Cold War Overview

• Term "Cold War" refers to high tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States without direct military conflict.
• If direct fighting had occurred, it would be termed a "hot war."
• Example of a hot war: the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Proxy Wars

• During the Cold War, many conflicts were proxy wars.
• Soviet Union and US supported different sides in these conflicts, such as Vietnam.
• Example:
• Vietnam War involved US supporting non-communist side, while the Soviet Union aided the communist side.
• Neither superpower fought directly against each other in these conflicts.

Rising Tensions

• Tensions began rising before the end of WWII:
• Both the US and the USSR were suspicious of each other despite being allies against the Axis Powers.
• Ideologies contrasting:
• Soviet Union: totalitarianism and communism under Stalin.
• United States: democracy and capitalism under Roosevelt, then Truman.
• Economic impacts of WWII:
• The Soviet Union suffered destruction and heavy casualties.
• The US experienced economic growth and minimal destruction.

Mutual Distrust

• Western nations mistrusted the USSR due to Stalin’s past secret dealings with Nazis.
• The USSR felt abandoned by the West during major battles in WWII (demanded earlier invasion of Europe).

Yalta Conference (1945)

• Allies discussed postwar Europe, planning to divide Germany into militarized zones controlled by different powers.
• Stipulations included reparations for the USSR and Soviet assistance against Japan (though Japan was defeated by US nuclear weapons).
• The formation of the United Nations aimed to replace the ineffective League of Nations.

United Nations Structure

• Comprised of a General Assembly (discussion forum) and a Security Council (decision-making body).
• Permanent members with veto power: US, UK, France, USSR (now Russia), and China.

Iron Curtain Speech

• Spoken by Winston Churchill in 1946, warning about the division of Europe by Soviet influence.

Containment Policy

• US policy focused on preventing the spread of communism, introduced through the Truman Doctrine.
• US aid programs such as the Marshall Plan aimed to rebuild Western Europe to prevent communist ideologies from taking hold.

The Berlin Airlift

• Soviet attempts to block supply routes to Berlin led to the US and allies organizing an airlift of supplies.
• The airlift lasted for about 11 months, successfully supplying West Berliners without direct military conflict.

Berlin Wall

• Erected to keep East Berliners from escaping to the West; not originally intended to keep Westerners out.

Formation of Alliances

• NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) formed by the US and its allies in response to Soviet actions.
• Warsaw Pact established by the USSR and its satellite states to counter NATO.

Conclusion

• The Cold War was defined by increasing mistrust, ideological clashes, and culminated in the establishment of opposing military alliances, setting the stage for future geopolitical conflicts.