Cold War

 The Cold War

The Cold War- refers to the period following WWII until the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s.This was a period when much of the world was divided by the communist/non-communist battle for military and political superiority. While the USA and the USSR were unquestionably the world's two superpowers, they avoided direct military conflict. Instead, they sought to bring other countries into their fold.

The United Nations- An organization of nations that was formed in 1945 to promote peace, security, and international cooperation. The organization is located in New York City.

Marshall Plan- This plan was developed by the USA and gave billions of dollars in order to assure the success of Western European countries after WWII. In return the USA received military and political allies, markets for American goods, and military bases near the USSR.

Iron Curtain- Europe's Iron Curtain refers to the imaginary curtain that divided eastern and western European countries after WWII. This division separated communist from non-communist countries and brought those counties in Eastern Europe under the control of the USSR.

N.A.T.O. (North Atlantic Treaty Organization- The military alliance between the USA and Western European countries. This alliance assured military assistance to countries threatened by the USSR and allowed American military bases to be located nearer the USSR.

Warsaw Pact- The military alliance between the USSR and countries in Eastern Europe.

Berlin Wall- A fortified wall surrounding West Berlin, Germany, built in 1961 to prevent East German citizens from traveling to the West. Its demolition in 1989 symbolized the end of the Cold War. This wall was both a deterrent to individuals trying to escape and a symbol of repression to the free world.

Berlin Airlift- • West Germany was a republic under France, the US, and Great Britain

• Berlin was located entirely within Soviet-controlled East Germany

•Russia under Stalin blockaded Berlin completely in the hopes that the West would give the entire city to the Soviets

• The US and Great Britain mounted a massive effort to bring food and supplies to the city by air. The effort was so intense that, at their height, an airplane was landing in West Berlin every few minutes

• Successful effort by the United States and Britain to ship by air 2.3 million tons of supplies to the residents of the Western-controlled sectors of Berlin

Arms Race- The competition between countries (specifically, between the USA and USSR during the Cold War) for superiority in the number and power of weapons held.

Mutually Assured Destruction (M.A.D.)- By the 1960s the United States and the Soviet Union each possessed enough nuclear weaponry and the delivery systems necessary to destroy the other. Knowing that direct conflict would likely result in nuclear holocaust, the USA and USSR avoided direct military conflict during the Cold War.

Nikita Khrushchev- Khrushchev became leader of the USSR when Stalin died. He told Soviet citizens about shortcomings of Stalin's leadership, spearheaded the Space Race, increased military power, and dealt with the USA during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

President John Kennedy- President of the USA from 1960-63, Kennedy dealt with Khrushchev and the USSR during a tense period of the Cold War that included the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Cuban Missile Crisis- In 1962 the USA discovered that the USSR had placed nuclear missiles on the island country of Cuba, 90 miles off the coast of Florida. President Kennedy ordered a naval blockade and promised to stop, search, or sink any ship bound for Cuba. Khrushchev informed Kennedy that such a blockade was illegal and that Soviet ships headed for Cuba would continue on their way and would not allow Americans to search them. The closest approach to nuclear war at any time between the U.S. and the USSR. When the U.S. discovered Soviet nuclear missiles on Cuba, President John F. Kennedy demanded their removal and announced a naval blockade of the island; the Soviet leader Khrushchev acceded to the U.S. demands a week later.

Joseph McCarthy

• Political Impact

• attacks, many times without proper evidence, by Senator Joseph McCarthy and others on people suspected of being Communists in the early 1950s

Korean War- Commanded UN forces during the Korean War saving South Korea from being overrun by Communist North Korea. Began as a civil war between North and South Korea. North Korea was Communist and South Korea Capitalist. The conflict became international when the U.S./UN aided South Korea and China backed the North. MacArthur wanted to invade China in order to capture North Korea and went rogue of the Presidents commands. China then helped North Korea push back the Americans control and Korea was lefted divided along the 38th parallel.

Peace Corps- group created by Kennedy, main goal was to for volunteers spread peace to other countries and prevent the spread of communism by getting rid of poverty, Africa, Asia, and Latin America