Download The Cold War

The Cold War
• Cold War – (1945-1989)
• Cold War – state of intense hostility between
US and Soviet Union
I. Legacy of World War II
• Atomic bomb symbolized capitalist
encirclement
• US and Soviet Union emergerd from WW II as
the two most powerful nations
• Eastern Europe and Germany
– Soviet Distrust
• Paranoid of security (west invasion)
• Insure its own economic recovery
– US troops went home after war; soviets stayed
The Post War Plan
 Yalta Conference (Feb. 1945)
 Germany divided into military zones
 Germany pay Soviet reparations
 Stalin promised free election in E. Europe
 United Nations (June 1945)
 International organization intended to protect the members
against aggression
 Based in New York City
II. Differing U.S. and Soviet Goals
 United States
 Encourage democracy and prevent communism
 Rebuild Europe for stability and markets
 Reunite Germany and increase European security
 Soviet Union
 Spread communism through worker revolution
 Rebuild using E. European materials
 Control E. Europe to balance U.S. influence
 Keep Germany divided
III. Stalin and Eastern Europe
 Stalin ignored Yalta agreement
 Communists governments established in E. Europe
 The Iron Curtain
 Europe divided between East and West/Capitalism and
Communism.
 W. Germany (Federal Republic of Germany) and E. Germany
(German Democratic Republic)
 Churchill speech in 1946 described the division as an “iron
curtain” – symbolized Europe’s division
IV. The First Conflicts
 Containment – the attempt to block Soviet influence and the
spread of communism – George Keenan speech 1947
 Truman Doctrine (1947) – prevent spread of communism
 U.S. would give aid to countries resisting communism
 Influenced by Turkey and Greece
 The Marshall Plan (1947)
 U.S. gave aid to any European country in need
 Provided food, machines, etc.
 Soviets prohibited E. European countries from aid.
 Resisted Soviet pressure
The Berlin Airlift
- 1948, Allies withdrew
Soviets cut off city of Berlin; allies dropped
food and supplies for 11 months
1949, Soviets lifted blockade
 North Atlantic Treaty Organization – NATO (1949)
 Military alliance against soviets; 12 nations (10 euro, Canada
and US); established collective security; an attack on one is an
attack on all.
 Soviets formed the Warsaw Pact