The Cold War

The Iron Curtain

Truman Doctrine

• U.S. President was concerned about Soviet expansion into eastern Europe

– Truman Doctrine• US will provide aid

to countries threatened by Communist expansion.

Marshall Plan• Marshall Plan

– U.S. plan to rebuild war-torn Europe.

• George C. Marshall = US Secretary of State

– Soviet Union and its satellite states do not participate

• See it as America “buying support”

Growing Hatreds and the Arms Race

• By 1947, the U.S. and the Soviet Union had grown apart.

– U.S. develops policy of containment

• Keep communism within its existing boundaries

New alliances form• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

– Several Western European powers ally with the U.S.

• Warsaw Pact– Several Eastern European powers ally with the Soviet

Union

Development of the Arms Race• Arms Race

– Both countries build up nuclear weapons• Both believed that an arsenal of weapons would prevent war.

– Deterrence

Hot Spot - Berlin• 1948 – USA, GB, FR

sectors of Germany become West Germany. – West/East Berlin also

divided

• 1948 – 1949 = Berlin Airlift• 1961 – Berlin Wall

– Soviet Leader Nikita Khrushchev builds a wall between East and West Berlin.

– Becomes massive fortified barrier to prevent refugees from heading to West Berlin

Hot spot - Korea

Japan

Hawaii

Iwo Jima

Leyte Gulf

Okinawa

Guadalcanal

Coral Sea

Midway

Hot spot - Korea• Korean War

– Communist North Korea attempts takeover of South Korea.

• NK is supported by China and Soviet Union

– Because of containment, U.S. sends troops to stop spread of communism.

• Lasts 1950-1953• Ends in stalemate• U.S. (30,000 dead,

100,000 wounded)

Hot spot - Cuba

Hot Spot - Cuba• In 1959 Cuba becomes

Communist under Fidel Castro

• 1961 –Bay of Pigs Invasion– U.S. attempts to provoke a

revolt against Castro• It fails miserably!

• After Bay of Pigs, Khrushchev sends advisors (and missiles) to Cuba.– October 1962 – U.S. finds out

about missiles.– Tense standoff – closest the

world would ever come to nuclear war

– Cuban Missile Crisis

Hot spot - Vietnam

Hot spot - Vietnam• Vietnam War

– 1964 – U.S. concerned that Communist North Vietnam may invade South Vietnam

• Believe in domino theory – if South Vietnam fell, other countries in Asia would fall.

– Long story short…• U.S. does not want to provoke

larger conflict with Soviets or China.

– Limits military action

• War drags on too long and is too costly for United States

• Withdraw in 1973• 1975 – North Vietnam invades

South Vietnam, reunites country.– Domino Theory does not prove

true

End of the Cold War• Decline of Soviet Union

– By 1980, the USSR was in very poor economic and social condition.

• US President Reagan ramps up defense spending – USSR can’t compete…

– Invasion of Afghanistan• “USSR’s Vietnam”

– Drains Soviet military spending.

– 1987 – Perestroika• Under Mikhail Gorbachev,

USSR begins “restructuring” economically

– 1990 – Berlin Wall falls– 1991 – USSR falls apart