Cold War Origins

Origins of the Cold War

• Post-WWII tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union
• Ideological differences: Capitalism (US) vs. Communism (USSR)
• Yalta Conference (1945): Division of Europe into Eastern and Western spheres of influence
• Potsdam Conference (1945): Disagreements over Germany and Poland
• Truman Doctrine (1947): US commitment to contain Soviet expansion
• Marshall Plan (1948): US economic aid to Western Europe to counter Soviet influence

Containment Policy

• Developed by George F. Kennan (1947)
• Strategy to prevent Soviet expansion through economic and military aid to threatened nations
• Key components:
  • Economic aid to Western Europe (Marshall Plan)
  • Military alliances (NATO, 1949)
  • Support for anti-communist governments and movements
• Goal: Contain Soviet influence and promote democratic values

Proxy Wars

• Conflict by proxy: US and USSR supported opposing sides in regional conflicts
• Examples:
  • Korean War (1950-1953): US and UN vs. North Korea and China
  • Vietnam War (1955-1975): US and South Vietnam vs. North Vietnam
  • Afghan War (1979-1989): US and mujahideen vs. Soviet Union
• Proxy wars allowed the superpowers to engage in indirect conflict, avoiding direct confrontation

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

• Soviet deployment of nuclear-armed ballistic missiles in Cuba, 90 miles from the US
• US response: Naval quarantine of Cuba to prevent further Soviet missile deployment
• 13-day standoff: US and USSR on the brink of nuclear war
• Resolution:
  • Soviet Union dismantles and removes missiles from Cuba
  • US agrees not to invade Cuba and removes Jupiter missiles from Turkey

Origins of the Cold War

• Post-WWII tensions emerged between the United States and the Soviet Union due to ideological differences between Capitalism and Communism
• The Yalta Conference (1945) divided Europe into Eastern and Western spheres of influence
• Disagreements arose during the Potsdam Conference (1945) over Germany and Poland
• The Truman Doctrine (1947) marked a US commitment to contain Soviet expansion
• The Marshall Plan (1948) provided US economic aid to Western Europe to counter Soviet influence

Containment Policy

• Developed by George F. Kennan in 1947, the Containment Policy aimed to prevent Soviet expansion
• The strategy included economic aid to Western Europe through the Marshall Plan
• Military alliances, such as NATO (1949), were formed to contain Soviet influence
• Support was provided to anti-communist governments and movements
• The ultimate goal was to contain Soviet influence and promote democratic values

Proxy Wars

• The US and USSR engaged in conflict by proxy, supporting opposing sides in regional conflicts
• Examples of proxy wars include the Korean War (1950-1953) and the Vietnam War (1955-1975)
• The Afghan War (1979-1989) was another instance of proxy war
• Proxy wars allowed the superpowers to engage in indirect conflict, avoiding direct confrontation

Cuban Missile Crisis

• In 1962, the Soviet Union deployed nuclear-armed ballistic missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles from the US
• The US responded with a naval quarantine of Cuba to prevent further Soviet missile deployment
• The 13-day standoff brought the US and USSR to the brink of nuclear war
• The crisis was resolved when the Soviet Union dismantled and removed missiles from Cuba
• In exchange, the US agreed not to invade Cuba and removed Jupiter missiles from Turkey

Origins of the Cold War

• The Cold War lasted from 1945 to 1991, a period of geopolitical tension and rivalry between the US and the Soviet Union.
• The roots of the Cold War can be traced back to the aftermath of World War II, when the two superpowers emerged as dominant world powers.
• Soviet expansion into Eastern Europe and establishment of communist governments led to concerns about Soviet intentions in the West.

Containment Policy

• The Containment Policy was a central strategy of the US during the Cold War, aimed at preventing the spread of communism and Soviet influence.
• The policy was first outlined in George Kennan's "Long Telegram" (1946) and later developed by Paul Nitze's NSC-68 document (1950).
• Containment involved economic aid, military alliances, propaganda, cultural exchange programs, support for anti-communist movements, and diplomatic pressure.

Proxy Wars

• Proxy Wars were conflicts fought between the US and the Soviet Union through surrogate states or non-state actors.
• The purpose of proxy wars was to avoid direct military conflict between the two superpowers, while still pursuing their geopolitical interests.
• Examples of proxy wars include:
  • Korean War (1950-1953)
  • Vietnam War (1955-1975)
  • Angolan Civil War (1975-2002)
  • Afghan War (1979-1989)

Cuban Missile Crisis

• The Cuban Missile Crisis was a 13-day confrontation in October 1962 between the US and the Soviet Union over the presence of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba.
• The crisis began when American spy planes detected Soviet missile sites under construction in Cuba, just 90 miles from the US.
• The US imposed a naval quarantine on Cuba, and the Soviet Union threatened to respond with nuclear force.
• The crisis led to a significant reduction in Cold War tensions and the signing of the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963.