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"When I grew up, in Taiwan, the Korean War was seen as a good war, where America protected Asia. It was sort of an extension of World War II. And it was, of course, the peak of the Cold War. People in Taiwan were generally proAmerican. The Korean War made Japan. And then the Vietnam War made Taiwan. There is some truth to that."
Ang Lee
Ang Lee
The American Position
- After WWII, Americans become even richer
- Own 20 billion out of total 33 billion gold reserves
- Largest navy, airforce and monopoly on nuclear
- Largest trading and industry
- Influence in Asia and Europe
- 1919 exaggerated
The russian position
- Largest army
- Production not at pre-war levels (so many of their factories were destroyed during the war)
- Stalin looked inward again and put effort toward Communism at home (Communism in One Country)
- Began influence in Eastern Europe (satellite states)
- Many POWs kept on working in Russia
- Show trials returned
causes of the cold war
- Ideologies
- Communism vs. Captialism/Democracy
- East vs. West
- Causes:
- Nationalism - superpowers protect their interests
- Imperialism - old imperialist nations are gone. USA and USSR take over this role (eg. Vietnam and Afghanistan)
fears and concerns in the cold war era
- West feared spreading of Communism (cominform replaced comintern - ways of spreading communism)
- Russia fears counter-revolution helped by money from the west
- The Domino Theory - one country becomes Communist, their neighbours will become as well
- Satellite Sates and the Iron Curtain - Eastern European states, Russia occupied, became puppet communist governments
USA response to Cold war concerns
- The Department of Defence - includes all facets of military working together
- The National Security Council - advises President of matters concerning defence
- The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) - spying and intelligence collection
The Division of Germany and Berlin
- Potsdam Conference - division of Germany
- 4 occupation zones under control of Allied Control Council
- 1947 US and GB join their zones
- France joins in 1948 to form West Germany
- Federal Republic of German led by Konrad Adenhauer
- Stalin - East Germany - German Democratic Republic (GDR)
Summary
USA was the strongest country during this time with a big possession of gold reserves and military forces. The Cold War started caused by ideologies difference. The superpowers both feared each other in some ways. They divided Germany into two.