The Cold War

A whole lot of nothing.

-or-

The closest humans have ever come to extinction.

“Communism is not love. Communism is a hammer which we use to crush our

enemies.”

Mao Tse-tung

A shadow has fallen upon the scene so lately lighted by the

Allied victory… An iron curtain has descended across the

continent.

Winston Churchill

What was the Cold War?

• Hostility without fighting• US & USSR try to spread

political & economic influence• Both form military alliances,

carry on an arms race and support opposing sides in civil wars

What was the Truman Doctrine?

• Truman’s attempt to limit the spread of Communism

• US provides dollars to nations where poverty makes Communism look good

• $$$$ makes the US more influential than any other before

What was the goal of the Marshall Plan?

• Provided $$$$ in aid for rebuilding

• USSR & its satellites refused aid

• Western Europe rebuilds and does not become communist

If the US stayed out of alliances for 150 years, why did it join

NATO?

• North Atlantic Treaty Organization

• Reaction to the Soviet goal of spreading communist revolution

• NATO protected members from communist aggression

• USSR & satellites formed the Warsaw Pact

How did the end of WWII intensify US/USSR tensions?

• USSR occupied Baltic nations

• Militarization of Eastern Europe

• Soviets don’t leave Berlin or East Germany due to “instability”

• Berlin Blockade

What impact did the Communist takeover of China have on the

US?

What impact did the Communist takeover of China have on the

US?• Asia became one more place the

US had to fight communism

• Was seen as proof that communists were trying to take over the world

What events in Korea set it up for future problems?

• Occupied by the Japanese from 1910-1945

• Jointly occupied by the US & USSR, until elections

• Democratic elections in the South

• North becomes Communist• Both claim to be the only real

Korea