The Cold War in Europe The Extension of the Cold War

1950s
Leaders Name
Style

Changes in Leadership
America
Dwight Eisenhower
Has an active form of
containment than Truman;
Wanted to push back
Communism instead of
containing

Soviet Union
Nikita Khrushchev
More interested areas out
of Europe

Communist China
Civil War:
- Between the Kuomingting (KMT) led by Chiang Kai Shek and the Chinese
Communist Party (CCP) led by Mao Zedong
- America provided monetary and military aid to the KMT; Backfired as the
Chinese disliked the idea of having a foreign power interfering with
their domestic political situation
- Led to the support for the Communist
China being Communist
Support lost for KMT
Support gained for CCP
Corruption
Peasants was against the
Economic Problems
landlords/warlords
Low Morale
Result: Peoples Republic of China was declared on 1st Oct 1949 by Mao
Zedong
Domino Theory: Korea, Annexed Tibet, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Taiwan, Macau,
Hong Kong
NSC-68
Influence:
- April 1950, government passed a resolution known as National Security
Council resolution No. 68
- Analysed the international situation given the explosion of a Soviet atomic
bomb and the fall of China to Communism
- Concluded that Moscow was intent upon spreading Communism
internationally
- Contributed greatly to increase tension and mistrust between the
powers
Foreign Policy:
- Massive military build-up in America
- Nuclear weapons became increasing destructive
- Portrayed the Soviets in the most aggressive light
- Determined to push back communism: As seen in the Korean War &
Vietnam War

Seen in:
- Baghdad Pact, Support for Taiwan, Japan, Latin American and NATO expansion

De-Colonisation of the Third Word

Third world countries wanted to seek non-alignment, not tied to either
capitalism or communism
1955 Conference in Bandung
Worried both the Americans and Soviets
USA
Spread its beliefs
Capitalism
Colonial baggage
Aid to countries struggling

Soviet Union
Marxism called for a worldwide
revolution and there was a desire to
spread its ideology
Historic Issues

Examples for the Americans: Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Iran, Egypt

Examples for the Soviets: China, Libya
Why the Cold War did had an extension outside Europe?
1. China becoming Communist
- Being the biggest domino, biggest influence for the spread of Communism
2. NSC-68
- Foreign policy based on military expenditure
- Aggressive containment worldwide
3. De-Colonisation
- Americans and Soviets desperate to get more allies
4. Balance of Power in Europe
- Deadlock in Europe (Iron Curtain)
- Needed to find another battleground to fight

Korean War
Before:
- It was decided that Korea is to divided along the 38 th Parallel
- North being occupied by the Soviets, while South by the Americans
- Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK), North Korea with its capital
Pyongyang
- Republic of Korea (ROK), South Korea with its capital Seoul
- North was socialist and dictatorial, while the South is capitalist and liberal
During:
- North attacked South on the 25th June 1950
- Under the leadership of Kim Il-Sung, the North, backed by the Soviet Union
and China invaded South in hope of unifying the Koreas under
Communism
- Souths army was disorganised and weak, which gave Kim
confidence
- Under the leadership of Syngman Rhee, the South, backed by the Americans
and NATO, fought for survival
USAs Involvement:
- Although unpopular and disliked among the Koreans, Syngman Rhee was
largely supported by the Americans as he was a strong anti-communist
- United Nations demanded that the North were to withdraw from the South
(Resolution 82) which was ignored
- US and UN managed to succeed in the landing at Incheon and pushed the
communist forces back
- The South decided to invade the North, in an attempt to conquer the whole
peninsula
- At this point, containment is a policy of destruction and destroying
Communism (NSC-68)
Chinas Involvement:
- The Americans underestimated the Chinese and was overwhelmed by
270000 Chinese troops who recaptured much territory for the North
- Soon, the Communist forces recaptured Seoul, in which the South retreated
further in desperation
Armistice:
- 27 July 1953, an armistice was signed to bring the fighting to an end after 3
years
- Though it was a ceasefire, the war is not officially over
Consequences:
- American involvement in the Korean War had been a failure
- China proven herself that they were both militant and imperialist, leading to a
Sino-Soviet Split
- Mao pursued his own destiny, took away China from Soviet control

Increasing attempt by the Americans to prevent conflict in Asia such

as Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indochina, Middle-East, Latin America and Egypt

Khrushchevs Speech:
- Launched an attack on Stalins rule of terror
- Believed that communism would eventually win without a catastrophic war
Reactions:
- West saw it as a slight relaxing by the Soviets
- China pulled further away from the Soviet Union
- Yugoslavia: Khrushchev wanted to make peace
- Poland: Wanted to break away, leading to a new policy and change in
relationship with the Soviets
- Hungary: Hungarians supported the reformist Imre Nagy
The Cuban Missile Crisis
Before:
- Cuba is about 90km away from Florida, which was relatively near
- New American President John F. Kennedy was seen to be young and
relatively inexperienced
- Officer Fulgencio Batista, returned to power in a coup dtat, in supported by
a public growing tired of corruption in 1952
- Despite being a brutal dictator himself, Americans supported him as he
was pro-capitalist
- Nonetheless, Cuba enjoyed impressive economic development under his
regime
- Missiles were placed in Turkey in which Moscow found it unacceptable
Cuban Revolution:
- People eventually were unhappy with the corruption and turned against the
regime
- Turned towards Fidel Castro
- American had initial support for Castro, but redrew support when they were
afraid of the new communist threat in their backyard, drawing
assumption that Castro was being secretly communist
- America cut off most exports to Cuba, cutting off the economic lifeline
- Cuba turned to the Soviets
Bay of Pigs invasion and consequences:
- 15 April 1961; American bomber aircraft disguised as Cuban Air Force planes
flew in and bombed Cuban airfields and the airport at the city of Santiago de
Cuba
- America wanted to topple the regime without being involved
- Kennedy wanted the operation to look Cuban and avoid an American image
- However, offence was ultimately unsuccessful
- Due to poor planning and communication
- Severely embarrassed the Kennedy administration
- Made Castro even more popular

Perused a closer relationship with the Soviets for protection against

hostile Americans

Eventually, Americans had found out that the Soviets were installing
missiles in Cuba

Reasons for the installation of missiles in Cuba:

1. Strategic advantages were temporary at best especially since long range
missiles could already reach America
2. Get concessions from elsewhere, since Americans placed their own
missiles in Turkey, next to USSR
3. Saw Kennedy as a young and inexperienced President
Options for the Americans:
1. Air Attack
2. Invasion
3. Blockade
Tensions rose and high alert around the world
The Cuban Missile Crisis is the CLOSEST where the Soviets and
Americans of starting a nuclear war
Resolution:
- Kennedy agreed to remove all missiles set in place on the border of the Soviet
Union in exchange for Khrushchev removing all the Soviet missiles placed in
Cuba
- Kennedy promised Khrushchev that Cuba will not be invaded
- However, it was a sharp embarrassment for Khrushchev
Consequences:
1. A direct hotline nicknamed the Red Telephone was set up for swifter
communication
2. Americans to remove all its nuclear missiles from Turkey and Italy
3. Sale of grain to the Soviets
4. Partial Test Ban Treaty signed in August 1963, banning the test of nuclear
weapons in other areas besides underground
5. Soviets matched the Americans nuclear technology by 1972
6. Mao criticised the Soviet Union as a paper tiger without the nerve to
challenge the Americans
7. America assumed that the Soviets would not go to war with them given the
weak Soviet response, which resulted in the embolden in American
involvement in the Vietnam War
8. USSR and Khrushchevs prestige was damaged
Post CMC:
- Signs of Thaw in the Cold War; Genuine quest for peace
- Nuclear Control: 1968 Non-Proliferation Treaty; to stop the spread of
nuclear technology

Arm: Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT I); Limits the number of
strategic ballistic missile launchers

Conclusion:
- Heightened tensions which culminated in the CMC
- Closest the world had ever been to a nuclear war
- Tried to increase communications and reduce the possibility of war and global
catastrophe (Mutual Assured Destruction)