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Causes of the Cold War
The United States and the Soviet Union had opposing systems of government. The United States had a democratic system while the Soviet Union was a dictatorship.The opposing systems led to the dislike of each other. The differing economic system led to more dislike. The Soviet Union used communism while the United States used capitalism. There was a feeling of mutual suspicion and mutual distrust between the Soviet Union and the United States. http://blog.usni.org/wp-content/uploads -
Iron Curtain
The Nazi troops had been pushed back across Eastern Europe by the Soviets. By the end of the war, they had occupied the strip of countries at the border of the Soviet Union. Stalin ignored the Yalta government and put Communist governments into motion. Europe was divided into two sections. The strip of countries were a wall of protection for the Soviet Union. Stalin believed it was a necessary buffer, so he established governments. Thus Europe was divided into two different systems: cap -
U.S. Containment
U.S. Containment was a foreign policy adopted by President Truman in order to block Soviet influence and stop the expansion of communism. The policy included helping countries resist influence from the Soviet Union. -
Truman Doctrine
Truman Doctrine was Truman’s support for countries that rejected communism. It was met with great controversy since their finances were not large enough to launch “global crusade” against communism. -
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was a plan to provide food, machinery, and various other materials to rebuild Western Europe. Great Britain and France received the most aid, followed by Italy, west Germany, Holland, Austria. Belgium, Greece, Denmark, Norway, Turkey, Ireland, Sweden, Portugal, Yugoslavia, Iceland, and more. ****The reasons for these plans were to block the spread and influence of Communist and Soviet influence across Western Europe. The Marshall Plan’s aid would help weak countries ‘get back -
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Berlin Blackade and Airlift
The Berlin Blockade was the act of the Soviet blocking the West Berlin zone, away from the United States and their allies. The Berlin Airlift was the process of shipping food, medicine, and other items to Berlin during the Blockade. Eventually the Soviets relinquished their control. The reason that the Soviets blockaded Berlin was because their wanted the United States and their allies to either surrender control of West Berlin, or to give up the idea of reunifying the United State -
Mao Zedong and Communist China (Republic announced)
The Communists of Northern China fought the Nationalists of Southern China. America gave aid to the Nationalists. Mao and the Communists gained control of China in 1949. China became the Nationalist Taiwan, and the People’s Republic of China The Soviets allied with The People’s Republic, while the United States supported Taiwan. China expanded into Tibet, India and southern Mongolia. China brutally took control of Tibet and many Tibetan refugees fled to India. Resentment -
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Korean War
The Soviet Union provided North Korea with tanks, airplanes, weapons and money in attempt to gain control of the peninsula. In 1950 North Korea attacked South Korea. In attempt to resist communism, the United States helped South Korea. The United Nations also came to the defense of South Korea. After North Korea had taken over most of South Korea, General MacArthur lead a successful attack, leading for half of the North Koreans to surrender and the rest to retreat. After the war, No -
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The Arms Race
The Soviet Union had Hydrogen (H) bombs, which were thousands of times more powerful than Atomic Bombs. President Truman raced to develop more weapons before the Soviets, in order to prevent an attack. Eisenhower appointed anti-communist Dulles to be his Secretary of State. Dulles declared that an attack against the United States would lead to a nuclear war, meaning that the United States would retaliate. -
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Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was an alliance that included the Soviet Union, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Albania. Countries like India and China, the largest Communist country, remained nonaligned. The Soviet Union and the United States formed alliances in order to protect themselves in the event of a war. If one country was threatened, it would have more countries to back it up. It would provide support. http://www.audifaz.com/coldwar/nato.gif -
Cuban Missile Crisis
In 1959, the Cuban people overthrew their dictator, Batista and Fidel Castro came into control. Castro proved to be a harsh dictator and President Eisenhower banned all trade with them and Castro allied with the Soviets. The United States unsuccessfully invaded Cuba at the Bay of Pigs. Because of the failed invasion, the Soviets built missiles in Cuba. President Kennedy demanded that they are removed, and eventually Khrushchev agreed, under the condition that the United States doesn’t in -
NATO
NATO is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It was made up by ten Western European nations, Canada, and the United States. An attack on one NATO member country would include the forces of all ten of the countries affiliated with NATO. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
Protesters demanded that the Berlin Wall come down. President Reagan famously declared “Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” In 1989 the Berlin Wall came down. -
Fall of the Soviet Union
In 1991 anger against the Communist Party lead to Gorbachev stepping down and the parliament voted to end all activities. On Christmas day in 1991, Gorbachev announced his resignation and the Soviet Union fell.
