Transcript cold

THE COLD WAR
 After World War II, two countries emerge
as new super powers in the world. The
Soviet Union (U.S.S.R.) would represent
the ideals of communism, and the United
States, which would represent the ideals
of democracy. This ideological “war”
would be termed the “Cold War”.
 Countries “freed” by the Soviets during
W.W.II would become part of the Soviet
Block. On the surface, they were freed,
but , in actuality, they were puppet
governments controlled by the Kremlin.
THE RED SCARE
Fear that the Communists
would take over our country
would begin in the 1920’s.
This fear continued throughout
the 30’s and 40’s but reached
its peak in the 1950’s after the
U.S.S.R. created its “Iron
Curtain” between Eastern and
Western Europe.
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were
convicted of trying to sell atomic secrets
to Soviets, they were executed in 1953
 Alger Hiss was accused of selling secret
government documents to the Soviets in
the 1930’s
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These cases will whip the country into a
hysteria, and they would be ripe for the events
that would follow.
 In 1950, a senator from Wisconsin named
Joseph McCarthy would show a list of
government workers who had been tied to the
Communist Party. Leading the Senate sub
committee on “Un-American Activities”, he went
about destroying many careers in government
and in entertainment industry. The play The
Crucible is an analogy of what was happening
during this time. This is the peak of the “Red
Scare”.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_uTbVfDtgI&feature=PlayList&p=1C9729BC2BF
THE POLICY OF CONTAINMENT
From 1945 to 1989, it would be the “duty”
of the U.S. to “contain” the spread of
communism throughout the world. We
would become involved with many “wars”
under the banner of “containment”.
 Marshall Plan- The U.S. decided to
economically aide any countries
devastated by W.W.II. If we didn’t, perhaps
the Russians would, thereby making allies
of them. Many countries, including the
current economic powerhouses of
Germany and Japan, used this plan.

Truman Doctrine- the U.S. would militarily
aide any free people struggling to maintain
their freedom.
 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)a military alliance of European democratic
countries, bound to aide one another
against Communist aggression.
 South East Asia Treaty Organization
(SEATO) a military alliance of Asian
democratic countries.
 Warsaw Pact- A military alliance of
communist countries, formed to answer
NATO and SEATO.
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The Domino Theory- we could not allow
one country to fall to Communism, lest
those countries behind it fall to
communism as well. We must stand
guard in front of the first “domino” to
ensure that it doesn’t “fall”. This first
domino had many names: The Berlin
Airlift, The Korean Conflict, The Viet Nam
Conflict, The Cuban Missile Crisis, etc.
 The Berlin Airlift- After W.W. II, Germany
was divided up into four military sections.
In time, those sections controlled by the
U.S., France and Britain create West
Germany. The section controlled by
Soviets becomes East Germany and part
of the Soviet Bloc.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKqXu-5jw60any
The U.S.S.R. decided to “starve out” West
Berlin by cutting off the corridor running from
West Germany to West Berlin. The U.S.
decided on a massive airdrop of goods, into
West Berlin, which kept West Berliners
supplied and stopped the “starve out”.
 The Berlin Wall: Since the Soviets could not
gain West Berlin, they decided to build a wall
between East and West Berlin. This Berlin
Wall would stand between the two Germany’s
until 1989 when it will finally come down.
This marks the end of the Cold War.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_uTbVfD
tgI&feature=PlayList&p=1C9729BC2BFFA0E
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Korean Conflict- After W.W.II Korea, like
Germany was divided into military zones. The
North was controlled by the U.S.S.R., the
South by the U.S. Just as in Germany, the
South is freed while the North creates a
puppet government subject to the U.S.S.R.
The 38th parallel was set to divide the two.
 In June, 1950, the North attacked the South.
The United Nations demanded that they
withdraw north of the 38th parallel. They
refuse, and the U.N. sends a “peacekeeping”
force to physically remove them, led by U.S.
General Douglas Mac Arthur.
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The Truman-Mac Arthur ConfrontationGeneral Mac Arthur attacked the North
Koreans and found that they were armed
with Chinese weaponry. He wants to
continue up the Korean peninsula and
attack China. Thereby removing Mao Tse
Dong and placing Chiang Kai Shek back
into power. Truman demanded that he not
go any farther north than the 38th
parallel. Mac Arthur openly criticizes
Truman. Truman flies to Korea and
relieves Mac Arthur of his command,
thereby excercising his authority as
commander-in-chief. (Military challenge to
executive branch)
THE VIETNAM CONFLICT
The French were in control of Vietnam until
the early 1950’s at which time nationals
demanded their county's independence.
 The French begin to withdraw from the area,
so the United States sends advisors to help
the Vietnamese fight Communism
 The U.S. keeps this advisory role until 1964
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THE GULF OF TONKIN RESOLUTION
In August, 1964 the North Vietnamese fire on a
U.S. navy ship in the Gulf
 This angers president L.B. Johnson and he
wants to retaliate
 He asks Congress to give him this power and
Congress passes the resolution giving the
President the power to send troops without a
declaration of war
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 The
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution:
Johnson asks Congress for power
to retaliate against the North
Vietnamese by sending troops.
Congress passes the Gulf of
Tonkin Resolution which gives him
the power to send troops without a
declaration of war. With this
power, Johnson and Nixon would
send more and more troops to
Vietnam, escalating it into a full
scale war.
President Johnson and Nixon would send
more and more troops under this law,
escalating it into a full scale war
 The War Powers Act: passed after the war
says the President can send troops, but
after 30 days must get Congresses
approval
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Cuban Missile Crisis: In the fall of 1962 J.F.
Kennedy learned that the Soviets are building
silos for nuclear missiles in Cuba. He
demanded that they be removed (as part of
the Monroe Doctrine) and the Soviets refuse.
Kennedy places our navy around Cuba and
threatens to blow out of the water any Soviet
Ships coming to Cuba, carrying missiles for
the silos. The Soviet ships sailing toward
Cuba were called back and the silos were
dismantled
 Détente: By the 1970’s the U.S. and the
U.S.S.R. began to “relax” the tension by
addressing nuclear stockpiles.
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STRATEGIC ARMS LIMITATION TREATIES
Both the Us and the Soviet Union
understood that the arms race was out of
hand
 By 1970 there were enough nuclear
weapons to blow up the entire world 3 times
 The Strategic Arms Limitations Treaties
began to stop the production of further
nuclear weapons and begin the process of
eliminating those in existance.
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THE NEW WORLD ORDER
In 1989 the Berlin Wall Came falling down.
This signaled the end of the cold war and the
destruction of the Soviet Union.
 Since that time, the United States, Russia, and
all other world powers have worked together to
put down would be world dictators such as
Sadam Hussien.
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