The Cold War: Beginnings

Done by: Fatima Al Mansoori and Sara Al Jassmi

Grade: 9c

The cold war was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension and economic competition between the communist world and the western world.

Truman doctrine is a policy set forth by president Truman in a on march 12, 1947 stating that the U.S. Would support Greece and Turkey with economic and military aid to prevent those countries falling into the soviet sphere. Often consider it as the start of the cold war.

Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, stateless society based on common ownership of the means of production.

Terms

satellite state − small country controlled by a more powerful neighbor

iron curtain − imaginary barrier separating Soviet-controlled countries and the free world

containment − American policy to keep communism contained within its existing borders

Marshall Plan − U.S. aid program to help Western Europe rebuild after World War II

Berlin airlift − operation in which the U.S. and Britain broke the Soviet blockade of West Berlin

Terms

Differences between Russia and America

The United States was a capitalist

democracy. Its citizens believed in

free elections, economic, and

religious freedom, private property, and respect of individual

differences.

The Soviet Union was a

dictatorship. The Communist Party

made all key economic,

political, and military

decisions.

The nations of Eastern Europe and the eastern part of Germany became satellite states of the Soviet Union, separated from the free world by an “iron curtain.”

With the Truman Doctrine, the U.S. promised to support nations struggling against communist movements.

President Truman responded to Soviet domination of Eastern Europe

Truman Doctrine

Money was sent to Greece and Turkey to provide aid to people who needed it.

Its relative prosperity and freedom stood in contrast to the bleak life of East Berliners.

Stalin was determined to capture West Berlin or win other concessions from the Western allies.

In June 1948, Stalin stopped all highway, railway, and waterway traffic from western Germany into West Berlin. Without any means of receiving aid, West Berlin would fall to the communists.

For almost a year, the US and Britain supplied West Berlin through a massive airlift. Food, fuel, medical supplies, clothing, toys-everything the residents of West Berlin needed was flown into the city.

The causes and results of Stalin’s blockage of Berlin

Stalin

President Truman