The Cold War (The Basics)

The cold war resulted from the rivalry of the U.S and Russia and their practises.  It was capitalism vs. Communism. In the Red Revolution Lenin said he wanted to end capitalism so the U.S remained threatened.

Just after WW2

After WW2 Stalin wanted all weak European countries to fall under the “Soviet influence” they even made a communist regime in their governed sector of German. In 1947 U.S President Truman Doctrine publically committed the “The Containment of communism”

1949

·         North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to combat communism

·         Soviets gain nuclear power

·         China becomes communist

1950s

·         Truman gets involved in Korea to stop the spread of communism

·         53’ The Cold war was still, however in dominated western politics and public soviet propaganda broke in the U.S.

·         The launch of sputnik, the Berlin Wall, the Cuban missile crisis, the domino theory in Vietnam and the nuclear arms race were scaring the diddlies out of Americans

70s

·         The U.S was dedicated to creating good relations with China

·         72 Nixon and Brezhnev signed an anti-ballistic treaty

·         79 soviets invade Afghanistan

80s

·         Regan spent 2 trillion on National security and nuclear arms

·         Russia began losing satellite communist countries (They all wanted independence)

·         War ended in ’91 with the fall of the USSR 

The Velvet Revolution (Czechoslovakian Independence)

In the 80s Russia began enacting reforms that would loosen the communist grip on satellite countries. November 17^th 1989 was a parade where student demonstrators were beaten for demanding a democratic government. This led similar protest in Major cities, a country wide strike on November 27^th and “The Civic Forum” a group led by Vaclav Havel against violence in Slavic areas. They spoke with the government and held protests but in the end it was the crippling strikes that ended the communist government. Havel was elected the new president of Czechoslovakia and it was named the Velvet revolution because of its peaceful and smooth transition into a democracy.  

Suez Canal 1956

Prior knowledge

The Suez Canal is located in Egypt it is a neutral canal built by the French and operated by Egyptians. Britain used it the most being the only way to connect the Red and Mediterranean Sea it provided Britain with quick connection to her colonies. Egyptian nationalist wanted to take control of the canal and gain power, so Britain decided to occupy the country and didn’t let go for 75yrs.

1956

 In 1956 Egyptian president Nasser freed Egypt from Britain but never gained the canal. Adel Ezet was an Egyptian nationalist that still wanted control of the Canal and worked with Nasser to raid the Canal’s administration office. British PM Anthony Eden was worried he’d cut off from the colonies. England sent their navy and asked France and the U.S to assist. France agreed but U.S President Dwight Eisenhower was in voting year and American did not like European colonialism. Even Canadian Foreign minister Lester Pearson said “Don’t fight” because Britain has a small army. Eden pleaded with the U.N for help and during the meetings France suggested they ask Israel for help. Israel agreed and Britain decided Israel should attack first making it a two front war giving the British army a chance. That arrangement was under the table so the U.N was dumbfounded and wanted the fighting to end. Eisenhower wanted a treaty but Pearson suggested the U.N send military forces. Even Khrushchev threatened Britain with nukes if they didn’t withdrawal. 8 countries were involved in the U.N peace force, when they asked Egypt for approval to intervene; Nasser wanted no Canadians because at the time they were still very close with Britain. Britain eventually pulled out still keeping the canal neutral. This whole thing created an antiwar movement and in Britain it cause the fall of Eden from power. This was also the first time Americas had gotten involved in middle eastern politics.

Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cuban missile was the conflict of U.S President John F Kennedy and Russian leader Nikta Khrushchev in 1962 over the placing of nuclear arms in Cuba. When Cuba gained independence in 1934, dictators like Fidel Castro took an anti-American platform and Cuba became a Marxist communist government. Khrushchev decided to use his new ally to place nuclear arms near the U.S. this was in reaction to Kennedy putting nukes in Turkey, so close to Moscow. Oct 1962: Soviets nukes were sent off to Cuba and discovered by American Satellites. Kennedy would not allow nukes so close to American soil and the U.S and Russia were at the verge of war. The conflict diffused causing Russia to withdraw, Kennedy to remove nukes from Turkey. This is the closest America has ever come to nuclear War.