>2 SUPERPOWERS DIVIDE THE WORLD INTO 2<

United States of America Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Democratic Dictatorship/autocratic
Free elections No elections
Influenced Western Europe Controlled Eastern Europe
Capitalist Communist
Personal freedom Society controlled by secret police
Freedom of the media Complete censorship
Most powerful weapon in the world Large army in the field
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

An Iron Curtain Divides East and West

Winston Churchill described the division of Europe and warned the West of the
deceptive Soviet Union in his famous speech given in the US. He said ‘a
shadow’ had fallen on Eastern Europe, which was now cut off from the free
world by ‘an iron curtain’.  Behind that line, he said, the people of Eastern
Europe were ‘subject to Soviet influence . . . totalitarian control [and] police
governments’.

P R I M A R Y S O U RCE
From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has
descended across the continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the
ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna,
Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest, and Sofia, all these famous cities and the
populations around them lie in the Soviet sphere and all are subject in one
form or another, not only to Soviet influence but to a very high and increasing
measure of control from Moscow.

 WINSTON CHURCHILL, “Iron Curtain” speech, March 5, 1946

Q: Why might Winston Churchill use “iron curtain” to refer to the division
between Western and Eastern Europe?
This cartoon from 1946 by the British cartoonist Illingworth was
published in the Daily Mail on 6 March 1946 (the day after
Churchill's Fulton speech).  It shows Churchill having 'a peep
under the Iron Curtain'.   ‘Joe’ is Joseph Stalin.  In fact, the ‘iron
curtain’ was a 2,000-km. line of barbed wire, look-out posts and
road blocks.
REFERENCE PAGE
Q:  Explain how Churchill’s speech was a turning point in the history of the Cold
War.

Q:  Did Churchill cause the Cold War?

ANALYSIS OF CARTOON
This cartoon appeared shortly after World War II, when Russia reneged on its agreements with the
other Allies on how to handle post-war Europe. Here are five points you asked for: 

1. The Iron Curtain was figurative, not literal. The Berlin Wall was literal, and it came later. This was a
figure of speech. 

2. You notice the man in the background. He is escaping. The Iron Curtain nations kept people in,
whether they wanted to be there or not. 

3. You will notice the E in Europe is covered by the Iron Wall. That is to show the Iron Curtain divided
Europe. Eastern Europe was controlled by the Russians, Western Europe was primarily democratic. 

4. The person with the cigar peeking under the wall is "former" British Prime Minister Winston
Churchill. He had been voted out of office July 1945 and the Iron Curtain speech was in 1946. Before
World War II, Churchill was seemingly the sole person in Europe warning the world about the dangers
of Hitler. As the war ended, he was warning the world about Russian dictator Joseph Stalin (the Joe
on the wall). He went unheeded at first, which many people believe was why he lost the 1945 election.
He wanted to keep an eye on Stalin as he didn't trust Stalin. 

5. Notice the industry being portrayed on the Eastern side, but the broken down buildings on the
Western side near the wall. That was because during the war, the US and Britain pretty much
destroyed the German ability to manufacture war material. The Russians did what they could, but it
wasn't as much. Then post war, Russia took everything they could out of Germany as war reparations,
leaving Western Germany destitute and in need of US aid. 

Russia was to get a certain amount of coal from the German coal mines as reparations. Germany
would ship it via railroad and Russia not only took the coal, they kept the rail cars! Then when
Germany didn't have enough rail cars to ship the coal, Russia said the Germans and Allies were
reneging on the deal and continued stripping Germany of almost everything. 

One final point. Notice when the cartoon was first published - March 6, 1946. Churchill's Iron Curtain
speech in Fulton Missouri was given March 5, 1946, the day before. This cartoon was a reaction to the
speech.

Source:
http://www.winstonchurchill.org/i4a/page...
 THE COLD WAR BEGINS

Soviet expansion in the East (1945-1948): Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary

and Czechoslovakia

United States response: foreign policy of containment-policy directed at

blocking Soviet influence and stopping the expansion of communism

How?
Truman Doctrine (1947)
Support for countries that rejected communism

Marshall Plan (1948)

Assistance program for European countries-to finance the economic recovery
of Europe between 1948 -1952

COMECON (1949) (Council for Mutual Economic Aid)

Trading union for communist countries (not with the West)

EVENTS THAT COULD HAVE ERUPTED IN ALL OUT WAR FROM

1948-1989

1ST=BERLIN BLOCKADE AND AIRLIFT 1948-1949

o USA, GB, & France combine zones to create Trizonia (new currency
deutschmark)

o Soviet Union responded by holding West Berlin hostage, cutting off all
transport links into West Berlin

“When Berlin falls, Western Germany will be next. If we withdraw our position
in Berlin, Europe is threatened. Communism will run rampant.” General Clay,
US Commander in Berlin.

o West responded with massive airlift-food, fuel and supplies flown into
Berlin

o May, 1949, Soviet Union lifted the blockade

o Formation of West Germany (democratic) & East Germany (communist)

MILK… NEW WEAPON OF DEMOCRACY (1948)
defined: ideas, facts, allegations spread deliberately to further one’s cause or to
damage opposing cause

2nd=FORMATION OF NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

1949
o 12 nations formed a defensive military alliance
o Attack on any NATO member would be met with armed force by all
member nations
=FORMATION OF WARSAW PACT in 1955
o Soviet Union established a counter group to NATO

3rd=ARMS RACE
→extensive military build-up between the Soviet Union and USA (stockpiles of
nuclear weapons along with strong air force)

CLASSRO0M TASK: ROLEPLAYING

LIVE REPORT FROM EAST AND WEST BERLIN!

Purpose: To perform a short live TV appearance for your favorite news channel about the current “Berlin
Airlift” in progress.
2 views/perspectives: Allies (US; GB) and USSR

↔Each group (2 Allies, 2 Soviets) must include all students from their group in their skit performance.
Answer essential questions in your reporting:

WHO IS INVOLVED OR AFFECTED?

WHAT IS HAPPENING?

WHERE IS YOUR LOCATION?

WHEN?

HOW?

WHY?

SO WHAT?

Improvise and be creative!

4th=October 1949, COMMUNISTS IN CONTROL OF CHINA

 Establish The People’s Republic of China
Leader & Chairman of the Party= MAO ZEDONG (till 1976)

By Orihara1 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36210407

Mao delivered speech on October 1st in Tinanmen Square.

5th=KOREAN WAR 1950-1953

 After WWII, 1945, Korea was partitioned along the 38th parallel: line of
latitude that separates North & South Korea
-North Korea: communist, leader Kin II-sung & (Soviet influence)
-Americans back South Korea: democratic, Syngman Rhee (leader in exile)
-25 June 1950 North Korean army invades South Korea
-American troops, UN troops fought against North Korean & Chinese troops to
“contain” communism
-Military stalemate: war ended in ceasefire at original border, 38°N, July 1953

Result: left Korea still divided

The Demilitarized Zone at the 38th Parallel still divides

North and South Korea today. Photo by R. Dunn
6TH=HUNGARIAN UPRISING IN 1956
 Student protest against Soviet influence/policies
Local population tries to eliminate Red Army/Communists in the country
Result: pro-Soviet government/revolution crushed

7th=BUILDING OF THE BERLIN WALL 1961

o 3 million refugees cross/flee from East to West
o Border was guarded by watch-towers, barbed wire fences
o August 1961 stopped the flow of emigrants & construction of the wall
o 171 people killed trying to cross the wall
o 9 Nov. 1989→Berliners flock to wall, gates opened!
o 1990 October 3→Unification of East & West Germany
8th=CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS 1962
→ Brink of war, confrontation between US (Kennedy) & USSR (Khrushchev)
over the Soviet placement of nuclear missiles on Cuba
-policy of brinksmanship: principle of not backing down in a crisis, even if it
meant taking the country to the brink of war
Result: removal of missiles
Domino Political theory during the 1950-1980s promoted
Theory by the U.S. It speculated that if one country in a
region came under the influence of communism,
the surrounding countries would follow in a
domino effect. It was used by U.S. administrations
to justify the need for U.S. intervention around the
world.

Containment U.S. foreign policy theory developed by George

Theory Kennan. Wanted to “contain” communism within
countries and not let it spread to other countries,
goes with domino theory.

Détente The easing of strained relations. Used in reference

to the easing of tensions during the Cold War.
Considered the thawing out period in the middle
of the war. Can also be though of as “cooling off.”

Deterrence An international strategy used to try to dissuade

someone from doing a certain action. Gained
prominence during the Cold War because of the
use of nuclear weapons.

Brinkmanship The practice of pushing dangerous events to the

verge or brink of disaster in order to achieve the
best outcome. Occurs mostly in international
affairs as a military strategy. Can also be used in
diplomatic forces during nuclear events.

Mutually Military strategy in which each side possesses

Assured weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). This
Destruction guarantees that if either side were to use these
weapons on the other, the other would retaliate
and create complete annihilation of each side.
9th=VIETNAM WAR 1957-1975
o 1954, Vietnam divided between anti-Communist South & Communist
North
o Civil war, 1957, between Vietcong (communist guerillas/organization
from the South) & Southern government
o Americans frightened by Communist takeover so first send advisors to
help the South Vietnamese, later, American soldiers and airmen enter
war
o Unpopular war for American’s at home/many critics about American
involvement
o 1973, US forces with Pres. Johnson withdraw from Vietnam
o 1975, South Vietnam surrenders to North Vietnam as North Vietnamese
troops enter Saigon, now called Ho Chi Minh City
Result: 1975, Vietnam reunited and stays a communist country

Hovering U.S. Army helicopters pour machine gun fire into a tree line to cover the advance of
South Vietnamese ground troops in an attack on a Viet Cong camp 18 miles north of Tay Ninh,
near the Cambodian border, in March of 1965.
https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/vietnam-war-the-early-years-1965-1967/
Guerrilla warfare is a very unconventional style of warfare. It refers to small
conflicts where groups of covert combatants use the element of surprise to
eliminate the opponent. This tactic was widely used by the North Vietnamese
Communists called the Vietcong.
Americans entered war using traditional methods-by conquering land.
However, they were not used to the jungle terrain.

→Period of DÉTENTE:
relaxation of tension, thaw in the 70’s, between US and two
communist rivals: the Soviet Union and China

Policy by US pres. Nixon include:

1. visits China/recognizes government
2. arms control (reduce number of mid-range nuclear weapons)- SALT
(Strategic Arms Limitations Talks) treaty with USSR
3. recognizes East Germany

10th=PRAGUE SPRING 1968

Again, locals try to overturn Russian control of country.
Dubček, appointed communist leader, wanted to make reforms.
Result: Soviets invaded and put a pro-Soviet government in place. Soviet Union
would use force in the future to keep communism in power.

11th=SOVIET INVASION OF AFGHANISTAN 1979-1989

Group called Mujahideen fought guerilla war with Soviet army in mostly
the countryside.

 
Afghan guerrillas atop a downed Soviet Mi-8 transport helicopter, near the Salang Highway, a
vital supply route north from Kabul to the Soviet border, January 12, 1981.

→THE END OF THE COLD WAR ERA←

 1989, year of revolution in Eastern Europe

 1991, end of the Soviet Union
 FALL OF COMMUNISM AND DEFINING THE NEW WORLD ORDER

WHO WAS REALLY TO BLAME FOR THE COLD WAR-

RUSSIA OR AMERICA? NEITHER?

ARE THERE WINNERS AND LOSERS IN THE COLD WAR?

PROXY WARS: ITS GLOBAL SPREAD DURING THE COLD WAR
PERIOD
Proxy war is: when two powerful nations use a conflict in another area as an
excuse to express their intentions; opposing powers use third parties as
substitutes for fighting each other directly

WHY DID THE OPPOSING IDEOLOGIES OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE
SOVIET UNION GET THEM INVOLVED IN 3 PROXY WARS?

 KOREAN WAR (1950-1953)

 VIETNAM WAR (1957-1975)
 AFGHANISTAN WAR (1979-1989)

Conflict Background Description Consequences/Results

KOREAN WAR

VIETNAM WAR

AFGHANISTAN
WAR
REFERENCE PAGE
What was the Cuban Missile Crisis?

“The Cuban Missile Crisis was a thirteen-day confrontation from October 15 to October 28,
1962 between the United States and the Soviet Union over the positioning of nuclear missiles
in Cuba. In 1962, the Soviet Union secretly placed nuclear-tipped missiles on the Communist-
led island of Cuba. After discovering the missiles in October, the U.S. responded by
blockading Cuba. Following a period of intense discussions and fear of a nuclear catastrophe,
President John F. Kennedy made a proposal to Premier Nikita Khrushchev that the Soviet
leader accepted; The Soviets withdrew the missiles after the U.S. pledged publicly never to
invade Cuba and promised privately to withdraw its own nuclear missiles from Turkey.