TOPIC 1: Cold War
WEEK 1: Nature of the Cold War
What is a cold war? cold war: Open yet restricted rivalry developed after World War II between
the US and SU and their respected allies. Called Cold War because SU and
US never declared war on each other
why do cold war’s occur:
- Ideological conflict between two superpowers e.g: US and SU
- Emergence of nuclear weapons
- Fear of spread of communism in the United States
Features of the cold setting:
war - 1917: Bolsheviks took seized power in Russia
- Bolshevik Russia pronounced itself as ideologically oppositional to
West
- Split between what became communist USSR and capitalist West
continued until 1941
- Opponents became allies Negotiations throughout the rest of the
Second World War resulted in sufficient cooperation to end the war
- Mutual distrust also ensured that difference and dangerous
competition would dominate the post second world war world
east vs west:
- Eastern Europe now emerged as a Soviet sphere of influence
- Soviets ceded to American influence in the settlement of Japan
- Peace treaties to official conclude the second world war signed in
1947
- Europe’s slip into two spheres of influence was confirmed
- Germany was divided. By 1947 the iron curtain appeared to divide
Europe
- Ideological differences underpinning the physical division Stage
was being set for what would become the cold war
WEEK 2: Key Events of the Cold War
Key events within the truman doctrine: American foreign policy to contain Soviet geopolitical
cold war expansion. US would aid all democratic nations under threat from
authoritarian forces. Announced in 1947 by President Truman
- Helped prevent spread of communism into weaker European
countries
- Increased tensions as it proved world was divided
- Gave democratic nations a sense of unification to assist in defeating
communism nations
berlin blockade: SU blocked all road, railway and canal access to the
Allied zones in Berlin (West Berlin). Cut of access to supplies e.g: electricity,
food, and coal
- Blocked off aid towards US Attack to the community
- Resulted in separation of East and West Germany with military force
- Threat to freedom of Western Europe
policy of containment: Was the US policy using numerous strategies to
prevent spread of communism abroad, aimed to block SU power without
engaging in a direct war
- US relegated itself to an essentially passive opposition to
communism
- Policy failed militarily as the US failed to prevent spread of
communism
domino theory: Communist government in one nation will lead to
communist takeovers in neighbouring states
- Caused tension between the two powers as the US tried as hard as
WEEK 1: Nature of the Cold War
What is a cold war? cold war: Open yet restricted rivalry developed after World War II between
the US and SU and their respected allies. Called Cold War because SU and
US never declared war on each other
why do cold war’s occur:
- Ideological conflict between two superpowers e.g: US and SU
- Emergence of nuclear weapons
- Fear of spread of communism in the United States
Features of the cold setting:
war - 1917: Bolsheviks took seized power in Russia
- Bolshevik Russia pronounced itself as ideologically oppositional to
West
- Split between what became communist USSR and capitalist West
continued until 1941
- Opponents became allies Negotiations throughout the rest of the
Second World War resulted in sufficient cooperation to end the war
- Mutual distrust also ensured that difference and dangerous
competition would dominate the post second world war world
east vs west:
- Eastern Europe now emerged as a Soviet sphere of influence
- Soviets ceded to American influence in the settlement of Japan
- Peace treaties to official conclude the second world war signed in
1947
- Europe’s slip into two spheres of influence was confirmed
- Germany was divided. By 1947 the iron curtain appeared to divide
Europe
- Ideological differences underpinning the physical division Stage
was being set for what would become the cold war
WEEK 2: Key Events of the Cold War
Key events within the truman doctrine: American foreign policy to contain Soviet geopolitical
cold war expansion. US would aid all democratic nations under threat from
authoritarian forces. Announced in 1947 by President Truman
- Helped prevent spread of communism into weaker European
countries
- Increased tensions as it proved world was divided
- Gave democratic nations a sense of unification to assist in defeating
communism nations
berlin blockade: SU blocked all road, railway and canal access to the
Allied zones in Berlin (West Berlin). Cut of access to supplies e.g: electricity,
food, and coal
- Blocked off aid towards US Attack to the community
- Resulted in separation of East and West Germany with military force
- Threat to freedom of Western Europe
policy of containment: Was the US policy using numerous strategies to
prevent spread of communism abroad, aimed to block SU power without
engaging in a direct war
- US relegated itself to an essentially passive opposition to
communism
- Policy failed militarily as the US failed to prevent spread of
communism
domino theory: Communist government in one nation will lead to
communist takeovers in neighbouring states
- Caused tension between the two powers as the US tried as hard as
