Cold War Alliances

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

a system of government where the government owns factories, land and natural resources, and controls everything

• Mcarthysm

• Capitalism

• Communism

• New World Order

Multiple Choice

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

• Hazy Mist

• Iron Curtain

• Black Curtain

• Communist

  Spirit

Multiple Choice

The Cold War was like a contest between the _____________ to see who was more powerful.

• Soviet Union and Germany

• U.S and Middle East

• Soviet Union and Japan

• U.S and Soviet Union

Match

Match the following

• • imaginary border separated democracy +

  • communism

• pact developed to protect countries against communism

• • The Soviet Union tried to force the Allies to surrender their piece of Berlin by enforcing a blockade

• • when two nations try to have more and bigger weapons than the other.

• • American citizens were split over the war. Some though it was necessary to stop the spread of communism while others disagreed

Iron Curtain

NATO

Berlin Airlift

Arms Race

Vietnam War

• Iron Curtain

• NATO

• Berlin Airlift

• Arms Race

• Vietnam War

Multiple Choice

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

• Cuban Missile Crisis

• Vietnam War

• Berlin Aircraft Period

• Korean War