Berlin Airlift

The Berlin Airlift could be called the first battle of the Cold War. It was when western countries delivered much needed food and supplies to the city of Berlin through the air because all other routes were blocked by the Soviet Union.After World War IIAt the end of World War II the country of Germany was divided by the Allies into four zones. Great Britain, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union each controlled a different zone. The capital of Germany, Berlin, was located in the Soviet Union zone, but control of this city was also split into four zones between the four countries.Tensions Between the East and WestWith the war over, tensions began to mount between the democratic countries of the west and the communist countries controlled by the Soviet Union of the east. The west was determined to stop the spread of communism and the Marshall Plan and the Truman Doctrine made this clear. The west also wanted the country of Germany to be united under one democratic government. The Soviet Union didn't want this. Soon the two sides were at odds over the future of Germany. The west introduced a new currency called the Deutsche Mark, but the Soviets refused to use it in their zone.Blockading BerlinThe city of Berlin was an island in the middle of the Soviet controlled zone. The west sent supplies there via railroads and roads. However, the Soviets wanted total control of Berlin. They figured if they cut off Berlin from their external supplies and food, then it would fall under their control. On June 24, 1948 the Soviets blocked all rail and road traffic to Berlin. They cut off the electricity coming from the Soviet part of the city. They halted all traffic going in and out of the city. The only way in was to fly.Running Out of FoodWhen the blockade first started, the city of Berlin had around 36 days worth of food. They also needed many tons of coal for energy as well as other items such as medical supplies.The AirliftWithout going to war or giving up the city of Berlin, the only option the western countries had was to try and fly in all the supplies. This was a huge task. There were over two million people living in the city at the time. The army estimated that it would take over 1,500 tons of food each day to keep them alive. The Soviets did not believe that an airlift would work. They felt that the people of Berlin would eventually give up. Over the next ten months the United States and Great Britain flew around 277,000 thousand flights into Berlin. They carried over 2.3 million tons of supplies into the city. On May 12, 1949 the Soviet Union stopped the blockade and the airlift was over.Interesting Facts About the Berlin AirliftAfter the airlift Germany was split into two separate countries, the German Democratic Republic in the east (controlled by the Soviet Union) and the Federal Republic of Germany in the west.The city of Berlin was also divided in half, with East Germany eventually building the Berlin Wall to keep people from defecting.The Soviets introduced their own currency into Germany called the Ostmark.Around 65% of the cargo was coal. Coal was tough to airlift because of all the dust. After hauling coal for 1,000 hours, planes would weigh 100 pounds more just from all the dust.To make the turnaround in Berlin more efficient, flight crews were not allowed to leave their planes when they landed. Jeeps would drive out to the planes and bring them snacks.To help with moral in the city, pilots would drop candy attached to little parachutes over Berlin. This was called "operation little vittles". By the end of the airlift pilots had dropped over three tons of candy.

Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall was built by the communist government of East Berlin 1961. The wall separated East Berlin and West Berlin. It was built in order to prevent people from fleeing East Berlin. In many ways it was the perfect symbol of the "Iron Curtain" that separated the democratic western countries and the communist countries of Eastern Europe throughout the Cold War.

How it All StartedAfter World War II the country of Germany ended up dividing into two separate countries. East Germany became a communist country under the control of the Soviet Union. At the same time West Germany was a democratic country and allied with Britain, France, and the United States. The initial plan was that the country would eventually be reunited, but this didn't happen for a long time.

The City of BerlinBerlin was the capital of Germany. Even though it was located in the eastern half of the country, the city was controlled by all four major powers; the Soviet Union, the United States, Britain, and France.

DefectionsAs people in East Germany began to realize that they did not want to live under the rule of the Soviet Union and communism, they started to leave the eastern part of the country and move to the west. These people were called defectors. Over time more and more people left. The Soviet and East German leaders began to worry that they were losing too many people. Over the course of the years 1949 to 1959, over 2 million people left the country. In 1960 alone, around 230,000 people defected. Although the East Germans tried to keep people from leaving, it was fairly easy for people to leave in the city of Berlin because the inside of the city was controlled by all four major powers.

Building the WallFinally, the Soviets and the East German leaders had had enough. On August 12th and 13th of 1961 they built a wall around Berlin to prevent people from leaving. At first the wall was just a barbed wire fence. Later it would be rebuilt with concrete blocks 12 feet high and four feet wide.

The Wall is Torn DownIn 1987 President Ronald Reagan gave a speech in Berlin where he asked the leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, to "Tear down this Wall!" Around that time the Soviet Union was beginning to collapse. They were losing their hold on East Germany. A few years later on November 9, 1989 the announcement was made. The borders were open and people could freely move between Eastern and Western Germany. Much of the wall was torn down by people chipping away as they celebrated the end to a divided Germany. On October 3, 1990 Germany was officially reunified into a single country.

Interesting Facts About the Berlin WallThe Eastern Germany government called the wall the Anti-Fascist Protection Rampart. The Western Germans often referred to it as the Wall of Shame.Around 20% of the East German population left the country in the years leading up to the building of the wall.The country of East Germany was officially called the German Democratic Republic or GDR.There were many guard towers along the wall. Guards were ordered to shoot anyone attempting to escape.It is estimated that around 5000 people escaped over or through the wall during the 28 years it stood. Around 200 were killed trying to escape.

Bay of Pigs

In 1961 the United States sent trained Cuban exiles to Cuba to try and overthrow Fidel Castro's government. They failed miserably. The invasion is considered part of the Cold War because the United States was trying to prevent communism from taking hold in the Americas.

Before the InvasionFidel Castro helped to lead the Cuban Revolution in overthrowing the existing government of Cuba in 1959. He was an ardent communist and was allied with the Soviet Union. This deeply concerned the United States as this gave communism and the Soviet Union a foothold in the Americas. The CIA, or Central Intelligence Agency, was tasked with overthrowing Fidel Castro's government in Cuba. There were many people from Cuba, called exiles, who had fled the country when Fidel Castro had become leader. The CIA began to train these exiles in guerrilla warfare. The idea was that they would sneak back into Cuba and begin a guerrilla war against Castro. They would gather others and eventually overthrow Castro. The plan changed, however. The new plan was help the exiles to invade the island. The hope was that locals would join forces with them and they would quickly take over.

Planning the InvasionThe invasion was originally planned to occur at the city of Trinidad, but President Kennedy thought that they needed a more secluded place. The Bay of Pigs was chosen instead. The idea was that planes would fly in first and destroy the air force. Then the invasion force of 1500 soldiers would land. They hoped that the Cuban people would join them in rebelling against Castro. The CIA tried to plan the invasion in secret, however, too many people knew and word got out. The Cubans knew the invasion was coming.

The InvasionThe invasion occurred on April 17, 1961. It did not go well. Although the Cuban air force was damaged by early air strikes, there were still planes left to attack the invaders. Once the invasion started, it took too long for the troops and ammunition to get off the ships. Before the ammunition could be unloaded, Cuban planes sunk the invader's ships. Many of the paratroopers, who were supposed to slow down Castro's forces on the ground, landed at the wrong place or in the swamps. Soon the invaders were surrounded by a much larger force and were running out of ammunition. They tried to retreat, but most were eventually captured and put into prison.

ResultsThe results were disastrous for the United States. The government looked weak and the CIA inept. It also seemed to strengthen Castro's government within Cuba and caused him to look to the Soviet Union as a military ally.

Interesting Facts About the Bay of PigsThe Cuban exiles were trained by the CIA in the country of Guatemala.Jose Miro Cardona was set to become president of Cuba once Castro was overthrown.The invasion force was known as Brigade 2506.The invaders would have had a much better chance to escape into the hills if they had used the original landing site of Trinidad. However, they were surrounded by swamp at the Bay of Pigs and had nowhere to run.It is thought that some of the timing of the invasion got messed up due to people getting the time zones confused.

Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cuban Missile Crisis occurred in 1962 when the Soviet Union began to install nuclear missiles in Cuba. The United States refused to allow this and, after thirteen tense days and many secret negotiations, the Soviet Union agreed to remove the missiles. This is perhaps the closest that the United States and the Soviet Union came to nuclear war during the Cold war.Leading up to the CrisisPrior to the crisis the United States had attempted to overthrow Fidel Castro and the current government of Cuba with the Bay of Pigs invasion. The invasion failed, but it served as a warning to Fidel Castro. Also, the United States had installed several nuclear missile sites in Turkey and Italy with the range to strike Moscow, the capital of the Soviet Union. As a result, the Soviet Union felt they needed missile sites that could strike at the United States. At the same time the Cuban government wanted protection from the United States. They decided to work together and have the Soviet Union put nuclear missiles in Cuba that could strike most any portion of the USA.How the Crisis BeganOn October 14, 1962 an American U-2 spy plane flying over Cuba captured pictures of long-range Soviet missiles in Cuba. This was a crisis like never before. These missiles could reach any point of the United States with nuclear warheads causing mass destruction. President Kennedy called a meeting with his main security advisors. They considered a number of options from diplomacy to a full scale attack and invasion on Cuba. The Joint Chiefs of Staff voted to invade. They felt this was the only viable option. However, Kennedy was concerned that this would start World War III between the US and the Soviet Union. He opted to set up a naval blockade.BlockadeKennedy announced his plan on October 22, 1962. He showed the world the missile bases and said that the United States would be putting Cuba under "quarantine". This meant that no offensive weapons would be allowed to enter Cuba. He also said that any attack on the US from Cuba would be considered an act of war from the Soviet Union. Over the next several days the crisis became more intense. The Soviet Union said they would not back down. By the 24th, Kennedy believed the US would have to invade Cuba.NegotiationsAlthough the Soviet Union was publicly saying they would never back down, they were secretly negotiating with the United States. Eventually the two sides reached an agreement. The Soviet Union would remove the missiles from Cuba as long as the United States agreed to never invade Cuba again. In secret, the US also had to agree to remove their nuclear missiles from Turkey and Italy. The crisis was over.Results of the CrisisThe crisis was President Kennedy's greatest moment. After the Bay of Pigs failure and the Berlin Wall, his leadership had come into question. The world could feel confident in the leader of the United States again.Interesting Facts About the Cuban Missile CrisisThe Soviet Union leader at the time, Chairman Nikita Khrushchev, thought that Kennedy was weak because of his decisions at the Bay of Pigs as well as the Berlin Wall. He thought Kennedy would back down and eventually allow the missiles.After the crisis a Washington DC to Moscow hotline was established between the president and the leader of Soviet Union.The Cuban leader, Fidel Castro, was not happy as he was left out of the negotiations between Kennedy and Khrushchev.Not everyone in the US was happy about the outcome. General Curtis LeMay called it the worst defeat in US history.Khrushchev wrote a personal letter to President Kennedy during the crisis asking that they come to an agreement in order to avoid war.

The Korean WarThe Korean War was fought between South Korea and communist North Korea. It was the first major conflict of the Cold War as the Soviet Union supported North Korea and the United States supported South Korea. The war ended with little resolution. The countries are still divided today and North Korea is still ruled by a communist regime.Countries InvolvedSupporting North Korea was the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China. Supporting South Korea was the United States, Great Britain, and the United Nations. South Korea and North Korea.Before the WarBefore World War II the Korean Peninsula had been a part of Japan. After the war it needed to be divided up. The Northern half went under the control of the Soviet Union and the Southern half under the control of the United States. The two sides were divided at the 38th parallel. Eventually two separate states formed with North Korea forming a communist government with Kim Il-sung as leader and South Korea forming a capitalist government under the rule of Syngman Rhee. The two sides did not get along and there were constant skirmishes and battles along the border at the 38th parallel. Attempts were being made to negotiate a unified country, but they were going nowhere.North Korea AttacksOn June 25, 1950 North Korea invaded South Korea. The South Korean Army fled and forces from the United Nations came to help out. The United States provided the majority of the United Nations forces. Soon the South Korea government only occupied a small part of Korea on the southern tip.The WarAt first the United Nations was only trying to defend South Korea, however, after the first summer of fighting, President Truman decided to go on the offensive. He said the war was now about liberating North Korea from communism.Battle of InchonGeneral George MacArthur led the UN forces on an attack at the Battle of Inchon. The Battle was a success and MacArthur was able to move in and route much of the North Korean army. He soon had retaken control of the city of Seoul as well as South Korea back up to the 38th parallel.China Enters the WarMacArthur continued to be aggressive and pushed the North Koreans all the way to the northern border. However, the Chinese were not happy with this and sent their army to enter the war. At this point President Truman replaced MacArthur with General Matthew Ridgway. Back to the 38th Parallel Ridgway fortified the border just north of the 38th Parallel. Here the two sides would battle for the rest of the war. North Korea would attack the south at various points and the UN army would retaliate trying to prevent more attacks.End of the WarNegotiations continued for much of the war, but President Truman did not want to appear weak. When Eisenhower became president, he was much more willing to offer concessions to end the war. On July 17, 1953 a treaty was signed that ended the war. Few things had changed as a result of the war. Both countries would remain independent and the border would remain at the 38th parallel. However, between the two countries a 2 mile demilitarized zone was placed to act as a buffer in hopes to prevent future wars.Facts About the Korean WarAlthough Korea was not strategic to the US, they entered the war because they did not want to appear soft on communism. They also wanted to protect Japan, which they did consider strategic.The situation today in Korea is similar to what it was 50+ years ago after the war. Little has changed.It is estimated that around 2.5 million people were killed or wounded during the war. Around 40,000 US soldiers died in the war. The civilian casualties were especially high with estimates of around 2 million civilians killed.It is thought that President Truman strongly considered using nuclear weapons during the war.

The Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was fought between communist North Vietnam and the government of Southern Vietnam. The North was supported by communist countries such as the People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union. The South was supported by anti-communist countries, primarily the United States. The United States lost the Vietnam War. It lasted for twenty years, something the US never expected when it joined in the fight. Not only did the US lose the war and the country of Vietnam to the communists, the US lost prestige in the eyes of the world.Before the WarPrior to World War II Vietnam had been a colony of the French. During World War II the Japanese took control of the area. When the war ended there was a power vacuum. Vietnamese revolutionary and communist Ho Chi Minh wanted freedom for the country of Vietnam. However, the Allies all agreed that Vietnam belonged to the French.ContainmentEventually Ho Chi Minh and his rebels began to fight the French. Ho's soldiers in the north were called the Viet Minh. Ho tried to get US help, but they didn't want Ho to succeed as they were worried about communism spreading throughout Southeast Asia. When Ho began to have success against the French, the US became more concerned. In 1950 they began sending aid to the French in Vietnam.The US Enters the WarIn 1954 the French lost a major battle to the Vietnamese. They decided to pull out of Vietnam. The country was divided up into a communist Northern Vietnam and a Southern Vietnam. It was supposed to be reunited under a single election in 1956. However, the United States did not want the country to become communist. They helped Ngo Dinh Diem get elected in the South.Major Events During the War

March 1959 - Ho Chi Minh declared all out war in order to unite Vietnam under one rule. December 1961 - US military advisors begin to take a direct role in the war. August 1964 - The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution is passed by the US Congress after two US Destroyers were attacked by

the North Vietnamese. This allowed US troops to use armed force in the area. March 8, 1965 - The first official US combat troops arrive in Vietnam. The US begins a bombing campaign of Northern

Vietnam called Operation Rolling Thunder. January 30, 1968 - North Vietnam launches the Tet Offensive attacking around 100 cities in Southern Vietnam. July 1969 - President Nixon begins the withdrawal of US troops. March 1972 - The North Vietnamese attack across the border in the Easter Offensive.

President Johnson's War PlanPresident Lyndon Johnson had the plan to help the Southern Vietnamese get strong enough to fight the North rather than having the US win the war for them. By putting limits on the troops and not allowing them to attack Northern Vietnam from 1965 to 1969, the US had no chance to win.A Difficult WarNot only were the US troops limited in what they could do strategically by President Johnson, the jungles of Vietnam proved a difficult place to fight a war. It was very difficult to find the enemy in the jungles and also difficult to determine who was the enemy. The troops had to deal with booby traps and constant ambushes from people they thought they were fighting for.The US Exits the WarWhen Richard Nixon became president he decided to end US involvement in the war. He first began removing troops from Vietnam in July of 1969. On January 27, 1973 a peace fire was negotiated. A few months later in March the final US troops were removed from Vietnam. In April of 1975 South Vietnam surrendered to North Vietnam. Soon the country became officially unified as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Vietnam was now a communist country. The US had lost the Vietnam War and also taken a major blow in the Cold War.A Proxy WarThe Vietnam War can be considered a "proxy" war in the Cold War. Although the Soviet Union and the United States did not directly go to war, they each supported a different side in the war.Facts About the Vietnam WarThe Viet Cong were Vietnamese rebels in the South who fought against the Southern Vietnam government and the United States.North and South Vietnam were divided at the 17th parallel.Ho Chi Minh died during the war in 1969.The city of Saigon was later renamed to Ho Chi Minh City in his honor.The US chosen president of the South Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem, was not a good leader. He was hated by many Vietnamese and was executed in November of 1963. This was not a good sign for the US hopes in the area.58,220 US soldiers died in the Vietnam War. It is estimated that millions of Vietnamese died either in battle or as civilians caught in the crossfire.

Soviet Afghanistan WarThe Soviet Afghanistan War was fought between Afghanistan rebels called the Mujahideen and the Soviet supported Afghanistan government. The United States supported the Afghanistan rebels in order to try and overthrow the communist government and to prevent the spread of communism.

Before the WarAs one of its bordering neighbors, the Soviet Union had a long history of supporting and providing aid to Afghanistan. On April 27, 1978 a Soviet supported communist government took over the country. The new government was called the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (DRA). Many of the Afghanistan people did not like the new communist government, primarily because many of the laws went against their Muslim religion. They began to rebel against the current government. The rebels called themselves the Mujahideen. In September of 1979, events in Afghanistan became more unstable when Afghan leader Hafizullah Amin had the current president killed and took control of the communist government.

The War BeginsThe leaders of the Soviet Union became concerned that President Amin was having discussions with the United States. On December 24, 1979 the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. They had President Amin put to death and installed their own leader, President Babrak Karmal.

The WarOver the next several years the Soviet Army would battle with the Mujahideen. It was a very difficult battle. Many of the Soviet soldiers were untested in battle and their gear was not designed for the harsh environment of Afghanistan. Also, the Mujahideen soldiers were fighting for their homeland and their religion. They were fierce fighters and had many good places to hide in the mountains. As the war continued with little success, it became a source of embarrassment for the Soviet Union. Their army no longer seemed invincible to the rest of the world. The Soviets also came under increasing international pressure. The war was condemned by the United Nations, the US pulled out of the SALT treaty talks, and the US boycotted the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow.

The War EndsWhen Mikhail Gorbachev became leader of the Soviet Union he wanted the war to end. He first tried to increase Soviet troops to end the war quickly. However, this didn't work. By 1988 Gorbachev realized the war was costing Soviet troops and hurting their economy. He signed a peace treaty to end the war. The last Soviet troops departed Afghanistan on February 15, 1989.

Facts About the Soviet Afghanistan WarBecause the Soviet Union failed in securing Afghanistan from the rebels for such a long period of time, the war is sometimes referred to as the Soviet Union's Vietnam War.The United States provided the Mujahideen with Stinger missiles. These enabled them to shoot down Soviet helicopters and were a major turning point in the war.Around 13,000 Soviet troops were killed in the war. It's estimated that over 1 million Afghanis died from the war. Most of these were civilians, not soldiers.Around 5 million people fled the country of Afghanistan during the war. Most went to Pakistan or Iraq.The war destroyed much of the country's infrastructure. It became one of the poorest nations in the world after the war was over.