The Cold War Begins World History Canutillo High School Mrs. Lopez
Truman as President Very little political experience “Average man”—didn’t have a college education At first seemed unable to fill FDR’s shoes Grew into his role Stubborn Stood up to Stalin “Buck stops here”
Wartime Tensions between US and USSR Evident during Yalta conference Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin agreed to plans to defeat Germany Stalin promised free elections in Poland and other Eastern European countries Allies agreed to divide Germany Stalin promised to enter war against Japan, Roosevelt promised him territory in Pacific Many of Yalta promises were later broken
YALTA (in the USSR) Date: Feb 1945 Present: Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin
POTSDAM (Germany) Date: July 1945 Present: Churchill, Truman and Stalin
Shaping the Postwar World Creation of United Nations Created before end of war to maintain international peace & security Countries in Security Council (US, Britain, USSR, France, China) had veto powers US plays big role Failed chance to outlaw atomic weapons
Cold War War of ideas and worldviews waged by two superpowers, the Soviet Union and the United States
Inevitable Cold War Who vs. Who United States Democracy/capitalism Wanted to CONTAIN communism and expand democracy More powerful weapons U.S.S.R Communism Wanted to expand and create a ‘buffer zone’ Larger Military
How to Deal With Germany? Punishing the Nazis: Nuremberg Trials 22 Nazis tried, 12 put to death, 7 sentenced to life in jail Conflict over what to do with Germany: Soviets and some in US wanted to punish Germany, force it to pay reparations Most in US wanted Germany to be strong to avoid another war and spread of Communism.
Iron Curtain – A term used by Winston Churchill to describe the separating of Those communist lands of East Europe from the West.
Improve your knowledge The Russians took very high casualties to capture Berlin in May They spent the early occupation trying to take over all zones of the city but were stopped by German democrats such as Willy Brandt and Konrad Adenauer. Reluctantly the Russians had to admit the Americans, French and British to their respective zones.
The Berlin Blockade Germany and Berlin divided by Allies and Soviet Union Soviets afraid Americans were trying to unite their parts to create a capitalist West Germany. Stalin responds to plan for new currency with blockade of West Berlin in Cut off all inhabitants from West Berlin of fuel, power and food.
US Response: Berlin Airlift US airlifted supplies into Berlin Attempt to aid Germans and avoid all-out war with Soviets After a year, Stalin ended blockade Germany remained divided—built Berlin Wall in 1961.
The Berlin Wall: The Real “Iron Curtain”
Berlin Wall
Containment and The Truman Doctrine George Kennan, US diplomat, proposed US policy of CONTAINMENT Primary goal is to keep communism within its present territory, and not allow it to spread anywhere else Truman Doctrine (1947)—key example $400 million in aid to Greece and Turkey to fight against communism US believes it is its responsibility to combat communism all over the world. Reinhold Niebuhr: Good v. Evil Shows US and USSR competing for territory globally.
The Marshall Plan US wanted to strengthen Western Europe to make sure countries wouldn’t fall to Communism 1947: Plan called for $17 billion in aid to Europe Soviets offered aid, but refused Saw it as a plot to strengthen capitalism Economic alliances increased division between two.
Alliances United States-NATO Was part of the alliance known as The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Western Germany joined NATO nations relied heavily on U.S. nuclear weapons U.S.S.R.-Warsaw Pact In response to NATO, created the Warsaw pact 20 year mutual defense agreement Eastern Germany part of Warsaw Pact 1949: Soviets detonate their first atomic bomb
Truman Recognizes Israel Israel created in 1948 as refuge for Jews after Holocaust Arab world resented Israel, and the US needed Arabs for oil Truman risked all of this by officially recognizing Israel Wanted to pre-empt Soviet influence in Jewish state, and get support of Jewish voters