Personalities+Clash



=__** Personalities Clash **__=

= = = **__//Friends Turn To Enemies//__** = **Harry Truman (1945-1953)** the 33rd President of the United States took over when Franklin Roosevelt when he died of a brain hemorrhage. Truman had a different personality than FDR, he did not get along with Stalin. His outspoken voice made everyone think that his way was the only way. He takes full responsibility for his actions, which earned him friends and enemies. Stalin wanted to spread Communism and obtain all of Eastern Europe. Truman never trusted Stalin because he knew he was Communist and was a form ally with Hitler. Stalin wanted power and control, while Truman wanted to stop the war as soon as possible. This tension between Truman and Stalin would spark the war.

**Josef Stalin** (1924-1953)took over when Lenin died, he had complete control over the Communist party. He was a dictator for the next 30 years and would kill millions of his own people by putting them in labor camps. He wanted the Soviets to dominate Eastern Europe and the U.S knew what as up to. Stalin is a harsh leader with a thick head and was power hungry. He got along with FDR but when Truman got into office they had different views of ending the war. Stalin wanted the Atomic Bomb blueprints of Truman knew if they got into Stalin's hands then their would be a nuclear war at hand. He helped turn the Soviet Union into a industrial machine and a world power. He ruled with an iron fist and saw everyone as enemies. He protected himself by using the secret police.
 * Dwight Eisenhower (1953-1961) ** is the 34th President of the United States, he also was the Supreme Allied Commander in the Atlantic. He was a great war hero which helped him win the election also he had a great slogan "I Like Ike". He signed an armistice so the fighting in Korea would end. His main focus was to get America out of war and stop the spread of Communist. Ike tried to improve the U.S and Soviet relations but that failed when the Soviets shot down a U.S spy plane. Although he couldn't end the Cold War he built up Americas defenses and stopped Communism from spreading.

**Nikita Khrushchev (1953-1964)** replaced Gregory Malenkov in 1958, but never accepted by the Soviets. He didn't like Stalin-ism and the and the way Stalin treated the civilians. He tried improving living conditions and allowing greater Soviet freedom. He was the first Primer Minister the invest in the Space Program and helped the Soviets launch Sputnik(the first satellite to orbit the earth). Since Khrushchev rejected Stalin-ism and therefore led to the split with Communist China in 1960. His attempt to get the civilians out of a dictatorship and lead the Soviet Union to greater country.


 * John F. Kennedy (1961-1963) ** is the 35th President of the United States, he was in a tight situation with Fidel Castro and Khrushchev being friends. They were both Communists and both were preparing for nuclear war.JFK started the Peace Corps and he helped put a man on the moon, and win the space race. He was a great leader who focused on peace and building America stronger. Although he didnt get along with the Soviet Prime Minister and had many assassination attempts on Fidel Castro, and was at the edge of nuclear battle. The Bay Of Pigs was JFK's unsuccessful attempt to overthrow Castro, by using Cuban exiles to invade Cuba and take over there government. They used 1300 Cuban exiles armed with U.S weapons attacked the Cubans and were losing. Kennedy had the option to use the Air Force but decided not too. The invasion was stopped by Castro's army and they captured all of their exiles.


 * Fidel Castro (1959-1976) ** was a Communist rebel who make his way to becoming the dictator of Cuba. He revolted against the Cuban politicians and led an army to take over the government. Castro helped bring Cuba out of poor health facilities. He was a strong and determined leader. He wanted Cuba to be the best but needed help from other countries. He sided with the Soviets and therefore was an enemy of the United States. Fidel Castro's main role in the Cold War during the Cuban Missile Crisis was to hold weapons for the Soviet Union. He was dodged many assassination attempts by being cautious. He order his underwear to be burned after every time he wore them so they wouldn't be poisoned in the wash. He was the main target in the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis but managed to escape.

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**Lyndon Johnson (1963-1969)** was the 36th President of the United States, he had a vision of a "Great Society" for America, with "an end to poverty and racial injustice". Johnson was stuck in a tight situation when Kennedy died, because he had a lot of international conflicts. Although helped end segregation and was involved in the Vietnam War. The United States supported South Vietnam along with the other anti-communist countries. While the Communist and their allies controlled North Vietnam. The U.S was involved in t e war to prevent a Communist take over in Southern Vietnam. When the Vietnam people captured Saigon they reunified and became one country again.




 * Richard Nixon (1969-1974) ** was the 37th President of the United States, he was the only president to resign from office. He initiated the escalation in the Vietnam War but later got the U.S out of it in 1973. He transferred powers from the White House and brought them to the states. He opened diplomatic relations with China so their wasn't as much tension. He went to other countries like Egypt to see Anwar Sadat and to meet with the Soviet Prime Minister Bresnev. He was focused on relations with other countries so they could end the war faster and stop the fighting. Helped end the Vietnam War with his strong voice and courage to go talk to other nations leaders.



**Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)** was the 40th President of the United States, he focused on foreign matters and created new political and economic initiatives. He controlled the money supply to reduce inflation, and unwilling to criticize anti communist governments. He brought America's nuclear arms and the Soviet arms to a halt. Also got along with the Soviet Prime Minister, and later the Soviets withdraw-ed from Afghanistan. With these events taking place Reagan got credit for the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe. Reagan was a tremendous help with putting an end to foreign affairs and communism. He was a strong leader who brought peace to other countries and helped protect the United States.



**Mikhail Gorbachev (1988-1991) ** was the last leader of the Soviet Union until their collapse in 1991 which ended in the Berlin Wall being destroyed. Gorbachev's attempts at reform and conferences with U.S President Ronald Reagan helped end the Cold War and the tension between both countries. He led the Soviet Union away from confrontation and brought them towards cooperation. He knew that the Soviet union needed to be turned around and have a different viewpoint on government. He believed that maintaining a value of interest instead of a value of power would help them succeed in the years to come.

__** SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT **__

The impact of these nations leaders caused problems and conflicts from World War 2 through the Vietnam War all the way to the early 90's. They impacted the world by ending Communism and ending dictators reigns. It shows how close countries can become to nuclear war and doing whatever it takes to oust another country. It is significant because two countries that hated each other and had different views of government can get along by settling their differences. By speaking to one an other than using nuclear weapons to destroy each other they showed that brains is more successful that power and strength.

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**Book Sources**

Powaski, Ronald E. //The Cold War The United States and The Soviet Union, 1917-1991//. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. Print.

Littell, Mcdougal. //The Americas//. Illionis: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005. Print.

=**Web Documents**=

. "The War of Ideas: A History of the Cold War." // ThinkQuest //. Projects by Students for Students, 1997. Web. 1 May 2012. .

. "Fidel Castro." // Spartacus Educational //. N.p., 2003. Web. 1 May 2012. .

Simkin, John. "Ronald Reagan and the Cold War." // The Education Forum //. Educational Research, 2004. Web. 1 May 2012. .

. "Harry S. Truman in Causes of the Cold War." // Shmoop //. Shmoop University, Inc., 2012. Web. 1 May 2012. .

. "Cold War: Soviet Perspectives." // http://www.ibiblio.org //. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2012. .

McElrath, Jessica. "http://www.netplaces.com." // Kenned'ys Cold War Legacy //. The New York Times, April 2012. Web. 1 May 2012. .