The Cold War Begins

1. Chapter 29, Section 1 The Cold War Begins

2. The Problems of Peace • Potsdam Conference (May 1945) • Germany split into 4 zones of occupation • Berlin (in Soviet zone) split into 4 zones of occupation • Eliminate all traces of Nazism by trying Nazis for war crimes at the Nuremberg Trials • Reparations from Germany for war damage, most of which went to the Soviets

4. The Problems of Peace • Disagreed about what to do about E. Europe • Soviets wanted friendly, communist gov’ts to create a buffer zone against another attack • US and UK wanted free elections • Stalin promised to allow free elections • Soviet armies occupied E. Europe meaning Stalin could do what he wanted there despite his promise

5. The Conflict Worsens • Cold War: era of tension and hostility between the Western democracies and the Eastern communists • Stalin reneged on his promise of free elections • Stalin refused to withdraw Soviet troops from independent foreign countries • Both sides believed war was coming soon • Churchill described this sharp division of Europe as the “Iron Curtain”

7. The Conflict Worsens • The Allies respond with the Truman Doctrine • Pledge to provide economic and military aid to oppose the spread of communism • 1st example of its use was the Marshall Plan • Provided $13 billion to help rebuild Europe • Created political stability for countries in danger of falling to communism • Mainly helped England and France, but helped many countries in Europe • Offered to include communist countries in E. Europe knowing Stalin would make them refuse

9. Cold War Confrontations • Truman Plan followed the Policy of Containment • Resisting Soviet aggression in order to contain the spread of communism but not attacking it • Berlin: • Allied part of Berlin was an island of democracy in a sea of communism (it threatened Stalin) • Stalin cut off all supply routes to starve the city into surrender. Berlin Blockade • Allies answered with the Berlin Airlift, flying in supplies on planes landing every 30 seconds

11. Cold War Confrontations • To create a unified resistance against communism, Western Europe, the US, and Canada formed NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) • The Soviets formed a communist equivalent called the Warsaw Pact

12. PLUS US & CANADA

13. Cold War Confrontations • Korea: • Japan lost Korea to the Allies after WWII • Soviets and Americans split thepeninsula at 38⁰ N • Soviets create a communist gov’tin north, US creates ananti-communist gov’t in south • North attacks South to unify thethe country under communism

14. Cold War Confrontations • Korea (continued): • US gets UN to send an army to defend the South (most soldiers are American) • South almost completely conquered except for city of Pusan until the US invades at Inchon • US pushed all the way to the Chinese border before the Chinese join pushing back the US • After 3 years of stalemate near the old border both sides sign an armistice (agreement to stop fighting; neither side has ever signed a peace treaty)

15. Sept. 1950 Nov. 1950-1953 Progress of the Korean War Oct. 1950