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Explore the origins of the Cold War in post-war Europe, the clash between former allies, and the tensions between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. Discover the key events, such as the Potsdam Conference, the Truman Doctrine, and the Marshall Plan, that shaped the conflict. Learn about the United Nations' role and the establishment of the Cominform. Discover how these events led to the division of Europe and the beginning of the Cold War.
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Origins of the Cold War Former Allies Clash • U.S.-Soviet Relations • U.S., U.S.S.R. have very different economic, political systems • U.S. suspicious of Stalin because he had been Hitler’s ally • Stalin resents that U.S. delayed attacking Germany and hid atom bomb • The United Nations • 1945, United Nations established as new peacekeeping body • UN becomes arena where U.S., U.S.S.R. compete Continued . . . NEXT
continuedFormer Allies Clash • Truman Becomes President • Harry S. Truman succeeds FDR as president • As vice-president, Truman was not included in policy decisions • - was not told about atom bomb • The Potsdam Conference • July 1945 conference with U.S., Great Britain, Soviet Union • Stalin does not allow free, multiparty elections in Poland and eastern Europe • - bans democratic parties NEXT
Tension Mounts • Bargaining at Potsdam • Truman becomes convinced that U.S., Soviet aims deeply at odds • Soviets want reparations from Germany; Truman objects • Agree to take reparations mainly from own occupation zones • U.S. emerges from war as great economic power • - wants Eastern European raw materials, markets Continued . . . NEXT
continuedTension Mounts • Soviets Tighten Their Grip on Eastern Europe • Soviet Union also has great economic, military strength • Unlike U.S., Soviet Union suffered heavy devastation on own soil • Installs communist rule in satellite nations, countries it dominates • 1946, Stalin announces war between communism, capitalism inevitable • United States Establishes a Policy of • Containment • U.S. policy of containment—measures to prevent spread of communism (idea developed by George Kennan) • Churchill describes division of Europe as iron curtain NEXT
Cold War in Europe • The Truman Doctrine • 1945–1991 Cold War—conflict between U.S., U.S.S.R. • - neither nation directly confronts the other on battlefield • • Truman Doctrine—support against armed minorities, outsiders • • U.S. replaces British aid to Greece, Turkey; reduce communist threat • The Marshall Plan • 1947, Sec. of State George Marshall proposes aid to nations in need • • Marshall Plan revives 16 nations; Soviets force satellites to refuse aid NEXT
At the beginning of 1946, Truman decided that he was "tired of babysitting the Soviets who understand only an iron fist and strong language." Stalin responded in February with a speech stressing the basic incompatibility between Soviet communism and western democracy, thus inaugurating a new hard line policy. Truman’s“Iron Fist”Policy
Truman Doctrine [1947] • Civil War in Greece. • Turkey under pressure from the USSR for concessions in the Dardanelles. • The U. S. should support free peoples throughout the world who were resisting takeovers by armed minorities or outside pressures…We must assist free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way. • The U.S. gave Greece & Turkey $400 million in aid.
In 1947, US Secretary of State Marshall announced the Marshall Plan. This was a massive economic aid plan for Europe to help it recover from the damage caused by the war. There were two motives for this: -Helping Europe to recover economically would provide markets for American goods, so benefiting American industry.-A prosperous Europe would be better able to resist the spread of communism. This was probably the main motive. Marshall Plan
The Cominform (Communist Information Bureau) is the common name for what was officially referred to as the Information Bureau of the Communist and Workers' Parties. It was the first official forum of the international communist movement since the dissolution of the Comintern, and confirmed the new realities after World War II - including the creation of an Eastern Bloc. • Founded in September, 1947 at a conference of Communist party leaders. The Soviet leader Joseph Stalin called the conference in response to divergences among the eastern European governments on whether or not to attend the Paris Conference on Marshall Aid in July 1947. • The intended purpose of the Cominform was to coordinate actions between Communist parties under Soviet direction. As a result, the Cominform acted as a tool of Soviet foreign policy and Stalinism.
Stalin saw the Plan as a significant threat to Soviet control of Eastern Europe and believed that economic integration with the West would allow these countries to escape Soviet guidance. The Americans shared this view and hoped that economic aid could counter the growing Soviet influence. They were not too surprised, therefore, when the Czechoslovakian and Polish delegations were prevented from attending the Paris meeting. The other Eastern European states immediately rejected the offer. Finland also declined in order to avoid antagonizing the Soviets. The Soviet Union's "alternative" to the Marshall plan, which was purported to involve Soviet subsidies and trade with eastern Europe, became known as the Molotov Plan, and later, the COMECON.
The World Bank Group is a group of five international organizations responsible for providing finance and advice to countries for the purposes of economic development and eliminating poverty. The Bank came into formal existence on 12/27/45 following international ratification of the Bretton Woods agreements, where the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference that led to their establishment took place (July, 1944). Commencing operations in June, 1945.
Germany remained divided as East and West (Bonn) Germany Berlin also remains divided Division of Germany
Iron Curtain – A term used by Winston Churchill to describe the separating of Those communist lands of East Europe from the West. Divided Germany
The Dilemma • 3 ½ million Berliners lived 110 miles from the E/W line • Ernest Bevin wanted to develop a strong, non-threatening, democratic Germany to help preserve security for the rest of Europe • Stalin preferred four ‘weak’ sectors, a neutralized Germany, and he wanted Berlin
The introduction to the D-Mark • The allies issued currency reform in the West to control the black market and to tie Germany to the West (Russians not told) • The Soviets Unsuccessfully issued their own money to include all of Berlin (D-Mark worth more) • End of June Soviets ‘blocked’ Berlin
Superpowers Struggle over Germany The Berlin Airlift • 1948, Stalin closes highway, rail routes into West Berlin • Berlin airlift—Britain, U.S. fly food, supplies into West Berlin • 1949, Stalin lifts blockade • Federal Republic of Germany, German Democratic Republic form NEXT
The Blockade • Soviets blocked food and coal imports to W.Berlin and electricity cut off • The US contemplated an armed convoy (counter blockade) – went with airlift “Operation Vittles”
US airlifted and dropped food and supplies to work gangs who unloaded and delivered B29 Bombers moved into GB (show force) Successful despite accidents and weather Soviets suffered from the blockade as well (coal, steel, machine tools) Soviets harassed W. Berliners Led to talks/possible negotiation US Strategy and Soviet Response
E & W Berliners were unified under harsh conditions, but the city was splitting apart Communist activists took to the streets aiming to break up council Heavy propaganda on both sides (radio) West more effective with theme of dependability and entertainment! 300,000+ protested outside the Reichstag to end blockade, promote freedom & democracy Impact on Berliners
Nearing the End • In December of 1948, W.Berliners voted for a new council to run their ½ of city (Socialist Unity Party boycotted) • Easter Sunday 1949, 13,000 tons airlifted in 24 hours, a single day record and proved the allies could sustain this effort • Stalin ended Blockade May 12, 1949 – it was hurting the Soviet Zone
Results • Further division of Europe and Germany • NATO – April/May of 1949, to uphold security of W.Europe and Americas • August 1949, Soviets explode 1st A-bomb
The National Security Act of July 26, 1947, created the National Security Council under the chairmanship of the President, with the Secretaries of State and Defense as its key members, to coordinate foreign policy and defense policy, and to reconcile diplomatic and military commitments and requirements. This major legislation also provided for a Secretary of Defense, a National Military Establishment, Central Intelligence Agency, and National Security Resources Board.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (1949) • United States • Belgium • Britain • Canada • Denmark • France • Iceland • Italy • Luxemburg • Netherlands • Norway • Portugal • 1952: Greece & Turkey • 1955: West Germany • 1983: Spain
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed as a defensive alliance among the United States and western European countries to prevent a Soviet invasion of Western Europe. Soviet allies in Eastern Europe formed the WarsawPact and for nearly 50 years both sides maintained large military forces facing each other in Europe.
The NATO Alliance • Fear of Soviets leads to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 1949 • European nations, U.S., Canada pledge mutual military support • Soviets respond with Warsaw Pact, 1955
Frustrated, Washington found meaning in a crucial document known as the "Long Telegram." In 1946, the Soviet expert George Kennan, sent an 8000 word telegram to Washington from Moscow. Kennan was a foreign service officer who new Russia well. He understood their history, their culture and their language. Kennan explained the communist mentality in the following way. The Soviet's hostility to the west is rooted in the need to legitimize their bloody dictatorship -- they must therefore believe in the inevitable triumph of communism over the beast capitalism. The Soviets, Kennan continued, would exploit every opportunity to extend their system and therefore could not and would not be converted to a policy of harmony and cooperation.
to undermine the general and strategic potential of major western powers by a host of subversive measures to destroy individual governments that might stand in the Soviet path, to do everything possible to set the major Western powers against each other. According to Kennan, Russia's policy was:
Warsaw Pact • Alliance of Eastern European countries
Cold War Conflicts The Cold War and the danger of nuclear war define international affairs, especially after the Korean War. Fear of communism in the U.S. leads to accusations against innocent citizens. British prime minister Winston Churchill, U.S. president Harry S. Truman, and Soviet premier and supreme commander Joseph Stalin pose during their meeting at the Potsdam Conference in Germany (July 1945). NEXT
The Cold War Heats Up After World War II, China becomes a communist nation and Korea is split into a communist north and a democratic south. NEXT
From Revolution to Reformation Communist China
Why China? • China has often represented the opposite in all things “Western” including culture, traditions, government, and the fact that it is literally on the opposite side of the world from the U.S. Did your mom ever tell you if you dig a hole deep enough, you will end up in China? • China has one of the longest and most complex histories in all of human history. • Rich in cultural beliefs, writings, and traditions, China is a place of mystery and curiosity for Western cultures. • China is the 4th largest country (Russia, Canada, U.S.) based on land mass and the largest country based on human population in the WORLD.
Ancient History • China has a long dynastic history much like Russia. • From 2100 BCE- 221 BCE China was ruled by the Zhou Dynasty or the Han Chinese. • Various powerful clans controlled various regions as “Overlords” for thousands of years
Imperial China • Beginning with the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC, China shifted to an Imperial culture under an Emperor. • Power was solidified into the elite class with a serfdom system developing. • This is similar to the rise of Tsars under the Romanov’s in Russia and the ruling elite.
Chinese Revolution 1860, Chinese Pie: China is being carved up by European powers European influences spread into the Chinese region as the world grew smaller through Industrialization and Imperialism throughout the 1800’s. As British Imperialism spread into China to utilize the Opium markets, the Chinese Dynastic government attempted to block British industry leading to the Opium Wars of the 1860’s. The result of the Opium wars was Hong Kong falling to Britain, and a series of internal Civil Wars developing for control of Chinese trade and resources.
Modern China • Mirroring Europe, the spread of ideas swept through China leading to a series of rebellions and revolutions in various regions of China. • Some rebellions focused on religious differences as Christianity grew and conflicted with Imperial dominance and traditional Buddhist ideology. • Other revolutions revolved around social and political demands as power shifted from regional clans to Imperial leaders to a proletariat perspective. • Political ideas from Europe were encroaching on Chinese traditionalism: • Marxism, Capitalism, Democracy.
1st Significant Rebellion!Boxer Rebellion • By the 1900’s, China experienced excessive foreign influence from different countries. • Many Chinese citizens were unhappy with the foreign influence, trade, and perceived corruption of the Chinese Imperial government. • United Kingdom • France • Germany • Italy • Austria-Hungary • Spain • Belgium • The Netherlands • The United States • Russia • and Japan