The Cold War and Beyond!!!

The Cold War and Beyond!!!

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US vs USSRSoviet Union took control of Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria (Red army overran these countries during WWII) **Exception: Tito of Yugoslavia – defied Stalin!

1946 – Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech

1947 – Greece in danger of being overthrown by communists. US concerns of Turkey becoming a Soviet puppet state. Britain asked US for help, US gladly obliged.

Greece and Turkey

Soviets announced that the Allies could no longer pass through the Soviet Zone.

Berlin Airlift thwarted Stalin’s blockade. (it lasted about a year!)

Stalin realized he could not stop the allies. Germany became East Germany and West Germany.

Federal Republic of Germany (W)German Democratic Republic (E)

NATO!! Military defensive alliance

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Warsaw Pact!! USSR + 7 satellite countries

1955

Nuclear Race

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Mao’s communist forces defeat Chiang Kai-Shek’s natinalist forces. K-S goes to Taiwan, US supports him.

Korea divided at the 38th parallel. N invaded S, (Backed by Stalin) UN called for N.Korean withdrawal, they ignored it, UN provided military aid and support.

1953 – armistice was signed.

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Death of Stalin = de-Stalinization. Enter – POWER STRUGGLE!!!!! Nikita Khruschev becomes leader. Calls for peaceful coexistence,

liberalization, intellectual freedom. Geneva summit – East meets West – they agree to disagree

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POLAND: Wladyslaw Gomulka – former political prisoner – gains concessions for

Poland and calms anti-Soviet feelings

Hungary – Imre Nagy declared Hungary neutral and withdraws from Warsaw

pact. Khrushchev sends Tanks, installs a puppet regime under Janos Kadar.

U2 Incident -------oops!

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Brezhnev Era (1964-1982)

Czechoslovakia- Alexander Dubcek becomes head of party and begins reforms knows as Prague Spring.

Lifted censorshipPermitted political groups

Wanted trade with the westBrez sent over 500,000 troops to occupy Czeks.

His doctrine? One bad apple…. A single socialist country’s anti-socialist acts can compromise the entire system, therefore military intervention

is necessary.

Brezhnev in Poland:1970s- Poland suffered economically1980 – strikes to protest prices, etc. Lech Walesa organizes SOLIDARITY – an independent trade union calling for changes.He is supported by EVERYONE, including the Catholic Church! 1978 – Pope John Paul, the first Polish Pope.Soviets play a ‘waiting game…’ but changes they are a comin!

Détente – 1970sProgressive relaxation of tensionNixon visits MoscowSALTBrezhnev visits USA1975 – Helsinki Pact – border agreements, and protection of human rights

ENDS with the Soviet invasion of AFGHANISTAN!!!!(that Brezhnev Doctrine)But it left the Soviets broke and depressed.

Brezhnev’s record

SecurityNew weapons and technology

CensorshipKGB arrested anyone who spoke against the gv.Apathy toward the massesInferior consumer products

Old men…then… GORBACHEV

Reformer?Perestroika – econommic restrcturingIntroduction of (some) capitalism (Think Lenin and the NEP)Prices soar, goods even more scarce

Gorby…(cont)Glasnost = opennessFreedom of ideas and expressionChurches openPolitical reformsNon – communist parties introducedWithdrew troops from Afghanistan 1989 – disapproved the Brezhnev DoctrineLed to peaceful revolutions and the end of Soviet Domination

POLAND

Communist gov. legalized SOLIDARITY – an independent trade unionLech Walesa (founder of solidarity) elected president of Republic of Poland

Velvet Revolution

CzechoslovakiaDemonstrations by students, etc. Non violentValclav Havel elected presidentSplit – Czech Republic and Slovakia

WEST GERMANY•Free market economy, social welfare• Stable democracy•Used Eastern European refugees as labor force•By 1960s surpassed pre-war successes•Ostpolitic – Eastern policy – sought reconciliation with E/W Germany•Helmut Kohl became chancellor in 1982, through the reunion in 1990-1998

Germany

East Germany forced to open borders Unified 1990

RomaniaViolent end to communismNicolae Ceausescu – communist dictator, ordered forces to slaughter thousands of protesters, sparked uprisingHe and his wife captured and put to deathElections called for transition to free market economy

Great Britain

Clement Attlee – Labour Party, began to transform G.Britain into a welfare state…Later conservative leaders restored some private enterprise.

Margaret Thatcher – 1979 – Conservative. 3 terms!!“iron lady”

France

•1995 – Jacques Chirac elected president•Tax cuts, jobs, labor strikes and racism•Civil unrest•Charges of corrupt spending•Opposed to invasion of Iraq