Origins of the Cold War

Former Allies Crash

• Problems building between the US and SU before and during WWII

• Economic and political systems incompatible

• Resentments had built up over previous events

Former Allies Crash

• Soviet Communism:– State controlled all

property– All economic activity– Totalitarian

Communist Party allowed no opposition party

– Resented the US for not recognizing communist govmt for 16 years

Former Allies Crash

• The United States:– Capitalist system– Private citizens

controlled almost all property and economic activity

– Elect politicians from competing political parties-unlimited number of political parties

Former Allies Crash

• US furious at Stalin-Signed nonaggression pact with Hitler in 1939

• Stalin angry with the US for not opening a second front in Europe until 1944

• Stalin also angry that we kept the development of the atomic bomb a secret

Truman Becomes President

• Key American figure in early part of the Cold War

• Became President when FDR died

• 82 days as Vice President-met with FDR only twice

Truman Becomes President

• FDR left Truman uninformed on military matters

• Truman knew nothing about the development of the atomic bomb

Truman Becomes President

• With the war ending Truman would have to

1. Make difficult military decisions

2. Deal with world leaders of greater experience

1. Churchill

2. Stalin

Potsdam Conference

• Truman’s 1st meeting with other major world leaders-Potsdam, July 1945

• By this time, the Soviets had broken their promise for free elections in Poland

Potsdam Conference

• Not only did the Soviets not allow free elections in Poland, but they banned democratic parties

• The was a violation of Poland’s rights according to Truman

Potsdam Conference

• Truman pushed for free elections-Stalin refused

• With the Soviet army occupying Eastern Europe, the West could do little

Tension Mounts

• Refusal to allow free elections convinced Truman that American and Soviet goals were at odds

• Truman feared giving Stalin too much land and reparations– Soviets wanted all of

German stripped of industry

Tension Mounts

• Americans and British opposed Soviet demands

• Agreed that each occupying nation could collect reparations from the German zone it occupied

Tension Mounts

• At odds over Eastern Europe

• US wanted Eastern Europe to stay open to trade

• US wanted to be able to sell their goods to Eastern European Nations

Soviets Tighten Grips on Eastern Europe

• Soviets felt justified to stay in Eastern Europe

• Lost more than 20 million in WWII and felt vulnerable to attack from the west

• Needed friendly neighbors

Soviets Tighten Grips on Eastern Europe

• Stalin propped up communist governments in Eastern European nations

• The Satellite Nations- were countries dependent upon and dominated by the Soviet Union

Soviets Tighten Grips on Eastern Europe

• Stalin seized the industry of these nations to rebuild the Soviet Union

• 1946- Stalin announces that communism and capitalism are incompatible

– Stated that war was inevitable

– US say this as a declaration of war

United States Establishes a Policy of Containment

• US institutes a policy of Containment towards the Soviet Union– An effort to block the

Soviets’ attempts to spread their influence

United States Establishes a Policy of Containment

• Containment Policy worked by:– Creating alliances– Supporting weaker

nations

This policy guided the Truman administration’s foreign policy

United States Establishes a Policy of Containment

• March 1946 Churchill gives his “Iron Curtain” speech

• Stalin stated that Churchill’s words were a “call to war”

Cold War in Europe

• Conflicting US and Soviet aims in Eastern Europe led to the Cold War– State of hostility short

of direct military confrontation between the 2 superpowers until the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991

 

Cold War in Europe

• During the Cold War, the US and Soviet Union tried to spread their economic and political influence wherever they could– Eventually spread to

Asia, Africa, and Latin America

The Truman Doctrine

• US 1st tried to contain communism in Greece and Turkey

• Britain was helping to prevent a communist takeover-but could no longer afford it

• Asked the US to take over the responsibility

The Truman Doctrine

• US spent $400 million to help Greece and Turkey

• Truman Doctrine- The US should support free peoples throughout the world who were resisting takeovers by “armed minorities” or “outside pressures”

Marshall Plan

• After WWII, Europe was in economic chaos

• Many homeless with no jobs and no where to go

• Governments had to figure out where to out these people

Marshall Plan

• 1946-47-harsh winter• Food shortages• Fuel shortages• British could only use

electricity a few hours a day

• British rations lower than during the war

Marshall Plan

• June 1947 US Secretary of State George Marshall proposed that the US help

• US would send aid to all European Nations that needed it

• Known as the Marshall Plan

Marshall Plan

• Congress debated plan for several months

• Then…• February 1948

Soviets invaded Czechoslovakia– Took over the country

Marshall Plan

• Invasions showed the need for congress to move quickly and help create strong, stable governments in Europe– To resist communism– Congress quickly

approved Marshall Plan

Marshall Plan

• The Plan was a success

• By 1952 Western Europe was flourishing

• Communist parties lost their appeal to voters

Superpowers Struggle Over Germany

• Europe starts to get back on its feet

• Western allies and Soviets arguing over German reunification

• Soviets want Germany weak and divided

• West wants stable productive Germany

Berlin Airlift

• 1948-Western Zones combine into 1 nation

• Soviets respond by holding Berlin Hostage

• Berlin divided into 4 zones as well

• Lays deep in Soviet Zone

Berlin Airlift

• Soviets cut off all access to Berlin

• No supplies could get in

• City faced starvation unless Western nations would surrender Berlin

Berlin Airlift

• Americans and British started the Berlin Airlift-fly food and supplies to West Berlin

• Lasted 327 days-planes landed and took off every few minutes

Berlin Airlift

• 277,000 flights made delivering 2.3 million tons of supplies

• West Berlin survived• American prestige

grew in the world• Soviet prestige

dropped• May 1949 Soviets lift

blockade

Berlin Airlift

• May 1949 West Germany becomes known as the Federal Republic of Germany with its capital at Bonn

• East Germany becomes German Democratic Republic with its capital in East Berlin

NATO

• Blockade increased fear of Soviet aggression

• In response, 10 western European nations, the US and Canada formed a defensive military alliance-NATO

NATO

• NATO-North Atlantic Treaty Organization

• An attack on one regarded as an attack on all

• First time the US entered a military alliance in peacetime