Cold War and Communism Summary PDF | Notes

Communism and the Cold War ​ Cold War lasted from 1945 to early 90s ​ US and Soviet Union tried to get the rest of the world to side with them ​ An arms based race between - nuclear arsenals became large enough to wipe out the whole world \ Power Grab ​ Biggest conflict ov...

Communism and the Cold War ​ Cold War lasted from 1945 to early 90s ​ US and Soviet Union tried to get the rest of the world to side with them ​ An arms based race between - nuclear arsenals became large enough to wipe out the whole world \ Power Grab ​ Biggest conflict over future security - both wanted their worldview to dominate: ○​ US: capitalism, democracy ○​ USSR: communism/totalitarianism ​ At conferences in Yalta and Potsdam in 1945, parts of Eastern Europe were divided among Allied forces - Soviet Union demanded control of its neighbouring states (Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria), which the US disagreed with ​ 1948: French, US, British sections of Germany merged into one, while Eastern Germany was under Soviet control - they cut of access to Berlin from Western side (Berlin Blockade) ○​ US flew in resources to trapped Western side (Berlin Airlift) until Soviets relented and split Berlin in half - built a wall on their side (Berlin Wall) ​ East Vs. West ○​ Europe was clearly divided in East and West ○​ East: East Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Hungary = Soviet bloc ○​ West: Britain, France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, West Germany, Greece, Turkey = Western bloc ○​ Truman Doctrine (1947) said US would aid countries threatened by communism (containment) - Western bloc formed military alliance NATO for this ○​ In response, Eastern bloc formed Warsaw Pact ○​ Two alliances became heavily weaponized - line between them was called the Iron Curtain ○​ Many countries were part of nonalignment - accepted investments from US and USSR but didn’t side with either ○​ Helped many former colonies find cooperative economic relations ○​ Bandung Conference (1955): leaders from Africa and Asia meet to discuss these partnerships - Non-Aligned Movement \ China ​ After fall of Manchu Dynasty in 1911, Sun Yat-sen led the Chinese Revolution of 1911 for China to become more Westernized and powerful  ​ Sun Yat-sen’s Three Principles of the People: nationalism, socialism, democracy ​ Established his own political party for his own goals - the Kuomintang (KMT) ​ Chiang Kai-shek established KMT in 1920s while Japanese and Soviets also struggled to control China ​ US helped drive Japan out, but communists and KMT continued to fight Chinese Civil War for next 4 years ​ Communists recruited millions of peasants under Mao Zedong to drive KMT out of China into Taiwan (where they established Republic of China) ​ Mainland China became People’s Republic of China and the largest communist nation in the world ​ Taiwan and People’s Republic of China are still separated ​ Mao Zedong ○​ At first was successful in increasing China’s productivity and agriculture ○​ Implemented Great Leap Forward by creating communes (local governments) to achieve a Marxist state - they couldn’t keep up with their agricultural quotas, so they lied about it causing starvation of over 30 million Chinese people ○​ After withdraw of Soviet support, military became his focus and capitalism was implemented into economy - Mao didn’t like it ○​ Mao’s Cultural Revolution: got rid of all Western influences to prevent privileged classes - universities shut down and most worked as farmers from 1960s to 70s ​ Deng Xiaoping ○​ New leader - focused on restructuring economy, reimplemented education ○​ Free-market capitalism elements, property ownership, foreign relations - but still largely communist ○​ Tiananmen Square Massacre: hundreds of protesters for democratic reform killed by government troops Division of Korea - Korean War ​ After WWII, was held half by Soviets and half by US until Korea could achieve stability ​ Soviet communist regime in North Korea ​ US democracy in South Korea ​ North Korea attacked South Korea in 1950 to unite the two countries - United Nations, under General MacArthur, supported South Korea and China supported North Korea - armistice didn’t happen until 1953 ​ North Korea remains an isolated and dangerous nation today Vietnam War ​ After WWII, France attempt to hold on to colony of Indochina, but Vietminh nationalists fought back until it was agreed to split the nation into two ○​ Communists - North under Ho Chi Minh ○​ Democrats - South under Ngo Dinh Diem ​ Soon war broke out between them - France and US supported South, but eventually the South was taken over by communist Viet Cong fighters, which looked very bad for US Genocide in Cambodia ​ Communism took over Cambodia and communist faction Khmer Rouge took over the government - goal to get rid of professional class an religious minorities led to 2 million deaths by the government \ The Cuban Revolution ​ US remained involved in Cuban affairs after Spanish-American War under Platt Amendment ​ US supported the Batista Dictatorship from 1939 to 1959 until peasants began revolting in 1956 under leadership of Fidel Castro - led to Cuban Revolution in 1959 ​ Castro promoted democracy but immediately established a communist dictatorship instead, so the US imposed economic bans on trade with Cuba - strengthened Cuba’s ties with Soviets instead ​ US organized Bay of Pigs Invasion with a small force of Cuban exiles, authorized by President Kennedy, to overthrow Castro - they were immediately captured ​ In response, Soviets installed missiles in Cuba and when US found out, they established a navel blockade around the island - Cuban Missile Crisis ○​ Soviets eventually backed down when US agreed to not invade Cuba - closest brush with nuclear war \ Cold War Tensions and Democratization in Latin America ​ US’s capitalistic destruction of resources in Latin America stirred radical political parties in Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, Brazil - US was the imperialist “Good Neighbour” ​ US distracted by wars and Cold War led to single-party rule in Mexico, brutal militaristic leaders in Argentina and Chile, and socialist democracies in Nicaragua and Guatemala ○​ US focused on Nicaragua - ground for Bay of Pigs Invasion, targeting of Sandinista guerrillas in 80s ​ Reliance on export economies has resulted in poor domestic economies and debt ​ Only in 2000 did Mexico have first multi-party election - opposition, PAN party, won \ Cold War Ends ​ People in Eastern Europe, under communism, began to revolt over poor living conditions compared to the West, democracy, and self-determination in the 80s Poland  ​ A Solidarity movement under Lech Walesa brought thousands of workers wanting reform of communist economic system ​ Not until reform-minded Mieczyslaw Rakowski became the Prime Minister did Solidarity become legalized in 1989 ​ Tadeusz Mazowiecki, Solidarity member, became PM in first open elections ​ Communism fell in 1990, Lech Walsea become president, and economy improved swiftly German Reunification ​ Decline of communism in Soviet bloc led to East Germany cutting ties with Soviets ​ Berlin Wall was torn down in 1989 and East and West reunified ​ Germany now focused on peace and economic reform instead of violence The Soviet Union Collapses ​ Mikhail Gorbachev came to power in 1986 and urged restructuring of Soviet economy - elements of private ownership instituted, nuclear arms treaties with US ​ When Poland and other former Soviet nations separated from USSR, Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991 ​ Mostly peaceful, but ethnic cleansing occurred in the Balkans and many Muslims were murdered by Christian Serbians - led to UN troop involvement ​ Most new countries formed constitutional democracies, Cold War was over, and US emerged as the world’s only superpowers ​ Democracy and Authoritarian Rule in Russia ○​ New Russia looked like a perfect federal state, but their abrupt intro to democracy and capitalism led to corruption, high unemployment, poverty, widespread crime ○​ First president, Boris Yeltsin, had the challenge of reforming Russia ○​ Yeltsin resigned in 1999 and former KGB agent Vladimir Putin became the head and has between the President and Prime Minister since then ○​ Has caused significant unrest in relations with other nations \ Independence Movements and Developments in Asia and Africa Indian Subcontinent ​ Indian National Congress, mostly Hindu, established in 1885 and Muslim League in 1906 to increase rights of Indians under colonial rule ​ In 1919, Amritsar Massacre catapulted resistance - 319 Indians killed by the British during a peaceful protest ​ Mohandas Gandhi became an important figure in resistance - philosophy of passive resistance (demonstrations, boycotts instead of violence)  ​ Hindu and Muslim groups disagreed while fighting for the same cause - Muslims pushed for their own nation called Pakistan ​ Independence Won by India ○​ Britain granted independence to India after WWII ○​ Muslims and Hindus disagreed with how the independent nation should function - one group wanted unity between Hindus and Muslims, the other wanted to partition the subcontinent and form a separate Muslim nation (led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah) ○​ British separated the subcontinent into three parts: India (Hindu), and Pakistan (Muslim) in two parts ○​ Many died by religious persecution as they migrated across religious lines - created international conflict between Pakistan and India Africa ​ In 1910, South Africa established its own constitution, that was discriminatory to native Africans, and in 1912, the African National Congress was formed to oppose European colonialism ​ in 1950s, independence movement across Africa grew and Gamal Nasser, general in Egyptian army, overthrew Egypt king and established a republic - inspired other Islamic nationalists along Mediterranean to also become independent ​ Many Africans were undereducated and did not have skills to build productive, independent nations and European influence had caused major destruction in social dynamics ​ Algeria fought war for independence against France from 1954-1962 ​ Nigeria and Ghana negotiated their freedom from Britain ​ Kenya also negotiated constitution with Britain ​ Angola and Belgian Congo overthrew colonial governments causing civil wars ​ Zimbabwe was among last to establish majority African rule in 1980 ​ 53/54 of African nations belong to African Union - replaced Organization of African Unity ○​ Still, Chad, Sudan, Uganda, Somalia, Rwanda, Congo continue to be wrecked by civil wars ​ Rwanda ○​ Conflict between Tutsi and Hutu groups (Tutsi, 15% of pop., governed the Hutu) caused ethnic strife, genocide, and human rights violations after colonial authorities left ○​ Hutu revolted and killed as many as 800000 Tutsis over 100 days of genocide ​ Apartheid in South Africa ○​ Union of South Africa formed in 1910 combing British and Dutch colonies, the year after South Africa Act, completely excluded Black people from politics ○​ 1923: segregation established and enforced ○​ 1926: Black people banned from certain occupations ○​ 1948: system of apartheid (racial separation) established - Black people forced into the worst parts of the country and city slums  ○​ Nelson Mandela became leader of African National Congress in 1950s determined to abolish apartheid ○​ Sharpeville massacre: 67 protesters against apartheid killed - African National Congress then supported guerrilla warfare (resulted in Mandela being jailed in 1964) ○​ Mandela was released in 1990 and apartheid crumbled - he was the first president elected in a free and open election Middle East ​ After WWI, France was put in charge of Syria and Lebanon, Britain in charge of Palestine, Jordan, and Iraq (Iran between Britain and Russia) - Arabia united itself as a Saudi Kingdom ​ Creation of Modern Israel: ○​ Many Jews left Israel region as Palestine became more and more Islamic ○​ During WWI, Zionists (Jewish nationalists) convinced Arthur Balfour (Britain’s foreign secretary) to issue Balfour Declaration of 1917 - declared that Jewish people had right to live in Palestine, without displacing current Palestinians ○​ Jews fleeing antisemitic mobs (pogroms) began flooding into Palestine, a lot more came during the 30s to escape Hitler ​ Jewish Wait for a State Ends in 1948 - two Palestines, one for Jews and one for Muslims, officially created ○​ As soon as David Ben-Gurion became first prime minister of Israel, Muslims attacked Israel (1948 Arab-Israeli War) ○​ Israel fought back and eventually controlled most of Palestine, while Jordan held remaining portions (West Bank) ○​ 1967 Six-Day War resulted in Israelis taking over all of Palestine - West Bank, Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip (Egypt), Golan Heights (Syria) ○​ In 1977, Egypt recongized Israel’s right to exist when Prime Minister Menachem Begin of Israel and President Anwar Sadat of Egypt signed the Camp David Accords - a huge blow to Palestinians (did not recognize West Bank in accords) ○​ Since then, Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), dedicated to reclaiming land and Palestinian state, has been unsuccessful in negotiating a homeland ○​ In 2000, violence continued and Israel PM Ariel Sharon constructed a wall between Palestinian West Bank and Israel ○​ In 2005, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas signed a cease-fire with Israel after previous president Yasser Arafat failed to do so ○​ Intense division, military violence, and terrorism still exists between the groups and no advancements have been made ​ Iranian Revolution ○​ When Reza Shah Pahlavi rose to power and lead the shah in 1925 in Iran, Westernization was introduced to the nation ○​ In 1960s, rights of women increased drastically which angered Islamic fundamentalists  ○​ President Jimmy Carter of US visited Iran to congratulate them on their modernization, which was the breaking point for fundamentalists - in 1979 Iranian Revolution ousted current shah and went back to a theocracy led by Ayatollah Khomeini ○​ Human rights advancements were reversed and women went back to traditional roles - Qu’ran became basis of legal system ○​ Iraq soon after invaded Iran over border disputes - Iraq received quiet support from US but still led to 8-year Iran-Iraq War ○​ Power struggle still continues in Iran and American-led war that began in Iraq in 2003 complicated matters further ​ Oil ○​ Middle East was sitting on more than two-thirds of world’s oil reserves ○​ Multinational corporations rushed to gain drilling rights in 20th century ○​ Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, and Iraq started to earn billions annually, so they organized with some oil-exporting nations to form a petroleum cartel (OPEC) leading to more money and modernization