Download of the Cold War - Plain Local Schools

The Cold War
Begins
US History
Roots of Cold War
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk: Russia loses 1/3 of
its territory
Russian Revolution: US doesn’t recognize
new govt. until 1933, aids White Army (Tsar)
Treaty of Versailles: Russia not invited
WWII: US refuses to give Russia nuclear
technology
Truman as President
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Very little political
experience
“Average man”—didn’t
have a college education
Grew into his role
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Stubborn
Stood up to Stalin
“Buck stops here”
Wartime Tensions between US and
USSR

Evident during Yalta
conference
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Roosevelt, Churchill and
Stalin agreed to plans to
defeat Germany
Stalin promised free elections
in Poland and other Eastern
European countries
Allies agreed to divide
Germany
Stalin promised to enter war
against Japan, Roosevelt
promised him territory in
Pacific

Many of Yalta promises were
later broken
The Inevitable Cold War

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Long standing mutual suspicions
Communism and capitalism were historically
hostile philosophies
DIFFERENT VISIONS OF POSTWAR WORLD!!
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Soviets wanted to expand to create “buffer zone”
US wanted to CONTAIN Communism, spread democracy
NATO and Warsaw Pact


Military Alliance between
the US and Western
Europe
An attack against one
nation would be
considered an attack
against all
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Military Alliance
between the USSR
and Eastern Europe
Pledge to defend one
another in the event
of an attack
Shaping the Postwar World
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1944 - United Nations

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Created before end of war
Countries in Security Council (US,
Britain, USSR, France, China)
had veto powers
US plays big role
Failed chance to outlaw atomic
weapons
How to Deal With Germany?

Punishing the Nazis:
Nuremberg Trials

22 Nazis tried, 12 put to
death, 7 sentenced to life in
jail
The Berlin Blockade
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Germany and Berlin
divided by Allies and
Soviet Union
Soviets afraid Americans
were trying to unite their
parts to create a capitalist
West Germany.
Stalin responds to plan for
new currency with
blockade of West Berlin in
1948.
Cut off all inhabitants from
West Berlin of fuel, power
and food.
US Response: Berlin Airlift

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US airlifted supplies into
Berlin – 11 straight months
Attempt to aid Germans
and avoid all-out war with
Soviets
After a year, Stalin ended
blockade
Germany remained
divided—built Berlin Wall
in 1961.
The Berlin Wall: The Real “Iron
Curtain”
Containment and The Truman
Doctrine

CONTAINMENT

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Primary goal is to keep
communism within its present
territory, and not allow it to
spread anywhere else
Truman Doctrine (1947)—key
example

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$400 million in aid to Greece and
Turkey to fight against communism
US believes it is its responsibility to
combat communism all over the
world.
Shows US and USSR competing for
territory globally.
The Marshall Plan

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1947: Plan called for $17
billion in aid to Europe
(had to purchase US
made goods)
Soviets offered aid, but
refused

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Saw it as a plot to
strengthen capitalism
Economic alliances
increased division
between two.
Truman Recognizes Israel
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Israel created in 1948 as
refuge for Jews after
Holocaust
Arab world resented
Israel, and the US needed
Arabs for oil
Truman risked all of this
by officially recognizing
Israel

Wanted to pre-empt Soviet
influence in Jewish state,
and get support of Jewish
voters
“Containment”

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