Lecture Notes: Cold War and Related Events

Introduction

• Announcement of new merchandise and face reveal.
• Context set in 1917 during World War I.

Lenin's Return and Russian Revolution

• Germany sends Lenin to Russia to create internal crisis.
• Lenin leads Bolshevik Revolution, exits WWI, and establishes Communist government.
• Lenin’s policies lead to civil war, economic breakdown, and famine.
• Warning against Stalin on his deathbed, though Stalin was in charge of jobs.

Stalin's Rise and Rule

• Stalin consolidates power, arrests opponents.
• Implements Five-Year Plans transforming economy.
• Reign of terror continues, dissent crushed.

WWII and its Aftermath

• WWII context: Russia pushes back Nazi Germany with winter's help.
• Allies (USA, UK, USSR) decide post-war Europe.
• Stalin’s control over Eastern Europe established.
• Iron Curtain descends; tensions rise.

Early Cold War Conflicts

• Greece and Turkey are focal points of post-war tensions.
• USSR's presence in Iran and the formation of NATO.
• Truman Doctrine declares US opposition to Communism.

Economic Battles: Marshall Plan vs. COMECON

• US aids Western Europe via Marshall Plan.
• Stalin counters with COMECON and political control via COMINFORM.

Berlin and the Airlift

• Berlin divided, Stalin blockades West Berlin.
• Western Allies respond with Berlin Airlift.
• USSR develops atomic bomb, heightening tensions.

Korean War

• Korea divided; North invades South in 1950.
• UN intervenes; China later enters conflict.
• Stalemate reached; armistice only in 2018.

Leadership Changes

• Eisenhower elected US president, Stalin dies in 1953.
• Khrushchev leads de-Stalinization, but uses repressive tactics.

Espionage and Technology Race

• Espionage prevalent; U-2 incident strains relations.
• Soviet space advances alarm US.

Berlin Wall

• Khrushchev builds Berlin Wall in 1961.
• Families divided; escape attempts frequent.
• Wall symbolizes Communist system's failure.

Confrontations and Resolutions

• Tensions at Checkpoint Charlie de-escalated by direct communication between Kennedy and Khrushchev.

Conclusion

• Kennedy hopes for no further crises, hinting bigger issues lie ahead.