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1945-1991. The Cold War. Yalta Conference- Feb 1945. Agreed on Poland & E. Europe, Germany, War in Asia and UN Stalin promised “provisional democracies” Free elections self-determination. Potsdam July 1945. Demilitarization of Germany Reconstruction of Nazi Germany
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1945-1991 The Cold War
Yalta Conference- Feb 1945 • Agreed on Poland & E. Europe, Germany, War in Asia and UN • Stalin promised “provisional democracies” • Free elections • self-determination
Potsdam July 1945 • Demilitarization of Germany • Reconstruction of Nazi Germany • Terms of Japanese surrender
United Nations • created to maintain international peace and security and encourage cooperative solutions to international social, economic and cultural problems • 5 permanent members • US, USSR, China, GB, France • General Assembly • All member states had = vote • Security Council • Preserve peace; US, USSR, GB, France and China + 10 rotating
IMF/World Bank/EC • IMF- International Monetary Fund (Dec 45) • Overseas global financial system • Loans to poorer nations, stabilizes currency and exchange rates • World Bank (1944) • Developed to loan $ for reconstruction • Continues to loan $ for reconstruction of poorer nations • Economic Community (1957) • an international organization created with a view to bring about economic integration; inner 6 and outer 7 nations
Construction of Berlin Wall • Erected in August 1961 by East Germans to stop defection into West Berlin • 1945-1961: 3.5 million East Germans escaped • 1961-1989: 5000+ attempts, estimated 100-200 killed trying…number of successful escapes unknown • East Germans called the wall the “Anti-Fascist Protection Wall”
De-Stalinization 1953 • Lead by Khrushchev • Process of eliminating cult like persona of Stalin after his death • Propagandized end to forced labor • Condemned Stalin’s dictatorial power
Soviet Repression in Hungary • Hungarian Revolution-1956 • Hungarians revolt against Soviet Puppet government • Nov 4-10, 1956: 2500 Hungarians killed by soviet troops • Hungarian discussion of this was suppressed until 1989
Mikhail Gorbachev • Premier of USSR 1983-91 • Worked with President Reagan to open up USSR to “glasnost” (freedom of speech) and “perestroika” (capitalism) • Eventually lost support of Communist Party and resigned after Communist Party’s failed coup in 1991
Charles De Gaulle • French General in WWII and led French Resistance efforts from GB • Names PM in 1946- later resigned due to political conflicts • Fourth Republic • President ceremonial position • Social welfare a priority • Plagued with instability • Indecisive on decolonization • Possible coup in 1958 • Later voted PM in 1958 during crisis and lead Fifth Republic as President of France- strengthened executive branch