WHAT HAPPENED AFTER WWII? THE COLD WAR ERA: 1945-1989

Before WWII Ended … Yalta Conference – February 1945 Churchill, FDR, and Stalin Poland’s government recognized; Declaration of Liberated Europe established; Germany divided. Potsdam Conference – July 1945 Clement Attlee, Truman, Stalin German-Polish border established; German reparations refigured. Both conferences increase the tension between the U.S. and Soviet Union.

What is a “Cold War?” Tension between nations with no actual fighting. Specifically, problems and competitions between the U.S. and Soviet Union from after WWII in the late 1940’s to late 1980’s.

Why don’t they agree. Despite being allies during WWII the U. S Why don’t they agree? Despite being allies during WWII the U.S. and Soviet Union believed in very different things. United States Soviet Union Government Democracy Economy Capitalist/Free Market Government Dictatorship Economy Communist/Controlled

What happened to Germany? After the war, the Allies divided Germany into four (4) zones. British, French, American, and Soviet troops each occupied a separate zone. The capital of Germany, Berlin, was divided too. But Berlin was located deep in the Soviet zone.

Important Early Ideas of the Cold War Soviet Expansion Iron Curtain Truman Doctrine Marshall Plan Soviet Blockade Berlin Airlift New Military Alliances These things started the Cold War

Soviet Expansion The Soviet Union controlled the eastern part of Germany at the end of WWII. The Soviet Union took control of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania (1945) near the Baltic Sea. Other nations install communist governments: Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia (1945-1947) Called satellite nations Controlled by the Soviet Union How do you think these countries “help” the Soviet Union? Iron Curtain

Iron Curtain Winston Churchill saw the division in Europe and coined the term “iron curtain.” Iron Curtain – metaphor for the division between the communist nations of Eastern Europe and the capitalist nations of Western Europe. Why do you think Churchill chose the words “iron curtain?”

Truman Doctrine Created in March of 1947. To “contain” communism by not allowing it to spread to other countries. Policy of Containment To aid nations that were threatened by Communist expansion Promised that the U.S. “would support free peoples who are resisting threats by armed minorities or by outside pressures”. The U.S. would give money to countries to help them fight off communism. For example, the U.S. gave Turkey and Greece $400 million in aid.

Marshall Plan Created by George C. Marshall in June of 1947. A large scale plan to help Europe and Japan rebuild its economy after WWII. Provided more than $12 billion to Western Europe between 1948-1952.

Soviet Blockade In June 1948, France, Great Britain, and the U.S. decided they would rejoin their zones to form the country of West Germany.

Soviet Blockade In response, Stalin closed all roads, railways, and river routes that connected Berlin with West Germany. Stalin wanted to starve West Berlin into giving into the communists. This began the blockade of West Berlin.

Berlin Airlift Truman’s solution to the Soviet Blockade. He decided to begin a great airlift in the summer of 1948. His plan was to fly supplies and aid into Berlin against the decree of Stalin.

Berlin Airlift Allied planes flew in food, fuel, and other supplies to 2 million West Berliners. The blockade and the airlift lasted until May 1949. Stalin eventually stopped his blockade but did not give up on his communist ideas.

New Military Alliances North Atlantic Treaty Organization Warsaw Pact NATO 1949 U.S. and Western Europe Agreed to come to the aid of anyone who was attacked. Soviet Union’s response to NATO 1955 Soviet Union and its satellite nations.

NATO v. Warsaw Pact