What do you know about the Do Now What do you know about the Cold War? Why was it called this?

The Cold War A struggle over political and economic differences between the Soviet Union and the United States carried on throughout the world by means just short of direct military action or war.

1945 …End of WW II Wartime cooperation between the U.S. and the Soviet Union had been a temporary arrangement. As wartime allies, the Soviets disagreed bitterly with their American and British partners over battle tactics and postwar plans.

The Creation of Superpowers Before WWII Many countries could claim to be superpowers USA, USSR, Britain, France, Japan, Germany After WWII War damages left only two countries with military strength and resources to be called superpowers: USA & USSR

Causes of the Cold War: BEAR Beliefs – Communism vs. Democracy/Capitalism Events – Yalta, Potsdam, Iron Curtain Speech, Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan… Aims – (post-war goals) Stalin wanted reparations and a buffer zone U.S. wanted strong trading partners and strong opponents to the spread of communism Resentments – (lack of trust) U.S./Britain didn’t tell Soviets about A-Bomb until it was about to be used Soviets resented slow opening of 2nd front by Allied Forces Stalin believed the Allies wanted to use WW II to drain Soviets of power Soviets lost 20 million in WWII, Britain lost 400,000, U.S. lost 300,000

U.S.A. vs. USSR U.S. USSR Encourage Democracy Gain access to markets and raw materials Rebuild European Governments Re-unite Germany to increase European Security and re-build a trading partner Encourage Communism Rebuild Eastern Europe Control Eastern Europe and counter U.S. influence Keep Germany divided and weak

The Two Sides of the Cold War Insert Cartoon

The Yalta Conference –Feb. 1945 Conference at Yalta - February 1945 – near the end of WW II; just before FDR’s death.

The Yalta Conference Divide and occupy Germany: America, France, Britain and Russia Stalin demands Germany pay $10 billion in war damages Rejected by FDR and Churchill Russia declares war on Japan Dispute over Poland

The Potsdam Conference – July 1945 (after Germany is defeated) Stalin wants a buffer to prevent future western invasions Buffer countries Truman urges Stalin to allow democratic government in Eastern Europe* Refuses “Communism and Capitalism can’t coexist”

Satellite Nations Region between Germany & Russia formed w/the assistance of the UN after end of WWII Stalin took these regions over and operated them under communist goals. This is the region that Churchill refers to in his “Iron Curtain speech”. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvax5VUvjWQ

What is the Iron Curtain? “…an Iron Curtain has descended across the continent.“ Winston Churchill The boundary separating the Communist nations of Eastern Europe from the mostly democratic nations of Western Europe