Cold War Origins of the Cold War Even

Cold War

Origins of the Cold War Even before the end of World War II, tensions were building between the United States and the Soviet Union Socialist Republics (U. S. S. R. , or Soviet Union, for short). They had different ideas about government and economics and how the world should run after the war.

The U. S. is democratic, which is a type of government. We choose representatives to make laws. The economic system in the U. S. is called free enterprise. In a free enterprise system, individuals are free to own or work for a business of their choosing. Consumers and business owners control the economy. Another name for a free enterprise economy is capitalism.

Socialism spread through Europe after the war. The government owns major industries such as banks, airlines, railroads, and power plants. People own stores, farms, and most factories. Government, consumers, and businesses control the economy.

Communism The government owns all the stores, factories, farms, banks, utilities, transportation systems, and so on. The government has complete power. The U. S. S. R. was run by a dictator, or a ruler with absolute power. The people do not vote. The leaders in the United States wanted nations to stop having wars and work together using democracy.

The U. S. wanted “open door” trade around the world to end communism.

The U. S. S. R wanted: to spread communism and then control all Communist countries. did not want democracy and capitalism

A World Divided In 1949, 12 allied nations: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom and the U. S. signed a treaty: North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) They supported democracy

President Harry S. Truman signed the document that made the United States a NATO member in 1949. Leaders of Congress stood behind him at the signing ceremony.

The U. S. and its allies became known as the Western Bloc. Eastern Bloc: Poland, Czechoslovakia, Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia, and East Germany fell under the U. S. S. R’s control after the war.

All but Yugoslavia signed the Warsaw Pact in response to NATO. The countries that signed agreed to be under Soviet control.

Prime Minister Winston Churchill said, “an iron curtain has descended” across Europe. • After he said this, people often referred to the Eastern Bloc as being “behind the iron curtain. ” • U. S. President Harry Truman promised to help any country that U. SS. R tried to turn Communist. • This policy was called the Truman Doctrine, or the policy of containment.

The city of Berlin in Germany was divided at the end of WWII. The eastern part was under Soviet Control. The western part was controlled by the Allies. Thousands fled from the eastern side to the west.

In August 1961, the Soviets built a wall to prevent people from leaving East Berlin. Army soldiers guarded the wall. People who tried to cross were killed. The Berlin Wall became the symbol of Communist dictatorship.

Discussion Question: The Cold War was a fight between capitalist countries and Communist countries. Write what you think are good and bad aspects of capitalism and communism.

Vocabulary: Words to Know 1. Free Enterprise: the economic system used by the U. S, where individuals are free to own or work for a business of their choosing, and consumers and business owners control the economy 2. Capitalism: ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of wealth is owned by private businesses. 3. Socialism: the government owns major industries such as banks, airlines, railroads, and power plants, but the people can own stores, farms and factories.

4. Communism: the government controls the economy, where all the goods are equally shared by the people, but often a dictator holds the power. 5. NATO: created by 12 countries, including the U. S, that supported democracy over communism. 6. Western Bloc: the countries including the U. S. that were against the U. S. S. R. and the spread of communism. 7. Eastern Bloc: countries controlled by the U. S. S. R. after WWII- Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Albania, and East Germany. 8. Warsaw Pact: created in response to NATO, the Eastern Bloc signed and agreed to be under Soviet political and military control.

9. 10. 11. 12. Iron Curtain: a term Winston Churchill used to describe the political barrier between the Soviet Bloc and Western Europe from 19451990. Truman Doctrine: President Harry Truman’s promise to help any country that the U. S. S. R. tried to turn Communist; also known as the policy of containment. Berlin Wall: barrier created after WWII by the Soviet Union that isolated West Berlin from the rest of Germany. Domino Theory: theory that if one nation comes under communist control, that neighboring nations will also come under Communist control.

13. 14. 15. 16. 17. House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC): group formed to investigate and find Communists hiding in America. Mc. Carthyism: the movement that was extremely opposed to communism, and used unfair investigating practices. Red Scare: federal action by the U. S. Government against aliens and citizens suspected of being a Communist or a Communist sympathizer. Nuclear arms race: race between the U. S. and U. S. S. R after World War II to create nuclear weapons. Cold War: political tension and military rivalry between the U. S and the U. S. S. R. It was called the “cold war” because there were no military attacks on either side.