Transcript The Cold War: Origins

The Cold War:
Origins-1955
Potsdam Conference
• Truman, Churchill, and Stalin meet to discuss German occupation and the
punishment of War Crimes
• Germany separated into East and West, with Berlin separated into 4 districts:
East Berlin (Soviet), and than American, French, and British occupied
districts
United Nations Formation
• The United Nations was formed at first to assure that there was one unified
peace, instead of several separate peace treaties with varying terms.
• As well, the United Nations was chartered to serve as an intergovernmental
meeting place for diplomatic purposes and the prevention of another World
War
• General Assembly of all member states, and Security Council of America,
China, Great Britain, and Russia, as well as 6 elected nations
Truman Doctrine
• Doctrine meant to protect “free peoples” from falling to totalitarian regimses
that by direct or indirect aggression, would undermine the foundations of
international peace and hence the security of the United States.
• This was the basis for the ideology of Containment, and the “”Domino”
theory, where if one country fell, others would, and all would be lost; it was a
major motivator for the American forces to fight against communist revolts
and takeovers in other countries, be it Latin America, or Asia.
Mccarthyism
• Immediately after World War 2, there was a frenzied anticommunism
throughout the country, which made people turn on each other.
• Joseph Mccarthy accused hundreds of being secret communists
• Julius and Ethel Rosenburg were executed for being spies
• Actors were blacklisted, and anybody who even seemed to be odd was
accused, people had faith only in the government
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization
• Nato was formed as an alliance of mutual defense between Western Europe
and the United States in response to Soviet Aggression in Postwar Europe
• Initial members were The United States, Great Britain, France, Belgium, the
Netherlands, Luxembourg, Canada, Denmark, Holland, Italy, Iceland and
Portugal
• Later, West Germany, Spain, and Turkey would join
The Berlin Blockade and Airlift
• Because of the reforms in West Germany, Stalin blockaded off all access
roads to Berlin, cutting off 2.5 million people from restocking on food and
other essentials, when they already only had minimal supplies
• US and British cargo planes flew over Germany around the clock delivering
supplies, totaling 1.7 million tons of supply to the west berliners
• “Candy Bomber” from Salt Lake City, dropped candy to the children of
Berlin, and raised morale and opinions of the United States in the hearts and
minds of Germans
American Involvement in Asia
• The American Government was invested in keeping Communism out of Asia as much
as it possibly could, in fear that once a country fell, more around it would as well, and
the tide would be unstoppable, this was the Domino theory
• When the Communist party took control of China, Congress heavily criticized Truman
and his administration for not providing enough direct aid to the Republic of China,
and Chiang Kai-Shek, this only further made the Americans more upfront in their need
for involvement in Asian affairs
Korean War Begins
• On June 25, 1950, North Korea invades South Korea, claiming the Republic
of Korea attacked North Korean forces
• Within days, General Douglas MacArthur is authorized to lead troops in to
fight for the Republic of Korea
• United Nations sends troops in with MacArthur as well, and a resolution is
passed to occupy all of North Korea
• September 13, 1950 at 6:33 Am: United Nations and American troops arrive
at Inchon
Korean War
• Chinese forces supply and reinforce North Korea, lead the charge to
recapturing Seoul, triggering UN Counteroffensive
• MacArthur dismissed over dispute on how to manage the Cold War
(MacArthur wanted nuclear warfare)
• United Nations and Chinese/Korean forces fight back and forth, with no
real progress made until a Cease-Fire in 1951 declares the 38th Parallel the
line of Demarcation and Cease-Fire
The Warsaw Pact
• Eastern European Mutual Defense Alliance, this served as a legitimization of
Soviet Forces in several countries, and was a direct response to the formation
of a new West German army
• This was the forge in which the conflicts would grow, now with a solidified
alliance, NATO, and the Warsaw Pact, would square off against each other
politically countless times, trying to secure governments for their ideals