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How did the Cold War start? 1945-1991 - Coggle Diagram
How did the Cold War start?
1945-1991
Who?
USSR vs USA
Harry.S Truman
Stalin
Lenin
JFK
Nikita Kruschev
What?
The Cold War was predominantly a conflict of tension between USSR and USA where neither nation officially declared war
Instead conflict occurs through political maneuvering and proxy wars eg Vietnam War
Where?
Europe
Europe was the first battle ground of the Cold War, especially Germany which was divided into two parts with Berlin also divided into two parts
In 1948 the Soviets tried to cut off Berlin by closing the main road that led into the city but the Berlin airlift stopped them
In 1961 the Soviets tried again and were more succesful, this time building a wall around West Berlin (was there for less than 30 years)
The Cold War never did heat up in Europe
Indirect fighting
Asia:
The Korean War and the Vietnam War saw lots of fighting between the communists and capitalists
The USA got bogged down in one of its longest wars because the domino effect threatened communism in Japan which the USA had helped remake into a vibrant capitalist ally
Nicaragua:
The USA supported rebels to overthrow the leftist government
El Salvador:
The US bolstered authoritarian regimes that were threatened by left wing
The Suez Canal crisis:
The French and British paratroopers were sent in to stop Egypt from nationalising the Suez Canal
Why?
Ideological differences
Capiatlism
Competition in business is positive as it leads to low prices, inspires innovation and creates quality
Efficiency and productivity is prioritised
Often not ethical through use of child labour, not paying taxes and/or low wages
Democracy
Communism
Competition in business is negative
Factory owned by states
Lack of innovation
Classless society so no divide
One party dictatorship
When?
It began in 1945 after WW2 and lasted for decades right up until the fall of communism in Russia and the East in 1991
The tensions from that time still exist today and there are those who would argue that the war is still going on
Some historians argue it began during WW2 with Stalin's distrust of the US and Britain kept growing as they refused to invade Europe and open up a second front against the Nazis
How?
The US response to the Soviets was a policy called Containment which meant stopping the spread of communism by standing up to the Soviets wherever they seemed to want to expand. In Europe this meant spendign a lot of money
The Marshall Plan, 1948
Spending 13 billion dollars rebuilding Western Europe with grants and credits that Europeans would spend on American consumer goods and construction. This was with the hope that capitalisms cheap food and good construction would stop the spread of communism
Founding NATO, 1949
CIA interventions
Nuclear Arms Race
Both sides developed nuclear arsenals (Soviets initially with the help of spies who stole American secrets) and eventually both sides nuclear arsenals were so great that they agreed on MAD
Results
Tensions between America and Russia, damaged reputations