Provide a summary of the event as well as a relation to ...



COLD WAR EVENTS – CLASS NOTESTruman Doctrine:Summary: The Truman Doctrine was basically America's way of stopping the soviet Union's imperialism during the Cold War. It was announced to congress by President at the time, Harry S. Truman. The Doctrine was arose from a speech given by the president, but the immediate cause of this speech was that the British Government was not going to support the Greeks in the Civil War against the Greek communist party as of March 31, 1947. Truman had stated that he would go by any means to stop the spread of communism around the world, and this was the first step. Many countries became worried that the soviet union was going for world domination, so truman decided to support the countries that couldn't support themselves. The Aim: ?The truman Doctrine would support all democratic nations under threat from external or internal authoritarian forces, they would do this by providing them with political, military and economic assistance.Relation to Cold War Principles: The Doctrine related to the principle of expansionism, the United States was supporting the countries that were threatened by the Soviet Union's Communist movement or in easier terms imperialism. ?Containment is also a principle that this event can relate to. As many countries were scared of the soviet union and them taking over and spreading communism around the world, the USA had decided that they weren't going to allow that to happen so they would provide threatened countries with support, in order to keep it contained.Boycott of the 1980 Olympics:Summary:The 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan spurred Jimmy Carter to issue an ultimatum on January 20, 1980 that the United States would boycott the Moscow Olympics if Soviet troops did not withdraw from Afghanistan within one month.Lord Killanin insisted that the Games should continue as scheduled, and Carter reaffirmed the US position to boycott unless the USSR withdrew from Afghanistan. There were sixty-five countries that did not participate in the games, a few of these countries included; Albania ?Bermuda ? Bolivia ? Canada ?ChinaSome representatives believed that if there wasn't any support for the boycott outside of the USA it would still be an effective symbol of protest. The Aim: The main idea behind the boycott was to force the soviet union to withdraw their troops from Afghanistan. It was the marked as the largest boycott in olympic games history.Relation to Cold War Principles: One major principle that this event relates to is the Sphere of Influence. It relates because the United States were trying to gain support from other countries so that they could have a larger boycott and eventually put a stop to the olympics, or what they really wanted, the Soviet Union to stop invading Afghanistan. Again, this can also relate to the principle of Expansionism as the soviet union was going to expand into Afghanistan, but the United States wanted to put an end to that real quick. Lastly, it could relate to containment because no one wanted the Soviets ideologies to come into their country, therefore they wanted to contain the Soviets way of thinking.23. Iran-Contra AffairThe Iran-Contra Affair began in July 1985 during Ronald Reagan’s Presidency. The affair began when Hezbollah terrorists loyal to Iran's Leader, Ayatollah Khomeini,took hostages in Lebanon. In order to get these hostages back, the Reagan Administration sold 508 TOW anti-tank missile launchers as well as 500 HAWK launchers. The shipment of these weapons as well as the future shipment of over 1500 weapons and parts was not authorized by congress and was contrary to the official policies of the Reagan Administration. The US made millions of dollars from these sales but they did not keep the money to themselves. Instead they gave the money to the Right-wing Contra guerrillas, the armed opponents of the left-wing and Marxist Sandinista Junta of National Reconstruction in Nicaragua.The Iran-Contra Affair is an example of containment because the US was funding an anti-communist/marxist faction. They were attempting to contain the USSR’s sphere of influence by supporting the Contra’s by proxy in order to hopefully repel and stop the Communist regime for taking control in Nicaragua. UNfortunately for the Americans the policy of Containment failed and word got out about the Iran-Contra affair, leaving the public quite angry Reagan and confused about the policies in put in place by his Administration.24. Solidarity Movement in PolandSolidarity, officially known as the Independent Self-Governing Trade Union, was founded in 1980 in Poland. Solidarity was the first ever Trade Union in a USSR Bloc State, and as such presented a feeling of hope and freedom for the working class of Poland. Throughout 1981, Solidarity used coordinated strikes to quickly and effectively appeal for economic reforms, the freedom to vote and the involvement of the Trade Union in decision making at the highest level. Overtime the relatively mild and peaceful union become more aggressive and as a result the Polish Government, under immense pressure from the USSR to stop Solidarity, imposed martial law in Poland. Solidarity was declared illegal, and its leaders were arrested. The union was formally dissolved on Oct. 8, 1982, but it nevertheless continued as an underground organization. Solidarity re-emerged in 1989 following an abundance of worker strikes in 1988 demanding that Solidarity be reinstated as a legal union.Solidarity was officially legalized in April 1989 and were allowed to participate in the elections that year. In the elections, Solidarity candidates won 99 of 100 seats in the newly formed Senate (upper house) and all 161 opposition seats in the Sejm (Parliament). In August, Solidarity formed a coalition government with the PUWP, and a longtime Solidarity adviser, Tadeusz Mazowiecki, became the first noncommunist premier to govern Poland since the late 1940s. This effectively ended Soviet control of Poland.This is a great example of America’s Sphere of Influence growing near the end of the Cold War. As things began to cool down between the USSR and the USA, many eastern bloc countries began to get a small taste of what America was preaching. By the time Reagan came to power and tensions began to rise again several bloc countries were partially under the United States’ Sphere of Influence. Poland represented the ideological foothold that the USA had in those Eastern European countries and the uprising foreshadowed the eventual fall of the Soviet Union. The events in Poland had a Domino effect on the rest of the Bloc and the USSR itself.Cold War Events Project3. Marshall PlanPresident Harry Truman wanted to expand USA’s influence in post war Europe to limit the expansion of the USSR and its ideology. In order to achieve this, he decided that the US would donate millions of dollars to devastated post-war Europe, in order to gravitate them towards liberal rather than communist ideas. This plan was called the Marshall plan and while it broke USA’s policy of isolationism, it reduced the threat the USSR posed to the USA. It also forced the receiving countries to keep purchasing US products when their supplies needed to be replaced or ordered again, resulting in profits and new trade relationships for the United States. The plan was launched in 1947, and was available to all European countries affected by the war. Overall, 17 countries ended up benefitting from $13 billion given in aid. However, there were no countries under the USSR’s influence among them, as they were not allowed to accept the aid because the requirements of the Marshall Plan went against the policies of the Soviet Union. A country that received aid had to have their economy assessed and agree to be part of a larger Europe wide economy, which was unacceptable for the Soviets. Instead they created their own economic plan for their satellite countries (the Molotov Plan). Meanwhile, the Marshall Plan continued and was completed by 1952. The Marshall plan is an example of containment of the USSR ideology and influence by the US, and an expansion of the US’ sphere of influence. President Harry Truman thought it was necessary to limit the power the USSR had over weakened post WWII Europe. Therefore he had to find a way to cement America’s influence there first, before communism became appealing to the desperate and poverty stricken people. By providing money and supplies for the countries that had been affected, the people that were helped became more inclined to see the West as generous and charitable, and in turn more welcoming of the US’ liberal ideology. The economic requirements of the plan also meant that the countries given aid were forced to adopt economic policies that were similar to those of the US. Using these methods, Truman was able to increase the spread of his country’s ideology, while also making the people he helped more likely to reject communism. Naturally, the countries under the direct influence of the USSR were not allowed to accept the plan, and the USSR implemented its own financial aid plan to enforce its control over its sphere of influence. By refusing the Marshall plan, the USSR practiced its own form of containment against the ideas and policies of the United States, and further solidified its power over its satellite states. 4. Division of Germany After the allied forces won WWII in 1945, they decided to divide Germany up into 4 different sectors so the Germans would not have enough power to attack them again. Each sector was governed by one of the war’s victors; Britain, USA, France, and the USSR. The 3 allied country’s sectors joined together to form Western Germany, which followed a liberal ideology. The USSR controlled sector became Eastern Germany and operated under a communist ideology. The capital of Berlin, although within the area of Soviet influence, was also split into four zones of occupation, each governed by one of the four powers. This created a sharp contrast between communist and liberal ideologies within Berlin and the country at large, which in turn resulted in a lot of problems and tension within Germany. For example, the allies wanted Western Germany to build up and strengthen its economy so it could become part of the larger European economy. However, the USSR wanted the economy to stay weak, so Germany would no longer be a threat. Similarly, the USSR also opposed the Marshall plan while the western countries welcomed it, resulting in the Berlin Blockade and Berlin Airlift. As a result, the division of Germany and especially Berlin became associated with the idea of the iron curtain, or the political, economic, and social differences between the communist East and the liberal West. A physical manifestation of this barrier was later created in the form of the Berlin Wall. The division of Germany, although originally intended to keep Germany from being a threat to surrounding countries, eventually became another example of containment, for both the US and the USSR. The strict division between Eastern and Western Germany ensured that opposing ideas could not spread to either side, and prevented America or the USSR from gaining any more ground in Europe. While this maintained the separation of their two ideologies, it also restricted the US and USSR’s ability to expand their spheres of influence, so each side had to try to win small victories to show they were better than the other side. For example, the US brought the Marshall Plan to West Germany and offered it to the East as a way of establishing themselves as generous and making them look more appealing to Germans than the Soviets. The USSR in turn tried to block off Berlin (which was inside their sector) from the US to try to gain control over the whole city. The American’s got around this strategy with the use of airlift to bring in supplies instead of trucks. Large moves were too risky to take, so as shown by these tactics, each side tried to use small, subversive means to steal small amounts of influence or power and gain an advantage over the other. In the end, the division restricted the spread of the conflicting ideologies, while also serving as a battle ground for small-scale expansionism. Events of the Cold War Events 5 and 65. Cuban Missile CrisisThe Cuban missile crisis occurred in October of 1962. The Cuban missile crisis was an event where both the United States and the Soviet Union where held in a standoff for 13 days on the brink of nuclear war. American U-2 spy planes photographed of nuclear launch sites being made in Cuba. This meant that there were missile bases being built only ninety miles away from an undefended border of the United States. To deal with this problem the president of the time John Kennedy ordered a naval blockade around Cuba. This would prevent the soviets from bringing in more supplies and halt the construction of the missiles being built. Kennedy also ordered soviets to remove the missiles from Cuba. The Soviet Union brought in their own ships and both countries engaged in a standoff, where both sides threatened the other with nuclear war. This technique of using the threat of war to get your enemy to withdrawal is called brinkmanship. If nuclear war were to occur there would be mutually assured destruction. However Khrushchev (the prime minister of the Soviet Union) and Kennedy were able to make a deal that involved the removal of the missiles in return for the United States to keep out of Cuba. This enabled the USSR to contain their sphere of influence in Cuba, as Cuba was a communist country. There was a second deal made was that the USSR would dismantle their missiles in Cuba if the United States removed theirs from turkey. The making of these deals started a more friendly approach to the cold war as both sides realized how close they were to engaging in a nuclear war that would destroy both sides as there was a balance of power between the Soviet Union and the United States. . Berlin Airlift After the Second World War Berlin was divided into different sectors by the allied forces along with the rest of Germany. There was a division between the liberal (democratic/capitalist) governments and the communist governments, mainly the United States and the Soviet Union. Each ideology wanted to expand their sphere of influence and widen the speed of their ideology. They also wanted to ensure that pre-existing ting places with a shared ideology were protected from the threat of either communism or democratic capitalism. This was an era of expansionism and containment. One way the USSR decided to both expand their sphere of influence and contain communism inside their already existing sphere of influence, was to block all of the western railways into Berlin, preventing the United States from entering. This was called the Berlin blockade, the idea behind this is that it would prevent the United States from providing aid to their district within Berlin. In preventing supplies to be delivered the USSR believed that this would force the allied powers out of Berlin and allow the Soviet Union to gain access to all of Berlin. The berlin blockade was first established in 1948. They believed this would prevent the United States from expanding their ideology and would enable the soviets to provide supplies and as a result spread their views of communism. The United States and the United Kingdom’s solution was the Berlin airlift. They decided that they would them fly their supplies into berlin if they couldn’t gain access by any other route. The berlin airlift lasted more than a year and during this year they were constantly shipping out supplies to West Berlin, about 5000- 8000 tons of supplies were flown to West Berlin each day. The berlin airlift stopped only when the blockade was eventually taken down. In continuing to ship supplies to berlin the allied forces were able to keep their influence on what the main ideology should be (democratic capitalism).. Russian invasion of AfghanistanOn December 24, 1979, the Soviet Union intervened in Afghan national affairs by helping in the combat against political dissidents of the newly powerful Marxist-Leninist regime in Afghanistan. This was considered an attempt at expansionism to increase the sphere of influence around the USSR supporting a communist ideology. In response, the USA provided Afghan rebels with weapons to combat the socialist government. This was an attempt to contain the communist ideology in the Middle East. At the peak of their spending, $750 million dollars was spent annually by the United States to fund the fight against a communist regime. However, the rebel group that they were funding is now known as the Taliban. With one superpower (the USSR) fighting a direct battle against the mujahideen rebellion that was supported by the United States, this war is a Proxy War. After years of turmoil, in 1989, the Soviet army left the Afghan army to fight their own battle, leaving behind weapons and training for the Afghan army to use at their disposal.22. US missiles in TurkeyDuring the nuclear arms race between the Soviet Union and the United States, the USA deployed fifteen Jupiter missiles in Turkey (an official member of NATO) in 1961. The missiles were a precautionary measure of containment to ensure that there wouldn’t be an invasion of Germany or any other NATO countries. It was a fear of the United States that the USSR would try and expand their sphere of influence to countries within their reach. This was an ideal spot for the Americans as Turkey shared a border with the USSR and it therefore was within striking range. An international scare was sparked known as the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Soviet Union responded to this potential threat by stationing missiles in Cuba in 1962, only ninety miles from the coast of Florida. Both parties practiced brinkmanship, which had the international community on the edge of their seats as speculations about WWIII was high. On October 28, 1962, the end of the thirteen-day standoff, on the verge of nuclear warfare, USSR leader Khrushchev and USA president Kennedy agreed to withdraw their nuclear forces. As a result, the Americans took their missiles out of Turkey and a worldwide disaster was averted.Korean WarNorth Korea (Communist)South Korea (Capitalist/Democratic)China (Communist)Soviet Union (by proxy – supplied equipment and advisors)UN Security Council (90% of the troops were from the United States)From 1910 to 1945, Korea was under Japanese rule. After the Soviet Union attacked and took over the area north of the 38th parallel, the United States successfully achieved the same south of the temporary border. For five years, the country was run by two separate governments with opposing ideologies that each believed was more legitimate than the other. With a communist North and a democratic and capitalist South, tensions escalated, creating a war front. On June 25, 1950, North Korea (supported by the Soviet Union and China) invaded South Korea. The United States, interested in ensuring the containment of communism, led a UN Security Council-approved mission to fight on South Korea’s behalf. This resulted in great success at the expense of the North Korean side, influencing an influx of Chinese troops in order to assist them. Months of fighting pushed the frontline back to the 38th parallel and the remainder of the war was a stalemate between two heavily supported and supplied sides. An armistice was signed on July 27, 1953, which permanently separated the two countries to their current borders. However, as an actual peace treaty was not signed, the nations are essentially still at war, as seen by arbitrary deadly conflicts that still take place. The involvement of both the Soviet Union and the United States in the Korean War were both in the interests of maintaining their spheres of influence while containing the spread of the other’s ideologies. Both countries had successfully established beliefs in Korean territory and a shift in such a matter would have resulted in a drastically different result to the Cold War. Hungarian Uprising 1956East Hungary (Kadar & Supporters)Soviet Union (by proxy – supplied tanks)West Hungary (Nagy, Students, & Rebels)In 1953, the death of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin was perceived by the Hungarian people to be an end to brutal communist rule and they expected rapid changes. During this time, all of Hungary’s resources were exported to Moscow with little remnants for the people, and this combined with a bad harvest and fuel shortages to create discontentment and unrest. The liberation of Poland from the USSR in 1956 in the forms of protests inspired Hungarian students to take to the streets of Budapest (the capital) on October 23rd of that same year. The students made a list of sixteen points which were demands on urgent change to national policy to favor democracy, human rights, etc. When the students were detained, a crowd gathered outside the building to call for their release, in which the police fired several shots towards, killing one student. The student’s body was wrapped in the country’s flag and paraded around the city, marking the beginning of the revolution. Soon after, the Red Army (Russian military forces) pulled out of Hungary in order to subside the “hooligans” – referring to protesters. Prime Minister Imre Nagy then restarted a multiple-party system to the upset of the Soviet Union. This also opposed foreign minister Janos Kadar’s views, and conflict escalated when Nagy announced to withdraw Hungary from the Warsaw pact. Kadar resigned from the government and established a rival pro-Soviet government in Eastern Hungary, where Soviet tanks brutally murdered people and dragged their bodies throughout the streets in order to discourage uprising. Nagy’s non-Soviet-supported government was overthrown and he was secretly tried for treason, sentenced to death, and executed on orders from Russian leader Nikita Khrushchev as a lesson to other rebellious leaders.Kadar was put in charge again, the opposition died down, and the Soviet Union remained in power. Although an unsuccessful revolution, it foreshadowed the downfall of the Soviet’s rule. The United States’ failure to intervene is associated with the state of mutually assured destruction at the time. Hungary, a land-locked country in Western Europe, was a dodgy location as it was surrounded by communist states. They knew they would fail to expand their fear of influence in this location, and in addition, there was no real way to intervene without instigating a deadly nuclear war against an equally capable Soviet side. Sixteen DemandsWe demand the immediate evacuation of all Soviet troops, in conformity with the provisions of the Peace Treaty.We demand the election by secret ballot of all Party members from top to bottom, and of new officers for the lower, middle and upper echelons of the Hungarian Workers Party. These officers shall convene a Party Congress as early as possible in order to elect a Central Committee.A new Government must be constituted under the direction of Imre Nagy: all criminal leaders of the Stalin-Rákosi era must be immediately dismissed.We demand public enquiry into the criminal activities of Mihály Farkas and his accomplices. Mátyás Rákosi, who is the person most responsible for crimes of the recent past as well as for our country’s ruin, must be returned to Hungary for trial before a people’s tribunal.We demand general elections by universal, secret ballot are held throughout the country to elect a new National Assembly, with all political parties participating. We demand that the right of workers to strike be recognized.We demand revision and re-adjustment of Hungarian-Soviet and Hungarian-Yugoslav relations in the fields of politics, economics and cultural affairs, on a basis of complete political and economic equality, and of non-interference in the internal affairs of one by the other.We demand the complete reorganization of Hungary’s economic life under the direction of specialists. The entire economic system, based on a system of planning, must be re-examined in the light of conditions in Hungary and in the vital interest of the Hungarian people.Our foreign trade agreements and the exact total of reparations that can never be paid must be made public. We demand to be precisely informed of the uranium deposits in our country, on their exploitation and on the concessions to the Russians in this area. We demand that Hungary have the right to sell her uranium freely at world market prices to obtain hard currency.We demand complete revision of the norms operating in industry and an immediate and radical adjustment of salaries in accordance with the just requirements of workers and intellectuals. We demand a minimum living wage for workers.We demand that the system of distribution be organized on a new basis and that agricultural products be utilized in rational manner. We demand equality of treatment for individual farms.We demand reviews by independent tribunals of all political and economic trials as well as the release and rehabilitation of the innocent. We demand the immediate repatriation of prisoners of war (World War II) and of civilian deportees to the Soviet Union, including prisoners sentenced outside Hungary.We demand complete recognition of freedom of opinion and of expression, of freedom of the press and of radio, as well as the creation of a daily newspaper for the MEFESZ Organization (Hungarian Federation of University and College Students’ Associations).We demand that the statue of Stalin, symbol of Stalinist tyranny and political oppression, be removed as quickly as possible and be replaced by a monument in memory of the martyred freedom fighters of 1848-49.We demand the replacement of emblems foreign to the Hungarian people by the old Hungarian arms of Kossuth. We demand new uniforms for the Army which conform to our national traditions. We demand that March 15 be declared a national holiday and that the October 6th be a day of national mourning on which schools will be closed.The students of the Technological University of Budapest declare unanimously their solidarity with the workers and students of Warsaw and Poland in their movement towards national independence.The students of the Technological University of Budapest will organize as rapidly as possible local branches of MEFESZ, and they have decided to convene at Budapest, on Saturday October 27, a Youth Parliament at which all the nation’s youth shall be represented by their delegates.Sources Yu-Social 30Ib Projecct #27 NORADNORAD, North American Air Defence Agreement, was established when the Canadian government made a decision to establish the joint North American defense against the threat of Soviet Union with the United States on August 1st, 1957. This was intended to be an integrated system of defensive measures that would provide early warning and protection to North America in case of an attack by the Soviet Union. U.S. and Canada’s approach to Containment, which strived to restrict Soviet Union’s Communist expansionism or growth in sphere of influence, is reflected in the joint agreement between U.S. and Canada. The foundation of NORAD is also deemed as U.S. and Canada’s effort to protect and expand their sphere of influence by eliminating Soviet Union.NORAD first detected Soviet threat from Cuba in 1962 when Soviet missiles were placed on that island and it led U.S. to go on an alert and asked Canada to issue the same orders to track the situation. It seems clear that Soviet Union, U.S., and Canada were all resorting to mutually assured attack until Reagan became a president since they were all watching for the chance to assault on their rival faction before it could attack them. In 1980s, as technology grew and Nuclear submarines and cruise missiles emerged, the official title of NORAD was changed to North American Aerospace Command. Furthermore, he mutually assured attack got less severe as President Reagan was looking to the Strategic Defensive Initiative as an Alternative to Mutually Assured Destruction theory. Canada conducted the tests on the Cold Lake military base to track cruise missiles as a joint NORAD operation.Finally, by the 1990's, the NORAD agreement has become less significant since the Soviet Union disappeared and early warning technology was advanced. #28 Boycott of the 1984 OlympicsSoviet Union refused to attend 1984 Olympics held in America in response to the U.S. refusal to attend the 1980 games in Moscow because of the Russian intervention in Afghanistan in 1979. Soviet officials went on to claim that protests against the Soviet athletes were likely to break out in Los Angeles and that they doubted whether American officials would try to contain such outbursts. This fact explicitly demonstrates that Soviet expansion in the sphere of influence through its intervention in Afghanistan and the U.S effort to contain Soviet power had reached its climax. As Soviet Union withdrew itself from the 1984 Olympics, 13 other communist nations issued similar statements and also refused to attend the games. It shows that Soviet influence over 13 communist nations was enormous. However, diplomatic impact of the action was quite small whereas the impact on the games was immense; United States swept to an Olympic record of 83 gold medals without the participation of Soviet Union and other 13 communist nations.Events of the Cold War #25-26Provide a summary of the event as well as a relation to the Cold War principles covered so far in class (Expansionism, Containment, Sphere of Influence, Mutually Assured Destruction…etc.).Hungarian Revolution (Independence…?): October 23-November 4, 1956Hungary in 1956 summed up all that the Cold War stood for. The people of Hungary, and the rest of Eastern Europe, were ruled by Communist USSR with “a rod of iron”, and anybody who challenged the rule of Stalin, and the USSR, paid a price. From 1945, the Hungarians were under the control of Moscow. All wealth was taken from Hungary by the USSR, who displayed their power by placing thousands of Russian troops, and hundreds of tanks, in Hungary. Rakosi, the Hungarian leader, was put into power by Stalin, and when Stalin died in 1953, people all over Eastern Europe was given the hope of freedom and change—that they might be free from the Soviet rule. However, the 1956 Hungarian uprising proved that this would not be the case. February 1956, Khrushchev, attacked Stalin (not literally—as he’s already dead) and his policiesJuly 1956, Rakosi was forced to resign in a gesture to the Hungarians. The bad harvest, fuel shortages, and the cold and wet autumn all contributed to a volatile situation when the Hungarians did not get what they expected.October 1956, Hungarians attacked the AVH (secret police) and Russian soldiers, and smashed a statue of Stalin.October 23rd, 1956, people took to the streets of Budapest and issued their Sixteen Points, which included personal freedom; more food; the removal of the secret police; the removal of Russian control…etc. Hungary followed what Poland had done to achieve rights in 1956, which was granted by street protests and displays of rebellion. October 24th, 1956, Imre Nagy took over as prime minister. Nagy was popular because he was less conservative than the others in the Hungarian government. October 28th, 1956, and the Russian army pulled out of BudapestNagy asked Khrushchev to move Russian troops out, and Khrushchev agreed Hungarians had a taste of freedom for 5 daysThe Hungarian government was introduced to democracy, freedom of speech, and freedom of religionNovember 3, 1956, Nagy announced that Hungary was going to leave the Warsaw Pact Khrushchev >:( Claimed that he received a letter from the Hungarian Communist leaders asking for his helpNovember 4, 1956, 1000 Russian tanks rolled into Budapest, and destroyed the Hungarian army Hungarians—even children, fought the Russian troops (≈4000 Hungarians were killed) Khrushchev put Russian supporter, Janos Kadar, as Prime Minister Effects:Repression in HungaryRussia stayed in control behind the Iron Curtain until Czechoslovakia got rid of the Russian troops in 1968Polarization of the Cold Ward: the West was horrifiedMany Communists left the Communist Party and Western leaders became more determined to contain communism Collapse of the Berlin WallNovember 9, 1989: spokesman for East Berlin’s Communist Party announced a change in the relations between the East and West Starting at midnight, citizens of the GDR (German Democratic Republic—East Berlin) were free to cross the country’s borders More than 2 million people from East Berlin visited West BerlinEast and West Berliner flocked the Wall drinking beer and champagne and chanting “Tor auf!” (“Open the gate!”).One journalist wrote that it was “the greatest street party in the history of the world” People use hammers and picks to knock away chunks of the wall (“mauerspechte” –wall woodpeckers) while cranes and bulldozers pulled down section after section Soon, the wall was gone, and Berlin was united for the first time since 1945The reunification of East and West was made official on October 3, 1990 (almost one year after the war was torn down) BibliographyNovember 20, 2015 (SPHERE OF INFLUENCE) 24, 2015 . Berlin WallAfter the end of WWII, Germany separated into two countries known as; West Germany and East Germany. West Germany was allied with Britain, France and the USA and was democratic. While, East Germany was under the control of the USSR and Communist. In 1961, East Germany under the communist government built a wall in Berlin separating the two conflicting countries within Germany. The wall was a way for East Germany to use containment as a force, to keep their citizens from fleeing to the other side, while West Germany’s allies tried to expand their sphere of influence with expansionism on to the East. Stalin and his communist influence were causing East Germans to flee to the West, they were known as defectors and seen as a threat to the communist government. Due to this, the Berlin wall was created, which can be compared to a real-life version of the iron curtain concept that separated the democratic western countries and the communist eastern countries of Europe during the Cold War. The soviets first forced containment on the East Germans by building a barbed wire fence between the East and West, later this fence was replaced with a permanent blockade made by concrete blocks, 12 feet high by 4 feet wide, lined with guards that were ordered to shoot anyone who attempted to escape the East. The Berlin Wall caused an even higher tension ‘cold war’ between the USA (democratic) and USSR (communist) and lead to the separation of many German families and citizens, as well as, the death of around 200 East German defectors.8. SputnikOctober 4 1957, the first ever satellite ‘Sputnik’ was successfully launched into space by the Soviet Union. This launch marked the start of the space race between the USA and USSR, as well as, the beginning of the space age. The launch of Sputnik not only took the USA by surprise, but also caught the attention of the entire world. Along with providing excitement world-wide of the first ever interaction between earth and space, came a sense of international fear. People began to question their safety, as they believed that the USSR’s ability to launch satellites meant they were also able to launch missiles potentially carrying nuclear weapons at the US. As the thirst for expansionism continued between the two opposites of the political spectrum, the US took the launch of Sputnik hard and quickly began improving and funding their own satellite project. The USA took the launch of Sputnik as a threat to their sphere of influence and the people under their democratic ideology and containment, fearing they would want to join alongside communist countries who seemed to be accelerating their technology, scientific and who knows what other developments. As a result of the launch of Sputnik, the space race began between the USA and USSR and continues to leave enormous legacies on the international community today, for the thirst of more extraneous technological and scientific developments.Events of the Cold War15. Czechoslovakia Uprising 1968:The Czechoslovakia Uprising, also known as the Prague Spring, occurred in 1968 and lasted for about 8 months. During that time, non-violent resistance coursed through the country. The uprising began in January of 1968 after Alexander Dubcek came into power as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the country, and began issuing liberal reforms. Dubcek was a Marxist and believed in fixing the 'mistakes' made by Stalin; he advocated humanizing the application of the communist doctrines within the Czech borders. Furthermore, he wanted to make liberal changes within the already existing framework of the Marxist-Leninist State. Dubcek’s main altercation was the abolishment of censorship by launching an "Action Program" of liberalizations, which included increasing freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and freedom of movement, with economic emphasis on consumer goods and the possibility of a multiparty government. The USSR was not pleased with the reforms that were taking place; and pursued the containment and eradication of these liberalistic ideas. Leaders in Moscow worried that if Czechoslovakia carried reforms too far, other satellite states in Eastern Europe might follow – as outlined by the Domino Theory – and leading to a widespread rebellion against the USSR's leadership of the Eastern Bloc. The uprising ended in late August of 1968 when the Soviet Union and members of the Warsaw Pact invaded Czechoslovakia in order to discontinue the reforms that were occurring. Finally, in April of 1969, the Soviets forced Dubcek out of power in favor of a more conservative administrator. After he was removed from power, the country was run under a communist regime once again. Dubcek was an influential political figure and inspired other movements throughout the world at the time of the Cold War.?16. Vietnam War: During the 1954 peace conference in Geneva, Vietnam was divided at the 17th parallel – the North becoming communist. There was a significant increase in popularity of communism in the North of Vietnam. Thus, the United States feared the expansion of communism, and the spread of the ideology into the south – as well as other surrounding nations; according to the Domino Theory. The successor of the assassinated John F. Kennedy, President Lyndon B. Johnson, advocated the containment of communism in the North of Vietnam. And so, in 1965, American troops were sent to Vietnam, and formed a majority of the anti-communist forces in the south. Subsequently, The USSR, China, and other communist states opted into the war effort – after the involvement of the USA – and began supporting the North by providing them with funding and weapons. The Vietnam War is considered a proxy war for the nations of the cold war. The Soviet Union provided support to the communist north, while the US sent troops and other aid to the south. The Viet Cong, communist forces in the south, hid in the Vietnamese jungle and attacked US forces when they least expected it – spreading fear and paranoia. This lead to the unnecessary killing and torture of many innocent Vietnamese citizens by American soldiers. Several of these atrocious actions were filmed and viewed by Americans in the United States. Accordingly resulting in numerous anti-Vietnam war movements that developed in the west that urged the withdrawal of US troops and the ending of the war. Vietnamization was a policy established in 1969 by the US president, Richard Nixon, aiming to end American military involvement in Vietnam; while still providing other forms of support to the south – so they are able to continue their combat. Gradually, the US began withdrawing their forces; and finally, the last American ground troops were extracted in 1973. The war ended in April of 1975 after the capture of the city of Saigon by the North Vietnamese army. Vietnam was subsequently unified, and a one-party socialist government was established. BIBLIOGRAPHY: - Arms Race & Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)The arms race was a weaponry competition between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It was believed that the possession of more nuclear weapons meant that you were stronger and more powerful. Through testing these bombs (not really having a direct attack towards the opposing side) in locations that the other party is aware of shows what each side is capable of when it comes to nuclear arms. For the US, the threat of these nuclear arms aimed to contain the communist sphere of influence that the Soviet Union was trying to spread throughout the world. To end World War II, the US used nuclear bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki which decimated these places. This showed how the US is capable of such attacks which could kill thousands and destroy cities, thus creating fear. In 1945, the first US atomic bomb was detonated and this began the threat of US’ nuclear superiority over the USSR. Hence, in 1949, the USSR also tested their first atomic bomb which they referred to as “Super Bomb”. This ignited the Arms Race.In 1952, the first US hydrogen bomb was tested, and this one was a lot more powerful, about 2500 times more, than the Hiroshima atomic bomb. A year after, 1953, the USSR exploded their first hydrogen bomb. Moreover, both superpowers started working on?Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles or ICMBs – missiles that could fly about a quarter around the world increasing the fear of direct assault. It sparked when USSR’s Sputnik was launched into space (this is also the start of the space race).In the 1960s, Russians put in more money to create more and more warheads regardless of quality. On the other hand, Americans also spent millions into creating more efficient warheads, even though of lesser number, such as the Atlas which could go 5,000 miles at 16,000 mph (about going through a quarter of the world in about half an hour). In addition, the US had the Polaris submarine which effectively carried 64 nuclear warheads. By 1961, there were enough bombs to decimate the world. The arms race was central for the Cold War that both superpowers had spent so much money on these inventions. For USA alone, they spent about 367 billion dollars by 1986 for defense.These increase in production of bombs and missiles increased tension and fear. People built bomb shelters and underground bunkers in case of nuclear attack. In the 1960s, this fear led to the theory of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD). It is grounded on the policy of ‘massive retaliation’ which states that when one attacks the other, a counterattack of greater force and power will be given to halt the strikes from the other side. It meant that both sides could destroy each other in case of an attack; this huge risk was bleak for both the US and USSR, thus no one ever started a nuclear attack. In the 1970s, the expenditure on missile production has vastly increased that USA and USSR began to appease the arms race. This ‘easing of relation’ was called détente, and it included peace talks such as the SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks).*US President at the time: John F. Kennedy*Soviet Leader at the time: Nikita Khrushchev12- Bay of PigsIn 1959, Fidel Castro overthrew the Cuban government who was led by General Fulgencio Batista, an American-supported president. This alerted US President Eisenhower because Castro was a communist and was an ally to the Soviet Union. In response, by early 1960, President Eisenhower directed the CIA to recruit and train 1,400 Cuban exiles to overthrow Castro. When Eisenhower’s term ended, President JFK took over the CIA’s overthrow campaign. This ‘plan’ to overthrow Castro’s government was a containment action that the US took after the thought of communism setting foot in the Americas. This also aimed to prove to the communist side (USSR, Russia and other communist states) that JFK is determined to win the Cold War by not letting communism enter the Americas region. The Cuban exiles, who have fled to America after Castro assumed power, were recruited and trained by the CIA to construct a guerilla against Castro. The plan was to destroy the Cuban air force first so that the Cuban military would not be able to resist the invaders (the exiles). Initially, it was set that it will be in Trinidad, a city on the southern coast of Cuba that was near the mountains. However, Kennedy thought it was too exposed to do that attack there so they changed locations to the Bay of Pigs which was a more secluded place and was an easier place for bombing raids. Then, through the support of the locals, the guerilla will be larger and they will then be able to remove Castro from power.However, Castro and his advisers knew about the attack thus they were able to retaliate when the Cuban exiles invaded the Bay of Pigs on April 17, 1961. Although the invaders were able to attack the Cuban air force from their earlier strikes, the air force was still able to impede the invasion. The troops and tanks were not able to reach the brigade and the troops had nowhere to flee as the mountains were not accessible as it could have been in Trinidad. The invaders were surrounded and were eventually captured and imprisoned. The invasion plan totally failed and it denoted a weak US government and an incompetent CIA.References Used (for both topics) ................
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