Unit IX. The Cold War
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Transcript of Unit IX. The Cold War
Unit IX. The Cold War
A. Balance of Power
A. Balance of Power1. A Divided Europe
a. Western Europe
*With the help of G.B. and the U.S., democracy
and capitalism were restored to the west
b. Eastern Europe
*Occupied by Soviet armies
*Stalin wanted to spread communism throughout the area and create a buffer-zone of friendly gov’ts to prevent attacks -Stalin had promised free-elections-Instead, supported pro-communist gov’ts
c. Iron Curtain: imaginary line that divided Europe between East (Communist) and West (Democratic)
*Term first used by Winston Churchill, 1946
*The iron curtain would both literally and figuratively cut Eastern Europe off from the rest of the world
A. Balance of Power (cont’d)2. Germany and Japan Post-WWII
a. Germany: divided into four zones between
all the Allies
*Armed forces were disbanded and the Nazi Party was outlawed
*Nazi war criminals were put on trial (Nuremburg) and punished*Western Germany (Federal Republic of Germany)
-Allies helped to set up new political parties
-A federal constitution was written, set up a democracy (approved in 1949)
-1949, Allies ended military occupation -Also set up a policy of asylum, or protection from arrest or from being returned to a dangerous political situation
*Germany was deeply shaken by the events of the Holocaust
-Wanted to ensure would never happen again
-Today has very strong ties to Israel and has tried to compensate for the event financially and politically
A. Balance of Power (cont’d)2. Germany and Japan Post-WWII (cont’d)
b. Japan: occupied militarily by Allied forces after WWII, mostly U.S.
*Armed forces were disbanded and war criminals were put on trial *General Douglas MacArthur was the Supreme Commander of
the American military gov’t that ruled post-war Japan
*The American gov’t wanted to end militarism and ensure democratic gov’t in Japan
-MacArthur and his advisors drafted a constitution
•Created a constitutional monarchy (like G.B.), limited the power of the emperor
•Promised Japan would not engage in warfare
•Set up a democratic gov’t: representatives elected to the Diet (Japanese Parliament)
•Basic rights were guaranteed
-The new constitution was accepted and they signed a treaty that took away its overseas empire
-Occupation ended in 1952
A. Balance of Power (cont’d)3. Two Superpowers
a. Decline of Dominant Nations
*After WWII, several powerful nations were in decline
-Germany was defeated and divided
-France and Britain were economically drained and needed to focus on rebuilding
b. The U.S. and U.S.S.R. emerged as the new superpowers
*Superpower: used to describe each of the rivals that came to dominate global politics after WWII
*Many nations would be influenced or come under the control of both nations during the 20th century