The Cold War 1945-1991

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The Cold War 1945-1991
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1. WEST vs. EAST

• a. Describe the cartoon at the beginning of this
  presentation.
• b. List three characteristics of Capitalism.
• c. List three characteristics of Communism.

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YALTA (in the USSR) Date Feb 1945 Present
Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin
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Iron Curtain A term used by Winston Churchill
to describe the separating of Those
communist lands of East Europe from the West.
Divided Germany
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Improve your knowledge
Divided Berlin

• The Russians took very high casualties to capture
  Berlin in May 1945. They spent the early
  occupation trying to take over all zones of the
  city but were stopped by German democrats such as
  Willy Brandt and Konrad Adenauer. Reluctantly the
  Russians had to admit the Americans, French and
  British to their respective zones.

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POTSDAM (Germany) Date July 1945 Present
Churchill, Truman and Stalin
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Improve your knowledge

• The nuclear bomb gave America a lead which was
  expected to last at least 5 years. The rapid
  Russian development of nuclear technology, helped
  by the work of the atom spies was a
  shock.Significantly, Russia hurriedly declared
  war against Japan at the beginning of August 1945
  and rushed to advance into Asia to stake out a
  position for the post-war settlement. This helped
  make both the Korean and Vietnamese conflicts
  more likely.

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Truman Doctrine, 1947
Truman Doctrine, 1947

• Triggered by communist insurrections in Greece
  and Turkey
• Promised U.S. aid to any nation fighting
  communism

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Marshall Plan
1) 1947-51 U.S. provided 9.4 billion to rebuild
after WWII
2) Stalin refused to allow East to take part
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Berlin Blockade and Airlift, 1948-49
1) Germany Berlin divided at Potsdam into four
zones
2) 1948 Three zones united into West Germany
3) Stalin blockaded West Berlin
4) 321 day airlift
Click Here for a newsreel clip of the Berlin
Airlift!
5) Stalin withdrew blockade in 1949
6) Result two Germanys, East and West
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Increasing Cold War Tensions, 1950s-early 60s
1) 1949 Chinese Revolution
2) 1949 Soviets get atomic bomb
3) 1950-53 Korean War
4) 1959 Sputnik
5) 1960 U-2 incident
6) 1961 Bay of Pigs
7) 1961 Berlin Wall
8) 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis
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2. What was the Cold War?

• Tensions and differences that developed between
  the Soviet Union and the United States after
  World War II and lasting until 1990.
• EAST Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, North
  Korea, China, North Vietnam, Communism, Warsaw
  Pact
• WEST United States, Western Europe, South
  Korea, South Vietnam, Capitalism and Democracy,
  NATO

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3. What were the two main causes of the Cold War?

• The spread of communism the development of
  nuclear weapons!
• a. What actions by the Soviet Union after World
  War II caused Americans to become concerned?
• b. As a result, what was Americas policy toward
  communism?

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4. What events almost caused World War Three?

• Berlin Airlift
• Korean War
• U-2 Spy Plane shot down over Soviet Union
• Cuban Missile Crisis

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5. Korean War

• North Korea invaded South Korea 1950
• Click on link above to see newsreel footage!
• North supported by China and Soviet Union
• South supported U.S. and allies.
• U.S. wanted free elections in both Koreas, but
  the Soviet Union prevented them in the North.
• War became stalemate when U.S. threatened the use
  of nuclear weapons.
• Never signed a peace treaty only cease-fire
  agreement in 1953.

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6. U-2 Spy Plane Incident

• An American pilot was shot down over Russian
  airspace and taken prisoner.
• Soviet leader Nikita Khruschev left summit
  meeting in Paris angry.
• Fears of Soviet nuclear retaliation spread.
• U.S. traded Russian KGB spy for the U-2 spy plane
  pilot.

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7. Cuban Missile Crisis
Click Title

• Russians were building missile launching sites in
  Cuba, 90 miles from Florida.
• U.S. spy plane took pictures of the sites.
• Russians began shipping nuclear missiles to Cuba.
• President John Kennedy ordered a blockade of Cuba
  by U.S. Navy.
• Russians backed down and took missiles back home.

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8. 70s Détente

• Tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union
  calmed down during the 1970s
• Presidents Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter helped
  keep the peace between communism and democracy.
• Vietnam War ended.
• East and West Germany began trading again.
• Soviets withdrew from occupied regions of Eastern
  Europe.

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9. Wrap-up!

• Answer the essential question for this days
  lesson on the same paper you took notes on. Use
  complete sentences in paragraph form.
• Basically, summarize what the Cold War was, what
  caused it, and what were some major events. (3
  things!)