Superpower Rivalries - Geneva High School 15-2 powerpoint5.pdf · ... (Cold War)Section 2 1) ... struggles for influence in countries around the world. •End World War II, ... temporarily

Europe and North America Section 2

Content Statement:

Analyze how the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. became super powers

and competed for global influence.

Main Idea

As the Cold War continued, the world’s two superpowers—the

Soviet Union and the United States—competed for power and

influence around the world.

Superpower Rivalries

Europe and North America Section 2Ch 15-2 vocabulary

• Hydrogen bomb:

• Deterrence:

• Arms race:

• Sputnik (1957):

• Bay of Pigs invasion(1961):

• Cuban missile crisis (1962):

• Nonaligned nations:

• Détente:


• Hydrogen bomb: a nuclear weapon that gets it

power from the fusing together of hydrogen

atoms. More powerful than atomic bomb.

• Deterrence: the development of or

maintenance of military power to deter, or

prevent, an attack.

• Arms race: competition between nations to

gain an advantage in weapons.

• Sputnik (1957): the first artificial satellite;

launched by the Soviet Union


• Bay of Pigs invasion(1961): the failed attempt of

Cuban exiles backed by the U.S. to overthrow the

Cuban socialist government of Fidel Castro.

• Cuban missile crisis (1962): confrontation

between the United States and the Soviet Union

over Soviet missiles in Cuba

• Nonaligned nations: nations who refused to ally

with either side in the Cold War between the U.S

and USSR

• Détente: efforts taken by President Nixon in the

late 1960’s and early 1970’s to lower Cold War

tensions. Reduce tensions between superpowers.


The U.S. technological advantage was short-lived. Less than one

year later the Soviets tested their own hydrogen bomb.

During the 1950s and early 1960s nuclear war seemed to draw ever closer as

the Soviet Union and the United States raced to develop powerful new

weapons. This rivalry between the world’s two superpowers became

increasingly tense—and dangerous.

• 1949, Soviets successfully

tested atomic bomb. Shook

America.

• Great military advantage of

U.S. over Soviet Union gone

• U.S. sought to develop even

more powerful weapons

1)The Nuclear Arms Race

The Arms Race Begins

• Atomic bombs used energy

created by splitting atoms

• Nuclear fusion; fusing atoms

together-larger explosion

• 1952, U.S. tested first fusion-

powered hydrogen bomb,

vaporizing island on which

tested

1)Hydrogen Bomb


2)Strategy of Deterrence

• Deterrence, development of or maintenance of military power to

prevent attack.

• Two superpowers locked in arms race to gain advantage in

weapons

• U.S. had more weapons, but nuclear attack by either side would

lead to terrible destruction

2)Change in Tactics

• Both sides forced to change military tactics

• Could no longer rely on conventional forces, like troops, tanks

• U.S., Soviets increased stockpiles of nuclear weapons

• Nuclear weapons central to deterrence

Europe and North America Section 2Causes of WWI and WWII (Cold War)

1) Militarism: building up of military weapons

2) Alliances: WWI: Triple Alliance (Central

Powers) Triple Entente (The Allies) WWII: Axis

Powers (Japan, Germany, Italy) Allied Powers.

Cold War: NATO (U.S), Warsaw Pact

(U.S.S.R)

3) Imperialism: expanding territorial claims

4) Nationalism: putting the interests of your

nation above the interests of all others.


3)In October 1957 the arms race took another leap forward with the Soviet

Union’s successful launch of Sputnik.

• Sputnik, history’s first artificial

satellite—object orbiting earth

• Americans always felt we had

technological advantage.

• Soviet military technology now

feared to be in the lead

• U.S. government established

National Aeronautics and Space

Administration, NASA

• Agency would eventually return

United States to forefront of space

research

3) Sputnik Oct. 1957

• Growing threat of nuclear war

• Significant impact on people

• Built bomb shelters to help protect

from nuclear explosion

• Schools led air-raid drills to prepare

for possible Soviet attack

• Books, movies, comic books had plots

centered on dangers of radiation,

nuclear war

4)Public Fears

Soviet Union Launches Sputnik


Europe and North America Section 24) Red Scare

Cold War led to so-called Red Scare in U.S.

• Many Americans feared possible Communist

influence in U.S. government

• U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy HYSTERIA!!!

– Prompted congressional committee in effort to

expose Communists in American film industry,

government, late 1940s, early 1950s

– Accused many innocent people of Communist

activities


The Korean War showed that Cold War rivalry could lead to conflict far from the

United States or the Soviet Union. During the Cold War, this rivalry led to

struggles for influence in countries around the world.

• End World War II,

France tried to

reestablish control

over Southeast Asia

• Communist rebels

in Vietnam fought

back, forcing French

to give up control

• French lose struggle

in 1954.

• U.S. paying for 75%

of war effort

5) War in Southeast Asia

• Peace agreement

temporarily

divided Vietnam

in half

• Communists

controlled North,

anti-Communist

regime ruled

South

5)Vietnam Divided

• U.S. supported South

Vietnam, when revolution

broke out sent military

troops

• We wanted to stop the

spread of communism;

containment

• Eventually North

Vietnamese fought

alongside rebels

• War dragged on until

mid–1970s

5)American Support

Cold War Around the World


Crossing Over

• After Communist East Germany, democratic West Germany formed in

1949, tens of thousands of East Germans crossed from East to West

Berlin

• Some wanted to live in free nation, other simply wanted to find work

• West Berlin thrived while East Berlin’s economy suffered after Soviet

purge of industrial equipment

Communist Brutality

• Barrier, Berlin Wall, heavily guarded

• Anyone attempting to cross risked being shot by East German guards

• Succeeded in slowing flight of East Germans, became symbol of Communist

system brutality

Berlin Wall

• By 1961, up to 1,000 per day made daily trip between homes in East

Germany, jobs in West Berlin. 1st half of 1961, 200,000 had escaped to

West Berlin.

• To stop exodus, East Germany erected barrier between two halves of city

6)Another Crisis in Berlin




Europe and North America Section 2Berlin Wall


• 1959, rebels led by Fidel Castro overthrew Cuba’s dictator

• Installed Communist government

• Centrally planned economy, (command economy)close ties with Soviets

• Actions worried United States; Cuba near Florida coast

• Cuba’s alliance with Soviet Union brought Cold War close to American

territory

• U.S. government secretly trained

invasion force to overthrow Castro

• April 1961, force came ashore at

Cuba’s Bay of Pigs

• American officials believed invasion

would start uprising against Castro

• Instead 1500 invaders quickly

defeated

• U.S forced to pay $52 million in food

and medical supplies to Cuba.

8)Bay of Pigs• 1962, Cuban missile crisis, two week

confrontation between U.S., Soviet

Union over installation of nuclear

missiles in Cuba

• US starts blockade; Soviets take firm

stand Soviets turn back

• After standoff missiles removed; U.S.

agreed to remove missiles from

Turkey, not attack Cuba. USSR

removes missiles from Cuba

• Both sides agree to talks to ease

tensions red phone

8)Cuban Missile Crisis

7) Communism in Cuba



Suez Canal

• 1956, Egypt angered West by taking over Suez Canal, had been

controlled by Britain and France.

• Britain, France, Israel attacked Egypt; Soviet Union threatened to take

Egypt’s side

• U.S. demanded Western allies halt attack; conflict came to end

Angola

• 1975, Angola won independence from Portugal

• U.S., Soviet Union supported opposing sides in ensuing civil war

which lasted until 1991

The Congo

• Ending of European colonial rule in Africa brought superpower

involvement

• 1960 Belgium ended control of Congo; U.S., other western countries

supported military dictator Joseph Mobutu as good ally against Soviet

Union

9)Other Cold War Conflicts US vs. USSR everywhere


• Many countries sought to

avoid being caught up in

worldwide rivalry between

superpowers

• Beginning in 1950s, number

of nations refused to support

either side

• So-called nonaligned

nations sought to use

combined strength to promote

interests of poorer countries

10)Nonaligned Nations

• U.S. supported efforts to

overthrow regimes allied with

Soviet Union in Central, South

America

• 1970s, U.S. secretly supported

opposition to Chile’s socialist

leader Salvador Allende, who

was overthrown in 1973

• 1983, U.S. forces ousted

Communist regime on island of

Grenada

10)Central and South America

The Americas



While relations between East and West were largely hostile throughout the Cold

War, some attempts at cooperation were made.

• Eisenhower proposed

open skies treaty with

Soviet Union in 1955.

• Each side could fly over

other’s territory, gather

accurate weapons

information

• With accurate information,

neither side would have to

imagine worst about

enemy

• Soviets rejected proposal

11)Early Arms Control• Soviet leaders proposed TOTAL

nuclear disarmament

• United States rejected idea

• President Kennedy favored limited

nuclear weapons tests. Slow

development of new, more deadly

technology

• Cuban missile crisis convinced both

sides important to make arms control

progress

• 1963 U.S., Soviets agreed on Test Ban

Treaty outlawing nuclear testing in the

atmosphere, outer space and under

water.

12)Test Ban Treaty

Attempts at Arms Control


13 )SALT I (Strategic Arms Limitations Talks)

• U.S. President Richard Nixon sought détente, reduced tension between

superpowers; started negotiations called Strategic Arms Limitations Talks

• SALT I talks led to agreements limiting nuclear weapons held by each side

13)SALT II

• Vulnerability important element of principle of deterrence

• Two sides began new round of talks called SALT II

• Talks resulted in arms control treaty in 1979: never ratified by U.S. Senate

13)ABM Treaty

• Also led to Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, preventing development of

weapons designed to shoot down nuclear missiles

• Meant to ensure each side remained vulnerable to other’s nuclear weapons

• Vulnerability key to deterrence, which many felt was an important factor in the

prevention of nuclear war.

SALT I and SALT II


Reagan Presidency

• Reagan took aggressive

position against Soviet Union

• Wanted to develop missile

defense system

INF Treaty

• 1988, two countries ratified

Intermediate-Range Nuclear

Forces (INF) Treaty

• Called for elimination of

certain types of missiles

Arms Reduction Talks

• Idea of system seemed to

violate spirit of ABM Treaty

• Began arms reduction talks

with Soviet leader Gorbachev

Improving Relations

• After many years of conflict,

relationship between U.S.,

Soviet Union began to improve

14)The 1980s

Documents

Superpower Rivalries - Geneva High School 15-2 powerpoint5.pdf · ... (Cold War)Section 2 1) ... struggles for influence in countries around the world. •End World War II, ... temporarily