# Cold War: A Last-Minute Review 🚀 Welcome! Let's get you exam-ready with a focused review of the Cold War. We'll break down the key concepts, conflicts, and strategies to ensure you're confident and prepared. Let's dive in! ## 1. The Dawn of the Cold War: From Allies to Adversaries * **Post-WWII Shift:** The global balance of power shifted dramatically after World War II, leading to the rise of the United States and the USSR as superpowers. * **Ideological Divide:** The core conflict was between the democratic, capitalist United States and the authoritarian, communist Soviet Union. * **No Direct Combat:** The Cold War was primarily fought through proxy wars, espionage, and economic/diplomatic means, avoiding direct military confrontation between the superpowers. * **Nuclear Arms Race:** The development of nuclear weapons and delivery systems (like the hydrogen bomb and ICBMs) created a constant threat of nuclear war and fueled global tensions. * **NATO vs. Warsaw Pact:** Military alliances like NATO (led by the US) and the Warsaw Pact (led by the USSR) solidified the division of Europe and forced nations to choose sides. ## 2. Shifting Foreign Policy and the Iron Curtain * **Early Cooperation:** Despite initial efforts to maintain cooperation through the United Nations, tensions quickly escalated between the US and USSR. * **Truman Doctrine:** President Truman's policy of "containing" communism marked a significant shift in US foreign policy. * **Atomic Bomb:** Truman's decision to use the atomic bomb on Japan was partly motivated by a desire to limit Soviet influence in the Pacific. * **Don't confuse the motivations for the atomic bomb.** While ending the war was a primary goal, limiting Soviet influence was also a key factor. ### The Division of Germany * **Zones of Occupation:** Germany, including Berlin, was divided into zones of occupation among the Allied powers (US, France, Great Britain, and the USSR) after WWII. ![](https://zupay.blob.core.windows.net/resources/files/0baca4f69800419293b4c75aa2870acd_3ef98c_1607.png?alt=media&token=982fe32b-965f-4665-9cb2-42606e36d3b2) *Caption: The division of Germany and Berlin into zones of occupation after World War II. Note that Berlin, despite being deep within the Soviet zone, was also divided.* * **Berlin's Unique Situation:** Berlin's division, located entirely within the Soviet zone, created a major point of conflict. * **Ideological Clash:** The capitalist/democratic zones of West Berlin and West Germany clashed with the communist zone of East Germany and East Berlin. * **US as the New Policeman:** The US stepped up to counter Soviet influence, opposing puppet governments in Eastern Europe and Soviet expansion into Central Europe, the Balkans, and the Middle East. * **The Iron Curtain:** Winston Churchill's term "Iron Curtain" described the ideological divide between communist Eastern Europe and democratic Western Europe. ## 3. Indirect Conflict: The Cold War's "Hot Spots" * **Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD):** The doctrine of MAD, based on nuclear deterrence, prevented direct military conflict between the US and USSR. * **Propaganda and Proxy Wars:** The Cold War was characterized by propaganda, "hot wars" (actual fighting in other countries), a space race, and an arms race. ### Major Cold War Conflicts | **Conflict** | **US Sided with** | **Russia Sided with** | **Result** | **Vietnam War** | South Vietnam | North Vietnam | North Vietnam wins despite US/South Vietnam winning most battles | **Korean Conflict** | South Korea | North Korea | An agreement is made to separate the two countries at the 38th parallel

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The Cold War

Samuel Baker

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