What was the Cold War? A state of political and military tension after WWII between the US and USSR.
Events that led to the Cold War:
1. Yalta Conference: Planned to divide Germany and the capital city of Berlin into 4 parts, formation of the United nations
2. The Marshall Plan: Plan proposed by Sec. of State George C. Marshall to send $17 billion to European countries to help them rebuild after WWII. Why would the US do this?
3. Iron Curtain speech: Churchill’s famous words identifying the split between Western and Eastern Europe.
4. Truman Doctrine: Truman’s plan to send $400 million to provide military and economic assistance to nations resisting Communist takeovers. The first nations to receive money were Greece and Turkey.
5. Containment/Domino Theory: The policy of stopping the spread of communism. If one nation becomes Communist, others will. Therefore, it is America’s job to contain it
Events of the Cold War:
1. Berlin Blockade: Following WWII, the US and the USSR agreed to jointly occupy Berlin. For fear of an American dominated Germany, the USSR closed off all road and rail access to western occupied Berlin.
2. Berlin Airlift: In response to the Soviet blocking all surface traffic in and out of West Berlin, American and British pilots flew food and other supplies in for 11 months.
3. NATO: Military and economic alliance of Western European countries in response to the USSR overseeing the installation of pro-Soviet governments in many of the areas it had taken from the Nazis during the war.
4. Warsaw Pact: An alliance of the Soviet Union and seven of its satellite nations in response to the creation of NATO.
5. Soviet invasion of Hungary: In response to riots that broke out in Budapest in which people were demanding more freedoms, the new Soviet Leader, Nikita Khrushchev, sent Soviet tanks to brutally crush the rebellions.
6. Berlin Wall: a wall the Soviets put up around West Berlin to stop East Berliners and East Germans from going into West Berlin.
7. Cuban Missile Crisis: a tense 13-day political and military standoff in October 1962 over the installation of nuclear-armed Soviet missiles on Cuba, just 90 miles from U.S. shores.
Chinese Civil War:
Nationalists / Political Party / CommunistsChiang Kai-Shek / Leader / Mao Zedong
Southern China / Area Ruled / Northern China
USA / Foreign Support / USSR
Dictator
Capitalist Economy / Domestic Policy / Communist
Abolishes classes
Weak due to failing economy / Public Support / Strong among peasants due to land reforms
Ineffective and corrupt / Military Organization / Experienced, motivated by guerilla army
Results of the Chinese Civil War:
1. Mao and the Communists win and China becomes Communist.
2. Chiang Kai-Shek and his followers flee to Taiwan.
3. Mao signs a treaty with the USSR.
Korean Conflict:
1. Korea was controlled by Japan but after Japan lost WWII, it was taken over and divided into North and South Korea.
2. North backed by the USSR, South backed by the US.
3. Dividing line is the 38th parallel.
4. Sept. 1950 North Korea invades South Korea and gets all the way to the bottom of South Korea.
5. UN troops come in and push the North Koreans all the way back to China. China enters the war on behalf of the North Koreans.
6. Tradition warfare.
7. South Koreans and UN troops pushed back to the 38th parallel. War ends up in a stalemate.
8. Cease fire agreed on in July 1953.
9. Today Korea is still split. The North remains communist.
10. Did anyone win the war? The reason for fighting was containment. Communism was contained.
Vietnam War:
1. Vietnam used to be a French colony. It was then taken over by Japan. Vietnam was divided into North Vietnam and South Vietnam before the Japanese lost.
2. After WWII, Vietnam was given back to the French.
3. Ho Chi Minh was a communist leader who wanted control of Vietnam.
4. Ngo Dinh Diem was backed by the US
5. Guerrilla fighting
6. Viet Cong (VC) – fighters for Ho Chi Minh
7. Ho Chi Minh wins and Vietnam becomes Communist
Détente: the easing of tensions between countries
Glastnost: Soviet reform that brought political openness
Perestroika: Soviet economic restructuring plan
Fall of the Berlin Wall: the end of the Cold War
People (look at chart):
1. Indira Gandhi – Prime Minister of India
2. Mikhail Gorbachev – Premier of USSR
3. Margaret Thatcher – Prime Minister of Britain
4. Den Xiaoping – Leader of China