The most important question of 1945 was…

1. The most important question of 1945 was… What should be done after the war?

2. The Big Three(the first time around, in Yalta) USA: Franklin D. Roosevelt UK: Winston Churchill USSR: Josef Stalin Yalta Conference, Feb. 4-11, 1945

3. The Big Three(the second time around, in Potsdam) USA: Harry S. Truman UK: Clement Atlee USSR: Josef Stalin Potsdam Conference, Jul. 17 – Aug 2, 1945

4. What did they decide? • The Big Three agreed that Germany should be divided into 4 occupation zones after the war, overseen by the US, UK, France, and the USSR • The United Nations was created • Tried to avoid the problems of the League of Nations • The US joined and they agreed to establish the UN Security Council, which could use force against an aggressor

5. The “Iron Curtain” Speech • Given by Winston Churchill in 1946 • Proclaimed that the world was then ideologicallydivided into two opposing camps: Democratic (the West) and Communist (the East)

6. Truman Doctrine (1947) • The US must take responsibility for defending “free peoples” throughout the world • Designed to contain communism by giving economic and military aid to countries resisting its spread • 1st countries: Greece and Turkey • Why so significant?

7. Containment • Truman Policy based on: Containment Policy • George F. Keenan • The policy of the US towards the USSR • Firm resistance to Soviet aggression to prevent its spread in the hope the system would eventually change from within

8. Marshall Plan (1947) • European Recovery Program • Written by George C. Marshall • Plan to rebuild and strengthen the European economies destroyed by WWII Map of Cold-War era Europe and the Near East showing countries that received Marshall Plan aid. The red columns show the relative amount of total aid per nation.

9. Molotov Plan (1947) • USSR rejected the US plan put forth by Marshall • Created Molotov Plan in response • Plan to rebuild Eastern European nations’ postwar economies

10. But, what about Germany? • Germany was once again blamed for the war • Nuremberg Trials, 1945-1949 • Presided by Allied Powers: 22 Nazi leaders were tried for war crimes; 12 sentenced to death • To prevent their ability to strengthen themselves, Germany was divided into 4 zones • Basically, the democratic US, UK, and France against the communist USSR • The capitol, Berlin, was also divided into four zones

11. A divided Germany Berlin, Germany

12. The Problem • When the western powers decided to unite their regions, the USSR felt threatened • In response, the USSR stopped all rail and street access by the American, Brits, or French to West Berlin; they even cut off the electricity to some regions of West Berlin • Blockade of Berlin: 1st act of the Cold War • Without access to the outside, how would the West Berliners survive?

13. The Solution: The Berlin Airlift

14. 1 1949: A Busy Year 3 4 2

15. Arms Race • Around 1950, the Soviet Union successfully tested their first atomic bomb • Began the arms race – a “race” between the US and USSR to stockpile the most atomic bombs • Mutual Assured Destruction: the belief that the best way to prevent total nuclear destruction is for both sides to have access to nuclear weapons • Huh? How does that work? • By knowing that you and your enemy have an equal ability to wipe each other out, nobody will make the first strike

16. China • Communists win the Chinese Civil War and take over the country in 1949 • Mao Zedong • Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek) and the Nationalist Party flee to Taiwan

17. NATO • North Atlantic Treaty Organization • Formed on April 4, 1949 • An alliance of nations stating that an “attack against one… shall be considered an attack against them all” • Original members were: US, Canada, Britain, France, Iceland, Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Italy

18. Climate of Fear • Fearful of a communist takeover and the constant threat of an nuclear war, American society was consumed with a “climate of fear” • Came to be known as the Red Scare • Watch: Duck and Cover

19. Korean War (1950-53) • North Korea invades South Korea to establish a Communist regime • US sends troops to South Korea • Stalemate • DMZ at 38th Parallel • What is the significance?

20. Stalin dies (1953) • Replaced by Nikita Krushchev Warsaw Pact (1955) • Alliance signed by communist countries in response to NATO • With the USSR as leader, member nations pledged to defend each other in case of attack

21. A Series of Crises (1956) • Suez Canal: seized from Britain and France by Nasser of Egypt • British and French forces attack, start Suez War • Hungarians declare independence from USSR on Nov. 1, 1956 • USSR attacked Budapest on Nov. 4

22. Sputnik (1957) A new race is on… the Space Race!

23. Berlin Wall • Problem: East Germans are escaping Soviet control through West Berlin! • On Aug. 17, 1961, construction began on a wall to surround West Berlin • Became the symbol of the Cold War

25. You are the President of the United States, and a spy plane has just brought back this photo from a run over Cuba—what do you do?

26. Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) • The Soviets supplied Cuba (a recent convert to Communism) with missiles that could hit the US • Kennedy and Khrushchev succeed in defusing the situation through letters and a naval blockade • VERY tense moment in the Cold War

28. So, based on all of this information, can you come up with some characteristics of the Cold War?

29. If we finish… Interactive Quizzes: http://www.schoolhistory.co.uk/lessons/coldwar/truman_matchup.html