1. Aftermath of WWII & The Cold War
                                                  

2. Definition of the Cold War
The competition that developed between the U.S. and the Soviet Union for power and influence in the world between
Conflicting Post-War Goals
U.S. wants to spread democracy throughout Europe
Soviet Union wants to spread communism throughout the world

3. Post-War Situation in Europe
Near economic and political collapse
Need help to rebuild and restore nations
No strong leaders to turn to

4. Post-War Situation in Soviet Union
Russian Revolution of 1917
Tsar Nicholas of Russia overthrown; replaced by small communist party led by Vladimir Lenin
Renames nation the United Soviet Socialist Republic
Follows doctrine of Marxism
“Capitalism will destroy itself”
Communism makes everyone equal and the government controls everything
Joseph Stalin Takes Over
All private farms eliminated; created collective farms
10-15 million people died in collectivization process; “Reign of Terror”
Soviet Influence in Europe After WWII
USSR controls Poland and the Balkans region
Spreading communist ideals by forming satellite nations to protect Soviets

5. Post-War Situation in America
Major Economic Boom
Intense Fear of Communism
Desire to Spread Democracy Across Europe

6. 1.Rebuilding the World Nuremberg Trials
-Yalta Conference, 1945 meeting of the Big Three
Before the end of war
Stalin wants to divide Germany (4 zones)
-Creation of the United Nations (UN)
Peacekeeping union created after V-E Day to prevent world wars
Sets up 2 houses: General Assembly and Security Council
Created at San Francisco Conference
-Potsdam Conference, July 1945
divided Germany
4 sections to be occupied by Allied nations, Berlin also divided
-Nuremburg Trials
German leaders tried for actions during the Holocaust
war crimes
several leaders executed
Nuremberg Trials

7. Potsdam Conference Division of Germany British Zone Soviet Zone
French Zone
BERLIN – also divided into four parts, but the entire city is located in the Soviet Zone
US Zone
French Zone

8. 2.Occupation of Japan -General Douglas MacArthur
Leader of U.S. forces in Japan
Japanese leaders sentenced to death for war crimes
-reformed Japan’s economy
Introduced free-market economy with remarkable recovery
-established democratic government
-guaranteed basic freedoms
Even granted women’s suffrage
Constitution still exists as Japan’s government
“MacArthur Constitution”
General Douglas MacArthur became the leader of the U.S. forces in Japan after WWII. His strategic placement will set him up for both success and failure following WWII.

9. 3.Iron Curtain -Truman pushes for free elections
“From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent.”
~Winston Churchill
-Truman pushes for free elections
Wants all nations to be open to democracy (not communism)
-Winston Churchill
Iron Curtain refers to all nations under Soviet control in Europe
Most of Eastern Europe fell to communism after WW2
-satellite nations
Countries dominated by the Soviets and communism
-purges
Stalin rids satellites of opposition
-buffer zone
Protect Soviets against invasion

10. 4.Containment -theory of trying to stop the spread of communism
Would close markets and disrupt free trade
George F. Kennan advocates Containment
-what did communism promise?
a way to rebuild the war torn area
Would give money and military aid to underprivileged nations
-war b/w US & USSR imminent???
Stalin sees containment as challenge against Communism
-term “Cold War” is applied
Conflict between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. in which neither side meets in actual battle

11. Containment Policy KEEP COMMUNISM FROM SPREADING
George Kennan, in his telegram on containment, suggested a “long-term, patient but firm, and vigilant containment of Russian expansive tendencies.”

12. 5.Truman Doctrine
-Greece and Turkey were in danger of becoming communist, 1947
Britain aiding but ran out of money, asked U.S. to take over
-Truman decides to give aid to any nation that needs it to prevent communism
Give money and military support to stop spread of communism
-becomes known as the Truman Doctrine
New plan for foreign policy
In March of 1947, Harry Truman will ask Congress for $400 million to protect Greece and Turkey. The president also declared that the U.S. should support peoples throughout the world who were resisting takeovers by “armed minorities” or “outside pressures.” This doctrine will guide U.S. foreign policy throughout the 20th century.

13. 6.Marshall Plan -Europe destroyed by the war
Industries/farms destroyed
-devastation made communism more promising
Communism might spread to Western Europe
-George Marshall created a recovery plan for Europe
Send aid to rebuild Europe
-offered to all nations
16 European nations accept
-plan was a great success as Europe recovered
$13 billion in 4 years
Communism did not spread
U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall proposed that the U.S. provide aid to all European nations that needed it, saying that this move was directed “not against any country or doctrine but against hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos.” However, the nations receiving aid had to remove trade barriers and to cooperate economically with one another.

15. Truman adopted a two phase policy to deal with the blockade of Berlin:
7.Berlin Airlift
-Germany and its capital Berlin were split
Berlin is in Soviet East Germany
Part controlled by other 3 Allies
-Soviets blockade Berlin in hopes of controlling it
Cut off all Allied access to Berlin; 2 million civilians limited in supplies
-U.S. decides to airlift supplies for the city by plane rather than back down
-airlift lasted nearly a year and brought over 2 million tons of supplies
Soviets called off blockade
Americans gained prestige
Truman adopted a two phase policy to deal with the blockade of Berlin:
Massive airlift of food, fuel, and supplies for the 10,000 troops and 2 million civilians in Berlin. Tonnage increased daily.
Transferred 60 America planes capable of delivering atomic bombs to bases in England.

16. 8.Cold War Security -National Security Act, 1947
-created Department of Defense, CIA and NSC
Central Intelligence Agency
National Security Council
-NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
-end of U.S. isolationism as we partner with Western Europe
Peacetime alliance between the U.S., Canada, and 10 Western European nations
-Atomic bomb tested in USSR, 1949
Begins an arms race
-Warsaw Pact unites communist nations - Communist alliance between Soviets and satellites
The Berlin blockade increased Western European fear of Soviet aggression. As a result, ten Western European nations joined with the United States and Canada to form a defensive military alliance called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The 12 members of NATO pledged military support to one another in case any member was attacked. For the first time in history, the U.S. entered into a military alliance with other nations during peacetime. The Cold War ended any hope of a U.S. return to isolationism.

17. Early Cold War Alliances - NATO and the Warsaw Pact