Unit 8 - Cold War and Decolonization (1900-Present)

Context for the Cold War and Decolonization

• Stalin’s Rule

1. The Totalitarian State

   1. A totalitarian state is a dictatorship where the government controls every part of the people’s lives 

      1. No one has any individual rights 

      2. People are expected to obey without question

      3. Entire population mobilized to achieve national goals

   2. Methods of Mobilization

      1. Through Persuasion 

         1. Control of media (propaganda - the spread of info to promote a cause)

         2. Education 

         3. Rewards of party membership

      2. Through Intimidation

         1. Censorship

         2. Terror (secret police, gulags)

   3. “The Cult of Personality” 

      1. Leader is glorified as an almost superhuman hero 

      2. Stalin used the media (newspaper and radio) to create a positive image

      3. Children were more loyal to Stalin than to their parents  

2. Collectivization 

   1. All farmers were ordered to pool their land and animals into collective farms

   2. Collective farms would increase food production by introducing more machines 

   3. It freed farmers for factory labor

   4. Kulaks 

      1. The kulaks (wealthy farmers) did not want to lose their farms 

      2. Stalin had thousands of kulaks executed or sent to Siberia (very cold) 

      3. Resulted in a famine (1932-33) that killed 10 million Russians

3. Five Year Plan 

   1. The Soviet Union was at least 50 years behind the West 

   2. Soviet Union developed a planned, or command economy 

   3. Within 10 years, Soviet Union is the 3rd largest economy in the world

   4. Problems: 

      1. Workers punished if they did not produce enough 

      2. Factory managers lied to avoid punishment 

      3. Russians used as slave labor (from the gulags)

4. The Great Purge 

   1. Began with the murder of a Soviet leader close to Stalin 

   2. Over four years, 8 million were arrested 

   3. Many went on trial and 800,000 were executed

The Cold War

• Causes

1. Conflicting Ideologies

   1. Democratic Capitalism of United States

      1. Free market economics, political participation in citizens

   2. Authoritarian Communism of the Soviet Union

      1. Strict gov’t control of economy, redistribution of wealth equally

   3. Both ideologies are universalizing, meaning those who hold them want everyone else to hold them

2. Mutual Mistrust

   1. Began before WW2 had ended

   2. European and Americans believed that Central and Eastern countries would be able to hold elections after the war

   3. Stalin would keep those countries communist to act as a buffer zone (eastern bloc), in satellite states

   4. America disliked this as it was a violation of self-determination

3. Origins of the Cold War

   1. A cold war is a state of tension and hostility w/o armed conflict

   2. Division of Germany

      1. West Germany (controlled by Western Allies)

         1. West Germany was “de-Nazified”

         2. Allies promoted education and democracy

      2. East Germany (controlled by Soviet Union)

         1. Stalin took over East German factories

         2. Resources used to help rebuild Soviet Union

      3. Berlin Blockade (1948)

         1. Soviets blocked all traffic into West Berlin (in East Germany)

         2. Truman orders Berlin Airlift of over 2 million tons of supplies

         3. 1961 - Berlin Wall is constructed

4. The Iron Curtain

   1. Soviet setup communist governments in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria

   2. These were “satellites”  (nations controlled by the Soviets)

   3. Stalin claimed need for “buffer zones” against future German attacks

   4. Albania and Yugoslavia set up their own communist government

5. America’s Reaction

   1. Containment

      1. US wanted to contained/hold Soviet Union to its current size

      2. US wanted apply pressure to Soviet Union (politically, economically, and military if it was needed)

   2. Truman Doctrine (1947)

      1. Truman promised to support free people who rejected communism

      2. Sent money to Greece and Turkey to stop communist takeover

   3. Marshall Plan (1948-1952)

      1. George Marshall (US Secretary of State) feared spread of communism due to postwar poverty

      2. US sent 13 billion to help rebuild West Europe

   4. New Alliances

      1. 1949- North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): U.S., Canada and 10 W. European nations agreed to defend each other if attacked.

      2. 1955- The Warsaw Pact: Soviet Union and 7 E. European nations agreed to a similar treaty

• Implications

  • Effects would change most of the world

  • Intersected with decolonization

    • US and Soviet Union began to compete to influence each of the new states and win them to their respective side

Effects of the Cold War

• Effects in China and Japan

1. China

   1. 1949- Communists win Chinese Civil War

      1. Chinese Communists (Mao Zedong) defeats Nationalists (Chiang Kai-Shek)

      2. Mao Zedong established the People’s Republic of China (PRC)

      3. Chiang Kai-Shek and Nationalists flee to Taiwan (create Republic of China)

   2. American Reaction

      1. Pres. Truman criticized for being “soft” on communism

      2. Truman blamed for “losing” China (but China was an independent nation)

      3. U.S. (and UN) recognizes Taiwan as official government of China

         1. US would only have diplomatic relations with Taiwan

         2. Taiwan (and not the PRC) would be part of the United Nations

   3. Soviet Reaction

      1. Stalin forms alliance with PRC

      2. Soviets boycott UN Security Council 

         1. Anger over recognition of Taiwan

         2. Refused to attend council meetings

         3. Soviet Union was a member with power to veto any decision

      3. Stalin and Mao are rivals for leadership over world communism

   4. China’s Reaction

      1. Mao saw both U.S. and Soviets as western imperialists

      2. After Stalin’s death, Mao believed he should lead the world’s communists

      3. China was willing to go it alone (“the East wind triumphs over the west wind”)

2. Japan

   1. 1945-1951- U.S. Occupation of Japan

      1. U.S. Army (led by Gen. Douglas MacArthur) controlled Japan after its defeat in World War II

      2. 1947- New Japanese constitution renounces war

      3. Japan and U.S. form a defensive alliance

   2. American Reaction

      1. Japan was a key ally in Asia (China (1949) and North Korea (1948) had already turned communist)

      2. Japan needed to recover quickly from World War Two

   3. Soviet Reaction

      1. Soviets were not happy to see American influence growing in Asia

      2. With American forces in Japan, Soviets were powerless there

   4. Japan’s Reaction

      1. Japan would benefit with the protection of the U.S. (and economic assistance)

      2. Japan could concentrate on rebuilding 

      3. Rapid development was Japan’s “economic miracle”

• Effects in Korea and Vietnam

1. Korea

   1. The Korean War (1950-1953)

      1. During WWII, Russian troops occupied northern Korea while US troops occupied southern Korea.

      2. June 1950 - N. Korean army with Soviet-made tanks invaded S. Korea and took nearly all the country.

      3. Aug. 1950- UN forces (with 80% U.S. soldiers) begin amphibious assault, quickly take back nearly all of S. Korea. 

      4. Nov. 1950- 300,000 Chinese soldiers poured into North Korea- forced UN troops to retreat with heavy losses across 38th parallel.

      5. 1953- “Cease Fire” Line set at 38^th parallel

   2. American POV

      1. Viewed China and N. Korea as threat

      2. Containment of communism

      3. S. Korea was America’s “proxy,” or substitute, in this conflict over communism

      4. The U.S. also saw S. Korea as crucial to defend Taiwan and Japan

   3. Soviet POV

      1. Supported N. Korea’s decision to invade S. Korea

      2. N. Korea was “proxy” of the Soviet Union

      3. As the only major power “friendly” with China and N. Korea, it had to help

   4. Korean POV

      1. N. Korea received help from Soviets and China

      2. S. Korea received help from the U.S.

      3. Both nations knew that superpowers were “trapped” in Korea (neither side could afford to leave)

   5. Human Cost

      1. 54,000 US soldiers killed

      2. 1.2 million South Koreans killed

      3. 1 million North Koreans killed

      4. 600,000 Chinese killed

2. Vietnam (1946-1975)

   1. The Vietnam War

      1. 1946- Ho Chi Minh and Communists begin war with France

      2. 1954- Geneva Conference

         1. Temporary division into North and South

         2. National elections would be held in 1956

         3. Independence for Laos and Cambodia

      3. 1963- Unpopular S. Vietnamese president Ngo Dinh Diem overthrown

      4. 1964- Gulf of Tonkin Incident

         1. Two US warships attacked by N. Vietnam

         2. Congress authorizes use of military to respond

         3. 500,000 U.S. soldiers in Vietnam by 1967

      5. 1973- Paris Peace Accords- US agrees to leave Vietnam

      6. 1975- N. Vietnam invades S. Vietnam, unites both sides

   2. American POV

      1. Feared the “domino effect” (that all of Asia would fall to communism)

      2. Containment of communism

      3. Felt obligated to help French allies

   3. Soviet POV

      1. Supported the  spread of communism in Southeast Asia

      2. Supported U.S. entanglement in Southeast Asia

      3. Provided aid to Ho Chi Minh and North Vietnam

   4. Vietnamese POV

      1. Most Vietnamese viewed conflict as a decolonization movement

      2. Both France and U.S. were imperialists

      3. Ho Chi Minh was more nationalist than communist

   5. Human Cost

      1. 58,000 Americans killed

      2. 1.5 million Vietnamese soldiers killed

      3. 2 million Vietnamese civilians killed

• Effects in Cuba

1. Pre-Revolutionary Cuba

   1. Spanish-American war (1898)

      1. US defeats Spain, Cuba gained independence

      2. 1901 - US amends Cuban constitution

         1. US claims right to intervene in Cuba

         2. US leases Guantanamo Bay

   2. 1900-1960: US companies control sugar and mining

   3. US supported anti-communist Fulgencia Batista (1952-1959)

2. The Cuban Revolution (1959)

   1. Fiden Castro overthrows Batista

   2. Castro announces land distribution in Cuba

   3. Sugar in Cuba

      1. Cuba nationalized US sugar industries (1960)

      2. US refuses to buy sugar from Cuba

      3. Soviets (Nikita Kruschev) offer aid to Cuba (buys entire sugar crop)

   4. US imposes trade embargo on Cuba

3. Bay of Pigs invasion (1961)

   1. CIA begins training of anti-Castro Cubans for invasion (1960)

   2. Invasion of Cuba fails, embarrassing defeat of US

   3. Castro declares himself as a communist

4. Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

   1. Soviets begin building nuclear launchpads in Cuba

   2. President Kennedy orders/established naval blockade in Cuba

   3. Soviet ships carrying missiles approach and stop at blockade zones

   4. Soviets agree to remove missiles, US (later) removes missiles from Turkey, promises to never invade Cuba

• Proxy Wars

Spread of Communism after 1900

• Communism in China

1. 1953 - First 5 Year Plan: Collective Farms

   1. Farmers shared land, tools, work to produce more food

   2. Each received part of harvest, and rest was sent to the government

2. 1958 - The Great Leap Forward (2nd 5 year plan)

   1. China was divided into communes (large collective farms)

      1. Included several villages and thousands of acres

      2. As many as 20000 people livedo n a commune

   2. Failure of the Great Leap Forward

      1. Many destroyed crops to protest system

      2. Communes could not keep up with their quotes, especially due to exaggeration of statistics

      3. Lack of machines + poor harvest led to severe hunger

      4. As many as 38 million people died from 1966-1967

3. The Cultural Revolution (1966-1976)

   1. Mao wanted to revive revolutionary feeling in China

   2. Aimed to destroy four olds (old customs, habits, culture, thought)

   3. Red Guard were young communists who attacked those who did not support Mao and his beliefs 

      1. Mao had many arrested, tortured, and even killed (500k - 2 million)

   4. “Lost Generation” - 17 million young people were deprived of education

   5. Revolution ended when Red Guard turned against army, gov’t officials, and the party

4. Foreign Policy

   1. Food as Foreign Aid

      1. Mao exports food to USSR + other communist nations for military technology

      2. By 1970s, foreign aid reached 7%GDP (US spends on 0.22%)

   2. China and the US

      1. Feb 1972 - Richard Nixon visits China

      2. US officially recognizes PRC, China moves away from USSR

      3. Both countries begin a profitable trade together, exchanging $5+ billion everyday today

Decolonization After 1900

Newly Independent States

Global Resistance to Established Power Structures

End of the Cold War

• China

1. Economic Developments

   1. Led by Deng Xiaoping (197801997) introduced the four Modernizations (agriculture, industry, technology, military)

   2. Rural Responsibility System

      1. Farmers grew their own crops

      2. Farmers sold part of their crops to the gov’t

      3. Could sell rest at a greater price

      4. Newer system encouraged greater food production

   3. Deng moved from “heavy industry” (machinery, tanks, other weapons) to “light industry” (production of clothing and tools)

   4. Deng began to encourage foreign investment to China and for Chinese students to study abroad

   5. Created “Special Economic Zones” where western enterprise was allowed

2. Social Developments

   1. “One-Child-Per-Family” Policy

      1. With one child, family received more benefit

      2. With 2+ children, family faced fines

      3. Most urban families followed, but rural did not (could make money back with Rural Responsibility System)

      4. Led to increase in female infanticide, abolished in 2016

   2. Westernization of economy and culture

      1. 1981 - First Coca Cola bottling plant

      2. 1987 - First KFC

      3. 1990 - First McDonalds

      4. 1996 - First Walmart

3. Political Developments

   1. 1989 - Tiananmen Square Uprising

      1. May - Thousands of students begin to protest, demanding freedom

      2. June - Chinese gov’t puts down protest

      3. Thousands wounded, killed, arrested

   2. Nationalism

      1. Gov’t used national pride to achieve goal

      2. People supported gov’t efforts to avoid “humiliation” once more

      3. 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2013 - Chinese Lunar Mission

      4. Emergence as creditor nation in global economic crisis in 2008-2009

   3. Hong Kong

      1. From 1997 - 2019, Hong Kong had been permitted some independence from China

      2. 2019 - 2020 - Chinese police crack down on pro-democracy riots in Hong Kong

      3. Chinese gov’t eliminates almost all political freedom in Hong Kong

   4. Uighurs

      1. Muslim minority living mostly in western China

      2. China accused of place Uighurs in “reeducation camps” and sterilizing the women which China denies

• Fall of the Iron Curtain

1. Soviet Problems

   1. Soviet command economy led to shortage of most items

   2. Soviets could not keep up with military production of the US

   3. Soviets suffered costly and humiliating defeat of Afghanistan (1989)

   4. Soviet citizens lose faith after nuclear accident at Chernobyl (1986)

2. Mikhael Gorbachev (1985 - 1991)

   1. Glasnost - policy of openness and honesty (less censorship, more election)

   2. Perestroika - restructuring of Soviet economy (military production to consumer goods)

3. Poland

   1. 1981 - 1983: Soviets impose martial law

   2. Solidarity ( Polish Worker Union ) - had 10m members by 1981

   3. June 1989 - Communist gov’t permits free elections

   4. Lech Walesa (Solidarity Party) elected president

   5. Was allowed by Soviets under Khruschev

4. Revolts in the Satellites (1989)

   1. October - Communist party of Hungary gives up power

   2. November

      1. Czechoslovakia - “Velvet Revolution” -> Playwright Vaclav Havel elected president

      2. Communists give up power in Bulgaria

   3. December - Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceauseu overthrown + killed

   4. All Warsaw Pact nations (except Russia) eventually join NATO