Part I:

“Reconstruction &

Confrontation”

Part I:

“Reconstruction &

Confrontation”

The Ideological StruggleThe Ideological StruggleSoviet &

Eastern Bloc Nations[“Iron

Curtain”]

US & the Western

Democracies

GOAL spread world-wide Communism

GOAL “Containment” of Communism & the eventual collapse of the Communist world.[George Kennan]

METHODOLOGIES:

Espionage [KGB vs. CIA]

Arms Race [nuclear escalation]

Ideological Competition for the minds and hearts of Third World peoples [Communist govt. & command economy vs. democratic govt. & capitalist economy] “proxy wars”

Bi-Polarization of Europe [NATO vs. Warsaw Pact]

The “Iron Curtain”The “Iron Curtain”

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

Truman Doctrine [1947]Truman Doctrine [1947]

1.1. Civil War in Greece.Civil War in Greece.

2.2. Turkey under pressure from the Turkey under pressure from the USSR for concessions in the USSR for concessions in the Dardanelles.Dardanelles.

3.3. The U. S. should support free The U. S. should support free peoples throughout the world peoples throughout the world who were resisting takeovers by who were resisting takeovers by armed minorities or outside armed minorities or outside pressures…We must assist free pressures…We must assist free peoples to work out their own peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way.destinies in their own way.

4.4. The U.S. gave Greece & Turkey The U.S. gave Greece & Turkey $400 million in aid.$400 million in aid.

Marshall Plan [1948]Marshall Plan [1948]

1.1. ““European Recovery European Recovery Program.”Program.”

2.2. Secretary of State, Secretary of State, George MarshallGeorge Marshall

3.3. The U. S. should provide The U. S. should provide aid to aid to allall European nations European nations that need it. This move that need it. This move is not against any country or is not against any country or doctrine, but against hunger, doctrine, but against hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos.poverty, desperation, and chaos.

4.4. $12.5 billion of US aid to Western $12.5 billion of US aid to Western Europe extended to Eastern Europe Europe extended to Eastern Europe & USSR, [but this was rejected].& USSR, [but this was rejected].

Post-War GermanyPost-War Germany

Berlin Blockade & Airlift Berlin Blockade & Airlift (1948-49)(1948-49)

The Arms Race:The Arms Race:A “Missile Gap?”A “Missile Gap?”

} The Soviet The Soviet Union Union exploded its exploded its first A-bomb in first A-bomb in 1949.1949.

} Now there Now there were two were two nuclear nuclear superpowers!superpowers!

NNorth orth AAtlantic tlantic TTreaty reaty OOrganization (1949)rganization (1949)

United StatesUnited States

BelgiumBelgium

BritainBritain

CanadaCanada

DenmarkDenmark

FranceFrance

IcelandIceland

ItalyItaly

LuxemburgLuxemburg

NetherlandsNetherlands

NorwayNorway

PortugalPortugal

1952: Greece & 1952: Greece & Turkey Turkey

1955: West 1955: West GermanyGermany

1983: Spain1983: Spain

Warsaw Pact (1955)Warsaw Pact (1955)

} U. S. S. R.U. S. S. R.

} AlbaniaAlbania

} BulgariaBulgaria

} CzechoslovakCzechoslovakiaia

} East East GermanyGermany

} HungaryHungary

} PolandPoland

} RumaniaRumania

Premier Nikita Premier Nikita KhrushchevKhrushchev

About the capitalist About the capitalist states, it doesn't states, it doesn't depend on you depend on you whether we whether we (Soviet Union) exist.(Soviet Union) exist.If you don't like us, If you don't like us, don't accept our don't accept our invitations, and don'tinvitations, and don'tinvite us to come invite us to come to see you. Whether to see you. Whether you like it our not, history is on you like it our not, history is on our side. our side. We will bury youWe will bury you. -- . -- 19561956

De-Stalinization De-Stalinization ProgramProgram

An Historic Irony: Sergei An Historic Irony: Sergei Khrushchev, American Khrushchev, American

CitizenCitizen

Who buried who?Who buried who?

Mao’s Revolution: 1949Mao’s Revolution: 1949

Who lost China? – A 2Who lost China? – A 2ndnd }} Power!Power!

The Korean War: A The Korean War: A “Police Action” (1950-“Police Action” (1950-

1953)1953)

Syngman RheeSyngman Rhee

Kim Il-SungKim Il-Sung

““Domino Theory”Domino Theory”

The Suez Crisis: 1956-The Suez Crisis: 1956-19571957

Radio Free Europe/Radio Radio Free Europe/Radio LibertyLiberty

The Hungarian Uprising: The Hungarian Uprising: 19561956

Imre Nagy, Imre Nagy, HungarianHungarian

Prime MinisterPrime Minister} Promised free Promised free

elections.elections.

} This could lead to This could lead to the end of the end of communist rule in communist rule in Hungary.Hungary.

Sputnik I (1957)Sputnik I (1957)

The Russians have beaten America The Russians have beaten America in space—they have the in space—they have the

technological edge!technological edge!

Nixon-KhrushchevNixon-Khrushchev“Kitchen Debate”“Kitchen Debate”

(1959)(1959)

Cold War ---> Cold War --->

TensionsTensions

<--- Technology <--- Technology

& Affluence & Affluence

U-2 Spy Incident (1960)U-2 Spy Incident (1960)

Col. Francis Gary Col. Francis Gary Powers’ plane was Powers’ plane was

shot down over shot down over Soviet airspace.Soviet airspace.

Paris, 1961Paris, 1961

Khrushchev & JFK meet to discuss Berlin Khrushchev & JFK meet to discuss Berlin and nuclear proliferation. Khrushchev and nuclear proliferation. Khrushchev

thinks that JFK is young, inexperienced, thinks that JFK is young, inexperienced, and can be rolled.and can be rolled.

The Berlin Wall Goes Up The Berlin Wall Goes Up (1961)(1961)

CheckpoinCheckpointt

CharlieCharlie

Ich bin ein Ich bin ein Berliner!Berliner!

(1963)(1963)

President President Kennedy tells Kennedy tells Berliners that Berliners that

the West is the West is with them!with them!

Khruschev Embraces Khruschev Embraces Castro,Castro,19611961

Bay of Pigs Debacle Bay of Pigs Debacle (1961)(1961)

Cuban Missile Crisis Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)(1962)

Cuban Missile Crisis Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)(1962)

We went eyeball-to-eyeball with the We went eyeball-to-eyeball with the Russians, and the other man blinked!Russians, and the other man blinked!

Cuban Missile Crisis Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)(1962)

1962 - Cuban Missile Crisis

• After Bay of Pigs invasion, the Soviet Union installed nuclear missiles in Cuba.

• After U-2 flights Kennedy ordered a naval blockade of Cuba on October 22 until the Soviet Union removed its missiles.

• On October 28, the Soviets agreed to remove the missiles, defusing one of the most dangerous confrontations of the Cold War.

Vietnam War: 1965-1973Vietnam War: 1965-1973

““Prague Spring” (1968)Prague Spring” (1968)

Former Czech President, Former Czech President, Alexander DubčekAlexander Dubček

Communism with a human Communism with a human face!face!

““Prague Spring” Dashed!Prague Spring” Dashed!

Dissidents/playwrights arrested [like Dissidents/playwrights arrested [like Vaclav HavelVaclav Havel—future president of a —future president of a

free free Czech RepublicCzech Republic].].

1969 -- SALT

• On November 17, the 1st phase of Strategic Arms Limitation Talks began in Helsinki, Finland.

• The finished agreement, signed in Moscow on May 26, 1972, placed limits on both submarine-launched and intercontinental nuclear missiles.

1972 – Nixon visits China

• Nixon becomes the first U.S. president to visit China, meeting with Mao Tse-tung on February 21.

• The two countries issue a communique recognizing their "essential differences" while making it clear that "normalization of relations" was in all nations' best interests.

• The rapprochement changes the balance of power with the Soviets.

1973 - Vietnam War agreement (Paris Accords)• January 27, 1973, the United States, South

Vietnam, North Vietnam and the Viet Cong sign the Paris Peace Treaty, establishing a cease-fire.

• The United States is allowed to continue providing aid to South Vietnam.

• Saigon falls in April 1975.

1979 - Afghanistan

• December 25, 100,000 Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan as communist Babrak Karmal seized control of the government.

• U.S.-backed Muslim guerrilla fighters waged a costly war against the Soviets for nearly a decade before Soviet troops withdraw in 1988.

• Afghanistan—the Soviet “Vietnam”

1980 - Solidarity

• On August 14, Lech Walesa led massive strikes at the Lenin shipyards in Gdansk, Poland.

• The strikes soon spread to other cities and formed the nucleus of the Solidarity movement.

• The communist government conceded to worker demands on August 31, and recognized their right to form unions and strike.

1985 - Gorbachev comes to power• On March 11, Mikhail Gorbachev came to

power in the Soviet Union.• Gorbachev ushered in an era of reform.

– perestroika • Economic reform- restructuring

– glasnost– means openness, allowed greater free

expression and criticism of Soviet policies

1989 - Berlin Wall falls

• Gorbachev renounced the Brezhnev Doctrine, which pledged to use Soviet force to protect its interests in Eastern Europe.

• On September 10, Hungary opened its border with Austria, allowing East Germans to flee to the West.

• After massive public demonstrations in East Germany and Eastern Europe, the Berlin Wall fell on November 9.