1. Cold War

2. Cold War Beginnings
Following WWII the US and USSR were the only two superpowers left
Soon after WWII these two powers were in a Cold War (Icy Tensions)
Why?- different economic systems, strategic interests, Stalin’s Speech, Iron Curtain Speech, Atomic Weapons

3. Pre Cold War distrust US USSR
Communism antithesis of Democracy/Freedom/Capitalism
Stalin’s Purges
Non-Aggression Pact
USSR emphasis on Worldwide communism
USSR
US attempted to undo Revolution
Delayed attack on Western Front during WWII
Believes peace will come from worldwide communism

4. Yalta Conference 1945 Big 3 – Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin
Germany Split into 4 Occupied Zones
Soviet vs. Western Allies (Tension for Four Decades)
Agreement to create United Nations

5. Potsdam- 1945 Big 3 – Truman, Churchill (replaced by Attlee, Stalin
Meeting more tense (Truman’s style, plus knowledge of da bomb)
Presses Stalin for free elections in Eastern Europe
Stalin later gives speech saying Capitalism and Communism cannot exist in same world

6. United States 1946 Churchill Warns of an “Iron Curtain” in Europe
Stalin calls speech an act of war, beginning of the Cold War

7. Truman Doctrine- 1946 Turkey and Greece faced Communist revolutions
Truman asks for and recieves 400 million to aid fight against communism
Beginning of Containment Policy (not allow communism to spread)
Becomes guiding US policy into 1970’s

8. Western Europe 1947 The Marshall Plan gives aid to European Nations
Rebuilt Western Europe, threatened Communism

9. Berlin, Germany
Stalin cuts off access to Berlin, US sends airplanes with supplies: Berlin Airlift
Stalin backs off, Victory for West

10. Western Europe/ North America 1949
NATO- North Atlantic Treaty Organization
USSR creates Warsaw Pact in 1955