Origins of the Cold War

1. Origins of the Cold War Chapter 26 Section 1

2. I Former Allies Clash • Problems between the US and SU have been building during & after the war • Their ECONOMIC & POLITICAL systems were incompatible Soviet Union (Communism) • State controlled all property & economic activity • Coup d'état & established totalitarian gov’t • No opposing parties were allowed to exist • Resented the US for not recognizing their Com. Gov’t until 16 yrs. after rev.

3. United States (Capitalism) • Private citizens control property & economic activity • US resented Stalin for signing the nonaggression pact w/ Hitler • Problems worsen when SU finds the US kept dev. Of atomic bomb secret from them • Despite probs. Hopes for peace were high • Evidence in establishing UN • UN developed for peace but both the US & SU used it as a forum to spread their influence over other nations

4. B. Truman Becomes President & Meets Stalin in Potsdam • Key figure in early years of the Cold War = President Harry S. Truman • Unprepared for responsibilities of national & world leadership • Yalta Conf.SU promises to allow free elections in his terr. After the war • After war SU prevent free elections in Poland and banning Dem. Parties • PotsdamTruman pushing Stalin for free elections but he doesn’t budge & west could do little since SU mil. Occupied the eastern European countries

5. II Tension Mounts • Stalin’s refusal to allow free election in Poland convinces Truman the US & SU aims were at odds • Truman's objective was to spread Dem. To European countries that had been under Nazi rule • Truman believed best way to avoid WWIII was to create a new world order to guarantee right to self determination via free elections • US, unlike Europe, had no war-torn factories & boomed during wartimelargest econ power after war • US wanted access to raw mat. In Europe & to sell goods to Eastern European countries

6. A. Soviets Tighten Their Grip on Eastern Europe • Soviets felt vulnerable to western attack after the war so they surrounded themselves with communist countries they could control • Puppet gov’ts in Czech, Hungary, Romania, & Poland • Knows as Satellite nations= countries dependent upon and dominated by the SU • Seized industrial assets of satellite nations to rebuild SU • Speech that states Communism & Capitalism are incompatible & that another war was inevitableSU focus on producing weapons rather than consumer goods

7. B. US Establishes a Policy of Containment • Amer. Diplomat in Moscow proposes a policy of containment • Block Soviet attempts to spread their influence by creating alliances & supporting weaker countriesguided Truman’s foreign policy • Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” Speech • Stalin views as “call to war”

8. III Cold War in Europe • Cold War= the state of hostility, short of direct military action, that developed between the US & the soviet Union over differences of political ideology • Dominated global affairs until the disunion of the SU in 1991 • US & SU tried to spread their influenceCold War spread to Asia, Africa, & Latin Amer.

9. A. The Controversial Truman Doctrine • US 1st tries to contain SU influence in Greece & Turkey • GB sends monetary aid to prevent communist takeovers • Can no longer support themasks US to take over • Truman Doctrine= speech asking congress for $400 mil. In aid for Greece & Turkey • Congress agreed and sent that aid to Greece & Turkey

10. B. Marshall Plan to the Rescue • Western Europe was in econ. Chaos after the war • War-torn Europe left ppl w/o jobs & homeseuro gov’ts not knowing how to relocate refugees • Harsh winter made matters worsedamaged crops, fuels shortage, food rations • Marshal Plan= US should provide aid to all European nations that needed It if they remove trade barriers and cooperate w/ each other economically • Soviets invade Czechosovakiacongress approves Marshall Plan

11. Marshall plan = huge economic & political success • Industry grewcommunist parties loose their appeal to voters

12. IV Superpowers Struggle over Germany • As Europe bounces back the US & SU clash over Germany’s re-unification • Germany divided into 4 after WWII • Allied powers wanted to unite Germany to make it more stable • SU wanted to keep Germany divided and weak • Allies unite the 3 western zones into one nation

13. A. The Berlin Airlift • 3 western zones uniteSU holding W berlin hostage • SU cut off all highway, water, RR to W half of Berlinstarvation in city • American and GB officials respond w/ the Berlin Airlift to break blockade • Fly food and supplies into W Berlinrise in American prestige and decline in Soviet prestige • SU realized it was beat and lifted the blockade • Voters in 3 W zones approve constitutionFederal Republic of Germany AKA West Germany • Soviet zone German Democratic Republic AKA East Germany

14. B. Peacetime Alliance- NATO • Berlin blockade increased western euro fear of soviet aggressionNATO • Defensive military alliance in which all member nations promise that an attack on one would be regarded as an attack on all and would resist w/ armed force if necessary • Some disagreed stating it would stimulate an arms race and lead to American mil aid to Europe • Congress passes bill1ST time US enters peace time alliance w/ other nations • COLD WAR ENDS US POLICY OF ISOLATIONISM