Unit 8 - Cold war

Formation of the Eastern Bloc

Formation of the Eastern Bloc

The Eastern Block appears immediately after the end of the Second world war. The Eastern bloc is composed by central and Eastern Europe; these were Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Poland, Hungary, Romania and Yugoslavia. The communist bloc was created by Joseph Stalin, Leader of the U.S.S.R to ensure communist rule and to protect themselves from NATO. This section eventually crumbled after the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact(the Pact that forged the alliance in the Eastern bloc). The main outcomes were the warsaw pact, satelite states and strenghtened communism.

Postwar Occupation & Division of Germany

During the end of WW2, different countries occupied Germany and once it finished, they divided it into 4 sections as well as the capital, Berlin. Those who settled in were the US, UK, France and the USSR. These countries made this to prevent the rise and empowerment of Germany and threaten the peace in Europe.

Berlin Blockade/Berlin Airlift

The Berlin blockade was a division imposed but the Soviet Union to Block and restrict the entrance of the allies into their territory in Berlin. As a response, the allies improvised an airlift to supply people in the west with food and clothes. Stalin did not shoot any of the planes that transported tons of supplies leading to the success of the airlift. The outcomes were high effectiveness regarding the airlift and a higer division of east and west.

Chinese Revolution

The Chinese revolution happened in 1949. Along with the weekend china after the WWII, the support from peasants and from the Soviet Union and the resentment to western ideas after the Treaty of Versailles, the revolution possible. This revolution made several changes in terms of political and social aspects. It ended when the communist party won by gaining control over mainland China. The major outcome was the impact new set socialist ideas affected the power balance between comunism and capitalism/democracy.

Marshall Plan

Marchall plan

The Marshall plan was a project initiated by The USA to Aid Western European countries in a difficult situation after the Second world war. Approximately 13.6 billion Dollars were dedicated to this plan. Apart from the main cause, there were other important causes for this event. For instance, stopping the spread of communism and Progress of the countries. It ended in 1951. The outomes were great, the plan managed to aid western countries.

Cuban Revolution

The main cause for this revolution was the military dictatorship controlled by Fulgencio Batista supported by the USA. Consequently, Fidel and Raul Castro attempted to do an overthrow of the Government and failed, but in their second attempt with Ernesto “Che” Guevara, and did succeed establishing another dictatorship. Now, with the support of the USSR and a tension with the USA, they were communists.

Korean war

After the WWII Korea was divided along the 38th parallel, making the north part communist and the south capitalist. When North Korea tried to invade the south part, the Korean War started. One Group was conformed by China the USSR and North Korea and the other one was The USA, South Korea and the UN. This war ended in 1953 when all the countries involved except South Korea signed the armistice.

Vietnam war

Vietnam was divided in south and north. Now, divided by the 17th parallel, the south supported capitalism and was aided by the USA and the north communism and mas supported by the USSR. It all starter with a civil war in which the north convinced all the communist in the south. The north's focus was trying to invade the south and unify Vietnam, but the USA was there to *try* to prevent that. The US was losing, and they were at a High disadvantage leading to their final loss. Outcomes: new socialist power over vietnam.

Cuban missile crisis

When Cuba became communist, the USSR places missiles inside the Territory of Cuba aiming the USA. As a consequence the USA, governed by Kennedy attempts to remove the missiles by contacting the USSR; however, the USA also had missiles in Turkey aiming to the USSR. Therefore, the US pressured the removal with ships and got a response from the USSR doing the same. Finally, they both agreed o remover the missiles in 1962. Outcomes: relief from high stress after a threat of a nuclear war.

Rise & and; Fall of the Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall was a Barrier built to separate the contrary ideologies from south and west. ON one side there mas Greta Britain, the USA and France and on the other one there was the USSR. The rise is in 1961. Later, in 1989, there was a confusion with an order saying the East German Communist party said that people could pass the Berlin Wall, this misunderstanding led to it's fall. Outcomes: Unification of Germany.

Bay of Pigs Invasion

This was an attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro’s leadership from the CIA use the control of Jhon f. Kennedy supposing that the presence of communism through Fidel Castro would be a threat. This attack occurred in the Bay of Pigs. The Cuban armed forces won due to the bad execution of the plan made by the USA.

Soviet War in Afghanistan

The soviet invaded Afghanistan and fought against the Mujahideen (Afghan rebels) in order to stop them. As always the USA supported the afghan rebels to stop the spread of communism and the Afghanistan government was supported by the USSR to stop those who opposed to communism. The Mujahideen won the war and debilitated the USSR making these events, one of the major causes for the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Tiananmen Square Massacre

The Tiananmen Square massacre happened in Beijing, China in 1989. The main causes for this event to happen were the protest that manifested the concern from the people about their future, specially students. Different countries like the US, Cuba, East Germany, North Korea and others, reacted to this conflict critiquing and denouncing the Chinese government mostly. Outcomes: More protests and martial law declarement.

Fall of the Soviet Union

The Soviet Union lasted from 1922 to 1991. The Fall of the Soviet Union happened due to the process of democratization and economic difficulties along with events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall, the soviet afghan war and others which destabilized and weakened the USSR. This event led to the countries in the USSR gain full independence consequently freedom for new liberal ideas and some sort of relief of the Cold War.