Goal 10 Cold War and Post-War America

1. Goal 10 Cold War and Post-War America

2. Cold War • The Cold War was…….. • Confrontation and competition between the US and the Soviet Union • Political and economic • Democracy vs. Communism • Capitalism vs. Communism • War of words and intimidations

3. Soviet Viewpoint

4. Soviet goal after WWII was security • Germany had twice invaded Russia in less than 30 years • Soviets wanted to keep Germany weak • Place nations under Soviet control between Germany and the Soviet Union as a buffer • Communism- Soviets felt they had a superior economic system that would replace capitalism

5. Soviets encouraged growth of Communism to other nations • Lenin warned that capitalist nations would try to destroy Communism

6. US Viewpoint

7. Depression was one major cause of WWII • No Depression, Hitler never gain power and Japan no reason to expand it’s empire • The Depression was so severe because nations cut back on trade • Nations were sealed off economically, had to go to war in order to get needed resources • 1945 FDR and his advisors were convinced economic growth through an increase in world trade

8. World peace through the growth of democracy and free enterprise • Democracy protected citizens’ rights and created peace and stability in nations • Free enterprise with private property rights and limited involvement by government in the economy would lead to prosperity

9. Yalta

10. February, 1945- Stalin, Churchill, and FDR met to plan the post-war world • Agreements reached at Yalta were a cause of the Cold War

11. Poland

12. The Soviets drove the Germans from Poland and set up a Communist government • Poland had two governments, Communist and non-Communist • Churchill and FDR were committed that the Poles choose their own government • Stalin insisted the Polish government remain friendly to the Soviets

13. Declaration of a Liberated Europe

14. Compromise on Poland • Stalin, Churchill, and FDR issued the Declaration of a Liberated Europe • The right of all people to choose the form of government under which they live • The Allies promised the people of Europe the right to create democratic institutions of their own choice

15. Promised temporary governments that represent all democratic elements • Free elections responsive to the will of the people

16. The Division of Germany

17. Germany was divided into four zones • The US, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union each had control of one zone • Berlin was divided among the four nations • In the Soviet zone Stalin wanted to keep Germany weak, demanded war reparations • FDR agreed but payments were based on Germany’s ability to pay, pay with trade goods and products instead of cash

18. The Allies were able to remove industrial machinery, railroad cars, and equipment from Germany as reparations • All arguments in the future centered on reparations and economic policy

19. Tensions began to rise

20. Yalta decisions set the expectations of the US regarding the rebuilding of Europe • Two weeks after Yalta, Soviets got the King of Romania to appoint a Communist government • The US accused the Soviets of violating the Declaration of Liberated Europe • Soviets did not allow more than three non-Communists to serve in the 18 member Polish government

21. There was no move to allow free elections in Poland • April 1, 1945 FDR informed the Soviets that their actions in Poland were unacceptable • The relations between the two nations were deteriorating • 11 days later FDR died and Truman was in office

22. Truman

23. Truman was anti-Communist • WWII began because of Britain’s attempt to appease Hitler- would not do the same with the Soviets • Truman met with the Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov and demanded Stalin hold free elections in Poland • The message was taken to Stalin, did not help relations between the two nations

24. Potsdam Conference

25. July, 1945 the war with Japan was still going • Stalin and Truman met to work out a deal on Germany • Truman wanted a strong German economy • Help Europe recover and stop the German people from turning to Communism • Stalin wanted reparations, the Soviets had already stripped their zone of machinery and industrial equipment

26. Stalin wanted Germany to pay more • Truman opposed to heavy reparations • Truman suggested the Soviets take reparations from their zone, and the Allies would let industry recover in the other zones • Stalin opposed- Soviet zone mostly agricultural, could not provide all the reparations the Soviets wanted

27. To get Stalin to deal, Truman offered a small amount of German industrial equipment form the other zones, the Soviets had to pay with food shipments from their zone • Truman agreed to a new German-Polish border established by the Soviets • Stalin did not like the proposal, Truman told Stalin about the test of an atomic bomb

28. Stalin saw this as intimidation to force acceptance of the deal and a way for the Americans to limit reparations in order to keep the Soviets weak • Stalin accepted the deal, US and British troops controlled the German industrial sectors and there was no way the Soviets could get reparations except through cooperation • The Potsdam Conference increased tensions leading up to the Cold War

29. Truman was successful at Potsdam on some issues • Could not get Stalin to uphold Declaration of Liberated Europe

30. The Iron Curtain

31. Truman was successful at Potsdam on some issues • Could not get Stalin to uphold Declaration of Liberated Europe • The Soviet Army was in Eastern Europe • Pro-Communist governments were formed in Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia

32. The Communist nations in Eastern Europe became satellite nations • Not directly under Soviet control, but had to remain Communist and friendly to the Soviet Union- follow policies approved by the Soviet Union • Winston Churchill coined the phrase iron curtain, in a speech he referred to an iron curtain falling across Eastern Europe • The iron curtain separating the Communist East from the democratic West

33. Early Cold War Years

34. The Cold War shaped the political and economic policies of much of the world • The Soviets were pushed to allow free elections in Eastern Europe • The Soviets refused

35. The Long Telegram

36. The US State Department asked the American embassy in Moscow to explain Soviet behavior • February 22, 1946 diplomat George Kennan sent the Long Telegram- his view of Soviet goals • The goals stemmed from historical fears Russians had of the West • Under Lenin and Stalin the fear was intensified by Communism and the historic struggle against capitalism

37. Kennan saw no permanent settlement with the Soviets • Kennan urged a firm containment of Russian expansion, stop expansion and the inherent political and economic weaknesses would cause the Soviet system to fail • Communism could be defeated without conventional war

38. Containment, became the US foreign policy • Keep Communism in it’s present territory using diplomatic, economic, and military actions

39. Iran

40. During WWII US troops in Southern Iran • Soviet troops in Northern Iran • Soviet troops remain after the war • Stalin demanded access to Iran’s oil supplies • Soviets aid local Communists in Northern Iran, a separate government is created • Actions signaled to the US a Soviet move into the Middle East

41. Sec. of State James Byrnes sent a strong message to Moscow demanding withdrawal • USS Missouri sailed into the Eastern Mediterranean • Soviet forces withdrew after gaining the promise of a joint Soviet-Iranian oil company • Iranian parliament later rejected the plan

42. Truman Doctrine

43. After failure in Iran- Stalin turned to Turkey • August, 1946 demanded joint control of the Straits of the Dardanelles- important route from Soviet seaports to the Mediterranean • Dean Acheson, Truman advisor saw this as a step in the Soviet plan to control the Middle East- told Truman to make a show of force • Truman ordered aircraft carrier the Franklin D. Roosevelt, to join the Missouri to protect Turkey

44. The US supported Turkey, the British were aiding Greece • August, 1946 Communists started a guerrilla war in Greece, for 6 months British troops helped Greek forces fight the guerrillas • Weakened economy, the British told the US they could no longer help Greece in February, 1947

45. March, 1947 Truman went to Congress, asked for $400 million to fight Communist aggression in Greece and Turkey • Truman Doctrine pledged to fight Communism worldwide, used economic and military aid

46. National Security Act, 1947

47. Reorganized foreign policy and military institutions • Created the National Security Council • President, Vice-President, Sec. of State, Sec. of Defense, Director of the CIA, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff • Share information, advice, and problem solving dealing with national security

48. Marshall Plan

49. Post-war Western Europe, economies destroyed, people near starvation, and political chaos • June, 1947 Sec. of State George C. Marshall proposed an economic recovery plan for Europe • American aid to rebuild economies • Marshall offered to help all nations planning a recovery program

50. The Soviet Union and it’s satellites rejected the offer • Soviets developed their own economic program • Marshall Plan further divided Europe • The Marshall Plan put billions of dollars worth of supplies ,machinery, and food into Western Europe • Economic recovery weakened the appeal of Communism and opened new markets for trade