Cold War

Cold War

Review

Communism

• Communism is a system of government where the government owns factories, land and natural resources, and controls everything.

• Following the end of WWII, the Soviet Union wanted to spread communism across Europe.  The U.S. and its allies wanted to stop it.

The Iron Curtain

• A competition for power and territories began in Europe.

  
  

• This created a sharp division between Eastern and Western Europe. 

  
  

• The Prime Minister of Great Britain, Winston Churchill, stated that an “iron curtain” had fallen across Europe.

• This imaginary border separated democracy and communism and cut off Eastern Europe from the rest of the world.

The Start of The Cold War

• This division in Europe caused tensions between the two sides to rise all over the world and began what is known as the Cold War.

• The Cold War was sort of like a contest between the U.S. and Soviet Union to see who was more powerful.  Who would have the most missiles?  Who would get a man on the moon first?  Who would have more allies?

• The Cold War did turn “hot” a few times, but the Cold War was mainly a war of words and competition that lasted for over forty years.

Berlin Airlift

• The Soviet Union controlled the eastern half of Germany and the Allied Powers controlled the western half.

• In addition, Berlin, Germany’s capital city, was located in the Soviet-controlled eastern side, but was also divided.

• Therefore, the Allied-controlled parts of the city were totally surrounded by a Soviet zone. This created many problems for the Allies.

Berlin Airlift

• The Soviet Union tried to force the Allies to surrender their piece of Berlin by enforcing a blockade (or a stop on all goods from coming in) for all supplies coming to West Berlin by road, train, and waterway.

•  For 321 days, the U.S. and Allied airplanes flew in and out several times a day and at night to drop off supplies. This operation became known as the Berlin Airlift.

NATO

• Following World War II, the United States and some European countries formed an organization to help protect each other from communists aggressions.

• This organization was called NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

• NATO agreed to help each other if the communists ever attacked. NATO countries hoped that their organization would help contain communism and keep it from spreading.

Cuban Missile Crisis

• The United States and the Soviet Union were in an arms race.  An arms race is when two nations try to have more and bigger weapons than the other.

• The United States often flew spy planes over communist Cuba.  Cuba is located only 90 miles off the coast of Florida.

• Cameras captured something scary during one spy plane flight:  Soviet Missiles, in Cuba, pointed toward the United States!

Cuban Missile Crisis

•  President John F. Kennedy sent U.S. Navy ships to stop Soviet ships taking more missiles to Cuba.

•  American citizens worried that a nuclear war could happen at any moment.

• Negotiations between Kennedy and Khrushchev were intense. Khrushchev finally agreed to remove the missiles from Cuba if Kennedy would not invade Cuba.

Vietnam War

• For the most part, the Cold War was a war of words. There were times, however, when actual fighting took place. One such example is the Vietnam War. The goal of the Vietnam War was to contain communism.

• Vietnam was divided into the two nations: North Vietnam and South Vietnam. North Vietnam was under communist control and wanted to take over South Vietnam which was not communist.

Vietnam War

•   In the early 1960s, the United States supported South Vietnam with supplies and advice.

• Eventually the United States sent troops to fight North Vietnam.

• American citizens were split over the war. Some argued that it was necessary to stop the spread of communism while others felt that the U.S. should not be involved.

• Many protests were held against the war. Every night on the television news, families watched videos of the protests which often turned violent.

McCarthyism and the Red Scare

• During the Cold War, Americans grew fearful of anything communist.

• Americans accused each other of being communists and Soviet spies. 

  This period of fear and accusations was known as “The Red Scare”.

•  Senator Joseph McCarthy accused many famous actors, musicians, and government employees of being communists.

• The term “McCarthyism” was used to describe the unnecessary hunt for communist and spies.

Multiple Choice

Which Cold War alliance was created by Western Europe and the United States?

• NATO

• Non-alignment Movement

• Warsaw Pact

• Potsdam Conference

Multiple Choice

Following WWII, two superpowers emerged who competed against one another for power and influence over different regions of the world. Which of the following were those two superpowers?

• Germany/Japan
• China/Iraq
• Great Britain/France
• United States/Soviet Union

Multiple Choice

Which of the following conflicts and regional wars were part of the Cold War?

• Cuban Revolution
• North/South Korea
• North/South Vietnam
• All options are correct

Multiple Choice

The Cold War began

• after the Soviets closed all highway and railroad links to the city of Berlin.
• after the end of World War II.
• when the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japan.
• shortly after the communist revolution in Russia

Multiple Choice

What type of government system did the Soviet Union have, making the United States worried that it may spread and threaten democracy?

• Theocracy
• Anarchy
• Dictatorship
• Communist

Multiple Choice

The Cold War was "cold" because the two superpowers never directly attacked each other in open warfare.

• TRUE
• FALSE

Multiple Choice

What was the main goal of the United States during the Cold War?

• To spread communism
• To strengthen ties with Vietnam and Korea
• To destroy the Soviet Union and its allies
• To contain communism and promote democracy

Multiple Choice

What was the main goal of the Soviet Union during the Cold War?

• To eliminate the nation of Germany
• To contain the spread of communism
• To spread communism to other countries
• To strengthen bonds with China and Germany

Multiple Choice

An "arms race" can be described as ...

• a race between countries to defeat another country in war
• a race between nations to acquire the most powerful weapons
• a race between states to build up their own militias
• a race between nations to see who can have the largest military

Multiple Choice

What is the term used to describe the invisible line that separated communist Eastern Europe from democratic Western Europe?

• Berlin Wall

• Iron Curtain

• 38th Parallel

• Maginot Line

Multiple Choice

Following WWII, two superpowers emerged who competed against one another for power and influence over different regions of the world. Which of the following were those two superpowers?

• Germany/Japan
• China/Iraq
• Great Britain/France
• United States/Soviet Union

Multiple Choice

What was the main goal of the Soviet Union during the Cold War?

• To eliminate the nation of Germany
• To contain the spread of communism
• To spread communism to other countries
• To strengthen bonds with China and Germany

Multiple Choice

An "arms race" can be described as ...

• a race between countries to defeat another country in war
• a race between nations to acquire the most powerful weapons
• a race between states to build up their own militias
• a race between nations to see who can have the largest military

Multiple Choice

Which of the following conflicts and regional wars were part of the Cold War?

• Cuban Revolution
• North/South Korea
• North/South Vietnam
• All options are correct

Multiple Choice

An "arms race" can be described as ...

• a race between countries to defeat another country in war
• a race between nations to acquire the most powerful weapons
• a race between states to build up their own militias
• a race between nations to see who can have the largest military

Multiple Choice

The Cold War began

• after the Soviets closed all highway and railroad links to the city of Berlin.
• after the end of World War II.
• when the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japan.
• shortly after the communist revolution in Russia

Multiple Choice

What type of government system did the Soviet Union have, making the United States worried that it may spread and threaten democracy?

• Theocracy
• Anarchy
• Dictatorship
• Communist

Multiple Choice

The Cold War was "cold" because the two superpowers never directly attacked each other in open warfare.

• TRUE
• FALSE

Multiple Choice

What was the main goal of the United States during the Cold War?

• To spread communism
• To strengthen ties with Vietnam and Korea
• To destroy the Soviet Union and its allies
• To contain communism and promote democracy

Multiple Choice

What was the main goal of the Soviet Union during the Cold War?

• To eliminate the nation of Germany
• To contain the spread of communism
• To spread communism to other countries
• To strengthen bonds with China and Germany