-
Yalta Conference
Soviet Union, Britain, and the United states met at Yalta, they hoped to discuss future plans for post war europe Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill tried to redraw the map of europe which would have implications for many years to come
Another outcome European countries could have free elections and decide their own future
Soviet union received control over eastern europe -
Korean war
- divided into two sections ( became hot bed for ideological battle grounds for the US and USSR)
- USSR supplied north korea and china weapons to fuel the battle
- US had to sacrifice alot of money and lives in this battle and ultimately demoralized them with a tragic loss
- weakened Soviet and US economy
- Thousands civilians and military personnel killed
- Many long term political and economic setbacks
-
Potsdam conference July 17, 1945
Us president harry Truman, and SU’s Stalin met with Britain’s Churchhill and his successor, Clement, Attlee, in Potsdam
Agreed to restructure germany and also warned japan to surrender (Truman threatens the atomic bomb)
A “war of ideas” emerged
Their ideological beliefs clashed which created a long lasting grudge for both sides.
- they divided germany, Stalin wanted to expand his sphere of influence
_ "east vs west" -
Hiroshima Bombing
first Nuclear bomb used in armed combat in history.
- allied invasion of Japan = too costly
- The allies called for Japan's surrender, they refused. The bomb was a means to an end of the restriction of people's liberalism. The Japanese empire at the time was under a fascist rule that believed in expansionism. This restricted the liberalism of many people.
- Caused panic in russia to create nukes leading to espionage -
Bombing of nagasaki
3 days after The first Atomic bomb dropped the soviet Union declared war against the Japanese, and the Japanese did not surrender.
- So the U.S dropped a second atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Nagasaki. The ruler of Japan later called for surrender and ended world war two. Thus making the world free, at a grave cost.
- Caused russia to rearch nukes full out
- millions dead, birth defects -
Marshall Plan 1947-1952
Signed into law by US President Harry S. Truman on April 3, 1947
The US offered foreign Aid to postwar countries with “strings attached”,
The plan imposed a economic assessment and free market policies on whom accepted
Soviets considered the plan “dollar imperialism” and refused
17 countries received funds and technical expertise
This plan ultimately stirred the pot between the US and Russia and raised some tensions and led to creation of the Molotov Plan -
Molotov Plan 1947
It was a bilateral trade agreement created by Vyacheslav Molotov (USSR) which helped poland, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania strengthen their economies
- Put in place to spread russia's sphere of influence and in response to the marshal which posed a threat of capitalism
- The plan worked to Solidify the soviets presence in Europe - Created a economic trust in russia -
Truman Doctrine
U.S. president Harry Truman established a foreign policy of containment against the soviet union to stop the expansion of russias influence
- US created alliances and gave Aid to countries
- Provided 400millionn when greek and turkish governments needed support defeating the upheaval of communism
- Pretty much funded things indirectly helping give communists a tough time- Russia was mad and created the molotov plan in response
-
Brussels Treaty
Created a collective defense alliance
signed by: Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, creating a collective defense alliance.
- This treaty showed western countries could cooperate
- led to the formation of NATO and the western union led to the formation of NATO and the Western European Union -
Berlin block aid
- Soviets created a blockade stoping all road and canal traffic entirely
- 2.1 million west berliners were supplyless. The US insisted on not giving up since berlin was essential to the nations prestige in germany. They resorted to the berlin airlift where planes dropped off supplies extremely frequently which went on for months.
-
Nato
Canada was a founding member of NATO ( Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States)
- Military alliance to defend members against possible attacks "attack on one considered an attack on all"
- This event eased tensions within member countries as people knew Russia wouldnt risk start a war they could win
- Led to the creation of the warsaw pact -
Stalin lifting the berlin blockade
Stalin eventually lifted the blockade causing and end to the berlin airlift
- a total of 277 804 flights were made -
Soviet creation of nuclear weapons
- US Atomic bombings of japan pushed stalin to research Nukes all out
- relied on spies and german scientists to get info
- First Nuke test failed in kazakhstan
- Eventually a successful nuke was made sending us northern countries into a unpresidented trepidation
- S.U manufacted nukes very quickly serving as an important influence for years to come
-
stalin's death
Stalin died from stroke (Debate over if he could be saved)
Left the soviet union powerless
Nikita Khrushchev - unpredictable leader
- created warsaw pact as a response to nato - threatened britian and france with rocket weapons after they invaded egypt -
Vietnam War
Divided into two zones, free election took place
- was an ideological battleground
- millions died many innocent civilians
Result: numerous economic and political setbacks -
stalins death
created a temporary thaw in Cold War tensions
- Austria regained its sovereignty after the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the country.
- Khrushchev denounced Stalin the next years and his policies at the 20th Communist Party conference. -
Warsaw pact
-treaty established a mutual-defense organization
members: Soviet Union and Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Romania
-expanded the Soviet sphere of influence
- strained the relationship between the soviet and the states
- increased tensions and made an another world war seem much more realistic
- warsaw pact countries invaded cssr when they tried to break free of the iron curtain
- Countries made sure nothing anti-communist revolutions happened. -
The Hungarian Revolution
The Hungarian people revolted against their stalinist government
- People formed a group of non-proffesional fighters and battled the state police and soviet troops
- A new government was formed and the police were disbanded, an attempt to create a democratic state
- eventually USSR tanks defeated the newly developed nation and a pro-soviet government
- Proved the irreversibility of communism, adding to the fear of communism -
NORAD
-Canada and US made united air defense system along canada's northern borders
- North American Aerospace Defence Command
- Created a (DEW Line) would give an early warning to the US of the incoming missiles from the SU.
- Missile bases and nuclear-armed missiles were also part of the plan
- Russia was undeveloped with technology and was lacking behind, NORAD ultimately caused the end of the cold war -
fidel Castro taking over
Fidel Castro led a socialist revolution, and overthrew Batista’s government (pro-capitalist)
- cuba then started buying oil from soviets, US refinaries refused to process it. Us implemted sugar tax. Castro then nationalized 850 million worth of US land and businesses.
- Fidel Castro broke relations between US and Cuba -
Bay of pigs
- US funded attack on cuba U.S trained and supported One million cuban exiles who were conducted to retake the island
- The attack was poorly planned, had inadequate support, and many dident want to be there
- Attack was waved after 3 days
- created greater suspicion with the U.S/capitalism, Solidified cubas relation with russia
- US stopped trade with cuba in 1962 and imposed a embargo
-
Creation of the berlin Wall
Troops locked down the border between east and west berlin,
-the creation of the wall, was primarily because the USSR claimed was it essential in order to protect eastern europe from western influence
- example of containment (Containing east berlin to promote communism)
- The wall served to divide people by Ideological differences, as well as political and economical differences -
End of the missle crisis
US president John F. Kenedy ordered a naval blockade of cuba after ships were reported carrying atomic war heads.
- Kennedy withdrew jupiter missiles from turkey and SU moved its missiles from cuba
- Good example of brinkmanship: pushing something to the edge then backing off
- Close to M.A.D, (SU sub almost launches nuke at US ship) opened the leaders eyes and led to relatively peaceful relations -
Partial test BAn treaty
banned testing of nuclear weapons in atmosphere, Land, under water, and in outer space. Limited to Underground -
Czechoslovakia revolution
Alexander Dubcek reformed the Czech.Rep, breaking free of the iron cutain
- granted addition rights, loosened restrictions on the media, speech, and travel, and limited power of secret police (10 year transition to democratic state)
- Soviets couldnt come to an unnderstanding
- Warsaw pact counties invadaded, Dubceks Reforms reversed in a year
- This revolution also added to the fear of the irriversability of communism and was an example of expansionism for the USSR -
Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty (1968)
Stopped production, trade, and acquisition of new nuclear weapons
- 189 countries signed
- disarmament - right to peacfully use nuclear tech.power -
Strategic Arms limitation talks (SALT)
limited missiles acquired, armed, and aimed by the two countries -
Helsinki Accords (1975)
-Signed by 35 countries
- respect for soverignty of others, refraining from threat or use of force, the territorial integrity of states, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, equal rights and the right to self-determination -
Afghanistan/soviet war
S.U invaded their neighbour afghanistan attempting to create a pro-soviet regime
- Charlie wilson and Gust Avrakotos thought this battle could be won through persistant support,
- US trained afghan fighters costed 5 mil a year later rose to 750 million
- Soviets retreated in 1989
- Weapons helped Terror organizations (Taliban, al Qaeda) -
Solidarity in Poland
- Independent Self-Governing Trade Union
- unrest led to strikes organized in to the solidarity movement.
- Eventually the govt accepted their demands and the USSR could do anything because they were preoccupied
- sparked whats known as the reverse domino effect where communist government one after another collapse. This is event in poland gave hope and influenced many nations to follow
-
collapse of berlin wall
2 million people knocked out chunks of the wall while heavy equipment dissasembled the wall section by section
- huge party on streets
- sparked the falling of the iron curtain - The reunification of East and West Germany was made official on October 3, 1990, almost one year after the fall of the Berlin Wall. -
end of the cold war
gorbachev cut groundforce in east europe by 1.5 million men
- string of democratic revolutions dismantling communism one after another
- Falling of berlin wall
- Germany reunited
- SU collapse - 15 independent states