Starts around 1945 and ends around 1992 (some stay we are still involved in the war today)

The reds are coming in with a knife and fire to destroy the United States. Instills fear and intimidation among US citizens.

Russia and the United States were only united during World War II because they were both fighting against Germany. After Germany is out of the picture, there is nothing left for them to relate to.

The map shows us where German territory had been. It is between the Soviet Union and the US and it’s allies.

The Iron Curtain Divides East and West

Germany was split into two sections

• Soviets controlled (made communist) the Eastern Part of Germany, including Berlin

  • German Democratic Republic

    • Berlin was also divided in half because it is the capital

    • West Berlin was surrounded by communism

• Western zones were democratic

  • Federal Republic of Germany

Iron Curtain Speech

• All of these beautiful Eastern European cities can be in danger of the Soviets taking them over

• Iron Curtain is a metaphor

  • shows the uncertainty of what is on the other side of the curtain

• Churchill is making sure the US does not return to its isolationist policies

Postwar Foreign Policy

Truman launched the nation into a global battle against communism.

• Foreign Policy: Containment

  • Directed at blocking Soviet influences and stopping the expansion of communism

  • For alliances and helping weak countries resist Soviet advances

Truman Doctrine

• U.S. should assist other nations that were facing external pressure or internal revolution.

  • Truman support for countries that rejected communism

  • Controversial

  • Congress authorized more than $400 million in aid to Turkey and Greece

Marshall Plan

• Committing the United States to help in the rebuilding of post – World War II Europe.

  • Aid given to needy European countries

  • Provide food, machinery, and other materials to rebuild Western Europe

  • Spectacular success

Berlin Airlift – 1ˢᵗ Major Crisis

The Soviets do not want the United States in Berlin anymore, so they start building the Berlin Blockade around West Berlin.

B52 bombers are used to drop off food and supplies to West Berlin. This was done for over a year.

Soviet Union eventually takes down the Berlin Blockade.

Cold War Divides the World

• Cold War is a struggle over political differences carried on by means short of military action or war

  • A cold war is about tension, spying, propaganda, diplomacy and secret operations

• NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) – U.S.A & Canada joined with ten western European nations

  • Strong alliance

• Warsaw Pact

  • Rival to NATO which included: Soviet Union, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Albania

• Threat of Nuclear War

  • Only four years later, the Soviet Union begins testing nuclear weapons

  • MAD - Mutually Assured Destruction

    • If any nation used a nucluear bomb then everything on Earth would be destroyed

• Brinkmanship is a policy to go to towards the edge of war

  • We had to show that we were willing to take things as far as we could

Nato vs Warsaw Pact