1. cold war

This PPT explains about the conflicts between the USSR and the USA from 1945 to 1991.

1. Power Point Presentation By V. MURUGAN Assistant Professor of History Vivekananda College, Tiruvedakam West, Madurai District, Tamil Nadu

2. The Cold War

3. Introduction The strained relationship between the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R. till the collapse of the U.S.S.R is known as the Cold War. The term ‘Cold War’ was first used by Bernard Baruch. This term gained popularity through the journalist Walter Lippman . The Cold War was otherwise an ideological war or a propaganda war or a diplomatic war. It was neither a condition of war nor a condition of peace.

4. Berlin Blockade The Soviet Union had imposed Communist regimes in the East European countries of Poland, Bulgaria, Rumania, Hungary and Yugoslavia. Immediately after the War the Soviet Union brought East Germany under her influence. West Germany came under the influence of the U.S.A. The Soviet Union blocked all roads to the west-occupied zones in Berlin.

5. Marshall Plan On 5 th June 1947 , the Marshall Plan was announced by the U.S.A. Economic assistance was to be provided to the western European nations. It was a step to save the European Continent from the growing influence of Communism.

6. Molotov Plan In response to American Marshall Plan, the Soviet Union initiated Molotov Plan . To provide aid to re build the countries in Eastern Europe that were politically and economically aligned with Soviet Union.

7. Truman Doctrine On 12 th March 1948 , Truman Doctrine was announced The U.S.A. provided economic and the military aid to Greece and Turkey to the tune of 400 million dollars. In order to stop the Soviet influence in those countries .

8. NATO The U.S.A. had created a military alliance To prevent further spread of communism into Western Europe. Brussels Treaty in March 1948. Britain, France, Holland, Belgium and Luxemburg signed this treaty promising military collaboration in case of war. On 4 th April 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty was signed. Formed a military power bloc. Known as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO. Canada, Britain, France, Holland, Belgium and Luxemburg, Portugal, Denmark, Italy and Norway became its members. They had agreed to mutually extend military help in case of an attack on any one of them.

9. Warsaw Pact Between 1955 and 1958, West Asia remained the centre of the Cold War. The Baghdad Pact was concluded in 1955. Later known as Central Treaty Organization ( CENTO ). In response to these western military pacts, The Soviet Union concluded the Warsaw Pact on 14 th May 1955 with her satellite powers.

10. Cold War in China The establishment of People’s’ Republic of China by Mao- Tse Tung in October 1949 strengthened the Soviet bloc. The U.S.A. refused to recognize the Communist Government of China. On the other hand the U.S.A. helped Chiang Kai-Sheik to establish his Nationalist Government in Taiwan. The U.S.A. recognized the Nationalist Government as the legal Government of China Made her as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. The Communist China or the People’s Republic of China was prevented by the U.S.A. to become a member in the UNO.

11. Korean Crisis In 1950, the arena of the cold war was changed from Europe to East Asia. After the Second World War, Korea was split into North and South Korea. In the North Korea the Soviet – supported communist government was formed. The South Korea had an American – sponsored government. The two Korean governments were in conflict with each other. On 25 th June 1950 North Korea attacked South Korea. North Korea was fighting with Soviet weapons and Chinese troops, The U.S.A. in the name of U.N. force was fighting on behalf of South Korea. The Korean War turned the Cold War into an open armed conflict.

12. Vietnam War By Geneva Agreement , Vietnam was partitioned as North Vietnam and South Vietnam. A conflict developed between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. The U.S.A. entered the war supporting South Vietnam. Further, in order to contain Communism in South East Asia The South East Asia Treaty Organization ( SEATO ) was formed in 1954.

13. SEATO Southeast Asian Treaty Organization . International Organization. For collective defence in Southeast Asia. Created by the Manila pact in September 1954 . Members: Australia France New Zealand Pakistan Philippines Thailand United Kingdom United States

14. The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) The Soviet Union stationed her nuclear missiles in Cuba. A communist country and Soviet ally. The U.S.A. considered this as a great threat to her security. John F. Kennedy sent the 7 th nuclear fleet towards Cuba. This literally brought the two super – powers to the verge of war. However, the good sense prevailed on both the sides and the crisis was averted. Subsequently, the U.S.S.R. dismantled missiles in Cuba.

15. Détente - Reduction of Tension After 1960, the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R. had developed equality in nuclear weapons . Thus any nuclear war would lead to co-destruction . This awareness led both the super powers to believe in the inevitability of peaceful co-existence . They were, therefore, prompted to conclude the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963. This treaty was followed by a ‘ Hot Line Agreement’ between Washington and Kremlin. After the 1970s, the friction between the Soviet Union and Communist China led to Sino-Soviet rift. The People’s Republic of China was admitted into the UN. President Nixon of U.S.A. visited Moscow in May 1972 and concluded the SALT –I Treaty (Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty). In June 1973 , Brezhnev paid a nine-day visit to the United States and further progress was made in the direction of strategic arms limitation. This reduction of tension between the U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. is known as era of détente.

16. End of the Cold War With the disintegration of the Soviet Union , the collapse of Communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe occurred. The bi-polar world became unipolar world. On 31 st July 1991 , American President George Bush and Soviet leader Michael Gorbachev signed the ‘historic’ START – I Treaty in the Moscow Summit. This marks the end of the Era of Cold War. The ideological war otherwise known as Cold War was fought for about five decades since 1945. The world saw the vertical division of nation states. Military alliances were made. Arms race developed. Nuclear holocaust threatened the world on many occasions. However, after the 1970s détente resulted in the gradual relaxation of tension between the two super powers which ultimately ended with the dissolution of Soviet Union.