The Cold War Begins

1. The Cold War Begins 1945 – 1953: The Iron Curtain Falls on Europe

2. What is Europe like Post – WWII?

3. The US Post-WWII • 400,000 dead but the US did win because mainland untouched and economy still strong

4. Soviet Union Post - WWII • 50 times the fatalities of the US • 25% of the Soviets are killed or wounded • Cities and Economy destroyed

5. Underlying Mistrust • USSR fears West • After WWI – western aid to Whites (1918-1921) • US Red Scare • During WWII • West was slow to open 2nd Front • Potsdam US soldier at guard tower in Northern Russia. Aiding Tsar.

6. Soviet Goals • Terrified of Germany • 30,000,000 dead Soviets in 2 world wars • Needs security • Satellite states • Comintern • USSR wants communist HEGEMONY - leadership or dominance, esp. by one country or social group over another

7. Pre Cold War Rivalry • US fears Soviet motives • Capitalist Democracies vs. Communism • Role of the Comintern

8. US Goals • Tired of Euro Wars • Want democracy and capitalism because • Capitalistic democracies don’t fight each other • Self-interest ($) • Bring blessings of liberty to the oppressed • US capitalist plot • US wanted to prop up the European countries and Soviet Union saw this as a ploy to draw the Eastern European nations into the American sphere

9. The Tensions Escalate • Yalta • US wants free elections for Europe, Russia needs buffer • The German Question • US wants strong democracy • USSR wants communist control

10. Churchill’s Back • Churchill sees Stalin as a threat as Germany is falling in 1945 • FDR disagrees with him and sees Stalin as a friend and ally

11. 1942 – FDR wrote to Churchill • “I know you will not mind my being brutally frank when I tell you that I think I can personally handle Stalin better than either your Foreign Office or my State Department. Stalin hates the guts of all your top people. He thinks he likes me better and I hope he will continue to do so.”

12. Changing of the Guard • FDR dies in April 1945 • Harry Truman takes over • Agrees with Churchill’s views on Stalin

13. Stalin Destroys the Yalta Agreement • Yalta called for elections in freed European states • With FDR dead, Stalin pressed for control • Angered Truman and Churchill

14. Soviets Begin to Expand • Feeling threatened by Germany and provoked by US • Russia takes control of Poland, Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, eastern Germany, Finland, Yugoslavia, Baltics

15. Acquisition of Satellite States

16. Misunderstood Motives? • US sees Soviet land grabs as offensive, not defensive • Soviet sees US trying to isolate them from the world

17. Stalin Pushing the Limits • 1946 – with the new satellite states, Stalin predicts complete communist victory in the world • Cominform used to carry out new plans • New Comintern

18. The Iron Curtain Falls

20. George Kennan and the “X Letter” • American diplomat in Moscow and leading authority on Russia sends letter signed “X” to US intelligence • Warned US that it could NOTco-exist with USSR • Only option: CONTAINMENT – policy of keeping communism contained within its existing borders • USSR would only expand without serious risks, i.e. – did not want to fight war with US

21. Greece and Turkey trouble • Stalin wants Greece and Turkey to free Black Sea Fleet • Civil War in Greece (between Communists and the Greek gov’t) a chance to expand south • Britain was in occupation of these lands but didn’t have the funds to support it • Stalin demanded military bases in the Turkish Straits, an area of sea belonging to Turkey

22. Truman’s solution • The Truman Doctrine 1947 • Says US will support free people trying to resist subjugation • Gives $400,000,000 to save Greece and Turkey • Paves the way for military options • “In addition to funds, I ask the Congress to authorize the detail of American civilian and military personnel to Greece and Turkey, at the request of those countries...” • What is the US getting into? • Stalin will refrain from giving aid to Greece and forced Yugoslavia to do the same

23. The Marshall Plan 1948 • Communism becoming increasingly popular • George Marshall developed a plan to give $13,000,000,000 • Food, loans, fuel to heat homes, machinery • Was also offered to satellite states in Eastern Europe • Stalin refused to let them take it • Czechoslovakia wanted to take it but USSR seizure ended the funds

24. Comecon – the soviet response • Marshall Plan seen as plan to split satellite states • Yugoslavia took US aid • Poland and Czechoslovakia tried but were forced to refuse the aid • Stalin introduces Comecon, a Soviet Marshall Plan • Originally called the Molotov Plan • An economic organization under the leadership of the Soviet Union

25. The German Question • Germany divided at Potsdam Conference • Lands owned by Britain, US, France are combined into W. Germany • Major problem: Berlin

26. The Berlin Crisis: June 1948 • “Bone in the Throat” – freedom and prosperity vs. control and hard living • Soviets cut railway, water, and road access to W. Berlin • Believed without W aid, W. Berlin would fall to the Soviets • Desired to keep currency the same and the German economy weak • US responds with 11 months with 24 hour flights

27. Known as the Berlin Airlift (1948-1949)

28. NATO, 1949 • North Atlantic Treaty Organization – military alliance to counter Soviet expansion • All for One, One for All • COLLECTIVE SECURITY – principle of mutual military assistance

29. The Warsaw Pact, 1955 • Soviet response to NATO • Agreed on paper not to interfere with another’s internal affairs • Really Soviet Union? • Only Yugoslavia was not a member of the pact