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Yalta Conference
After WWII, the U.S., Britain, France, and the Soviet Union met to divide Germany into four zones, one for each country. This was important to the Cold War because it gave the Soviet Union power to install communism in East Germany, which the U.S. and its allies tried to stop during the Cold War. This relates to the geographic GASPIRE+ theme because land was divided among the countries during this conference. -
U.S. Adopts Containment
To block Soviet influence and the spread of communism, the U.S. adopted the foreign policy of containment, by helping their allies resist the Soviet Union. This was important to the Cold War because it was the first time in the war that the U.S. officially started to resist the Soviet Union and communism. This relates to the political GASPIRE+ theme because it was a decision that was made by a person with political power: President Truman. -
Truman Doctrine
President Truman asked Congress for foreign aid for Turkey and Greece, so that they could defend themselves against the Soviets and communism. This was important to the Cold War because the U.S. was showing support to countries that were against the Soviet Union, and who rejected communism. This relates to the economic GAPIRE+ theme because the U.S. paid Turkey and Greece several thousand dollars to help them. -
The Marshall Plan
The U.S. designed an aid program to provide materials to European nations, so that they could rebuild after WWII. This was important to the Cold War because the U.S. helped nations that they wanted to prevent the spread of communism in, and ones that they wanted to help them stop the spread of communism. This relates to the economic GAPIRE+ theme because the U.S spent a lot of money on the supplies that they sent to Europe, and those supplies were supplied to help the economies of those nations. -
Berlin Blockade
France, Britain, and the US allowed their occupation zones in Germany to become one, meaning that West Germany belonged to them, while East Germany belonged to the USSR, who then held West Berlin hostage by cutting off their supplies and ways to leave. This was important to the Cold War because it showed the division between capitalist countries, like the US, and communist countries, like the USSR. This connects to the geographic GASPIRE theme because land was being split during the blockade. -
NATO
An alliance between the US, Britain, France, and other non-communist countries was formed, and was named NATO. It was formed because these nations were afraid of the USSR’s aggression. This was important to the Cold War because these alliances were made specifically against the USSR and its allies if real war broke out. This relates to the social GASPIRE+ theme because different countries were interacting with each other and forming alliances. -
Nuclear Weapons
In 1949, a competition between the US and the USSR over nuclear weapons began. This completion lasted throughout the Cold War. Both countries wanted to have better weapons than the other, and there was a constant threat of bombing from both countries. This was important to the Cold War because it intensified the rivalry between the US and the USSR. This relates to the intellectual GASPIRE theme because both nations were creating new innovations. -
The New American Painting
In the 1950s, American abstract impressionists, like Pollock, ha their paintings toured around Europe. This exhibit called 'The New American Painting' presented Americans as free thinkers, unlike the people of communist countries and their art. This is important to the Cold War because it was one of the first examples of the US trying to prove it was better than the USSR. This fits the artistic GASPIRE+ theme because the exhibit was focused on the artists of the two nations. -
The Korean War
In 1950, the US helped South Korea in a struggle against North Korea, and the USSR helped North Korea. The war ended in a stalemate in 1953. This was important to the Cold War because the US and the USSR were still competing against each other, even during another war. This relates to the psychological GASPIRE+ theme because it reinforced the ideas in the US and USSR that they should fear each other, and that they might have to fight each other soon. -
The Warsaw Pact
An alliance between Russia and its allies, called the Warsaw Pact was created to oppose NATO. This is important to the Cold War because this alliance was created to fight in the war in case any fights broke out between the two groups of alliances. This relates to the social GASPIRE+ theme because countries were making social deals and alliances with each other. -
The Space Race
The Space Race, a competition between the US and the USSR to get to space before the other, began in 1957 when the USSR launched Sputnik, a satellite into space. It lasted for several years. This was important to the Cold War because the rivalry between the nations from the Cold War fueled their competition to get to space first. This relates to the intellectual GAPIRE+ theme because the countries were making new innovations. -
Communism in Cuba
Fidel Castro overthrew the Cuban government and replaced it with a communist regime. Because part of communism means that there should be no religion, religious teachings, buildings, and practices were taken away. This was important to the Cold War because the USSR helped Cuba become communist, which was threatening to the US. This relates to the religious GASPIRE+ theme because religion was taken away from the Cuban people. -
SALT Agreement
In 1972, the Nixon met with the leader of the USSR, Brezhnev, to discuss the SALT (Strategic Arms Limitations Talk) agreements, easing the tensions between the two nations. This was important to the Cold War because it lessened the threat and fear of nuclear warfare between the US and the USSR. This relates to the political GASPIRE+ theme because it was an agreement made between two people who had political power at the time, and it eased political tensions. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
After years of the Berlin Wall separating East Berlin, controlled by USSR, and West Berlin, controlled by western democracies, the wall was torn down in 1989. This was important to the Cold War because it signified the communism's collapse in Eastern Europe, and it showed that the Cold War was almost over. This relates to the cultural GASPIRE+ theme because it allowed the people and cultures who were trapped behind the wall, to leave, and interact with other people and cultures. -
Collapse of the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union collapsed at the end of December in 1991. This was important to the Cold War, because it signified the end of the Cold War. This relates to the psychological GASPIRE+ theme because it eased tensions in the minds of the US and the USSR, although people from both nations still felt suspicious of each other. -
Current Event
In 2014, the Crimean peninsula, land that was controlled by the USSR during the Cold War, was annexed by the Russian Federation. This, in addition to the tense relationship between Russia and the US as a result of the Cold War, has many thinking that Russia may be trying to take over the land that they used to control, and that the conflicts between the US and Russia, could reappear. -
Interview with Mike Enberg
Mike Enberg, 53, was asked about the way that he remembered the Cold War and Soviet Union. He was 28 years old and living in Chicago when the war ended, and he defined the Cold War as a war that was "waged without open warfare". He explained that during the war, the USSR felt "like a rival, and rather mysterious." He also explained that the Cold War was different from other wars because there were no shots fired, or traditional weapons used.
