The Cold War and Beyond!!!
Mrs
. McC
oy A
P Eu
ro
US vs USSRSoviet Union took control of Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria (Red army overran these countries during WWII) **Exception: Tito of Yugoslavia – defied Stalin!
1946 – Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech
1947 – Greece in danger of being overthrown by communists. US concerns of Turkey becoming a Soviet puppet state. Britain asked US for help, US gladly obliged.
Greece and Turkey
Soviets announced that the Allies could no longer pass through the Soviet Zone.
Berlin Airlift thwarted Stalin’s blockade. (it lasted about a year!)
Stalin realized he could not stop the allies. Germany became East Germany and West Germany.
Federal Republic of Germany (W)German Democratic Republic (E)
NATO!! Military defensive alliance
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Warsaw Pact!! USSR + 7 satellite countries
1955
Nuclear Race
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1949
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Mao’s communist forces defeat Chiang Kai-Shek’s natinalist forces. K-S goes to Taiwan, US supports him.
Korea divided at the 38th parallel. N invaded S, (Backed by Stalin) UN called for N.Korean withdrawal, they ignored it, UN provided military aid and support.
1953 – armistice was signed.
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Death of Stalin = de-Stalinization. Enter – POWER STRUGGLE!!!!! Nikita Khruschev becomes leader. Calls for peaceful coexistence,
liberalization, intellectual freedom. Geneva summit – East meets West – they agree to disagree
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POLAND: Wladyslaw Gomulka – former political prisoner – gains concessions for
Poland and calms anti-Soviet feelings
Hungary – Imre Nagy declared Hungary neutral and withdraws from Warsaw
pact. Khrushchev sends Tanks, installs a puppet regime under Janos Kadar.
U2 Incident -------oops!
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Brezhnev Era (1964-1982)
Czechoslovakia- Alexander Dubcek becomes head of party and begins reforms knows as Prague Spring.
Lifted censorshipPermitted political groups
Wanted trade with the westBrez sent over 500,000 troops to occupy Czeks.
His doctrine? One bad apple…. A single socialist country’s anti-socialist acts can compromise the entire system, therefore military
intervention is necessary.
Brezhnev in Poland:1970s- Poland suffered economically1980 – strikes to protest prices, etc. Lech Walesa organizes SOLIDARITY – an independent trade union calling for changes.He is supported by EVERYONE, including the Catholic Church! 1978 – Pope John Paul, the first Polish Pope.Soviets play a ‘waiting game…’ but changes they are a comin!
Détente – 1970sProgressive relaxation of tensionNixon visits MoscowSALTBrezhnev visits USA1975 – Helsinki Pact – border agreements, and protection of human rights
ENDS with the Soviet invasion of AFGHANISTAN!!!!(that Brezhnev Doctrine)But it left the Soviets broke and depressed.
Brezhnev’s record
SecurityNew weapons and technology
CensorshipKGB arrested anyone who spoke against the gv.Apathy toward the massesInferior consumer products
Old men…then… GORBACHEV
Reformer?Perestroika – econommic restrcturingIntroduction of (some) capitalism (Think Lenin and the NEP)Prices soar, goods even more scarce
Gorby…(cont)Glasnost = opennessFreedom of ideas and expressionChurches openPolitical reformsNon – communist parties introducedWithdrew troops from Afghanistan 1989 – disapproved the Brezhnev DoctrineLed to peaceful revolutions and the end of Soviet Domination
POLAND
Communist gov. legalized SOLIDARITY – an independent trade unionLech Walesa (founder of solidarity) elected president of Republic of Poland
Velvet Revolution
CzechoslovakiaDemonstrations by students, etc. Non violentValclav Havel elected presidentSplit – Czech Republic and Slovakia
WEST GERMANY•Free market economy, social welfare• Stable democracy•Used Eastern European refugees as labor force•By 1960s surpassed pre-war successes•Ostpolitic – Eastern policy – sought reconciliation with E/W Germany•Helmut Kohl became chancellor in 1982, through the reunion in 1990-1998
Germany
East Germany forced to open borders Unified 1990
RomaniaViolent end to communismNicolae Ceausescu – communist dictator, ordered forces to slaughter thousands of protesters, sparked uprisingHe and his wife captured and put to deathElections called for transition to free market economy
Great Britain
Clement Attlee – Labour Party, began to transform G.Britain into a welfare state…Later conservative leaders restored some private enterprise.
Margaret Thatcher – 1979 – Conservative. 3 terms!!“iron lady”
France
•1995 – Jacques Chirac elected president•Tax cuts, jobs, labor strikes and racism•Civil unrest•Charges of corrupt spending•Opposed to invasion of Iraq