Restructuring the Postwar World
Chapter 17
Cold War - terms to know Yalta
Conference Iron Curtain Containment Truman
Doctrine Marshall Plan NATO Warsaw Pact
Brinkmanship Third World Nonaligned
nations Nikita
Khrushchev Détente SALT talks
Frenemies
Soviets and US were allied during WWII
However, US was wary with the Soviets because of the alliance with Germany in 1939
Stalin then blamed the US for not getting involved in Europe until 1944
Yalta Conference
Division of Germany Germany would be occupied by
Allies Germany would pay reparations
to Soviets
United Nations created Peacekeeping organization, based
in New York City
Frenemies
US and Soviets were no longer allies WWII affected each one
differently Differences in politics and
economics
United States Soviet Union- encourage democracy- encourage growth of industry- rebuild stable European governments- reunite and stabilize Germany
- encourage communism and a worker’s revolution- rebuild Soviet economy from Eastern Europe- balance the US’s influence- keep Germany divided to prevent future war
Iron Curtain Buffer zone
Soviets wanted a guard from the West Stalin created communist governments
to surround the Soviet Union (disregarded agreement from Yalta Conference)
Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Poland, Yugoslavia
Stalin believed communism and capitalism could not exist in the same world
Divided east and west Democratic west, communist east
US resists the Soviets Containment
Block Soviet influence by making alliances and helping weak countries resist communism
Truman Doctrine US should aid any country that rejects
communism Highly contested, but passed by Congress
Marshall Plan US should aid countries that are suffering
because of WWII Provide food, machinery, and other materials
to rebuild the countries Supported by Congress after the Soviets
took control of Czechoslovakia
Berlin Airlift US and Soviets clashed over control
of Germany Soviets wanted to keep Germany weak
and divided US wanted to let Germany reunite
Soviets continued to control West Berlin Cut off all traffic to West Berlin unless
the Allies gave up the idea of unifying Germany
US and Britain flew in supplies
Alliances NATO
Blockade of Berlin caused Western nations to fear Soviet action
Created the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
If you attack one member of NATO, all will retaliate
Warsaw Pact Soviets saw NATO as a threat, so they created
their own alliance Soviet Union, East Germany, Czechoslovakia,
Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania
Cold War divides the world 1961 - Germans build a wall to
divide East and West Berlin (symbolized the division around the world)
India chose to remain neutral
China sided with NATO
Brinkmanship US and Soviets had nuclear weapons
Worked at creating even more powerful weaponry (fusion rather than fission)
Eisenhower’s secretary of state (Dulles) threatened that if the Soviets ever attacked, that the US would retaliate immediately
Both countries were continually on the edge of going to war Strengthened the military, stockpiled
weapons
Inspiration from the Cold War The Cold War spurred a desire for
improved science and technology Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Sputnik and other satellites
CIA began using high-altitude spy planes
Third World Third world - countries in Latin
America, Asia, Africa US, Soviets and Chinese all
wanted influence on the governments of these countries
Nonaligned nations Did not want to become involved
in the Cold War, wanted to be neutral
Some ended up taking sides
Conflicts in Latin America Latin American countries were
struggling Rapid industrialization, population
growth, growing gape between rich and poor
Looked for aid from both US and Soviets
US supported leaders who protected US businesses, but were often oppressive
Soviets supported revolutionary and nationalistic movements
Conflicts in Latin America Cuban Revolution
Fidel Castro led a revolution to overthrow Cuba’s dictator, but became a dictator himself
Took over US mills and refineries, so US put an embargo on all trade
Cuba turned to the Soviets for aid
Cuban Missile Crisis Soviets believed that US would not be able
to stop Soviet expansion in Latin America Khrushchev built 42 missile sites in Cuba Khrushchev would remove the missiles if
the US promised to not invade Cuba Cuba became dependent on Soviet aid
Soviets in Eastern Europe Soviets kept a firm grip on its satellite
countries They could not grow/develop on their own -
had to meet the needs of the Soviets Satellite countries began protesting, and
China was becoming a threat
Destalinization After Stalin’s death, Khrushchev wanted to
get rid of the memory of Stalin Toppled statues, denounced Stalin for killing and
imprisoning innocent Soviets Khrushchev wanted a change in how the
Soviet Union dealt with capitalist countries “peaceful competition
Protests against the Soviets Satellite countries were not satisfied
Hungary People began protesting Imre Nagy formed a new government
Promised elections and that he would force Soviet troops to leave
Soviet troops arrived, overwhelmed the protestors and executed Nagy
Protests against the Soviets Khrushchev lost prestige after the Cuban
Missile Crisis, replaced by Brezhnev Removed right to free speech and worship Government censored all published material Would not tolerate any form of dissent
Alexander Dubcek - Czech leader responded by loosening his censorship laws Prague Spring - new ideas were allowed to bloom
Brezhnev had forces from the Warsaw Pact invade Czechoslovakia Claimed it was to keep countries from
rejecting communism
Soviets and China split China was committed to
communism 1950 - Mao and Stalin signed a 30-year
treaty of friendship
Friendship did not last Chinese refused to follow Soviet
leadership, began to spread their form of communism to Africa and Asia
Khrushchev then refused to share nuclear secrets, and then ended economic aid
Détente End of Brinkmanship
1970s - US and Soviets were no longer involved in a series of crises that threatened nuclear war
Soviets stepped down from a confrontation at sea
President Johnson became involved in the Vietnam War
US turns to détente US chose to avoid direct confrontation with the
Soviets after the country’s reaction to Vietnam President Nixon wanted to reduce tensions
between the two countries Wanted to work with China and Russia
SALT talks Strategic Arms Limitation Talks
Nixon and Brezhnev signed the SALT I treaty 5 year agreement Limited number of intercontinental
ballistics and submarine-launched missiles
SALT II President Carter was unhappy with Soviet
actions (harsh treatment of protestors) Soviets invaded Afghanistan - Congress
refused to ratify SALT II
Détente
Collapse of the détente More countries began creating
nuclear weapons
Reagan took office Very anti-communist Increased defense spending Put military and economic pressure on
the Soviets Created Strategic Defense Initiative
(SDI) to protect from enemy missiles
China, Korea, Vietnam
Complete the worksheet
Conflicts in the Middle East Clash over Western and Islamic
values Iran
Shah Pahlavi (Iran’s leader) strengthened ties to Western cultures, and weakened the influence of ayatollahs
Ayatollah Khomeini encouraged riots and took over the government
Strongly anti-US Very militant style of Islamic government,
attacked US Embassy Took 60 people hostage for 444 days
Conflicts in the Middle East Iraq
Saddam Hussein ran a secular government Iran and Iraq went to war in 1980
US supported both sides - didn’t want a change in power
Soviets supported Iraq
Afghanistan Soviet influence began increasing in the
1950s 1979 - Muslims revolted and Soviets invaded Soviets were stuck in Afghanistan, fighting
troops supported by the US US considered the Soviets a threat to oil
supplies
Monday
Describe the relationship between the US and Soviets after WWII
Compare/Contrast US and Soviet ways of thinking for politics and economics
Was the Iron Curtain necessary?
Tuesday Why were NATO and the Warsaw
Pact created?
Why would some countries decide to remain neutral?
What did we gain from the Cold War?
Were we safer during brinkmanship?
Wednesday
Why was the Third World important during the Cold War?
What effect did the Cuban Missile Crisis have on the Cold War?
Why did the Soviet Union want to keep Hungary as a satellite?
Thursday
What is the difference between brinkmanship and détente?
What happened at the SALT talks?
Could the US have gained Ayatollah Khomeini’s support? Why/Why not?
Friday How did the Cold War contribute to
Jiang Jieshi’s survival?
Compare/Contrast China’s promised to Tibet with the Soviet Union’s promises to eastern Europe
What is the importance of the communes?
Describe the Cultural Revolution and its effect on society.
Monday What was result of the Korean War?
Compare/Contrast the Vietnamese Nationalists and Communists with the Chinese Nationalists and Communists.
Why did the US get involved in Vietnam?
Are we safer today or during the Cold War?
Stu
dy G
uid
e (E
ssay
Tes
t) Iron Curtain - What was it? Why did it
exist? What are the benefits and weaknesses? Was it necessary?
Relationship between US and Soviets - What weakened it? How did the relationship change during the Cold War? What event(s) almost came to war? What effect did the Cuban Missile Crisis have on the relationship?
What changes did Mao Zedong make in China? What was one of the major changes? How did his actions benefit/weaken the country? What effect did the Cultural Revolution have?
What is brinkmanship? What caused it? What effect did it have on society? IYO-was it good or bad?
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