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Cause of Cold War
Russia may have been the biggest country but America was the richest. The governments are very different, where America is led by a president voted for and a democracy system while Russia has a dictator. The Americans have freedom of speech while The people of Russia have censorship, secret police, and state control. America used capitalism and Russia with communism. The American leader, Truman, though that communism was evil and vice-versa for Stalin and Russia. Russia was angry because America -
The Iron Curtain
In 1946, the iron curtain came to be. The iron curtain represented the division between Western Europe and Eastern Europe, dividing Germany in half. The Soviets controlled most of the eastern part, which was mostly Communism. The western side was mostly democratic. The US/Soviets protected the sides of Germany heavily, not wanting the other to take control. -
U.S. Containment, Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan
Containment: President Truman adopted a policy to directed at blocking Soviet influence and preventing the expansion of communism.
Truman Doctrine: President Truman’s support for countries who rejected communism.
Marshall Plan: Proposed by Secretary of State, George Marshall, that America give aid to any European country in need. It would provide food, machines, and other materials. Achieved success in Western Europe. -
Berlin Blockade and Airlift
In 1948, the United States, France, and Britain took their forces out of Germany, allowing their three zones to for, one nation, The Soviets responded by holding West Berlin hostage, cutting off highway, water, and rail traffic into Berlin’s western zones. To break the blockade of Western Berlin, the Americans and British flew planes into West Berlin with food and supplies for about 11 months. The Soviet Union admitted defeat in May 1949 and lifted the blockade on Berlin. -
NATO and the Warsaw Pact
in 1949, 10 Western European countries joined with the United States and Canada to form a defensive military alliance called NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) as a result of the fears of the Soviets aggression. This marked the first peacetime military commitment for the US. The Soviet Reunion saw NATO as a threat and in 1955, created their own alliance system called the Warsaw pact. It included the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Albani -
The arms race (threat of Nuclear War)
The U.S and Soviet Union both had atomic bombs, Truman insisted on making a more deadly bomb before the Soviets did and they called it the H-bomb. In 1952, the U.S tested their H-bomb and soon after in 1953, the Soviet Union exploded theirs as well. Soon after, the U.S need a strong air force to carry these bombs and the Soviets responded with its own forces. -
Korean War
In 1949, the U.S and the Soviet Union had withdrawn their troops from Korea and the Soviets bet that the U.S would not support South Korea, so they supplied North Korea with supplies and money in attempt to take over the peninsula. In 1950, North Korea flew across the 38th parallel (A line that crosses Korea at 38 degrees north latitude) to surprise attack South Korea. President Truman policy of containment was being put to the test when he was sure that the North Korean aggression was repeating -
Mao Zedong and Communist Control of China
After taking control of China, the Communists started to tighten their grip. The Chinese Communists set up two parallel organizations, the Communist Party and the National government, like the Soviets. Mao Zedong held these positions until 1959. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
When the Bay of Pigs invasion failed, Soviet leader NIkita Khrushchev that the U>S would not resist Soviet Expansion in Latin AMerica. So in 1962, he secretly began to build 42 missile sites in Cuba. Soon, am american spies discovered the missiles and president John F. Kennedy demanded removal of the missiles. Kennedys demand for removal of t of the missiles put the U.S and Soviet Union in a fight. Finally, Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles and not to invade cuba. -
The Fall of the Soviet Union
Starting in 1985, Gorbachev came up with policies such as glasnost or openness, democratization and perestroika. They were all policies to reform the system which led to the Soviet Union's breakup. There were several riots and sparks against the communist party and eventually it fell in 1917. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
In East Germany cities, protesters demanded the right to travel. In June 1987, Reagan stood before the wall and said "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" Then 2 years later the wall was torn down
