THE COLD WAR & POST-WWII WORLD RELATIONS The Onset: 1945-1950

1. BRRRRRR It’s COLD in here, there must be an old disagreement over postwar peace and the possibility of all out nuclear WARfare in the atmosphere…… I said BRRRRRRRRRRR

2. THE COLD WAR & POST-WWII WORLD RELATIONS The Onset: 1945-1950

3. I. Two Major Meetings to decide the Postwar Setup of the World: Yalta & Potsdam

4. A. YALTA

5. 1. February, 1945 2. The Yalta Conferencewas seen as the beginning of the Cold War. 3. FDR (US), Churchill (GB), and Stalin (Russia) met on the Crimean southern border of the Black Sea Feb. 4-11, 1945. 4. At this time, Stalin had control of the largest army in Europe(12 million soldiers).

6. 5. MAJOR POINTS a. Germany would be divided intoU.S., British, French, and Soviet occupation zones b. Berlin, although in the quadrant controlled by the Soviets,would also be divided among the four. c. US and GB let the Soviet occupation of Poland continue in the hopes of retaining Soviet alliance. Stalin did, however, promise to be fair with elections in Poland.

7. b. POTSDAM

8. 1. July 16- August 2, 1945 2. Stalin, Truman, and Churchill (who was replaced during the conference by new PM of GB Clement Atlee) met in Berlin. 3. The “Big Three” finalized the divisions of Germany and Berlin, establishing the borders and occupation zones. 4. The leaders also offered an ultimatum to Japan- surrender or be annihilated.

9. BRITISH SOVIETS AMERICANS FRENCH

10. II. THE UNITED NATIONS A. Post-war International peacekeeping organization 1. Created August 1945

11. 2. Fifty nations met in San Francisco, CA, to establish the United Nations on April 25,1945(Before WWII even came to an end) 3. It officially came into existence on October 24, 1945, when it was ratified by China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, and a majority of other signatories. 4. United Nations Day is celebrated on Oct. 24 each year.

12. 5. Permanent headquarters are now located in NYC. 6. Originally had 50 members, now has 192. 7. Delegates developed a General Assembly and a Security Council. 8. Security Council has 15 members: 5 permanent (US, SU, GB, France, & China) and 10 rotating members.

13. 9. According to the Charter, the UN has four purposes: a. to maintain international peace and security b. to develop friendly relations among nations c. to cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights d. to be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations.

14. iii. THE COLD WAR

15. A. The Cold War was thecompetition for global power and influence between the US and the Soviet Union. • It was waged on mostly political and economic fronts,but there was always a threat of all-out war.

16. 1. At the heart of the conflict were two very different world-views held by the two nations and their allies: a. The USSR viewed capitalism as a monster, which, if unchecked, would consume the entire world. b.  America viewed Communism as an evil tool designed to destroy the rights and liberties of all mankind.  2. Both sides believed that the other was seeking world domination.

17. !!!!! USSR tested its first atomic bomb in 1949!!!!!

18. B. Deadlock over Atomic Weapons 1. Cold War led to huge increases in defense spending in 1950s, esp on nuclear tech. 2. arms race-US and Soviets competed for nuclear superiority; they went atomic 1949. (This was followed by H Bombs in 1952/53 ** 750 times more powerful)

20. C. RELATIONS AFTER WWII 1. US and GB aligned themselves with the USSR during WWII because of its location near Japan. Although the US and GB had many concerns about the type of rule in the Soviet Union, its lack of economic wealth, military power, and national unity made them a non-threatening ally. 2. However, after WWII, old dissentions over governmental ideals arose. Plus, the USSR had military and occupational strength that was not prominent before.

21. D. SUSPICIONS AGAINST THE USSR 1. America feared that Soviet expansion would increase communism. 2. Soviet expansion fueled our mistrust-in WWII they took Baltic states, Poland, Romania, & Manchuria At this time, The Soviet Union controlled most of Eastern Europe

23. known as Satellite Nations- they had their own governments, but they depended on the SU for their existence • Soviet leaders promisedfree elections in the satellite nations of the Soviet Union;however, they did not follow through.

24. E. STALIN’S SUPPRESSIONS 1. The Soviet Union crushed all opposition in Eastern Europe (which it had liberated from Nazi control) after 1945, rigging elections in order to receive communist votes. 2. The Communists gained control by promising to abolish poverty, privilege, and private property.

25. 3. By 1948, with the occupying Soviet Red Army always in the background, the communists had taken over the governments of 8 Eastern European countries.

27. F. THE IRON CURTAIN 1. Winston Churchill summed up Soviet relations with the US and GB: “From Stettin on the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an Iron Curtain has descended across the Continent.” 2.“Iron Curtain” was the term used to describe the Soviet’s Policy in Europe from 1945-1990.

28. THE IRON CURTAIN Was this actually a physical wall?

29. G. CONTAINMENT 1. George Kennan- State Department official and Soviet expert- suggested the U.S. and Great Britain instill a policy of CONTAINMENT: restricting the expansion of Soviet communism.

30. 2. Containment measures included: a. The Truman Doctrine b. The Marshall Plan c. The Berlin Airlift d. The Korean War e. The Eisenhower Doctrine (occurred later during the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower)

31. 3. Containment Around World a. We adopted a policy of containment due to situation in Greece & Turkey** 1947 b. Truman Doctrine - stated we would help free peoples remain free; we began to financially support Turkey & Greece to prevent their fall to Communism.

32. Economic aid to Europe – tried to contain Soviet influence on the continent!!! April 1948 Designed to help rebuild the Allied nations in Europe $13 billion over four years! Eastern Europe rejected the plan of aid. c. Marshall Plan

34. June, 1948 – May, 1949 First major crisis of Cold War: Soviet Union blocked railroad and street access to West Berlin. Allied airlifts of food and other provisions to the Western-held sectors of Berlin began. Lasted 10 months; SU was embarrassed by the event and ceased the blockade This is when East Germany (Soviet) and West Germany (Democratic) was formed d. Berlin Airlift

36. e. NATO 1. In 1948, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed. The organization established a system of collective defense, in which its members pledged to defend the others in the case of an attack by an external party (communist nations were the threat!) 2. The Communists later formed the Warsaw Pact to counter NATO.

37. 26 NATO Countries NATO in Europe NATO Flag

38. f. Israel is Formed 1948: Following the mass- extermination of European Jews by the Nazis during World War II, a homeland is established for the Israelites. This was preceded by more than 50 years of efforts to establish a sovereign nation as a homeland for Jews.

39. 1. Jews moved back to Israel-led to conflict with Arabs in Palestine; GB allowed UN to decide 2. UN truce 1949 created 2 zones for Palestinians- Gaza Strip & West Bank; split Jerusalem b/t 2 sides 3. Israel declared independence with US and British support- led to Arab-Israeli War

40. ***We have tried to protect their independence while maintaining friendly relations with oil-producing nations. This alliance is one reason why the Arab nations hate us so much.

41. How did the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan lead toward an American influence in Europe and throughout the world. • According to the text, what was the most acute economic problem Europe was facing after WWII. • Based on both of the texts, how do you think the Soviets would have responded to Marshall’s and Truman’s speech. • What two alternative ways of life did Truman describe? Which corresponded to the United States? Soviet Union?