8.2 The Cold War from 1945 to 1980 (Day 1)

The Cold War: 1945 to 1980

Learning Objective

• Explain the continuities and changes in the Cold War from 1945 to 1980.

Page 1: Overview of the Cold War

• The Cold War spanned from 1945 to 1991, significantly impacting global relations and political structures.

Page 2: Context of the Cold War

• Post-WWII Shift:

  • WWII transformed the U.S. into a military superpower.

  • Americans desired a return to normalcy post-war, wanting to revitalize the economy.

  • Rising U.S.-Soviet tensions during Truman's presidency formally initiated the Cold War.

Page 3: Economic Systems Overview

Differences Between Communism, Capitalism, and Socialism

• Communism:

  • No Private Ownership

  • Central Government control

  • No Class Distinction

  • Production for basic human needs.

  • Founded by Karl Marx.

• Capitalism:

  • Total Private Ownership

  • Market-driven forces dictate the economy.

  • Class distinctions exist.

  • Production for profit, as emphasized by Adam Smith.

• Socialism:

  • Limited Private Ownership

  • Government and private sector involvement

  • Limited class distinction

  • Production for societal needs, articulated by Charles Fourier.

Page 4: Economic Systems Comparison Chart

Economic System Comparisons

• Capitalism:

  • Privately owned businesses/industry.

  • 'Free Market' where consumers set wage and price.

  • Examples include the U.S. and Japan.

• Socialism:

  • Essential industries owned by government.

  • Government sets wages and prices.

  • Examples include France and Denmark.

• Communism:

  • All properties and businesses owned by the government.

  • Complete government control over wages and prices.

  • Examples include China and Cuba.

Page 5: Origins of the Cold War

Page 6: Nature of Cold War

• Dominated international relations from the late 1940s to 1991.

• Major Rivalry: U.S. (Western democracy) vs. Soviet Union (Communism).

• Competition manifested through diplomacy and proxy wars; rarely direct military engagement.

• Proximity to nuclear warfare heightened global tensions.

Page 7: U.S.-Soviet Relations to 1945

• Temporary alliance formed against Axis powers; poor relations historical.

• Post-Bolshevik Revolution, Americans regarded Soviets as threats to capitalism.

• U.S. did not recognize the Soviet Union until 1933, believing Stalin was untrustworthy.

Page 8: Allies in WWII

• 1941: U.S.-Soviet alliance formed out of necessity following German aggression.

• Stalin's grievances about delayed second front exacerbate tensions.

• Conflicts arose post-war regarding influence in Central/Eastern Europe during Yalta and Potsdam negotiations.

Page 9: Postwar Cooperation and the United Nations

• UN established in 1945 to maintain international security.

• Security Council comprised of five major allies with veto power.

• Soviets rejected proposals on nuclear regulation, indicating mistrust.

Page 10: Satellite States in Eastern Europe

• Soviet control in Central/Eastern Europe led to manipulated elections favoring Communists.

• U.S. and British perceived Soviet actions as violations of self-determination.

Page 11: Occupation Zones in Germany

• Post-WWII division of Germany into zones of occupation.

• East Germany became a communist state under Soviet control; West Germany aligned with the U.S.

Page 12: Iron Curtain

• Churchill’s 1946 declaration of an "iron curtain" symbolized the division of Europe along ideological lines.

• The phrase represents the geopolitical barrier between the Soviet and Western blocs.

Page 13: Containment in Europe

Page 14: The Containment Policy

• Adopted in 1947 to prevent Soviet expansion without military confrontation.

• Formulated by key advisers: General Marshall, Dean Acheson, and George Kennan.

Page 15: The Truman Doctrine

• Response to threats in Greece and Turkey; aimed at stopping the spread of communism.

• Proposed $400 million in aid to protect "free peoples" versus totalitarian regimes.

Page 16: AID TO GREECE AND TURKEY

• New American foreign policy focused on preserving democracy in the face of communism.

Page 17: The Marshall Plan

• Post-war Europe was devastated; the Marshall Plan authorized $12 billion for reconstruction.

• Aim was to bolster economies and discourage communist influence.

Page 18: Effects of the Marshall Plan

1. Massive financial aid led to economic recovery in Western Europe.

2. Mitigated the threat of communism in the region significantly.

3. Strengthened U.S. economic prosperity.

4. Widened the divide between Communist and non-Communist states.

Page 19: The Berlin Airlift

• Resulted in the division of Germany into two distinct states:

  • West Germany (Federal Republic of Germany)

  • East Germany (German Democratic Republic).

Page 20: NATO and National Security

• In 1949, the U.S. joined NATO for collective defense against potential aggression.

• Shift from non-alliance stance of the U.S. historically; a deterrent against Soviet action.

Page 21: National Security Act of 1947

• Updates to U.S. military capability including:

  1. Establishing the Department of Defense.

  2. Forming the National Security Council.

  3. Creating the CIA for foreign intelligence and operations.

Page 22: Nuclear Arms Race

• Intense competition for weapons development between U.S. and USSR; significant increase in military spending.

• National Security Council recommended production increases in response to Cold War threats.

Page 23: Evaluating U.S. Policy

• Critics argue NATO caused unnecessary tensions; however, NATO was effective in maintaining peace in Europe until the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991.