The EarlyCold War:1945-1989

The EarlyCold War:1945-1989

• The Cold war (1945-1989) can be characterized as forty-five years of high-level tension and competition between the superpowers but no direct military conflict.

Origins of the Cold War

• At Yalta the “Big Three” agreed that Eastern European governments would be democratically elected, but Pro-Russian

• At Potsdam, Truman wants elections immediately, but Stalin says no

• Truman begins to cut aid to the USSR and eventually stops giving aid to the USSR completely

• By the summer of 1945 the Cold War has begun

The Ideological StruggleThe Ideological StruggleSoviet &

Eastern Bloc Nations[“Iron

Curtain”]

US & the Western

Democracies

GOAL spread world-wide Communism

GOAL “Containment” of Communism & the eventual collapse of the Communist world.[George Kennan]

METHODOLOGIES:

Espionage [KGB vs. CIA]

Arms Race [nuclear escalation]

Ideological Competition for the minds and hearts of Third World peoples [Communist govt. & command economy vs. democratic govt. & capitalist economy] “proxy wars”

Bi-Polarization of Europe [NATO vs. Warsaw Pact]

The “Iron Curtain”The “Iron Curtain”

From Stettin in the Balkans, to Trieste in From Stettin in the Balkans, to Trieste in the Adriatic, an the Adriatic, an iron curtainiron curtain has descended has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lies across the Continent. Behind that line lies the ancient capitals of Central and Eastern the ancient capitals of Central and Eastern Europe.Europe. -- Sir Winston Churchill, 1946-- Sir Winston Churchill, 1946

Truman Doctrine [1947]Truman Doctrine [1947]

1.1. Civil War in Greece.Civil War in Greece.

2.2. Turkey under pressure from the Turkey under pressure from the USSR for concessions in the USSR for concessions in the Dardanelles.Dardanelles.

3.3. The U. S. should support free The U. S. should support free peoples throughout the world peoples throughout the world who were resisting takeovers by who were resisting takeovers by armed minorities or outside armed minorities or outside pressures…We must assist free pressures…We must assist free peoples to work out their own peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way.destinies in their own way.

4.4. The U.S. gave Greece & Turkey The U.S. gave Greece & Turkey $400 million in aid.$400 million in aid.

Marshall Plan [1948]Marshall Plan [1948]

1.1. ““European Recovery European Recovery Program.”Program.”

2.2. Secretary of State, Secretary of State, George MarshallGeorge Marshall

3.3. The U. S. should provide The U. S. should provide aid to aid to allall European nations European nations that need it. This move that need it. This move is not against any country or is not against any country or doctrine, but against hunger, doctrine, but against hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos.poverty, desperation, and chaos.

4.4. $12.5 billion of US aid to Western $12.5 billion of US aid to Western Europe. Was extended to Eastern Europe. Was extended to Eastern Europe & USSR, [but this was Europe & USSR, [but this was rejected].rejected].

Post-War GermanyPost-War Germany

Berlin Blockade & Airlift Berlin Blockade & Airlift (1948-49)(1948-49)

The Arms Race:The Arms Race:A “Missile Gap?”A “Missile Gap?”

} The Soviet The Soviet Union Union exploded its exploded its first A-bomb in first A-bomb in 1949.1949.

} Now there Now there were two were two nuclear nuclear superpowers!superpowers!

NNorth orth AAtlantic tlantic TTreaty reaty OOrganization (1949)rganization (1949)

United StatesUnited States

BelgiumBelgium

BritainBritain

CanadaCanada

DenmarkDenmark

FranceFrance

IcelandIceland

ItalyItaly

LuxemburgLuxemburg

NetherlandsNetherlands

NorwayNorway

PortugalPortugal

1952: Greece & 1952: Greece & Turkey Turkey

1955: West 1955: West GermanyGermany

1983: Spain1983: Spain

Warsaw Pact (1955)Warsaw Pact (1955)

} U. S. S. R.U. S. S. R.

} AlbaniaAlbania

} BulgariaBulgaria

} CzechoslovakCzechoslovakiaia

} East East GermanyGermany

} HungaryHungary

} PolandPoland

} RumaniaRumania

Premier Nikita Premier Nikita KhrushchevKhrushchev

About the capitalist About the capitalist states, it doesn't states, it doesn't depend on you depend on you whether we whether we (Soviet Union) exist.(Soviet Union) exist.If you don't like us, If you don't like us, don't accept our don't accept our invitations, and don'tinvitations, and don'tinvite us to come invite us to come to see you. Whether to see you. Whether you like it or not, history is on our you like it or not, history is on our side. side. We will bury youWe will bury you. -- 1956. -- 1956

De-Stalinization De-Stalinization ProgramProgram

An Historic Irony: Sergei An Historic Irony: Sergei Khrushchev, American Khrushchev, American

CitizenCitizen

Who buried who? Who buried who? http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1696&dat=19990621&id=fvIaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4UcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3656,2997926

Mao’s Revolution: 1949Mao’s Revolution: 1949

Who lost China? – A 2Who lost China? – A 2ndnd }} Power!Power!

The Korean War: A The Korean War: A “Police Action” (1950-“Police Action” (1950-

1953)1953)

Syngman RheeSyngman Rhee

Kim Il-SungKim Il-Sung

““Domino Theory”Domino Theory”

The Suez Crisis: 1956-The Suez Crisis: 1956-19571957

Radio Free Europe/Radio Radio Free Europe/Radio LibertyLiberty

The Hungarian Uprising: The Hungarian Uprising: 19561956

Imre Nagy, Imre Nagy, HungarianHungarian

Prime MinisterPrime Minister} Promised free Promised free

elections.elections.

} This could lead to This could lead to the end of the end of communist rule in communist rule in Hungary.Hungary.

Sputnik I (1957)Sputnik I (1957)

The Russians have beaten America The Russians have beaten America in space—they have the in space—they have the

technological edge!technological edge!

Nixon-KhrushchevNixon-Khrushchev“Kitchen Debate”“Kitchen Debate”

(1959)(1959)

Cold War ---> Cold War --->

TensionsTensions

<--- Technology <--- Technology

& Affluence & Affluence

U-2 Spy Incident (1960)U-2 Spy Incident (1960)

Col. Francis Gary Col. Francis Gary Powers’ plane was Powers’ plane was

shot down over shot down over Soviet airspace.Soviet airspace.

The Berlin Wall Goes Up The Berlin Wall Goes Up (1961)(1961)

CheckpoinCheckpointt

CharlieCharlie

Ich bin ein Ich bin ein Berliner!Berliner!

(1963)(1963)

President President Kennedy tells Kennedy tells Berliners that Berliners that

the West is the West is with them!with them!

Khruschev Embraces Khruschev Embraces Castro,Castro,19611961

Cuban Missile Crisis Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)(1962)

Cuban Missile Crisis Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)(1962)

We went eyeball-to-eyeball with the We went eyeball-to-eyeball with the Russians, and the other man blinked!Russians, and the other man blinked!

Cuban Missile Crisis Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)(1962)

Vietnam War: 1965-1973Vietnam War: 1965-1973

““Prague Spring” (1968)Prague Spring” (1968)

Former Czech President, Former Czech President, Alexander DubčekAlexander Dubček

Communism with a human Communism with a human face!face!

This slide is just to show you that not much happens in the

70s• 1968 Aug.      Soviet Red Army crushes Czech Uprising. 

• 1972 Feb.       President Richard Nixon visits China.

• 1973 Sept.      U.S. supported coup overthrows Chilean government.

• 1975 Apr.       South Vietnam falls to Communist forces.

• 1976 Feb.       Soviet and Cuban forces help install Communist government in Angola.

• 1979 Jan.        U.S. and China establish diplomatic relations.

       Dec.       Soviet Red Army invades Afghanistan

• 1980 Aug.       Polish shipyard workers strike, Solidarity Union formed.

• 1983 Dec.       U.S. invades Grenada.

• 1985 Mar.      Mikhail Gorbachev becomes leader of the Soviet Union, the following year he declares glasnost and     perestroika.

Fall of Berlin Wall and End of Cold War

• Gorbachev

• Glasnost and perestroika

• Unravelling of Soviet bloc

• Germany reunited

• Russia and other former Soviet republics become independent states (1992-3)

““Prague Spring” Dashed! Prague Spring” Dashed! But in 1989-Velvet But in 1989-Velvet

Revolution=success!Revolution=success!

Non-violent protesters facing armed policemen with flowers

Legacy of the Cold War?

• US primacy in foreign affairs

• “Age of Globalization”

• Civil and ethnic strife (disintegration in Yugoslavia, genocide in Rwanda and Burundi, humanitarian intervention?, rise of terrorism…)

• Post Cold War era still being defined!

Will the post-Cold War era be characterized by cooperation among great powers, or will

the era be one of conflict among states and over new

ideas?