The Cold War 1945-50

THE COLD WARTHE COLD WAR

The Cold War existed between the The Cold War existed between the USA and its allies, and the USSR USA and its allies, and the USSR and its allies.and its allies.

While the war never went ‘hot’ the While the war never went ‘hot’ the fear and suspicion, combined with fear and suspicion, combined with nuclear weapons,nuclear weapons, kept the world on kept the world on edge for several decades.edge for several decades.

(1945-1991)(1945-1991)

Igor GouzenkoIgor Gouzenko

He was a clerk in the He was a clerk in the Soviet Embassy in Canada Soviet Embassy in Canada in 195in 195

Asked for political asylumAsked for political asylum In return would give In return would give

government documents government documents that proved Russia was that proved Russia was operating two spy rings in operating two spy rings in CanadaCanada

Igor GouzenkoIgor Gouzenko

37 spies were caught from his information37 spies were caught from his information Canadians were shocked at these claims Canadians were shocked at these claims

and for many, this is when the Cold War and for many, this is when the Cold War startedstarted

Gouzenko live in Ontario under police Gouzenko live in Ontario under police protection until the day he died in 1985protection until the day he died in 1985

He published two books, one of which won He published two books, one of which won the Governor General’s Prize for Literaturethe Governor General’s Prize for Literature

After the WarAfter the War

Europe was in ruins and the USA and Europe was in ruins and the USA and Soviet Union (USSR) became the two Soviet Union (USSR) became the two major powers in the worldmajor powers in the world

Canada would side with the AmericansCanada would side with the Americans Canada would come to evolve into a Canada would come to evolve into a

middle powermiddle power Would help contribute to the creation of Would help contribute to the creation of

the United Nationsthe United Nations

1946 Iron Curtain1946 Iron Curtain

Russia set up communist governments in all the Russia set up communist governments in all the countries they ‘liberated’ during WWII.countries they ‘liberated’ during WWII.

Churchill gave a speech in which he said: “Churchill gave a speech in which he said: “From Stettin From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest and Sofia, all these famous cities Belgrade, Bucharest and Sofia, all these famous cities and the populations around them lie in what I must call and the populations around them lie in what I must call the Soviet sphere, and all are subject in one form or the Soviet sphere, and all are subject in one form or another, not only to Soviet influence but to a very high another, not only to Soviet influence but to a very high and, in many cases, increasing measure of control from and, in many cases, increasing measure of control from MoscowMoscow ”.”.

1946 Iron Curtain1946 Iron Curtain

Europe was Europe was now dividednow divided

West = West = democracy democracy

East = East = communismcommunism

Map: The Iron CurtainMap: The Iron Curtain

1947 Truman Doctrine1947 Truman Doctrine

US President Truman US President Truman promised American promised American support to any support to any country where country where communism was a communism was a threatthreat

Canada sided with Canada sided with the US because they the US because they didn’t feel the UN was didn’t feel the UN was effective enougheffective enough

1947 Truman Doctrine1947 Truman Doctrine

This was also This was also known as known as ‘containment’ ‘containment’ because they because they wanted to wanted to contain contain communismcommunism

1947 Marshall Plan1947 Marshall Plan

The US gov’t sent The US gov’t sent money and supplies money and supplies to rebuild war-torn to rebuild war-torn EuropeEurope

Reasons: Reasons: humanitarian, humanitarian, beneficial to US beneficial to US economy, prevent economy, prevent spread of communismspread of communism

1948 Berlin Blockade1948 Berlin Blockade

After WWII, Germany and After WWII, Germany and Berlin were split into 4 Berlin were split into 4 sectors by the Alliessectors by the Allies

West Germany = French, West Germany = French, British, American sectors British, American sectors and democracyand democracy

East Germany = Russian East Germany = Russian sector and communismsector and communism

Berlin was also divided, Berlin was also divided, even though it was in East even though it was in East GermanyGermany


Stalin decided to Stalin decided to close the roads and close the roads and rails from West rails from West Germany to West Germany to West BerlinBerlin

He was determined to He was determined to starve West Berliners starve West Berliners into submission and into submission and gain control of Berlingain control of Berlin


The Western The Western democracies decided democracies decided it was worth the effort it was worth the effort to save West Berlinto save West Berlin

They flew in They flew in EVERYTHING EVERYTHING needed in West Berlin needed in West Berlin in the greatest airlift in the greatest airlift ever seenever seen


Also known as the Also known as the Berlin AirliftBerlin Airlift

Stalin was furious, but Stalin was furious, but eventually gave in eventually gave in and opened up the and opened up the roads and rails againroads and rails again

The West and The West and democracy had won democracy had won this timethis time

1949 USSR has the bomb1949 USSR has the bomb

Soviet spies Soviet spies helped the helped the USSR build a USSR build a bomb just like bomb just like Fat Man, the Fat Man, the atomic bomb atomic bomb the Americans the Americans had dropped on had dropped on Japan.Japan.

•Now that both superpowers had the bomb, the Cold Now that both superpowers had the bomb, the Cold War officially began. Nuclear war was now a real War officially began. Nuclear war was now a real threat. threat.

•The West wondered how to protect themselves The West wondered how to protect themselves from Russian atomic bombs.from Russian atomic bombs.

1949/1955 NATO and the 1949/1955 NATO and the Warsaw PactWarsaw Pact

In 1949, Western In 1949, Western Allies formed a Allies formed a defensive alliance defensive alliance known as the North known as the North Atlantic Treaty Atlantic Treaty OrganizationOrganization

This was to protect This was to protect themselves against themselves against the USSR and its the USSR and its alliesallies

In 1955, the In 1955, the USSR USSR formed its formed its own own defensive defensive alliance alliance called the called the Warsaw Warsaw PactPact

Now Europe Now Europe was divided was divided into two into two teams.teams.

1949 Chinese Revolution1949 Chinese Revolution

After a long civil war, After a long civil war, the communists finally the communists finally took control of Chinatook control of China

The world’s most The world’s most populated country populated country was now communistwas now communist

The West now had a The West now had a new huge enemy to new huge enemy to worry aboutworry about

Cold War HysteriaCold War Hysteria

1950s and 60s were full of tension 1950s and 60s were full of tension between the Eastern and Western “Blocs”.between the Eastern and Western “Blocs”.

West was scared that the communists West was scared that the communists would continue to take landwould continue to take land

The spread of communism was seen as a The spread of communism was seen as a direct threatdirect threat

East was scared of the West’s intentions East was scared of the West’s intentions and so they kept a ‘buffer’ between its and so they kept a ‘buffer’ between its borders incase of invasionborders incase of invasion

Nuclear WarNuclear War

Hysteria came from Hysteria came from the possibility of the possibility of nuclear warnuclear war

Any tension could rise Any tension could rise into a war that could into a war that could destroy most of the destroy most of the worldworld

All it took was one All it took was one push of the button!push of the button!

Table of Global Nuclear Weapons Table of Global Nuclear Weapons StockpilesStockpiles

1945-591945-59

The Cold War 1945-50

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Transcript of The Cold War 1945-50