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Alliances Unravel
After World War II, the enemy had been defeated. However, tensions are high between the Soviet Union and the United States. This is mainly due to the clash of Communism and Capitalism, two very different system of beliefs. It all began around the Yalta Conference, where President Roosevelt wanted a different future for Eastern Europe than Stalin. -
Soviets' Fear of Invasion
Wanting to prevent another invasion, Stalin created a buffer between Russia and Europe by taking over the countries (Albania, Bulgaria, etc.) between them. US president, Truman, urged Stalin to let them have free election but he refused, later saying that capitalism and communism could never exist in the same world. His words were a catalyst for the Cold War because it created official sides. This event was psychological because Stalin's actions were motivated by the Soviet's fear of invasion. -
Containment
President Truman, worried over the influence of the USSR, adopts a foreign policy called containment. It was created to stop communism from spreading. The policy includes the Truman Doctrine, in which the US sent 400 million to Turkey and Greece to fight communism. This starts up a unique war that was not fought with firepower, but with resources. This event was economic because the US gives resources, in this case money, to fight communism. -
Marshall Plan
U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall proposed to give aid to the countries in Europe. Most were still destroyed from both World Wars, especially since there was a lack of jobs and food. This was an economic event because 12.5 billion was sent to the countries in need. This plan also made it possible for countries to fight off communism and have them indebted to the United States. -
Super Alliances
Western Europe is in fear of the USSR's aggression and forms an alliance that consists of 12 nations, the U.S. and Canada included. Called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), it guaranteed that an attack on one nation would lead to war on all. Not to be outdone, the USSR created the WARSAW Pact in 1955, which constituted of the countries controlled by Stalin. This event is political because of the alliances made by the nations, in which was preparing the nations for potential war. -
Spies in the Skies
The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) sent secret high altitude flights in planes, U-2s, across the Soviet territory to guard against surprise nuclear attacks. The Soviets shot one down and apprehended its pilot, Francis Gary Powers. The capture of the pilot only heightened the tension between countries. This event was intellectual because it used modern technologies to gain knowledge on the enemy. -
Cuban Crisis!
Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev (1958-1964) began secretly building 42 missile sites in Cuba. Kennedy demanded a removal of the missiles and announced a naval blockade to stop it from happening again. This was an important political event because they were at the brink of war and everyone thought it was inevitable. Fortunately, Khrushchev promised to remove the missiles if the US promised not to invade Cuba. -
The Space Race
A geographic event, the nations competed not only for dominance over the world, but also of space. While the USSR was first to put a man in space (Yuri Gagarin), the US was the first to put a man on the moon. Neil Armstrong describes it as "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind". This race was important because it advanced out technology and understanding of space, making it also an intellectual event. -
The Fall of the Soviet Union
By 1991, the soviet economy was in ruin and the people wanted independence. Gorbachev had introduced many democratic-like polices that made them demand freedom. 0n August 18, the Communist Party tried to get a hold of the country one last time, but failed. By December, all 15 republics had declared independence. This is important because it marks the end of the Cold War. A GASPIRE theme would be geographical because of all the new barriers and nations it created. -
Mrs. Hulet's Cold War
I chose to interview Mrs. Hulet because she was a young adult at the time, living in the United States. She described it as "an epic battle, between good and evil". The Soviet government was seen as a boogeyman of sorts, stealing the people from their homes at night. The U.S. wasn't defending capitalism, but rather it was fighting for the independence of other countries. However, Hulet admits that she didn't think about it often, only when big events occurred and she was scared for her life.
