The USA and USSR become Rivals REVIEW 1.Why are the meetings at Yalta and Potsdam so important in understanding the beginnings of the Cold War? 2.How did the USA try to prevent the spread of Communism?

Starter: True or False? 1.After, WWII Stalin feared Germany becoming strong again. 2.Germany was split into 5 sectors at the end of WW2. 3.Berlin was in the Russian sector. 4.Roosevelt is US president after WWII. 5.The Berlin Blockade leads to war between Russia and the US.

The marshall plan, Berlin Blockade & Airlift May 1948 – April 1949

Marshall Plan: Berlin Airlift CausesDescriptionEffects

The Marshall Plan Western Europe was in chaos –Most factories bombed or looted – Millions living in refugee camps; European governments had to resettle them – Winter of was coldest in centuries –Weather damaged crops & froze rivers; cut off water transportation & caused shortages MARSHALL PLAN: June 1947 – Secretary of State George Marshall proposed that the United States provide aid to all European nations that needed it, saying that this move was directed “not against any country or doctrine but against hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos.” –Over the next 4 years, 16 countries received $13 billion in aid –By 1952, Western Europe was flourishing, and the Communist party had lost much of its appeal

As agreed at Yalta, Germany was divided into 4 different zones. Berlin, the capital of Germany, was in the Soviet Zone, and was also divided into 4 zones.

The French, British and US sectors were like a ‘ window into the West ’ for those living in the Soviet sector. The French, British, and US made sure that their sectors appeared BRILLIANT – shops were full of new consumer goods and people had a high standard of living. Stalin was worried – it was beginning to look like Communism couldn’t give people the life that Capitalism could. Stalin had to act. Remember, Berlin, capital of Germany, had been split into four sections – like the rest of Germany had. However the city was smack in the center of the Russian Zone.

Need 2 reading volunteers 1 to represent West (Truman, Atlee) 1 to represent East (Stalin)

TrumanAttlee We want Germany to recover from war as it is so important for trade in Europe. Without a strong Germany, the rest of the countries in Europe will suffer. Stalin I want a weak Germany because I see them as a threat to myself and my country. They cause nothing but problems and a strong Germany will not be tolerated! (maniacal laughter)

TrumanAttlee We (along with France) are going to join our zones together and create a new and stronger currency to help Germany recover. We need a stronger Germany. Stalin I’m going to take what I can from East Germany’s Industry because I want massive compensation for the 20 million Russians that died. Germany must remain weak. (maniacal laughter)

IMAGINARY MEMO From: STALIN To: MINISTERS IN EAST GERMANY Subject: BERLIN BLOCKADE Dear Comrade, I can no longer tolerate the Allied attempts to strengthen West Germany and the Western part of Berlin. Therefore, I want you to close all roads, canals and railways between the West and West Berlin by 24 th June I want them to give up Berlin or I will starve the people. They only have enough food for 6 weeks. Make sure the job gets done! Stalin.

The crisis begins Stalin planned to force the Western Allies (USA, Britain, & France) out of West Berlin. In June 1948, Stalin blocked all routes in and out of Berlin. Road, rail and canal routes were all cut – all surface transport.

1948: U.S., British & French governments moved to unify their Berlin occupation zones for Marshall Plan aid, to unify and reform the currency, & to organize a separate West German government. In response, since Berlin was in the Soviet occupation zone of Germany, the Soviets cut off all ground access into the Western sector of Berlin. The soviet goal was to force the western powers to abandon their parts of the city. Here, 200 trucks carrying vegetables are stopped by Soviet authorities at their border post.

The response to Stalin’s blockade Consider the position of the Western Allies in June How should they react? Think about the following options and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each. Rank them in order from best to worst option. Option A: Give in to Stalin’s demands – hand over control of West Berlin. This would prevent 2 million people starving. Option B: Invade the Soviet zone – blast through the blockade. This would start an armed conflict, but show Stalin who has most power. Option C: Fly food, fuel and all other supplies into West Berlin. A massive undertaking, requiring much organization and immense cost and we don’t know if it will be successful.

IMAGINARY MEMO From: TRUMAN To: ATTLEE Subject: BERLIN BLOCKADE Dear Attlee, I cannot believe that Stalin is behaving in this way. We have a major problem. We should not invade or use force in Eastern Germany as this would be like attacking the USSR itself. This would start yet another massive war. However, I am determined that we are not going to give up West Berlin. We’re simply going to have to fly supplies in to the people to stop them from starving. Truman.

The Berlin Airlift The choice to fly supplies in was taken. This meant the Western Allies wouldn’t give in to Stalin, but also wouldn’t provoke war. It placed pressure on Stalin – he couldn’t just shoot planes down because he would be the aggressor! Czechoslovakia Poland

The Berlin Airlift lasted from April May 1949 Resources such as coal as well as food was flown to the 2.5 residents of West Berlin USA and GB used flight paths that existed within the agreement made at Yalta. 275,000 flights Planes were tracked in case they strayed out of the agreed flight paths, but dared not shoot them down in case of war. The success of the Berlin AirliftThe success of the Berlin Airlift

In June of 1948, Stalin shut down the power plant which supplied Berlin with electricity. Other power plants under Soviet control delivered little or no electricity either. The Soviet blockade of access routes to West Berlin made it difficult to bring in coal to the power plants or the people. It was almost impossible to heat buildings during the winter, and electrical power was available to private households only from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the afternoon and from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m in the morning. Meals were briefly heated on the stove and then carefully packed into an insulated chest, where they were cooked.

Stalin lifted the blockade in May 1949.

How were the Berliners kept alive? For eleven months food and other supplies were flown into Berlin by British, French and US planes. 275,000 flights carried in 1½ million tons of supplies. At its peak, one plane took off and landed every 3 minutes. The people of West Berlin depended on these flights for everything. In the winter of 1948 they lived on dried potatoes, powdered eggs and cans of meat, with just four hours of electricity per day. The airlift cost over $100 million, together with the lives of 79 servicemen who died in accidents. Was it worth it? Do you think the airlift was justified?

German men and women remove the rubble barricades between the American Sector and the Soviet Sector of Berlin at the end of the Berlin Blockade, May Berlin Blockade - Between April 1948 and May 1949 Josef Stalin, leader of the USSR, imposed a land blockade on supplies from Western Europe to West Berlin. In response the British and American governments organized an enormous airlift to supply food and other essentials to the 2.5 million inhabitants of West Berlin. After a year Stalin conceded defeat and lifted the blockade.

The Berlin Blockade: the Cold War heats up(RESULTS) Cold War got worse as relations between East and West were at their worse point. Germany was split into two separate countries. The West became the Federal Republic of Germany and the East became the German Democratic Republic of Germany. Two military alliances (NATO and the Warsaw Pact) created an Arms Race that would try and out gun one another. (Why is the Berlin Blockade important for understanding the Cold War?)

True or False? 1.After, WWII Stalin feared Germany becoming strong again. 2.Germany was split into 5 sectors at the end of WW2. 3.Berlin was in the Russian sector. 4.Roosevelt is US president after WWII. 5.The Berlin Blockade leads to war between Russia and the US.

The Formation of NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization 10 Western European nations joined with the US and Canada on April 4, 1949 to form a defensive military alliance –members agreed to defend each other if any was attacked –Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Great Britain, United States (Greece & Turkey were admitted in 1952, West Germany in 1955, and Spain in In 1990 the newly unified Germany replaced West Germany as a NATO member. –First time US entered military alliance during peacetime U.S. President Harry S. Truman signing the NATO alliance pact before members of Congress, 1949.

Warsaw Pact (1955) Communist Military Alliance created in response to NATO Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and the USSR – Alliance dissolved