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NAME: _____________________________________________ GRADE: __________

GRADE 9 HISTORY
TERM 2
THE COLD WAR
1945-1989
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THE COLD WAR AND THE NUCLEAR AGE

1. INCREASING TENSION BETWEEN THE ALLIES AT THE END OF WORLD WAR 2
During World War II, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR/Russia) and the
United States of America (USA) were allies. The two countries had little in common
except and mutual dislike of Nazism/Fascism. As long as Nazi Germany existed, they had
a common enemy to keep them unified.

Once Nazi Germany had been defeated, the reason for their alliance was gone. Both of
them wanted more power and influence in the world and both appear to be threatened by
the other. They had very different views about how the world should be governed and how
economies should run. The USA was democratic and followed a capitalist economic
system, while the USSR followed a communist system both politically and economically.

Tensions increased between them when:

• The USA developed the atomic bomb. This new weapon was created during World
War II and kept a secret from the USSR - despite the fact the USA and Russia were
allies.
• The USA believed that the USSR wanted to spread communism all over Europe
and the USSR believed that the USA wanted to end communism and dominate
Europe.

2. THE END OF WORLD WAR II IN THE PACIFIC:

Although the war in Europe ended in May
1945, the war in the Pacific between the USA
and Japan continued. Japan relied on her
strong navy to protect her and the Japanese
appeared to be unstoppable. The turning-
point came when the Japanese were beaten
at the Battle of Midway. Japan’s naval power
was broken, but they refused to surrender.
Instead, pilots volunteered to become
‘Kamikaze’ – suicide pilots (see picture on the
left). They began flying their planes directly
into US warships, killing themselves and the
sailors on the US ships.

By July 1945, the Americans decided to use their new weapon, the Atom Bomb, in an
effort to end the war with Japan. While bombs had been used right through World War II,
this bomb was bigger than any other weapon previously used. It was decided to target
Japanese cities that had not yet been under serious attack. This way the destructive
power of the bombs could be clearly seen.

The cities of Kyoto and Hiroshima were selected at first, but Kyoto was an ancient city, full
of history, so it was decided to target Hiroshima instead. Hiroshima was an industrial city
with a population of about 300 000 people.
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On 6 August 1945, a B-29 bomber plane named the ‘Enola Gay’ took off for Japan. On
board was the first atomic bomb to ever be used in combat. The bomb was named ‘Little
Boy’. At 8:16 a.m., the bomb was detonated above the Aioi Bridge in the centre of
Hiroshima. It was slightly off target and exploded over a hospital in the city. Moments
after the explosion, all that was left of the hospital were a few concrete pillars. Thousands
of people within a 500 metre radius were killed instantly. People up to two kilometres
away were burned by the searing heat that followed the explosion. The shock wave
flattened houses up to 24 kilometres away. No one had ever seen such destruction.
There was little the Japanese government could do to help.

Pilot Paul Tibbets and the Enola Gay Little Boy

Many reasons were given for the decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan and to this day,
historians remain divided as to whether it was justified (the right thing to do) or not. The
most commonly accepted reason is that it would result in fewer deaths, both military and
civilian, than if the war had carried on indefinitely. In western countries, most people felt
that it was necessary to end the war, but the Japanese issued a public criticism on the
bombing. The called the USA the ‘destroyer of mankind’ and they still refused to
surrender. However, the USA did not give Japan much time to reconsider its decision.

On 9 August 1945, a second US bombing mission was sent to Japan, headed for the
town of Nagasaki. A bomb called ‘Fat Man’ was used this time. It is estimated that 77
000 people died during this second nuclear attack.

Below is a table explaining the different opinions regarding the dropping of the
atom bomb:

Those who argue that it was justifiable Those who think it was unjustifiable (wrong)
(right) claim that: argue:
It was impossible to tell how long the war would
Japan’s military was so devastated by August
last and how many people would have died. 1945 that the war would have ended in a matter
of weeks.
It was a way of ending the suffering and The Japanese were ready to surrender but were
hardships that had been experienced during the not given enough time.
war.
The war had gone on too long and it needed to The bombing was a war crime as it targeted
end. civilians.
The USA needed to show other countries that it The USA knew of the tremendous damage it
was not afraid of them. would cause.

Which opinion do you agree with?

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Activity 1:
Read pages 3 and 4 of your notes, study the sources below and then answer the following
questions:

Source A: Source B:
This photograph shows the infamous This photograph shows Hiroshima after the
‘mushroom cloud’ that appeared after the bomb blast. More people were killed in air
atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. raids on other Japanese cities, but what
made the Atom Bomb so terrifying was that it
took only one bomb to destroy a whole city.

Source C:
A Journalist’s account of the effects of the bomb on Hiroshima.
Many were killed instantly. Others lay twisting their bodies on the ground screaming in agony from
the unbearable pain of their burns. Everything standing upright in the way of the blast – walls,
houses, factories and other buildings – was completely destroyed. Horses, dogs and cattle
suffered the same fate as human beings.

Source D:
A father remembers his daughter’s death from radiation sickness.
My daughter had no burns and only minor external wounds, but on the 4th of September she
suddenly became sick. She had spots all over her body. Her hair began to fall out. She vomited
small clumps of blood many times. After 10 days of agony, she died.

Questions:
1. Use the sources and your notes to explain the physical and emotional damages
caused by the dropping of the atom bombs. (6x1) (6)

2. The selection of these sources is one-sided (biased). Why do you think they were
chosen? (1x2) (2)

3. Which two sources are the most powerful? Give a reason for your answer. (1x2) (2)
[10]
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3. DEFINITION OF THE SUPER POWERS AND THE MEANING OF ‘COLD WAR’:

3.1 The Super Powers:
After World War II, the USA and the USSR emerged as world leaders. The old colonial
powers (Britain and France) were economically damaged after the war and their Empires
were crumbling. The USA and USSR filled the gap and they became known as the
‘Super Powers’ because they were the most powerful countries in the west and the east
respectively.

Both were leading industrial countries and had the strongest military forces in the
world. Both wanted to increase their power and control. Distrust and tension grew
between them. The main reason for this tension was their differing economic and political
systems: capitalism and democracy versus communism. Each super power tried to
influence other countries to support its policies and way of life. As a result, after 1945, the
world became divided into two blocs, each led by one of the super powers:

• The capitalist West: followed democratic political systems and was led by the
USA and the western European countries.
• The communist Bloc: was led by the USSR and the eastern European nations
and followed a communist political and economic system.

3.2 What was the Cold War?

The beginning of the Nuclear Age with the dropping of the atom bombs on Japan created
a problem for the Super Powers. In the past, when countries competed for power and
influence, they went to war. The winner of the war determined who was stronger and who
would dominate world affairs. Nuclear power changed this. At first only the USA had the
atom bomb, but eventually the USSR had it too. Because the bomb was such a
devastating weapon, a new form of competition had to be found.

The destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki proved the atomic bomb was too dangerous
a weapon so the super powers could never actually fight each other in a ‘hot war’ in
which they used these weapons. Instead, they fought a ‘cold war’ from 1945-1991. It
was called the Cold War as they never actually fought each other on a battlefield. It was a
war of ideologies (ideas) and beliefs and was fought with words and propaganda in
the media.

The Capitalist West led by the USA The Communist East led by the USSR
Capitalist economic system. Communism – state control over economy.
Free to trade with whom so ever you want. State handles international trade.
Encouraged to make as much money as People paid by the state according to their
possible. needs.
Property is privately owned. No private ownership.
Multiple political parties. One party state – the Communist Party.
Freedom of speech, religion, movement, Basic human freedoms are limited.
etc.
Democracy – one person, one vote. Dictatorship.
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3.3 HOW IT BEGAN:

At the end of World War II, the Nazi government in Germany led by Hitler was
destroyed. The war was lost and the Nazi leadership was either dead, in jail or in exile.
Hitler had destroyed all opposition to the Nazis so there was no one to replace them. As
a result, the Allies took control of Germany to ensure that Nazism had been stamped out
and that the Germans would not wage another war.

At a conference held in February 1945, the Allied leaders, Roosevelt (USA), Churchill
(Britain) and Stalin (USSR) – the Big Three – realised they were going to win the war and
decided that Germany needed to be divided into four zones. Each zone would be
controlled by one of the Allies, including France. The idea was that they would
administer these zones until they were running smoothly again and ready to hold
elections. The Allies would then leave and Germany would be an independent country
again.

Map of Germany Divided Map of Berlin under Allied Occupation

The capital of Germany, Berlin, would lie in the Russian zone and this was not
acceptable to the USA and Britain, so it was decided that Berlin would also be divided
into four zones of occupation. This was to cause problems later.

After the war in Europe was over, another meeting of the Big Three took place in Potsdam,
a suburb of Berlin in July 1945, and there had been some changes. Roosevelt had died in
April 1945, and the new US President, Harry S. Truman, did not like Stalin. While at the
Potsdam Conference, Churchill was called home when he lost a general election and he
was replaced by Clement Atlee. Atlee had not expected to win the election and was
totally unprepared for the rivalry between Truman and Stalin.

It was at this conference that Truman may have warned Stalin about the new weapon that
America had created – the nuclear bomb – but Stalin did not seem to be too concerned
about it. The next month, August, Truman ordered the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki.
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In March 1946, Churchill travelled to the USA and

expressed his concerns to Truman in a speech at
Fulton College Missouri on 5 March. This became
known as the ‘Iron Curtain’ Speech. Churchill
claimed that Stalin had taken over most of Eastern
Europe as a result of World War II and only the USA
was financially (and militarily) strong enough to
prevent Communism spreading further.

On 12 March 1947, Truman announced his intention

to stop the spread of Communism any further in
Europe. This is known as the Truman Doctrine. He
also believed that communism spread where there
was poverty and he was afraid that if the USA did not
give financial aid to Europe, communism would take
over.

Financial aid was given to Europe in the form of the Marshall Plan. Western
European countries took full advantage of America’s generosity, but Stalin would not allow
the Eastern European countries to get money from the USA as he said it was just a
propaganda exercise by the USA to gain support.

As a result of the Marshall Plan, Western Europe and the three western zones of Germany
began to recover quickly. Britain, France and the USA decided it was time to reunify
Germany, but Stalin refused to allow this zone to join the other three. As a result, two
Germanys began to develop.

• The Western side, including West Berlin, began to develop democratic and
capitalist institutions. Economically, it recovered rapidly.
• The Eastern side, including the rest of Berlin, began leaning towards Communism
and had little economic or political freedom. Economically, it began to stagnate.

The clear economic division between West and East Germany could be seen most clearly
in Berlin. East Germans and those living in East Berlin could see how well the Western
side of the capital was doing financially. They started to become dissatisfied and began
leaving to go to the West, especially those with skills. They wanted to be paid for their
skills and enjoy the freedoms the West Berliners seemed to have.

The Berlin Blockade:

In June1948, Stalin tried to force the three
western Allies out of West Berlin by blocking off
all land routes into West Berlin – no road, rail or
canal transport at all. This meant food and other
essential supplies could not be obtained. West
Berliners believed they were going to be attacked
by the East Germans and there was a feeling of
panic.
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The Berlin Airlift:

If the West was forced to abandon West Berlin, it would look
as though the democratic states could not protect it and Stalin
would win a propaganda victory. The Western democracies
response was to organise an airlift and bring supplies to West
Berlin through the airports. Stalin would never shoot down a
civilian plane as this was an act of war – and he does not
have the Atom bomb like the USA – yet!

The Allies flew 277 264 flights to bring in daily supplies to

West Berlin for almost 11 months. In May 1949, Stalin lifted
the blockade and goods could move freely overland again. It
was a propaganda victory for the USA and the West.

Results:
In 1949, it was realised that Germany was not going to be reunited.
• The Western side became the German Federal Republic and was a democracy.
• The Eastern side became the German Democratic Republic and was a communist
state. Do not let the names confuse you!
• They remained two separate countries until 1989.
• The Berlin Blockade made the Western Democracies realise how vulnerable they
would be to an attack should the USSR ever decide to become aggressive The
Western democracies formed NATO in 1949 – the North Atlantic Treaty
Organisation – as a defence system against such an attack.

This was not the end of the story with regards to Germany and Berlin, but it will be
returned to later in the notes.
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Activity 2:
Read pages 6-9 of your notes and answer the following questions:
1. Match the terms in Column A with the definitions in Column B. Write the
numbers 1.1 to 1.4 next to the margin in your exercise book and write only the
letter of the correct answer.

COLUMN A COLUMN B
1.1 Communism A. A propaganda war between the two super powers, the USA and
the USSR.
1.2 Capitalism
B. A political system that allows for freedom of choice during
1.3 Cold War elections.
C. An economic system that encourages competition and the
1.4 Democracy
ability to make profits.
D. An economic and political system in which the state controls
everything.
(4x1) (4)

2. Of which countries were the following men the leaders?

2.1 Winston Churchill:
2.2 Harry Truman:
2.3 Joseph Stalin:
2.4 Clement Atlee:
2.5 F.D. Roosevelt: (5x1) (5)

3. In no more than two sentences, explain why Germany and its capital city, Berlin,
were divided into four zones of occupation. (2x2) (4)

4. Study the British cartoon at the top of page 8 and answer the following
questions in your exercise book.

4.1 Identify the figure kneeling on the ground peering under the curtain. (1x1) (1)
4.2 What is the curtain he is peering under made of? (1x1) (1)
4.3 The writing on the curtain says, “No admittance by order Joe”. Who is “Joe”? (1x1) (1)
4.4 Do you think that the person who drew the cartoon (cartoonist) is in favour or against
the USSR? Give a reason for your answer. (1x2) (2)

5. Study the cartoon at the bottom of page 8 and answer the following questions.
5.1 What kind of animal is shown in the cartoon and which country does it represent?
(2x1) (2)
5.2 Look carefully. There are three small flags shown in the area surrounded by the
animal’s arms. Name two of the countries they represent. (2x1) (2)

5.3 What event is being portrayed in this cartoon? (1x1) (1)

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6. Study the cartoon at the top of page 9 and answer the following questions.
6.1 Who is the man standing in the chimney on the roof top? (1x1) (1)
6.2 What is he holding in his hands? (1x1) (1)
6.3 Why did he not use the item in his hands? (1x1) (1)
6.4 What are the storks (birds) carrying in their beaks? (1x1) (1)
6.5 Who do the storks represent? (1x1) (1)
6.6 Whose side do you think the cartoonist is on, the man’s or the storks? Give a reason
for your answer. (1x2) (2)
[30]

4. AREAS OF CONFLICT AND COMPETITION BETWEEN THE SUPER POWERS

The Super Powers competed with each other in many areas, not just in Germany and the
rest of Europe. They competed to have the most nuclear weapons (an arms race); they
competed in space (a space race); and they returned to Germany and Berlin.

4.1 The Arms Race:

During the Cold War the USA and USSR competed to have the most nuclear weapons.
We know that the USA used its first nuclear bombs in 1945, but on 29 August 1949, the
USSR conducted its first nuclear test. The arms race had begun.

In January 1954, the US Secretary of State (Foreign Affairs) announced that should the
USA ever come under attack by the USSR there would be “massive retaliation” – they
would use nuclear weapons. Each country spent more money every year on weapons of
all kinds, but especially nuclear, and these weapons became more advanced. They
included ICBMs – Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles – rockets with nuclear warheads
that could be launched over long distances with great precision. By 1955, the USSR had
also created the Warsaw Pact with its satellites to counter NATO.

By 1960, it had become clear that the use of nuclear weapons would lead to Mutually
Assured Destruction (MAD). MAD is based on the idea that both sides knew the nuclear
capability of the other and knew that any attack on each other would bring a devastating
counter-strike which potentially could destroy the world. This fact made leaders on both
sides extremely cautious.

In the 1960s and 1970s both sides developed:

• Nuclear warheads that could be carried by rockets.
• Strategic bombers: long-range heavy nuclear bombers like the American B52s.
• Medium-range bombers – small, fast bombers like the Soviet ‘Backfire’ swing wing
bomber, which were capable of carrying nuclear bombs.
• Submarine-launched ballistic missiles that could be launched from under the sea
anywhere in the world.
• Multiple independently targeted re-entry vehicles carrying up to ten warheads that
could be launched at different targets.
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A B53 Stratofortress with weaponry

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Graph Showing the Extent of Nuclear Weapons built by the USA and USSR

Despite spending billions on creating these weapons of mass destruction, neither the USA
nor the USSR ever used these weapons. That does not mean that they did not come
close to doing so. Events in Cuba prove this point.

CASE STUDY: THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS

Cuba was a capitalist country with an oppressive and corrupt
government. It lies very close to the coast of the USA. Its
President was General Batista (picture), a military dictator,
and he had close economic ties to America. There were
few human rights for the Cuban population, something the
USA ignored because of its business interests there.
However, in 1959, Batista’s government was overthrown by
revolutionaries led by Fidel Castro and Ché Guevara.

Castro changed the economic system in Cuba by

redistributing land to the poor and nationalising American
companies. America was not amused by this, but instead of
making friends with Castro, the Americans became nervous
about having a Socialist/Communist government so close to
its shores. Cuba, at this stage, was not a friend of the USSR either, but American actions
pushed Castro into a friendship with the USSR now being led by Nikita Khrushchev.

The President of the USA at this time was John F. Kennedy. He tried to overthrow
Castro’s government and gave his support to exiled Cubans who tried to invade Cuba.
This invasion, known as the Bay of Pigs invasion, was a disaster. The Cuban army was
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waiting for the exiles and the American air support they were supposed to receive never
arrived. America was embarrassed to be defeated by such a small country.

Up until this point, Cuba had no ties to the USSR, but the Bay of Pigs invasion led Castro
to ask the USSR, under leader Nikita Khrushchev, for help. The USA had ICBMs near the
borders of the USSR in Turkey and in Western Europe, so the USSR was keen to place its
ICBMs in Cuba, close to the coastline of the USA. Russia agreed to give Cuba military
assistance.

The USSR started to build secret missile bases in Cuba in 1962. An America spy plane
photographed the construction of these sites. When Kennedy heard what the USSR was
doing on America’s doorstep, he decided to get the US Navy to blockade the seas around
Cuba to stop the Russian ship delivering nuclear missiles to Cuba. He said that he would
declare war if the USSR did not remove its missile bases. Tense negotiations between
Kennedy and Khrushchev followed. Both leaders understood that nuclear war would
destroy the world.

The USSR agreed to remove the missiles based in Cuba and the USA agreed not to
attack Cuba again. Kennedy also agreed, but did not want it published, to remove the
American missile bases in Turkey.
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Activity 3:
1. What do the following abbreviations stand for?
1.1 MAD: 1.3 NASA:
1.2 ICBM: 1.4 NATO: (4X1) (4)
2. Study the graph on page 13 of your notes and answer the following questions in
your exercise book:

2.1 What was the maximum number of nuclear weapons owned by the USA between 1945
and 2005? (1x1) (1)

2.2 In what year did America have this number of nuclear weapons? (1x1) (1)
2.3 What was the maximum number of nuclear weapons owned by the Russians and in
what year was this achieved? (2x1) (2)

2.4 Account for the sharp decline in Russian nuclear weapons after 1990. (1x2) (2)
2.5 According to the graph, who has the most nuclear weapons today, the USA or the
USSR? Support your answer. (1x3) (3)

3. Study the cartoon on page 14 of your notes and answer the following questions
in your exercise books:

3.1 Identify the two characters in the cartoon. (2x1) (2)

3.2 Why are they shown as arm-wrestling? (1x2) (2)
3.3 What are they sitting on? (1x1) (1)
3.4 Why are both men sweating? (1x2) (2)
3.5 What is the purpose of the buttons on the table? (1x2) (2)
[22]
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4.2 The Space Race:

The Space Race was a competition between the USA and the USSR for status in the eyes
of the world. The race was disguised under the excuse of scientific experimentation and
exploration. Each country wanted to outdo the other to show that it was more developed
and advanced.

The Space Race lasted from 1957 to 1975 and was all about parallel efforts between the
two countries to:

• Explore outer space with satellite technology;

• Send humans into space;
• Land people on the moon.

The Space Race began with:

• On 4 October 1957, Russia launched the first satellite, Sputnik 1, into space
successfully.
• On 3 November 1957, a dog, Laika, was sent into space by the Russians.
• In 1958, the Americans established NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration. It still overseas the USA’s space programme today.
• In April 1961, Russian Cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to orbit
the earth.
• In February 1962, American John Glenn also orbited the earth.
• In June 1963, Russian Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space.
• In March 1965, Russian Aleksei Leonov became the first human to walk in space.
• On 21 July 1969, American Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the
moon, followed minutes later by Buzz Aldrin.

Activity 4:
Write a paragraph of about 10 lines (100 words) explaining who you think won the
Space Race, giving reasons for your choice. (10)

4.3 The Building of the Berlin Wall, 1961

Conflict for control of Berlin had been going on since 1949. By 1961, 3, 5 million East
Germans had left East Germany for a better life in the West. Living standards in West
Berlin were much higher than in East Berlin, the shops were fully of goods and there was
greater freedom, wealth and variety. All of these advantages could be seen across the
barbed wire fence that separated the two sides of the city.

This had been deliberate on the part of the Western democracies who had made huge
investments into West Germany and West Berlin. East Germany had steadily been losing
many of their professionals (teachers, lawyers, technicians, physicians, engineers and
other skilled workers) to a better life in the West.

The East German government was to stop this ‘Brain Drain’ as it was beginning to affect
the East German economy. This ‘escape route’ via West Berlin needed to be closed. In
July 1961, Russian leader, Khrushchev, agreed to support the East German government
in its plan to build a wall around West Berlin and cut off the exit route.
 16

On 13 August 1961, Berliners woke up to find huge barbed-wire barriers down their
streets dividing West Berlin from the 17 million people of East Germany, their relatives in
the East and, in some cases, their jobs. The building of a concrete wall began the same
day. When it was finished, the wall was too high to climb over and had guards with
machine-guns stationed on it every so many metres. It sometimes had barbed wire on the
top and searchlights. It was heavily guarded by East German soldiers. There was a kind
of ‘No Man’s Land between the wall and West Berlin that escapees could run across to the
West, but few made it alive. They could be shot long before they reached safety. The
Berlin Wall effectively stopped the flow of refugees to the West.

The Berlin Wall became the most famous symbol of the Cold War. It was a clear sign of
the division between Communism and Capitalism. Over the next 28 years, many people
were killed trying to escape over the Wall.

5. THE END OF THE COLD WAR:

During the Cold War, leaders from both sides did attempt to improve relations between the
USA and the USSR, but little progress was ever made as the two sides just did not seem
to trust each other.

• The first positive sign of improvement came in 1972 when the two sides signed the
SALT agreements – Strategic Arms Limitation Treaties – and they said they would
limit the numbers of nuclear weapons being produced.
• In 1975, both the USA and USSR signed the Helsinki Accord on European Security
and the Upholding of Human Rights.
• Further agreements limiting arms production were signed in 1979. However, this was
the year that the USSR invaded Afghanistan and relations broke down once again.
A genuine improvement in relations took place in the 1980s when both the USA and the
USSR had new leaders. In 1980, Ronald Reagan became US President and Mikhail
Gorbachev followed soon after in 1985 as leader of Russia.
 17

The economy of the USSR was struggling, mostly due to the vast amounts of money spent
on the arms race. Gorbachev introduced reforms that he hoped would save the Russian
economy and save Communism. He adopted new, more liberal policies in the USSR. He
allowed a limited amount of profit-making (capitalism) by individuals and relaxed
government control over the economy. This was knows as Perestroika.

He also introduced a policy called Glasnost (openness)

which allowed citizens to comment on and criticise
government policies. This had not been allowed since the
1920s. His policies horrified traditional communists, but gave
hope to those with more liberal ideas. As these policies were
introduced, the Eastern European satellite states leaders
could not depend on Russia’s support and they would have
to crush resistance on their own. As a result, their people
became less afraid of the USSR and began to openly
question their communist leaders.

Between May 1989 and March 1990, communist

governments all over Eastern Europe were overthrown.
Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Bulgaria and Poland all
became democracies.

5.1 The Fall of the Berlin Wall, 1989:

The Cold War began in Germany and it ended there as well. In November 1989, after
months of protest, thousands of people in East Berlin marched to the Berlin Wall. When
East German guards refused to fire on the crowd, some people started chipping away at
the wall by hand. The border guards, who could not get orders or help from their
government, decided to open the barriers and East and West Berliners were allowed to
freely cross through. The Wall had been opened. Afterwards bulldozers were brought in
to break it down completely. In December 1990, President George Bush and Mikhail
Gorbachev announced to the world together that the Cold War was over.

The Fall of the Berlin Wall became the symbolic end of the Cold War.

Results:
• In 1990, East and West Germany were re-united.
• In the same year, Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts,
but he was in trouble in the USSR.
• In 1991, there was an attempted coup d’état against Gorbachev (which failed), but
he was not as popular with Russia’s leaders as he had been.
• On 24 August 1991, Gorbachev resigned as leader of the Communist Party and five
days later the Communist Party was officially disbanded.
• In December 1991, the Soviet Union was also disbanded.

Communism, as the world had known it since 1917, was over.

Activity 4:
Study the timeline on page 18. As you read through your notes, find the dates and
events and fill in the missing dates and events on the timeline. The first three have
been done for you.
 18

Timeline of the Cold War

Date Event
February 1945 The Big Three meet at Yalta – agree to divide Germany.
President Roosevelt of the USA dies. He is replaced by Harry S.
April 1945
Truman.
8 May 1945 End of World War II in Europe (VE Day – Victory in Europe) – Allied
Victory.
July 1945

6 August 1945

9 August 1945

5 March 1946

12 March 1947

5 June 1947

June 1948

4 April 1949

12 May 1949

23 May 1949

29 August 1949

7 October 1949

1953

1955

4 October 1957

3 November 1957

1958

1959

1960

April 1961

13 August 1961

February 1962
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October 1962

June 1963

March 1965

21 July 1969

1972

1975

1979

1980

1985

November 1989

December 1989

1990

1991

24 August 1991

29 August 1991

December 1991