Cold War Overview and 50 Little-Known Facts

Introduction to the Cold War

• Post-WWII Tensions: US and Soviets were allies in WWII but became adversaries due to US fears of communism.
• Containment of Communism: US aimed to contain Soviet expansionism.
• Arms Race: Both nations built large arsenals, including nuclear weapons.
• Term 'Cold War': Coined by Bernard Manz-Baruch, an American financier.

Fact Highlights

Key Figures and Events

1. Bernard Manz-Baruch: Coined the term 'Cold War.'
2. Winston Churchill: Popularized the term 'Iron Curtain' to describe the divide between East and West.
3. Joseph Stalin: Responsible for millions of deaths due to oppression, gulags, and forced resettlement.
4. End of Cold War: Began under Harry Truman, ended while George Bush Sr. was in power.
5. Nikita Khrushchev & Mao Zedong: Tensions and personal anecdotes, including Khrushchev's swimming incident.
6. Igor Sergeyevich Gouzenko: Soviet cipher clerk who defected to Canada, considered a key moment in starting the Cold War.

Intelligence and Espionage

• Operation Tamarisk: UK and US rooted through Soviet trash for intelligence.
• MI5 and McCarthyism: Similar witch hunts for communists in the UK and US.
• CIA Experiments: LSD experiments on soldiers and citizens; Acoustic Kitty project failed.
• Animal Spies: Training of ravens, pigeons, goats, and gerbils for espionage.

Military and Technological Developments

• Space Race: US and Soviet competition, including plans to detonate bombs on the moon.
• Nuclear Bombs on Planes: US planes carried nuclear bombs regularly; several crashes were classified.
• Project A119 and E4: USA and USSR plans to bomb the moon.
• Starfish Prime: US detonated a hydrogen bomb in space for experimental purposes.
• Eye Patches for Pilots: US Air Force pilots were given eye patches to protect against nuclear flash blindness.

Political and Social Impact

• McCarthyism: Paranoia about communist infiltration in the US.
• Religious Motto: 'In God We Trust' added to US currency to oppose communist materialism.
• Pledge of Allegiance: 'Under God' added for the same reason.
• Third World Term: Originally referred to countries not in NATO, not related to poverty.

Miscellaneous Anecdotes

• Korean Airlines Flight 007: Shot down by Soviets, leading to the availability of GPS technology to the public.
• Condom Drop Plan: US psychological warfare plan to drop condoms labeled 'medium' over Soviet troops.
• Frank Wisner: Planned the condom drop; later took his own life in 1965.
• Gorbachev and Clinton: Teamed up to make a children's music CD and won a Grammy.

Conclusion

• Overall Impact: The Cold War significantly impacted global politics, military strategies, and societal norms.
• Further Exploration: Encouragement to explore more Cold War facts and comparisons between American and Russian lifestyles.