Weekly Assignment

Timeline Due End of Next Week (Friday, Feb. 18th) Quiz: Part I of notes Next Class (Read pages 281 – 284 in review book for additional review)

The Iron Curtain and Europe

Post WWII: Birth of the U.N.The United Nations is an international peace-keeping body. Has the ability to send “peacekeeping forces” to areas as long as it has the permission of the Security Council. United States, France, Great Britain, Russia, and ChinaWhy do you think the U.N. was ineffective in moderating between the US and the Soviet Union?

                      

                    

                         

Political System: CommunismGovernment control of economy (collective farms)State before the individual

• Political System: Democracy

•Economic System: Capitalism

• Individual Rights

The Yalta Conference: Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill

At the end of WWII, Germany is divided into four occupation zones: Soviet, American, British and French. Berlin, lying 110 miles inside the Russian zone, is likewise divided into four sections, with each of the four powers controlling one section. These divisions, among other decisions concerning Germany, had been decided at the Yalta and Potsdam conferences and in other agreements before and after the end of WWII.

Stalin pledged to allow free elections in Eastern Europe when the war was over.

The Iron Curtain and Europe

Stalin did not keep his promise to hold free elections. Instead he set up puppet governments in Eastern Europe, turning these nations into Soviet satellites. Trade and communication between Eastern and Western Europe was cut off. In 1946, Winston Churchill declared that an “Iron Curtain” had descended on Europe

The Iron Curtain and Europe

The Berlin Wall: A real life “Iron Curtain”

The Truman Doctrine: Marked the beginning of America’s containment policy. This policy stated that the United States would take steps to prevent Communism from spreading further. Truman announced that the US would provide aid to Turkey and Greece to prevent Communist takeover

Successful in Turkey and Greece.

Billions of dollars in aid was given to Western European nations in an effort to help them rebuild their war-torn economies.

The Division of Germany and the Berlin Airlift

The Soviets closed all the highways and railroad links to Berlin. To react the allies began a massive airlift to feed and supply the city.

Eventually this action led to the formation of a West Germany and an East Germany

In 1949, the United States, Canada, and ten Western European countries formed NATO, (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), to protect Western Europe from Communist aggression. The Soviet Union reacted to the formation of NATO by creating the Warsaw Pact with its Eastern European allies.

Previous KnowledgeCommunist Revolution in ChinaCommunist leader: Mao ZedongNationalist leader: Chiang Kai-ShekThe Long March: March to the Northwest to fight Japanese aggression. www.megastories.com/china/glossary/march.htm

Why would Communist control of China be troubling to Western leaders?

Communism triumphs in China

Mao took control of China, all aspects of life were brought under control of the Communist Party.

Re-education: Communist beliefs became required learning in universities.

Elimination of “Capitalist Class” Landowners and factory owners were often killed

Children were taught to obey the state and the authority of the Communist Party

The Great Leap ForwardIn 1958, Mao introduced a Five-Year Plan aimed at turning China into an industrial power. China’s immense population was used to build dams, bridges, roads, and factories.

Fear of Communism’s Spread: The Korean War

Like Germany, Korea had been divided in 1945 into two states, one Communist (North) and one non-Communist (South). South Korea was invaded and war ensued. Ended in 1953 with a compromise that left a demilitarized zone between the two countries (today?)

Whatever you can do I can do better: Competition between the Superpowers

The Soviet Union launches first space satellite, Sputnik I , in 1957.

SPACE RACEThe United States countered by sending a man to the moon in 1969

The Soviets and Eastern EuropeNikita Khrushchev became the leader of the Soviet Union after Stalin’s death in 1953. Khrushchev condemned Stalin (De-Stalinization) and his cruel ways of ruling opened the door for local populations in Eastern Europe to display their unrest with Communist rule.

Poland: Workers go on strike for greater freedom. Remains Communist

Hungary: Students demonstrate for reform. Threaten to leave Warsaw Pact. Soviet troops brutally crush opposition. (1956 –Hungarian Revolt)

East Berlin: Many East Germans fled to the West. Khruschev has the Berlin Wall constructed.

Czechoslovakia: Czech leaders proclaim a more liberal communism. Soviets send in tanks and Czech leaders are replaced. (1968)

The Big Idea

The Soviet Union responded to challenges to its control by imposing prompt and severe repression. (Especially in Hungary and Chechoslovakia) In what way is this repression

(especially of workers) contrary to the philosophy of Marx?)

Cold War “Thaw”

By the mid 1950s, both American and Soviet leaders were interested in reduction cold war tensions. Khrushchev called for a policy of peaceful coexistence in which the Soviets would compete with the west but avoid war. Still, arms race continued and ICBMs (Intercontental Ballistic Missiles) were developed by both superpowers

Cuban Missile CrisisTo counter US Nuclear Missiles in Turkey the Soviets placed Missiles in Cuba (90 miles south of Florida). President Kennedy reacted by blockading Cuba and eventually the two sides reached an agreement and nuclear war was avoided. Results: superpowers see need to establish better relations and also leads to legislation banning nuclear weapon testing.

Detente

“Relaxation” or improvement of American-Soviet relations. Brezhnev and President Nixon signed the SALT agreement. The 1972 Strategic Arms Limitation Agreement limited the number of nuclear warheads and missiles each country could maintain.

End of detente

In 1979, the Soviets invaded neighboring Afghanistan to reinforce local Communist control. The move shocked the West and marked the end of détente. During the 1980s the two superpowers remained suspicious and an arms race continued

Gorbachev’s USSRIn the mid 1980s, Mikhail Gorbachev, a reform minded leader, came to power in the Soviet Union. Gorbachev instituted a policy of glasnost, meaning “openness”. Gorbachev allowed freedom of expression for Soviet citizens and eased harsh measures against critics of the Soviet system.

Perestroika

Gorbachev’s policy of rebuilding the Soviet economy. Gorbachev encouraged limited moves toward free enterprise. (more local decision making)

The Berlin Wall Crumbles

1989: the year of miraclesReduced production, decreased labor production, high inflation, and trade deficits had virtually paralyzed the economies of Eastern EuropeOn Nov. 9th the Berlin Wall began to come down and West Germany and East Germany united ending Communism in the East.

1989 Continued: Holes in the “Iron Curtain”

As economic and political instability increased, Communist regimes either resigned or were overturned in East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hugary, Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria. Gorbachev did not intervene in these democratic uprisings and actually encouraged them.

End of the Cold War: The Soviet Breakup

Gorbachev faced mounting opposition from political rivals and the 15 separate Soviet republics (or states) began declaring self rule led by Latvia, Luthuania, and Estonia.