The Cold War

1945—A Critical Year As the end of World War II approached, relations between the Communist Soviet Union and its wartime allies, the United States and Great Britain, grew increasingly tense. At a meeting at Yalta in February, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin agreed on the postwar division of Germany but disagreed on the future of Poland. In April, representatives of 50 countries, including the United States, adopted the charter for the United Nations, an organization dedicated to cooperation in solving international problems.

Organization of the UN General Assembly: Each member nation has one vote. Trusteeship Council: supervises the administration of Trust Territories International Court of Justice: settle legal disputes submitted by member nations Security Council: maintain international peace and security Permanent members have veto power: United States, France, Great Britain, Russia, and China Economic and Social Council: carries out economic, cultural, educational, health and related activities Secretariat: responsible for day-to-day functions of the United Nations

Conflicting Postwar Goals American and Soviet Goals American Goals Wanted conquered European nations to experience the democracy and economic opportunity that the United States had fought for during the war Wanted to develop strong capitalist economies, which would provide good markets for American products Soviet Goals Wanted to rebuild Europe in ways that would help the Soviet Union recover from the huge losses it suffered during the war Wanted to establish Soviet satellite nations, countries subject to Soviet domination and sympathetic to Soviet goals Wanted to promote the spread of communism throughout the world

CCCP Following World War II, Soviet forces occupied much of Eastern and Central Europe and East Germany. Churchill coined the phrase iron curtain to describe the geographic and political divisions between Communist and capitalist nations in Europe.

Germany Following World War II, Germany was divided as follows: West Germany was occupied by United States, Britain, and France until the adoption of a democratic government. East Germany was dominated by the Soviet Union. Berlin was occupied by all four powers. The Berlin Airlift brought supplies to Berlin when the Soviets blockaded routes from West Germany to West Berlin.

Divided Germany Occupation of West Germany ended when they adopted a democratic government; however, United States, British, and French troops remained in West Germany to protect it from Soviet invasion

The Berlin Airlift As part of the postwar division of Germany, the city of Berlin, located in Communist East Germany, was divided into West Berlin (capitalist) and East Berlin (Communist). In June 1948, Stalin banned all shipments to West Berlin through East Germany, creating a blockade which threatened to cut off supplies to the city.

In response, Allied nations began the Berlin airlift, which delivered thousands of tons of food and other supplies to West Berlin via air. Although the Soviet blockade ended in May 1949, Berlin remained a focal point of Cold War conflict.

Containment and the Truman Doctrine The American policy of containment accepted the fact that Eastern Europe was under Communist control, but sought to prevent Communist governments from forming elsewhere in the world. The Truman Doctrine, which applied the principles of containment, stated that the United States would support free peoples who resist attempted conquest. The Truman Doctrine was first applied in the cases of Greece and Turkey.

Japan Following World War II, Japan was occupied by the United States until the adoption of a democratic government. Early proposed division of Japan

The Marshall Plan The United States wanted to help European nations recover from the war and become economically strong democracies. It also wanted to prevent Communists from continuing to gain power in Europe. The Marshall Plan was created in 1947 by U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall as a means to achieve these goals. According to the Marshall Plan, participating nations would design recovery programs and would receive financial aid from the United States. Seventeen Western European nations joined the plan, receiving a total of $13 billion in aid.

The Cold War was an economic and political power struggle from 1945 to 1989 between the democratic ideals of the United States and the communist government of the Soviet Union. United States has a market economy — one that promotes private ownership of the means of production The Soviet Union had a command economy — one in which the government owns the means of production

NATO What was NATO? The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed in April In joining NATO, the United States, Canada, and ten Western European nations pledged to support one another against attack, a principle known as collective security.

Warsaw Pact The Warsaw Pact, an alliance of Soviet and East European countries, was a response to NATO.

CHINA China Falls to the Communists During World War II, competing factions in China had cooperated, but fighting between them resumed towards the end of the war. At first, the United States supported Nationalist leader Jiang Jieshi against Communist Mao Zedong. However, the United States later decided to focus on Western Europe instead. Many Americans viewed Mao Zedong’s creation of a Communist state in China as a failure of Truman’s policies.

Arms Race Throughout the 1950s, the United States and the Soviet Union competed in an arms race, a struggle to gain weapons superiority. Deterrence, the policy of maintaining a military arsenal so strong that no enemy will attack for fear of retaliation, resulted in the escalating development of powerful nuclear weapons. The American policy of brinkmanship involved bringing the United States to the brink of war without actually entering into war

US and USSR nuclear stockpiles

Massive retaliation was a United States policy adopted during the Eisenhower administration. It threatened the use of nuclear weapons in response to Soviet aggression against another country.

Korean War The Division of Korea World War II ended before a plan could be made for Korean independence from Japan. Korea was temporarily divided at the thirty- eighth parallel, the latitude line running through approximately the midpoint of the peninsula. A pro-American government formed in South Korea, while a Communist government formed in North Korea.

Territory changed hands in the early part of the war until the front stabilized.

The Korean Conflict In June 1950, the Korean War broke out when North Korean troops invaded South Korea, aiming to reunite the nation by force. A UN resolution, which passed because the Soviets were not there to veto it, called on member states to defend South Korea and restore peace. Roughly 80 percent of the troops who served in the resulting UN police action were American. By attacking North Korean supply lines, General Douglas MacArthur was able to gain an advantage and push north. However, a stalemate developed after China helped the North Koreans push the UN forces back into South Korea. A truce signed in 1953 left Korea again divided near the thirty eighth parallel.

The Effects of the Korean War Post-Korean War Changes in America Warfare — Limited war, limited victory Integration of the Military — First war in which white Americans and African Americans served in the same units Increased Power of the Military — A military-industrial complex developed as the military established links with the corporate and scientific communities. Foreign Policy in Asia — September 1951 peace treaty signed with Japan; relations worsen with Communist China