Transcript Chapter 17, Section 1

Chapter 25:
The Cold War
Section 1
A. An Iron Curtain Starts to Fall
2 SUPERPOWERS REMAIN
• Following WWII, the U.S. and USSR emerged as the
world’s two most powerful nations
• US- Democratic and Capitalist
• SOVIET UNION- Dictatorship and Communist
Roots of the Cold War
• Philosophical differences between the Soviet
Union and the United States reached back to the
1920s.
Philosophical
Differences • Soviet Union: communism, totalitarian
dictatorship
• United States: free-enterprise capitalism, republic
• Allies during the war, but not truly friends
World War II • Soviets wanted British and Americans to open a
second European front earlier in the war.
Conflicts
• U.S. atomic bomb plans worried Soviet Union.
Postwar
Conflicts
• The Soviet Union refused to let Eastern Europe
hold elections as promised at Yalta.
• The United States resisted Soviet expansion.
1. An Uneasy Alliance
• Both sides distrusted one
another
• Stalin believed we did not
help Soviet Union enough
during WWII
• US feared the spread of
communism around the
world and in the USA
B.
Turning Point at Yalta
“THE BIG 3”
• GOALS OF THE YALTA CONFERENCE
– US- Spread democracy, capitalism, free trade
– SOVIET UNION- Spread communism around
world and secure Eastern Europe
– BRITAIN- Keep the British Empire together
YALTA AGREEMENT
1. GERMANY WOULD BE DIVIDED INTO FOUR
ZONES EACH TO BE OCCUPIED BY ONE OF
THE ALLIES: U.S., BRITAIN, FRANCE, AND
SOVIETS
2. BERLIN WOULD BE DIVIDED INTO FOUR
ZONES AND OCCUPIED BY U.S., BRITAIN,
FRANCE, AND SOVIETS
3. THERE WOULD BE FREE ELECTIONS IN THE
EASTERN EUROPEAN NATIONS THAT WERE
OCCUPIED BY THE SOVIETS
4. SET UP AN INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING
ORGANIZATION - UNITED NATIONS FORMED
2. Control in Eastern Europe
• After the War, the Soviet Union
controlled all of Eastern Europe and
promised “free elections”
• The US and Britain did not like this,but
the only way to stop them would be
WAR. Nobody wanted more war
The Iron Curtain Falls on Europe
The Main Idea
At the end of World War II, tensions between the Soviet
Union and the United States deepened, leading to an era
known as the Cold War.
Reading Focus
• What were the roots of the Cold War?
• What was the Iron Curtain?
• How did the United States respond to Soviet actions in Europe?
• What was the crisis in Berlin in the late 1940s, and how was it
resolved?
The Iron Curtain
•
Stalin wanted to retain political and economic control over Eastern Europe.
•
The Soviets managed to install Communist governments throughout
Eastern Europe.
– Stalin outlawed political parties or newspapers that opposed the Communists.
– The Soviets jailed or killed some political opponents.
– The Soviets rigged elections to ensure the success of Communists.
•
Yugoslavia was the one Eastern European nation that was not under the
direct control of Stalin and the Soviet Union.
– Josip Broz Tito, a Communist, refused to take orders from the Soviet Union.
•
The Soviet Union relocated Germans living in Poland and other countries
of Eastern Europe.
THE IRON CURTAIN
• Term created by
Winston Churchill
• WEST SIDE of “iron
curtain”=free
world=capitalism
• EAST SIDE =
communist=soviet
controlled=
dictatorships
The Iron Curtain
Western Views of the Iron Curtain
• Winston Churchill attacked the Soviet Union for creating an
Iron Curtain.
• The term reflected Churchill’s belief that communism had
created a sharp division in Europe.
• Harry S Truman urged his secretary of state to get tough with
the Soviets.
Soviet Views of the Iron Curtain
• Stalin believed that the Iron Curtain was necessary to protect
the Soviet Union from western attacks.
• Stalin used Churchill’s words to help persuade his people that
the United States and Great Britain were their enemies.
• He also used this as an excuse to rebuild the military.
END OF WWII - SOVIET ARMIES OCCUPIED EASTERN EUROPE
SOVIETS BREAK THEIR PROMISE TO ALLOW
FREE ELECTIONS IN EASTERN RUROPE
BERLIN
GERMANY
YALTA
INSTEAD THE SOVIETS FORCE COMMUNIST GOVERNMENTS
ON THE NATIONS THEY OCCUPIED
GERMANY
YALTA
C. Truman Comes to Power
• Truman served only
12 weeks as Vice
President before
FDR’s death
• 4/12/45: Harry
Truman became the
35th President of the
United States
1. Relationships Cool
• Truman was blunt and impatient with the Soviets; took a
hardline
• Truman blasted Soviet Prime Minister V.M. Molotov for
violating the Yalta agreements… tensions grew
The “new” big 3
2. Meetings at Potsdam
• 7/1945: The new “Big Three” met in Potsdam, Germany (still
at war with Japan)
• Because Truman received info about the bomb at Potsdam,
he became less willing to work with Stalin
• Germany was demilitarized and divided and war reparations
were outlined
CONTAINMENT
3. The Idea of Containment
• CONTAINMENT- Policy of not letting communism
expand. Stopping the spread of Soviet/commie
influence
Crisis in Berlin
•
With the start of the Cold War, it became clear that the Soviets planned to
keep their German zone under Communist control.
•
The British, Americans, and French began to take steps to set up a free,
democratic government within their German zones.
– The western zone eventually became known as the Federal Republic
of Germany, or West Germany.
•
The British, Americans, and French also tried to set up a democratic
government in West Berlin.
– The Soviets were not happy with the idea of a Western-style
government and economy in the middle of the Soviet zone of
occupation.
The Crisis in Berlin
Soviets Bloc Traffic
The Berlin Airlift
• In June 1948 the
Soviets announced
that they would
block any road, rail,
or river traffic into
West Berlin.
• British and
American planes
began making
deliveries to West
Berlin.
• West Berlin’s
residents were cut
off from food, coal,
and other products.
• West Berlin was not
completely cutoff
because it had
airstrips.
NATO Forms
• In 1949 the U.S. and
6 other nations joined
Belgium, France,
Luxembourg, the
Netherlands, and the
U.K. to form NATO.
• The Berlin Airlift
continued for
• An armed attack
months and
against one would be
months.
considered an attack
• Finally, the Soviet
Union lifted its
blockade on May
12, 1949.
against all.
• Today, 26 countries
belong to NATO.
3. The Idea of
Containment
• Stalin declared
Capitalism and
Communism would
inevitably clash
• U.S. diplomat George
Kennan advised patient,
but firm containment of
the USSR to maintain
security
PAY THEM OFF!
1. The Truman Doctrine
• Truman says U.S. must support the free world; wanted
$400 million for Turkey and Greece
• The Truman Doctrine (involvement, containment)
dominated U.S. policy for over 20 years
D. The Marshall Plan
2. The Marshall Plan
• 6/1947: Sec. State
George Marshall
proposed a plan to
rebuild Europe, help
containment
• An extremely poor
Europe hurt U.S.
trade and the poor
might turn to
Communism...
D. Cold War is Declared
2. The Marshall Plan
• U.S. lent $17 billion in 5
years to 16 countries;
West European
production increased
64%
• The U.S. lent money if it
was spent on American
goods; USSR declined
aid, seized
Czechoslovakia
How did the United States respond to Soviet actions in
Europe?
Containment
• George F.
Kennan created a
policy known as
containment.
• This policy stated
that the United
States should
resist Soviet
attempts to
expand its power.
• Containment
included economic
aid, sanctions, and
military force.
Truman Doctrine
• Said that the
United States
would help people
fight against
oppressors
• Truman wanted to
send aid to Greece
and Turkey to help
them fight Soviet
pressure.
• Congress agreed to
send millions of
dollars to Greece
and Turkey.
Marshall Plan
• An aid program to
rebuild the
economies of
European countries
to create stable
conditions for
democracies
• 17 countries
received $13.4
billion dollars in aid.
• Helped build strong
political support in
Western Europe
Building a Better World
•
People had a strong desire to understand and prevent the causes of war after
World Wars I and II.
•
One result was the establishment of the United Nations (UN).
– 50 nations met in June 1945 to create the UN Charter.
– The Charter committed its members to respect fundamental human rights,
respect treaties and agreements, and to promote the progress and freedom of
all people.
– Member nations agreed to live in peace.
– The Charter called for the use of international organizations to promote
economic and social advancement
– ENFORCEMENT OF RULES IS A PROBLEM (UN HAS NO MILITARY)
– 5 NATIONS GET A VETO (HARD TO PASS ANY REGULATIONS)