Cold War integrated humanities (24-25)

Containment

the policy that tried to keep communism from spreading

Truman Doctrine (1947)

A policy set forth by U.S. President Harry S Truman stating that the U.S. would support Greece and Turkey with economic and military aid to prevent their falling into the Soviet sphere.

Domino Theory (Cold War)

the idea that if a nation falls under communist control, nearby nations will also fall under communist control

Long Telegram (1946)

Kennan sent an 8,000-word to the US detailing his views on the Soviet Union as well as the US's policy of containment

Marshall Plan

a plan for aiding the European nations in economic recovery after World War II in order to stabilize and rebuild their countries and prevent the spread of communism.

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization; an alliance made to defend one another if they were attacked by any other country; US, England, France, Canada, Western European countries

Warsaw Pact

An alliance between the Soviet Union and other Eastern European nations. This was in response to the NATO

West Germany

British, American and French zone of Germany and was democratic.

East Germany

After WWII, Germany was divided into two countries, this part was communist in government and had a command economy

Berlin Wall (1961)

Built by the Communists to stop the flow of refugees seeking to gain political asylum in West Berlin from East Berlin.

Joseph Stalin

Communist authoritarian leader of the Soviet Union

Harry Truman

U.S. president, who took office in April 1945 during WW2. After the war, Truman was crucial in the implementation of the Marshall Plan.

Franklin Roosevelt

President of the US during Great Depression and World War II

Winston Churchill

Prime Minister of Great Britain during WWII

Cold War (1945-1991)

A conflict that was between the USA and the Soviet Union. The nations never directly confronted each other on the battlefield but deadly threats went on for years

Capitalism

An economic system based on private property and free market principles

Communism

a form of socialism that abolishes private ownership and follows a command economy

What was Stalin’s Speech?

Joseph Stalin, delivered a speech emphasizing the inevitability of conflict between communism and capitalism. He argued that World War II was caused by capitalist rivalries and that the Soviet Union needed to strengthen itself militarily and economically.

Origin of Stalin’s speech

• Author: Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union.

• Date and Place: Delivered in 1946 at a meeting of voters in the Stalin Electoral District, Moscow.

Purpose of Stalin’s speech 

• To reinforce Stalin’s leadership and justify the Soviet Union’s economic and political policies.

• To highlight Soviet achievements in industrialization

• To emphasize the ideological divide between capitalism and communism, portraying capitalism as the enemy

• To gain public support for the new Five-Year Plan by promising economic recovery and improvements in living standards.

Value of Stalin’s speech

• Provides insight into Stalin’s (the leader) post-war vision for the Soviet Union, including economic policies (value of origin)

• Shows how Stalin framed capitalism as a system that leads to war, reinforcing the Soviet justification for its policies.

• Demonstrates the role of propaganda in Soviet politics, particularly through the enthusiastic reception of Stalin’s words.

• Reflects Soviet domestic priorities, including economic recovery and scientific advancement.

Limitation of Stalin’s speech

• Since the speech was made in 1946 we don’t know the impact of the policies. (Limitation of origin)

• Strongly biased in favor of Stalin and the Communist Party; lacks a critical perspective on Soviet policies.

• Omits challenges facing the Soviet economy, such as war devastation, food shortages, and political repression.

• Fails to acknowledge the challenges and problems of the Five-Year Plans

• Does not reflect the Western perspectives on Soviet economic policies.