Transcript 1. The Origins of the Cold War

The Origins of the Cold War
The Cold War
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What we will learn today
What we will learn today:
1.
What is a superpower?
2.
What was the Cold War?
3.
What were the long-term causes of the Cold War?
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What do you think the Cold War was about?
Create your own rough diagram.
Cold War
1945-1992
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Wartime alliances
During World War II (1939–45) each of the major powers
was part of an alliance.
1939
Great Britain and France were allied against Nazi
Germany. The USSR had signed a non-aggression
pact with Nazi Germany.
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During World War II (1939–45) each of the major powers
was part of an alliance.
1941
The USA joins the war when Japan attacked Pearl
Harbor. The USSR joins the alliance with Great Britain
and the USA.
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During World War II (1939–45) each of the major powers
was part of an alliance.
1945
1. What made the USA and USSR become allies?
2. Why might the situation change after 1945?
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What is a ‘superpower’?
A superpower is the term used to describe the most
powerful countries. Before World War II there were a
number of ‘superpowers’.
Britain, France and Germany were all European
superpowers before 1945.
At the end of World War II, all these countries were in ruins
or crippled by the long years of war.
The post-World War II
world was to be dominated
by two superpowers – the
USA and the USSR.
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Differences between the USA and USSR
The USA was a capitalist country, whereas the USSR
was a communist country. These countries had very
different beliefs.
Capitalism
Where all factors of production (industry,
business and agriculture) are owned by
private individuals or firms who run them for
their own profit.
Communism
Where all factors of production (industry,
business and agriculture) are owned by the
state for the good of everyone.
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The different beliefs meant different forms of government.
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Capitalism vs. communism
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What was the Cold War?
The Cold War began after World War II and was over
by 1992. But what was it?
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Write:
Complete a paragraph explaining what you think
the term mutual distrust means.
Discuss:
How do you think mutual distrust could cause a
conflict lasting nearly 50 years that could
have seen the destruction of the world?
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Long-term causes of the Cold War
Mutual distrust between two very different countries was
the key long-term cause of the Cold War. Why were both
sides so suspicious of each other?
The USSR’s worries about the West
Russia had been invaded during World War I (1914),
during its Civil War (1918) and during World War II
(1941) – they wanted to stop this ever happening
again.
Stalin, the leader of the USSR, felt that the West
wanted to see communism destroyed. He thought that
the West didn’t appreciate the Soviet sacrifices that
helped defeat the Nazis in World War II.
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Mutual distrust between two very different countries was
the key long-term cause of the Cold War. Why were both
sides so suspicious of each other?
The USA’s worries about communism
The USA thought the USSR was determined to
encourage communist revolutions in other countries,
and was worried about communism spreading across
the world. This was seen as a dangerous threat to the
governments and economies in the West.
The USA ended its policy of isolationism (which they
felt had helped Hitler come to power) and thus was
determined to prevent what it saw as ‘dangerous
dictatorships’ being created again.
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Why did the Cold War occur?
There were many reasons for the Cold War, and there are
many different interpretations of the information.
Use the bullet points on the next slide to create a
paragraph explaining why you think the Cold War
occurred.
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Stalin believed the West wanted to destroy communism.
The West believed Stalin was encouraging communist
revolutions in the West, and was determined to take
over.
Stalin believed Britain and the USA delayed opening a
second front in World War II so that the Soviets would
suffer greater casualties, and be left too weak to
threaten the West after the war.
The size of the USSR made it a rival to the USA.
The USSR was communist, the USA was capitalist.
The USA didn’t tell the USSR they’d developed an
atomic bomb.
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Conclusions
Construct a paragraph explaining the long-term reasons
why you think the Cold War occurred.
You could use some of the ideas below:
The two sides were only united when they had a common
enemy – Nazi Germany.
Stalin believed the West wanted to destroy communism.
The West believed Stalin was encouraging communist
revolutions in the West, and was determined to take over.
Stalin believed Britain and the USA delayed opening a
second front in World War II so that the Soviets would
suffer greater casualties, and eventually be destroyed.
The USSR was communist and the USA was capitalist.
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