Unit 9: The Cold War, the Rise of World Communism, and Struggles for Liberation in a Modern World
“From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest and Sofia, all these famous cities and the populations around them lie in what I must call the Soviet sphere, and all are subject in one form or another, not only to Soviet influence but to a very high and, in many cases, increasing measure of control from Moscow.” - Winston Churchill, 1946
The concern that arose around the world when the Bolsheviks succeeded in their revolution in Russia in 1918 may have seemed alarmist at the time, but by the spring of 1945, Joseph Stalin’s and Soviet Russia’s true colors were showing. The end of World War II launched a new age in world history. Countries who had led the world politically and economically for centuries were replaced by two new “superpowers” who were distinct in ideology, economy and political structures. These countries were the United States and the Soviet Union.
The struggle between these two nations for ideological supremacy would seep into sports, culture, and science as well as politics and economics. This fierce competition over the next 45 years would profoundly change all corners of the world.
Themes
· How did the Cold War evolve from alliances of the Second World War?
· What agreements were made at the Yalta Conference?
· What factors contributed to the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union?
· What made countries vulnerable to Soviet influence?
· What alliances, policies and economic plans were developed to ease tensions and how did they prolong the struggle?
· What military confrontations grew out of these tensions?
· Why did the Soviet Union collapse?
· In what ways were communist USSR and communist China alike and different?
· How was the ideological struggle between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. realized in the culture of each superpower?
· How did the Allies decide to deal with Germany following its defeat?
· To what extent did Mao’s Great Leap move China forward?
· What was the goal of the Cultural Revolution?
· Compare and contrast communist USSR and communist China.
You will know…
· the economic and military power shifts caused by the Yalta Pact.
· the political and psychological effects of the development of nuclear weapons.
· the effects of Soviet control over the Eastern European nations.
· the causes of the competition between the U.S. and USSR for influence in places such as Egypt, the Congo, Vietnam and Chile.
· that the U.S. policies of Containment led to wars such as Korea and Vietnam.
· the economic and political effects of the Cold War rivalry on Cuba and Africa.
· The impact of NATO, the United Nations, and Pact.
Terms
38th Parallel
Bay of Pigs
Berlin Airlift
Berlin Blockade
Berlin Wall
Brinkmanship
Capitalism
Chang Kai Shek
Chinese Civil War
Communism vs. Capitalism
Containment
Cuban Missile Crisis
Détente
Domino Theory
Dwight Eisenhower
Harry Truman
Invasion of Czechoslovakia
Invasion of Hungary
Iron Curtain
Korean War
MAD
Mao Zedong
Marshall Plan
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mutual deterrence
NATO
NATO vs Warsaw Pact
Nikita Khrushchev
Nixon and Détente
Perestroika
Potsdam Conference
Proxy War
Ronald Reagan
Satellite nations
Sputnik
Taiwan
The Iron Curtain
The United Nations
Truman Doctrine
U2 Incident
Vietnam War
War in Afghanistan
Warsaw Pact
Yalta Conference
Cold War: The state of diplomatic hostility between the United States and the Soviet Union in the decades following WWII. They fought over Spheres of influence (other countries), the Olympics, Space, quality of life provided for their citizens, as well as fighting in other ways. 1945 – 1991
Cold War Conflict: Can also be called “satellite conflict.” The U.S. and Soviet Union competed for influence in countries around the world, especially developing nations in Asia, Latin America and Africa. They did this in various ways: the superpowers backed wars of revolution, liberation, and counterrevolution (going against a revolution). Spy agencies (the CIA in the U.S. and the KGB in the Soviet Union) used spying and assassination attempts. Both the Soviet Union and the U.S. gave aid and resources to various countries to “win them over.”
Capitalism: An economic system based on private ownership and on the investment of money in business ventures to make a profit. Progress comes from people following their own self-interest. Government should not interfere with the economy. How is the different than Communism? Why would Capitalism and Communism be a threat to one another?
Truman Doctrine – A pledge given by U.S. President Truman to support any nation battling Communism. This became a rationale for U.S. involvement in conflicts around the world.
Domino Theory – The idea that if one nation falls under Communist control, nearby nations will also fall under Communist control. This term was used by U.S. President Eisenhower describing the Communist threat in Asia.
“From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest and Sofia, all these famous cities and the populations around them lie in what I must call the Soviet sphere, and all are subject in one form or another, not only to Soviet influence but to a very high and, in many cases, increasing measure of control from Moscow.” - Winston Churchill, 1946
The concern that arose around the world when the Bolsheviks succeeded in their revolution in Russia in 1918 may have seemed alarmist at the time, but by the spring of 1945, Joseph Stalin’s and Soviet Russia’s true colors were showing. The end of World War II launched a new age in world history. Countries who had led the world politically and economically for centuries were replaced by two new “superpowers” who were distinct in ideology, economy and political structures. These countries were the United States and the Soviet Union.
The struggle between these two nations for ideological supremacy would seep into sports, culture, and science as well as politics and economics. This fierce competition over the next 45 years would profoundly change all corners of the world.
Themes
· How did the Cold War evolve from alliances of the Second World War?
· What agreements were made at the Yalta Conference?
· What factors contributed to the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union?
· What made countries vulnerable to Soviet influence?
· What alliances, policies and economic plans were developed to ease tensions and how did they prolong the struggle?
· What military confrontations grew out of these tensions?
· Why did the Soviet Union collapse?
· In what ways were communist USSR and communist China alike and different?
· How was the ideological struggle between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. realized in the culture of each superpower?
· How did the Allies decide to deal with Germany following its defeat?
· To what extent did Mao’s Great Leap move China forward?
· What was the goal of the Cultural Revolution?
· Compare and contrast communist USSR and communist China.
You will know…
· the economic and military power shifts caused by the Yalta Pact.
· the political and psychological effects of the development of nuclear weapons.
· the effects of Soviet control over the Eastern European nations.
· the causes of the competition between the U.S. and USSR for influence in places such as Egypt, the Congo, Vietnam and Chile.
· that the U.S. policies of Containment led to wars such as Korea and Vietnam.
· the economic and political effects of the Cold War rivalry on Cuba and Africa.
· The impact of NATO, the United Nations, and Pact.
Terms
38th Parallel
Bay of Pigs
Berlin Airlift
Berlin Blockade
Berlin Wall
Brinkmanship
Capitalism
Chang Kai Shek
Chinese Civil War
Communism vs. Capitalism
Containment
Cuban Missile Crisis
Détente
Domino Theory
Dwight Eisenhower
Harry Truman
Invasion of Czechoslovakia
Invasion of Hungary
Iron Curtain
Korean War
MAD
Mao Zedong
Marshall Plan
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mutual deterrence
NATO
NATO vs Warsaw Pact
Nikita Khrushchev
Nixon and Détente
Perestroika
Potsdam Conference
Proxy War
Ronald Reagan
Satellite nations
Sputnik
Taiwan
The Iron Curtain
The United Nations
Truman Doctrine
U2 Incident
Vietnam War
War in Afghanistan
Warsaw Pact
Yalta Conference
Cold War: The state of diplomatic hostility between the United States and the Soviet Union in the decades following WWII. They fought over Spheres of influence (other countries), the Olympics, Space, quality of life provided for their citizens, as well as fighting in other ways. 1945 – 1991
Cold War Conflict: Can also be called “satellite conflict.” The U.S. and Soviet Union competed for influence in countries around the world, especially developing nations in Asia, Latin America and Africa. They did this in various ways: the superpowers backed wars of revolution, liberation, and counterrevolution (going against a revolution). Spy agencies (the CIA in the U.S. and the KGB in the Soviet Union) used spying and assassination attempts. Both the Soviet Union and the U.S. gave aid and resources to various countries to “win them over.”
Capitalism: An economic system based on private ownership and on the investment of money in business ventures to make a profit. Progress comes from people following their own self-interest. Government should not interfere with the economy. How is the different than Communism? Why would Capitalism and Communism be a threat to one another?
Truman Doctrine – A pledge given by U.S. President Truman to support any nation battling Communism. This became a rationale for U.S. involvement in conflicts around the world.
Domino Theory – The idea that if one nation falls under Communist control, nearby nations will also fall under Communist control. This term was used by U.S. President Eisenhower describing the Communist threat in Asia.