1. Standard and Objective
Strand 1: American History
Concept 9: Postwar United States
PO 1: Analyze aspects of America’s post World War II foreign policy:
International Activism
Students will comprehend America’s policy towards the Soviets as tensions continued to rise by identifying important people and organizations.

2. The Early Cold War Years
Containing Communism

3. The Long Telegram
The U.S. was getting frustrated with the Soviets’ refusal to cooperate so they asked the american Embassy in Moscow to explain the behavior
Diplomat George Kennan wrote back what became known as the long telegram explaining his views of the Soviets
He believed their views came from a traditional “Russian sense of insecurity” and fear of the West
Kennan proposed that America focus on containment, believing that their system was weak and would eventually collapse.
The Long Telegram became the basis for the U.S. policy of containment of the Soviet Union

4. Crisis in Iran
First major crisis was in Iran -The U.S. controlled the South Iran and the Soviets controlled the North
The Soviets were supposed to withdraw after the war but they didn’t, instead, Stalin demanded access to Iran’s oil supply and and helped local communists set up a government in the north
America saw it as a Soviet push into the Middle East and sent a message demanding that Soviet forces withdraw and also sent in a battleship
The Soviets withdrew

5. Russian Aggresion
Stalin wanted to control the Dardanelles since it was of strategic significance to Russia
Stalin demanded that Turkey give joint control to Russia
Again, this was seen as the Soviet Union attempting to control the Middle East
The U.S. sent in an aircraft carrier to help patrol with the battleship

6. The Truman Doctrine
When England could no longer afford to help Greece fight off communist guerrillas, America had to step in
Truman went before Congress and asked for $400 million to fight communist aggression in Greece and Turkey
His speech outlined a policy that became known as the Truman Doctrine, the goal of which was to fight the spread of communism worldwide

7. The Marshall Plan
Europe was facing a lot of problems after the war -starvation, political chaos, and ruined economies
Secretary of State, George Marshall came up with the European Recovery Program better known as the Marshall Plan
The plan was to give aid to nations that needed it to rebuild their economies
Truman saw this as essential to containment
It was offered to the Soviet Union and its satellite nations, but it refused an implemented its own economic program

8. Let’s Review the Objective
The students will comprehend America’s policy towards the Soviets as tensions continued to rise by identifying important people and organizations.
Who was George Kennan and why is he important?
What was the Truman Doctrine?
What was the Marshall plan and why is it important?

9. The Berlin Airlift
America and the Soviet Union still strongly disagreed about what to do with Germany -Russia wanted heavy reparations
The U.S. believed that Russia was trying to undermine the German economy
England, France and the U.S. merged their zones and allowed the Germans to have their own government -the Federal Republic of Germany or West Germany
They also merged their zones in Berlin creating West Berlin
The Soviet Zone became the Democratic Republic or East Germany

10. The Berlin Airlift
With the creation of West Germany, the Soviets realized they were never going to get the reparations they wanted
They blockaded West Berlin hoping to force the U.S. to reconsider or to abandon West Berlin
Truman didn’t back down and sent bombers capable of carrying atomic bombs to bases in Britain
He then ordered the air force to fly supplies into Berlin rather than troops
The airlift began in June 1948 and continued through the spring of 1949
Brought more than 2 million tons of supplies to the city
Stalin finally lifted the blockade on May 12, 1949

11. The Creation of NATO
The Blockade on Berlin convinced many Americans the Soviets were bent on conquest
There was increased public support for a military alliance with Western Europe
April 1949 and agreement was made to form the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) which was a mutual defense alliance

12. NATO and the Warsaw Pact
Initially included 12 countries
Members agreed to to come to the aid of any other member who was attacked
For the first time America was committed to to maintaining peace in Europe
Six years after its creation, NATO admitted West Germany alarming the Soviets and prompting them to create an Eastern European military alliance known as the Warsaw Pact

13. Conclusion
What was the Soviet Union’s reaction to the Berlin Airlift and NATO?
What were the key differences between NATO and the Warsaw Pact?
Objective: Students will comprehend America’s policy towards the Soviets as tensions continued to rise by identifying important people and organizations.