Cold War• Period of

misunderstanding, tension and rivalry between the USA and the USSR was described as the Cold War (1945-1990).

• Involved indirect conflict in world events to promote either Communism or Democracy

Comparison of the Two Superpowers

USA

• Superpower: 3rd Largest Country

• UN Permanent Member

• NATO• Capitalism• Democracy• Freedom

USSR

• Superpower: Largest Country

• UN Permanent Member

• Warsaw Pact• Communism• Dictatorship• Little/No Freedom

Origins

• Germany, which had been ruled by the Hitler and the Nazis until their defeat in 1945 was split in two.

• The western side became West Germany (a democracy) and the eastern side became East Germany (communist).

Germany Divided

France, Great Britain and the U.S. wants Germany Democratic

Soviet Union wants it Communist

Iron Curtain – A term used by Winston

Churchill to describe the separating of those

communistlands of East Europe from

the West.

City of Berlin

• Major city of Berlin was divided into a democratic side (West Berlin) and a communist side (East Berlin). Even though it was located in Communist East Germany

The Berlin Wall 1961-1989

• Visible barrier separating Communism and Democracy

• People living in East Berlin were not allowed to leave

Government after WWII

Many countries became communist after WWII

- North Korea (1945)- Poland (1947)- Hungary (1947)- Czechoslovakia (1948)- China (1949)- Cuba (1959)

Snake Eating Western Europe

Each side built up their weaponry, but didn’t want to use it. The two Superpowers didn’t want to start another all out

war, WWIII.

The Korean War 1950-1953

The Cuban Missile Crisis 1962

The Vietnam War c.1963-1975

Speech at the Berlin Wall

•http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hH6nQhss4Yc

•http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtYdjbpBk6A

The Soviet Union Collapses

• 1989 Berlin Wall comes down. Germany reunified in 1990

• December 26, 1991 Soviet Union dissolved

• Soviet Union flags lowered and replaced by Russian flag

Mikhail Gorbachev: Last Soviet President

Communism Loses Its Foothold in Eastern Europe

Communism