Cold War Overview

• End of WWII and Start of Cold War

  • Post-WWII world divided between US and Soviet Union.
  • Ideological war: Communism (East) vs. Capitalism (West).
  • Proxy wars, nuclear arms race, propaganda, espionage, and space race.

• Historical Context and Rise of Communism

  • Industrial Revolution increased economic disparities.
  • Karl Marx's theory of Marxism.
  • Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 led by Lenin establishing a communist state in USSR.
  • Stalin succeeded Lenin, transforming USSR into an industrial power.

• Post-War Security and Ideological Struggles

  • US established UN, IMF, and World Bank to promote capitalism; USSR only joined UN.
  • Germany divided into occupation zones; East vs. West division.
  • Propaganda and influence efforts, such as CIA in elections.

• Major Cold War Events

  • Truman Doctrine and containment policy.
  • McCarthyism in the US against communism.
  • Marshall Plan aiding Europe to prevent communism.
  • Berlin Blockade and Airlift; establishment of NATO.

• Cold War in Asia

  • Chinese Communist Revolution in 1949, PRC established.
  • Korean War (1950-1953); US-Soviet tensions.
  • Vietnam War: US involvement, protests, and ultimate withdrawal.

• Nuclear Arms Race and Détente

  • Nuclear monopoly, development of hydrogen bombs.
  • Eisenhower's approach to nuclear strategy and brinkmanship.
  • Salt I and II treaties.
  • Cuban Missile Crisis and its resolution.

• Space Race

  • Sputnik launched by USSR in 1957.
  • NASA, US lunar missions; 1969 moon landing.
  • Cooperating in space with Apollo-Soyuz project.

• Political Scandals and Shifts

  • Watergate scandal leading to Nixon's resignation.
  • Rise of public protest movements and shifts in policy.
  • Congressional oversight on CIA actions.

• Late Cold War and Collapse of USSR

  • Reagan's military buildup and Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI).
  • Gorbachev's reforms: Perestroika and Glasnost.
  • Eastern European revolutions in 1989; fall of Berlin Wall.
  • Dissolution of the USSR in 1991; end of Cold War.

• Summary

  • Cold War was a complex geopolitical struggle.
  • Involved ideological, military, and economic components.
  • Ended with the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the spread of democratic reforms.