of more secure borders.
NUCLEAR ARMS RACE
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At first, the U.S. was the only
nuclear power
By 1949 the USSR had
nuclear weapons as well
1953 – Both had hydrogen
bombs
Each side wanted to deter the
other from using their
weapons
Both wanted to match and
exceed the others’ nuclear
arsenal
NUCLEAR ARMS RACE

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MAD – mutually
assured destruction
 Deterred both sides
from launching
nuclear weapons
Most of the world lived
under constant fear of
nuclear war
LIMITING THE NUCLEAR THREAT
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Both sides met periodically to discuss disarmament, but
mutual distrust made it difficult
1969 – SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks)
Treaties signed in 1963, ‘72, ‘79, ’91
Limited ABMs – anti-ballistic missiles
 Could shoot down other missiles, might encourage an attack
“Star Wars” – defense against nuclear attack
 1980s under Reagan
 Some saw it as a violation of ABM treaty
DETENTE

By the late 60s several other countries had
nuclear weapons
 Britain,
France, China
 1968 – NPT: Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
 Agreement
to not develop weapons and to stop the
proliferation (spread) of nuclear weapons
The arms control agreements led to détente in
the 1970s
 Americans tried to restrain communism
through diplomacy instead of military means

IDEOLOGICAL STRUGGLE
Soviet & Eastern
Bloc Nations
[“Iron Curtain”]
GOAL  spread world-wide
Communism
METHODOLOGIES:
US & the
Western
Democracies
GOAL  “Containment” of
Communism & the eventual
collapse of the Communist
world.
 Espionage [KGB vs. CIA]
 Arms Race [nuclear escalation]
 Ideological Competition for the minds and hearts of Third
World peoples [Communist govt. & command economy vs.
democratic govt. & capitalist economy]  “proxy wars”
 Bi-Polarization of Europe [NATO vs. Warsaw Pact]