Origins of the Cold War and contrasting Cold War Values

United Nations

The US and allies, after WWII, created the United Nations, and representatives from 50 countries drew up the UN Charter in October 1945. The initial goal was collective security, reinforced by the UN Security Council and the General Assembly. 

Cold War

This happened between 1945 and 1991, between the US and the USSR. Ideological differences, Germany divided in half, the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan, NATO and the Warsaw Pact, Berlin Blockade and airlift, and the United Nations caused the Cold War. 

Truman Doctrine

President Harry Truman, alarmed by the British, responded with the Truman Doctrine in 1947, saying the US would provide money to countries like Greece and Turkey that were threatened by communist expansion. It demonstrated US support for democracy and resistance to communist threats. Shaped the course of the Cold War and prevented the spread of communism.

Marshall Plan

In 1947, the US spent around 13 Billion Dollars to rebuild war-torn Europe in loans and investments. It was because General George C. Marshall believed that communism was successful only in countries that had economic problems. The soviets saw this as an attempt to buy the support of smaller European countries. This helped protect US influence in Western Europe (free markets), and countries bought American goods. This led to the Berlin Blockade and Airlift.

Berlin Airlift

June 1949 - May 1949. Britain, France, United States were making plans to unify the 3 sections of Germany to create a West German Government. Stalin reacted by imposing a blockade of West Germany (Berlin Blockade), and food and supplies couldn’t get through to the 2.5 million people on the Eastern Soviet side. The Russians hoped to gain economic control of all of Berlin and prevent an allied presence. Nobody wanted to risk WWIII, so Allies flew planes with supplies, and the soviets eventually gave up and stopped the blockade in May 1949. This created East and West Germany and increased tensions between the US and USSR. 

NATO and its original members, and new members.

Formed in April 1949, and provided mutual help between the US and many European countries if they were attacked. The Korean War proved the American fear of communism. Members include Belgium, Luxembourg, France, the Netherlands, Britain, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Iceland, with the United States. Greece, Turkey, and West Germany joined a few years later. This allowed collective security against the Soviets. 

Warsaw Pact and its members.

Made in 1955. The Svoiets joined with Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Romania, a military alliance called the Warsaw Pact. This is required to provide mutual help like NATO. The Soviets wanted to increase their sphere of influence and protect their territories in Eastern Europe. 

Why is it fair to call the Cold War a “Clash of Civilizations?”

The Soviets wanted to spread communism and saw the US spreading capitalism in Japan and Europe. The United States feared the Soviets wanted to destroy democracy.

What was “the Iron Curtain?”

After WWII, the Soviets created a sphere of influence in Eastern Europe where they prevented democracy and capitalism from spreading. This created a set of Soviet satellite nations.

Why did America have the immediate advantage in the Cold War?

They had more money and power and could provide Europe with protection. The Soviet had to rebuild themselves after being invaded by the Nazis.

What was the United States’ response to containment about?

Stopping communism spread by standing up to the Soviets. The Marshall Plan spent 13 billion dollars to rebuild Western Europe. The NATO. CIA intervened in elections to stop communists from winning. Used military intervention, like in the Korean War and Vietnam War, to counter communism.

How many times did the US and USSR come close to engaging in nuclear war? Define MAD.

Mutually Assured Destruction. The US and Soviets agreed not to use nukes. 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, Korean War, and Vietnam War.

Why was Vietnam’s movement toward communism a threat to the United States?

Communism felt like a threat to Japan, which was a US ally.

List some of the countries Green introduces that were “hotspots” during the Cold War?

Korea and Vietnam

The Cold War involved almost every part of the globe, and all countries were divided into three “worlds.” Describe each of the three worlds.

• First was the US and Western Europe, which embraced capitalism and democracy

• Second was the Soviets and Satellite Nations, China, and Cuba

• Third was everyone else, and they were constantly pressured to pick a side. 

Why was the United States able to beat the Soviet Union in the Cold War?

They had a stronger economy and military, the failure of Soviet Socialism, and US leadership for pushing MAD with the USSR.

Who is the individual probably most responsible for the end of the Cold War?

Mikhail Gorbachev allowed local elections, less restricted civil society groups, less censorship, more autonomy, more non-state-run businesses, and more autonomy for state-run farms. Less censorship meant more criticism of the Second World. People realized that the First World was better. His policies of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (economic reform) led to change and the collapse of the Soviet Union.