The Cold War

Project By: Rona SantosPaul Blair

Tim NortonBen Huffman

APEH – 2A

Intro

From the end of World War II in 1945 to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Cold War dominated international affairs.

It was a global struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union. Although the Cold War was sometimes fought on the battlefield, it involved everything from political rhetoric to sports. Overshadowing all was the threat of nuclear war.

Wartime Conferences

Teheran Conference , 1943 The first of the “Big Three’s” (Roosevelt, Churchill, and

Stalin) wartime meetings where they attempted to strengthen the cooperation between the allies

They discussed the shape of the postwar world.

Yalta Conference In February 1945, the Big Three discussed:

occupation of Germany Establishment of a government and borders in Poland Soviet Union’s entry in the war against Japan Voting procedures for the United Nations

In the end, the agreements were unsuccessful

Potsdam Conference July 1945 – President Truman replaced Roosevelt -

demanded immediate free elections throughout eastern Europe but Stalin refused to comply with Truman’s wishes

Tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union became apparent

Causes

Failure of the agreements between the three powers (U.S., Great Britain, Soviet Union)

Political differences between the Soviet Union and the U.S (free trade and free elections vs. communism)

Fear of the spread of communism – which led to the containment policy . Fear of communism.

Tragic fate of Eastern Europe Growing distrust between Western Allies (including

U.S.) and Soviet Union – the tension led to the nuclear arms race

West vs. East

The cold war divided Europe West – included most of the NATO (anti-Soviet

Military alliance) members: Great Britain, Norway, France, Portugal, West Germany, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Denmark, Belgium

East – included the communist countries: Soviet Union, East Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Albania

Nonallied Western countries included: Ireland, Sweden, Finland, Austria, Switzerland, Spain

Early Events Truman Doctrine, 1947

the policy stated that the U.S. would provide military and economic aid to fight communism – policy of “containment”

was first used to aid Greece Berlin Blockade and Airlift, 1948

After Germany blocked Berlin, the Western allies acted to provide the people of West Berlin with supplies.

Planes supplied West Berlin, causing the Soviets to back down after 324 days

Chinese Civil War 1949 – the communists triumphed in China – This new

developments caused many Americans to further fear the spread of communism

Korea, 1950 - 53 When a Russian-backed communist army of North Korea invaded

South Korea, American-led United Nations forces intervened. The war between north and south ended in 1953 after a truce was negotiated. However, the U.S. saw that the threat of communism had spread to Asia; thus, they extended their policy of containment.

NATO, 1949 Due the threat of communism, the U.S. formed the North Atlantic

Treaty Organization (NATO). It was an anti-Soviet military alliance of Western governments.

Warsaw Pact, 1955 To counter NATO, Stalin created the Warsaw Pact to tighten his hold

on his satellites.

Western Renaissance and Economic Revival

Although Europe suffered tremendously from WWII, recovery soon followed with western Europe leading the way.

France and Italy Christian Democrats emerged as a leading political party.

They sought political democracy, economic reconstruction, and moderate social reform.

Rejected authoritarianism and narrow nationalism Socialists and communists – also provided fresh leadership

and pushed for social change and economic reform

Britain Labour Party established a “welfare state” Industries were nationalized Gov’t provided free medical service

Throughout Europe Social reform complemented political transformation Governments accepted Keynesian economics Western European nations created a unified market, the

“Common Market”

Marshall Plan, 1947 Created to help rebuild non-communist European nations through

economic aid. It stimulated economic activity in Europe, helping in its recovery.

European Economic Community (EEC or “Common Market”) 1957

Aiming for European unity, the six nations of the Coal and Steel Community signed the Treaty of Rome, establishing the EEC.

The first goal: gradual reduction of tariffs among the members to create a single market

Other goals: free movement of capital and labor, common economic policies and institutions

It was a huge success – encouraged hopes of rapid progress toward unity

Decolonization

IndiaWhen The United Kingdom had first begun to allow India it’s independence it was split into two different entities with the partition of India: The Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India. A massive wave of immigration from Pakistan to India started a new war between the nations thus setting a new era in Indian-Pakistani conflicts.

Middle EastAs the Soviet Union and The United Kingdom pulled out of the Middle East several different countries were initiated:Iran in 1941Lebanon in 1943Syria in 1944Jordan in 1946 with the withdrawal of BritainIraq in1947 after the United Kingdom withdrewEgypt in 1947 after The United Kingdom withdrew into the Suez Canal

AfricaAs nations pulled out from Africa the country was left in a horde of chaos. There were now newly initiated racial conflicts where there had once been peace (as seen in both Rwanda and Burundi). Furthermore this removal from society created a great political instability and instituted great conflicts across the continent.

VietnamIn 1941, Viet Minh - a communist and nationalist liberation movement emerged under Ho Chi Minh, to seek independence for Vietnam from France as well as to oppose the Japanese occupation. Following the military defeat of Japan and the fall of its Vietnamese colony in August 1945, Viet Minh occupied Hanoi and proclaimed a provisional government, which asserted their independence. In November 20 1946, triggered by the Haiphong Incident the First Indochina War between Viet Minh and the French forces ensued, lasting until July 20 1954.

Soviet Eastern Europe

Stalin’s last years in power initiated a new kind of patriotic communism working with an extensive campaigning staff to get Russia back on his side Stalin soon became the new face for State-Supported Communism. Stalin knew that the neighboring and satellite states were contingent to his plan to control and keep hold of Eastern Europe. The only exception to Stalin’s buffer zone to the West was Yugoslavia and, although they never took militaristic actions against Stalin, under Josip Tito’s rule they stood as a symbol of Soviet digression in the west.

Reform and de-Stalinization

1953 Stalin died; Nikitia Kruchchev took power; he was a reformer He launched an all out attack on Stalin and his

crimes; said Stalin had trusted Hitler, tortured thousands of loyal communists and was out for person glory

he believed communism could existed peacefully with capitalism and wars were not inevitable

Poland and Hungary De-Stalinization stimulated rebelliousness in eastern

Europe Poland experienced great rioting in 1956 and a new

government managed to win greater autonomy Hungary experienced a revolution is 1956; led by

students and workers; the people of Budapest installed a liberal communist reformer; Soviets invaded and crushed the rebellion

Berlin Wall 1961 Berlin wall built in order to prevent east

Germans from migrating to the west

Cuban Missile Crisis 1962 Castro allowed Khrushchev to place nuclear

warheads on the island of Cuba President Kennedy countered with a naval blockade after tense diplomatic crisis the Soviets agreed to

remove the missiles in return for American pledges not to disturb Castro’s regime

Postwar Social Transformations

Women’s Movement In post war women’s lives were not consumed with

making babies women were allowed to go outside the home to make

money women became more educated In the eastern nations women accounted for almost

half of all employed persons married women would remain employed

Transformations Cont…

Consumerism society focused more on material goods people had more money and could buy more goods

Youth Culture a rebellion of traditional values began in the 1950’s

and continued into the 1960s more access to education stimulated restlessness

with status quo

Late Cold War Period

Vietnam - The untied States fought a prolonged and unpopular war

- America lost because communism spread to S. Vietnam - lost American millions of dollars and thousands of lives - counterculture and youth were the most vocal critics of the war

Afghanistan Soviets invaded in hopes of gaining future access to the

Persian gulf and Indian oceans CIA financed local Afghan fighters against the Soviets It was the Soviet Union’s Vietnam

Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe Gorbachev’s policies of peaceful co-existence with

communism had a profound effect on modern Europe. While his Reforms within Russia expressed a deep disdain for the previous sentiments of harsh communism they both bolstered a new wave of democratic sentiments and ideals throughout the nation.

Utilizing these thoughts Gorbachev brought a higher state of both peace and tranquility within Soviet Russia and throughout the world with Soviet Russia. Poland and their ideals of keeping free trade throughout Western Europe allowed for a greater dispersion of the ideals and thoughts that Gorbachev wished to bring to Europe about Russia.

Revolutions of 1989

Popular uprisings in many countries of Eastern Europe against communist rule, prompted by internal reforms in the USSR that permitted dissent within its sphere of influence;

By 1990 nearly all the Warsaw Pact countries had moved from one-party to pluralist political systems, in most cases peacefully but with growing hostility between various nationalist and ethnic groups;

1989…

Until the late 1980s, any discontent, however widespread, had been kept in check by the use or threat of military force controlled from Moscow.

Mikhail Gorbachev's official encouragement of perestroika (radical restructuring) and glasnost (greater political openness), largely for economic reasons, allowed popular discontent to boil over.

And it goes on…

Throughout the summer and autumn of 1989 the Eastern European states broke away from the communist bloc, as the Soviet republics were to do during the next two years.

Rising Reformist Desires

On 6 and 7 October 1989 the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev visited East Berlin, and made plain his desire to see greater reform.

This catalyzed the growing reform movement, and a wave of demonstrations (the first since 1953) swept East Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig, and smaller towns.

The Wall Went Where?

At first, under Erich Honecker's orders, they were violently broken up by riot police.

However, the security chief, Egon Krenz, ordered a softer line and in Dresden the reformist Communist Party leader, Hans Modrow, actually marched with the protesters.

Angry People Want Reform

Faced with the rising tide of protest and the increasing exodus to West Germany (between 5,000 and 10,000 people a day), which caused grave disruption to the economy, Honecker was replaced as party leader and head of state by Krenz (18–24 October).

In an attempt to keep up with the reform movement, Krenz sanctioned far-reaching reforms in November that effectively ended the SED monopoly of power and laid the foundations for a pluralist system.

When’s the Wall Coming Down?

The Politburo was purged of conservative members; Modrow became prime minister and a new cabinet was formed; New Forum was legalized, and opposition parties allowed to form; and borders with the West were opened and free travel allowed, with the Berlin Wall being effectively dismantled.

Move towards unity…

In December 1989 West German Chancellor Kohl announced a ten-point program for reunification of the two Germanys. While the USA and USSR both called for a slower assessment of this idea, reunification was rapidly achieved on many administrative and economic levels.

By mid-December the Communist Party had largely ceased to exist as an effective power in East Germany.

Time to Unify…or Reunify? (think back to 1870’s)

German Reunification took place on 3 October 1990, when the German Democratic Republic (GDR / East Germany) established five states which joined the Federal Republic of Germany while the GDR abolished its existence.

The start of this reunification process is commonly referred to as die Wende (The Turning / The Change).

Official Action

Germany was officially reunified at 00:00 CET on 3 October 1990, when the five reestablished federal states (Bundesländer) of East Germany Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia Berlin

(formed by uniting the two halves of the formerly divided city) — formally joined the Federal Republic of Germany, choosing one of two options implemented in the West German constitution (Grundgesetz).

End of Cold War

“General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization, come here to this gate; Mr. Gorbachev,

open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”Ronald Reagan, June 1987

“The end of the cold war is our common victory”Mikhail Gorbachev, January 1992

Back To Paris- as always…

The Cold War was over. As the Heads of State of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe gathered in Paris for their second Summit, they knew that the profound changes that had swept across the continent would mean change for the Organization too.

What Was Said?

The two Germanys had been reunited just a few weeks prior to the Summit, and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl was quick to acknowledge this.

“If proof of the CSCE's vitality were ever needed, then it has been provided not least by the propitious turning-point in the history of my country and people. After more than 40 years of division, we Germans were able at the beginning of October to achieve our unity.”

“Without the foundation laid 15 years ago for a peaceful order encompassing the whole of Europe, it would not have been possible today to accomplish German unity and to restore the historical unity of our continent, as we are doing here in Paris. As an idea and as a forum for forward-looking policies, the CSCE has stood the test of time,” said Kohl.

Paris Summit Says…

"The era of confrontation and division of Europe has ended.”

"We declare that henceforth our, relations will be founded on respect and co-operation. Europe is liberating itself from the legacy of the past. The courage of men and women, the strength of the will of the peoples and the power of the ideas of the Helsinki Final Act have opened a new era of democracy, peace and unity in Europe.

Ours is a time for fulfilling the hopes and expectations our peoples have cherished for decades: steadfast commitment to democracy based on human rights and fundamental freedoms; prosperity through economic liberty and social justice; and equal security for all our countries.”

Gone with the Guns?

Many US Soviet experts had doubts as to whether Gorbachev was serious about reducing arms.

The new Soviet leader eventually proved more concerned about reversing the Soviet Union's deteriorating economic condition than fighting the arms race with the West.

Econ or Big Bomb?

The Kremlin made major military and political concessions;

In response Reagan agreed to renew talks on economic issues and the scaling-back of the arms race.

Impact of Less Militarism

The end of the Cold War gave Russia the chance to cut military spending dramatically, but the adjustment was wrenching.

The military-industrial sector employed at least one of every five Soviet adults.

Its dismantling left millions throughout the former Soviet Union unemployed. Russian living standards have worsened overall in the post-Cold War years, although the economy has resumed growth in recent years.

START I

Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty Barred its signatories from deploying

more than 6,000 nuclear warheads atop a total of 1,600 ICBMs, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and bombers.

START negotiated the largest and most complex arms control treaty in history, and its final implementation in late 2001 resulted in the removal of about 80% of all strategic nuclear weapons then in existence.

Persian Gulf War

(2 August 1990 – 28 February 1991)

Authorized by United Nations, primarily fought by United States in order to return Kuwait to the control of Emir of Kuwait.

The conflict developed in the context of the Iran-Iraq War and in 1990 Iraq accused Kuwait of stealing Iraq's oil through slant drilling.

A New Europe

With the fall of communism in Eastern Europe in 1991 the Eastern states had to adapt to a free market system.

There were varying degrees of success with Central European countries such as Poland, Hungary, and Slovenia adapting reasonably quickly, while eastern states like Ukraine and Russia taking far longer.

Western Europe helped the east out by quickly forming economic ties with them, in this way their economies became more stable.

Maastricht Treaty Treaty establishing the European Union (EU). Agreed in 1991 and signed in 1992, the treaty took effect on 1

November 1993 following ratification by member states. It advanced the commitment of member states to economic

and monetary union (but included an opt-out clause for the United Kingdom);

Provided for intergovernmental arrangements for a common foreign and security policy; increased cooperation on justice and home affairs policy issues; introduced the concept of EU citizenship (as a supplement to national citizenship); established new regional development bodies; increased the powers of the European Parliament; and accepted the principle of subsidiarity (a controversial term defining the limits of European Community involvement in national affairs).

European Struggles

After East and West Germany were reunited in 1990, the economy of West Germany struggled as it had to support and largely rebuild the infrastructure of East Germany.

Yugoslavia lagged farthest behind as it was ravaged by war and in 2003 there were still many EU and NATO peacekeeping troops in Kosovo, Macedonia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina, with only Slovenia making any real progress.

By the millennium change, the EU dominated the economy of Europe comprising the five largest European economies of the time namely Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Spain.

In 1999 12 of the 15 members of the EU joined the Eurozone replacing their former national currencies by the common euro. The three who chose to remain outside the Eurozone were: the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Sweden.

EURO Single currency of the European Union (EU), which was

officially launched on 1 January 1999 in 11 of the then 15 EU member states (Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain). Greece adopted the euro on 1 January 2001.

The launch represented the start of the third and final stage of EU economic and monetary union (EMU). On that date conversion rates between national currencies and the euro were irrevocably fixed. The euro became the legal currency in participating states and the European Central Bank (ECB) took on responsibility for the monetary policy of the Eurozone.

Conclusion

After 45 years of protracted conflict and constant tension, the Cold War ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Cold War, in a simplified context, was a struggle between the two competing social systems present, whereby one or the other was to be consigned to the ash heap of history. In the end, much like in due historical course, liberalization prevailed, and oppression lost.

"I just can't believe it! I don't feel like I'm in prison anymore!"

- Angelike Wache, the first person across Berlin Wall Opening.

Challenges in 21st century

Growth of Immigration and Terrorism

With recent growth in transportation and industrialization throughout the world massive immigration has become widespread in almost all countries.

Throughout the Middle East and portions of Africa due to widespread gorilla war and revolt many individuals were misplaced and immigration became a large issue for the continent.

With the attacks upon the twin towers on September 11, 2001 a new era of radical Muslim terrorism had swept across industrialized Europe and all across the Middle East.

Bibliography

http://www.thecorner.org/hist/europe/coldwar.htm

A History of Western Society (Mckay, Hill, and Buckler)

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/RefArticle.aspx?refid=761569374

http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/coldwar.htm