Transcript Europe and North America Section 2

Europe and North America
Section 2
Superpower Rivalries
Main Idea
As the Cold War continued, the world’s two superpowers—the
Soviet Union and the United States—competed for power and
influence around the world.
Essential Questions
• How did the arms race begin in the 1950s and early 1960s?
• How did the Cold War contribute to conflict around the world?
• How did the superpowers attempt to achieve arms control
during the Cold War?
Section 2
Europe and North America
The Arms Race Begins
During the 1950s and early 1960s nuclear war seemed to draw ever
closer as the Soviet Union and the United States raced to develop
powerful new weapons. This rivalry between the world’s two
superpowers became increasingly tense—and dangerous.
The Nuclear Arms Race
Hydrogen Bomb
• 1949, Soviets successfully tested
atomic bomb
• Atomic bombs used energy created
by splitting atoms
• Great military advantage of U.S.
over Soviet Union gone
• Nuclear fusion—larger explosion
• U.S. sought to develop even more
powerful weapons
• 1952, U.S. tested first fusionpowered hydrogen bomb,
vaporizing island on which tested
The U.S. technological advantage was short-lived. Less than one year
later the Soviets tested their own hydrogen bomb.
Europe and North America
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Change in Tactics
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Both sides forced to change military tactics
Could no longer rely on conventional forces, like troops, tanks
U.S., Soviets increased stockpiles of nuclear weapons
Nuclear weapons central to deterrence
Strategy of Deterrence
• Deterrence, development of or maintenance of military power to
prevent attack
• Two superpowers locked in arms race to gain advantage in weapons
• U.S. had more weapons, but nuclear attack by either side would lead
to terrible destruction
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Soviet Union Launches Sputnik
In October 1957 the arms race took another leap forward with the
Soviet Union’s successful launch of Sputnik.
Sputnik
Public Fears
• Sputnik, history’s first artificial
satellite—object orbiting earth
• Growing threat of nuclear war
• Soviet military technology now
feared to be in the lead
• Built bomb shelters to help
protect from nuclear explosion
• U.S. government established
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration, NASA
• Schools led air-raid drills to
prepare for possible Soviet
attack
• Agency would eventually
return United States to
forefront of space research
• Books, movies, comic books
had plots centered on dangers
of radiation, nuclear war
• Significant impact on people
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Red Scare
Cold War led to so-called Red Scare in U.S.
• Many Americans feared possible Communist
influence in U.S. government
• U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy
– Prompted congressional committee in effort to
expose Communists in American film industry,
government, late 1940s, early 1950s
– Accused many innocent people of Communist
activities
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Identify Supporting Details
How did the arms race begin?
Answer(s): development of atomic and hydrogen
bombs
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Cold War Around the World
The Korean War showed that Cold War rivalry could lead to conflict
far from the United States or the Soviet Union. During the Cold War,
this rivalry led to struggles for influence in countries around the world.
War in Southeast
Asia
• End World War II,
France tried to
reestablish control
over Southeast Asia
• Communist rebels in
Vietnam fought back,
forcing French to give
up control
Vietnam Divided
• Peace agreement
temporarily divided
Vietnam in half
• Communists
controlled North, antiCommunist regime
ruled South
American Support
• U.S. supported South
Vietnam, when
revolution broke out
sent military troops
• Eventually North
Vietnamese fought
alongside rebels
• War dragged on until
mid–1970s
Europe and North America
Section 2
Another Crisis in Berlin
Crossing Over
• After Communist East Germany, democratic West Germany formed in 1949,
tens of thousands of East Germans crossed from East to West Berlin
• Some wanted to live in free nation, other simply wanted to find work
Berlin Wall
• By 1961, up to 1,000 per day made daily trip between homes in East
Germany, jobs in West Berlin
• To stop exodus, East Germany erected barrier between two halves of city
Communist Brutality
• Barrier, Berlin Wall, heavily guarded
• Anyone attempting to cross risked being shot by East German guards
• Succeeded in slowing flight of East Germans, became symbol of Communist
system brutality
Section 2
Europe and North America
Communism in Cuba
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1959, rebels led by Fidel Castro overthrew Cuba’s dictator
Installed Communist government
Centrally planned economy, close ties with Soviets
Actions worried United States; Cuba near Florida coast
Cuba’s alliance with Soviet Union brought Cold War close to
American territory
Bay of Pigs
• U.S. government secretly trained
invasion force to overthrow Castro
• April 1961, force came ashore at
Cuba’s Bay of Pigs
• American officials believed invasion
would start uprising against Castro
• Instead invaders quickly defeated
Cuban Missile Crisis
• 1962, Cuban missile crisis, two
week confrontation between U.S.,
Soviet Union over installation of
nuclear missiles in Cuba
• After standoff missiles removed;
U.S. agreed to remove missiles
from Turkey, not attack Cuba
Europe and North America
Section 2
Other Cold War Conflicts
Suez Canal
• 1956, Egypt angered West by taking over Suez Canal
• Britain, France, Israel attacked Egypt; Soviet Union would take Egypt’s side
• U.S. demanded Western allies halt attack; conflict came to end
The Congo
• Ending of European colonial rule in Africa brought superpower involvement
• 1960 Belgium ended control of Congo; U.S., other western countries
supported military dictator Joseph Mobutu as good ally against Soviet Union
Angola
• 1975, Angola won independence from Portugal
• U.S., Soviet Union supported opposing sides in ensuing civil war which
lasted until 1991
Section 2
Europe and North America
The Americas
Central and South America
• U.S. supported efforts to
overthrow regimes allied with
Soviet Union in Central, South
America
• 1970s, U.S. secretly supported
opposition to Chile’s socialist
leader Salvador Allende, who
was overthrown in 1973
• 1983, U.S. forces ousted
Communist regime on island of
Grenada
Nonaligned Nations
• Many countries sought to avoid
being caught up in worldwide
rivalry between superpowers
• Beginning in 1950s, number of
nations refused to support
either side
• So-called nonaligned nations
sought to use combined
strength to promote interests of
poorer countries
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Europe and North America
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Find the Main Idea
How did the Cold War play out around the
world?
Answer(s): Communism was spreading to many
other countries, and the United States became
involved in an attempt to stop its spread around
the world.
Europe and North America
Section 2
Attempts at Arms Control
While relations between East and West were largely hostile
throughout the Cold War, some attempts at cooperation were made.
Early Arms Control
Test Ban Treaty
• Eisenhower proposed open
skies treaty with Soviet Union
• Soviet leaders proposed total
nuclear disarmament
• Each side could fly over other’s
territory, gather accurate
weapons information
• United States rejected idea
• With accurate information,
neither side would have to
imagine worst about enemy
• Cuban missile crisis convinced
both sides important to make
arms control progress
• Soviets rejected proposal
• 1963 U.S., Soviets agreed on
Test Ban Treaty
• President Kennedy favored
limited nuclear weapons tests
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Section 2
SALT I and SALT II
SALT I
• U.S. President Richard Nixon sought détente, reduced tension between
superpowers; started negotiations called Strategic Arms Limitations Talks
• SALT I talks led to agreements limiting nuclear weapons held by each side
ABM Treaty
• Also led to Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, preventing development of
weapons designed to shoot down nuclear missiles
• Meant to ensure each side remained vulnerable to other’s nuclear weapons
SALT II
• Vulnerability important element of principle of deterrence
• Two sides began new round of talks called SALT II
• Talks resulted in arms control treaty in 1979: never ratified by U.S. Senate
Section 2
Europe and North America
The 1980s
Reagan Presidency
Arms Reduction Talks
• Reagan took aggressive
position against Soviet Union
• Idea of system seemed to
violate spirit of ABM Treaty
• Wanted to develop missile
defense system
• Began arms reduction talks with
Soviet leader Gorbachev
INF Treaty
• 1988, two countries ratified
Intermediate-Range Nuclear
Forces (INF) Treaty
• Called for elimination of certain
types of missiles
Improving Relations
• After many years of conflict,
relationship between U.S.,
Soviet Union began to improve
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Sequence
What were the major arms control
agreements negotiated by the Soviet Union
and the United States?
Answer(s): Test Ban Treaty, SALT I, reducing the
number of nuclear weapons each side held, ABM
Treaty that prevented the development of
weapons that shoot down nuclear missiles