Cold War Part I Reconstruction and Confrontation Agenda

Cold War Part I: Reconstruction and Confrontation

Agenda • Go over WWII Test • Discuss WWII Paper (Rough Draft due next week) • Distribute Calendars • Connecting Dots: WWI, Red Scare/Roaring 20 s, Depression, WWII, Cold War • Notes/Document Analysis Activity

Understanding Foreign Policy • What are the goals of nations/governments?

After WWII—Bi-Polar System • World is divided into spheres of influence between Soviet Union and U. S. – What’s a sphere of influence? • A territorial area in which political and economic control is wielded by one nation

Roots of the Cold War • What is a Cold War? – A continuing state of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Soviet Union (and its allies) and the United States (Western World) – Leads to Hot Wars…

Causes of the Cold War • Mutual distrust and suspicion between Soviet Union and U. S. /Western World • Why? – Economic – Political – Soviet Security Concerns – Truman v. Stalin – Question over Germany

Causes of the Cold War--Economic • Soviet Union – Communism: econ. policy espoused by Karl Marx; working class will rise against their oppressors (capitalists) and establish a society w/out classes or divisions – Spread world wide • United States – Capitalism: econ. policy characterized by private ownership of capital; free markets determine production/prices – How did Depression/WWII influence U. S. econ. policy during Cold War?

Causes of the Cold War--Political • Soviet Union – Communist Dictatorship – Favor needs of state over personal human rights – Resent US/GB efforts to crush Russian Revolution (1918) • United States – Capitalist Democracy – “Valued” freedom and promote democracy – Resent Nazi-Soviet Non. Aggression Pact

Causes of the Cold War— Soviet Security Concerns • U. S. hid secrets of Atomic Bomb…Triggers Soviet Arms Build-up • Soviets want control over Eastern European States, Why? – History of invasion from West through Poland… • Yalta/Potsdam: Soviets Promise Free Elections – Post WWII: Stalin/Soviet army block free elections • Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine)

The “Iron Curtain” From Stettin in the Balkans, to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lies the ancient capitals of Central and Eastern Europe. -- Sir Winston Churchill, 1946

• Stalin Causes of the Cold War— Stalin v. Truman – Anger over D-Day invasion – Views U. S. as leader of Imperial Powers – Communism World Wide • Truman – Staunch Anti-Communist – Colonialist

Truman’s Political Philosophy • “One way of life is based upon the will of the majority, and is distinguished by free institutions, representative government, free elections, guarantees of individual liberty, freedom of speech and religion, and freedom from political oppression. ” • “The second way of life is based upon the will of a minority forcibly imposed upon the majority. It relies upon terror and oppression, a controlled press and radio; fixed elections, and the suppression of personal freedoms. ” • A speech by President Truman of the US (1947)

Causes of the Cold War— Germany & Berlin • Soviet Union – Econ. Hurt by WWII, want Germany to pay reparations/strip Germany of its resources • United States/West – Truman realizes German industry essential to Europe – Prevent fall of Germany to communism Result: Split Germany as well as Berlin into 4 sectors (Soviet, U. S. , British, and French)

Goals of Two Sides • Soviet & Eastern Bloc Nations – Spread Communism World Wide – Methodologies • Espionage: KGB • Nuclear Arms Race • Compete for minds/ hearts of 3 rd World peoples—Proxy Wars • Warsaw Pact • U. S. & Western Democracies – “Containment” of Communism – Methodologies • Espionage: CIA • Nuclear Arms Race • Compete for minds/ hearts of 3 rd World Peoples—Proxy Wars • NATO

Summary • “It was not just that the two ideologies were conflicting - they were militant and expansionist. They both believed that the alternative ideology was a threat to their own way of life, and that the only way for the world to be happy was for their particular ideology to take over the world. This mixture of ideological fear and aggression meant that in both America and Russia, their beliefs invaded and affected their foreign policies. ”