Causes of the Cold War

Events Leading Up to the Cold War Yalta Conference (Feb. 1945) Stalin agreed to help the U.S. against Japan Stalin agreed to allow free elections in Eastern Europe Potsdam (July 1945) Stalin refuses to allow free elections in Eastern Europe Truman and Stalin disagree over the idea of self-determination

Stalin drops the “Iron Curtain” Communism vs Democracy 1946- Stalin proclaims in a speech that communism and democracy are incompatible and another war is inevitable Stalin isolates Eastern Europe from the West

Winston Churchill's Iron Curtain Speech: Background Nine months after Sir Winston Churchill failed to be reelected as Britain's Prime Minister, Churchill traveled by train with President Harry Truman to make a speech. On March 5, 1946, at the request of Westminster College in the small Missouri town of Fulton (population of 7,000), Churchill gave his now famous "Iron Curtain" speech to a crowd of 40,000. In addition to accepting an honorary degree from the college, Churchill made one of his most famous post-war speeches.

Churchill’s famous Iron Curtain Speech March, 1946 http://www.authentichistory.com/1950s/speeches/19460305_Winston_Churchill_Iron_Curtain_Speech.html

Part I [From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest and Sofia, all these famous cities and the populations around them lie in what I must call the Soviet sphere, and all are subject in one form or another, not only to Soviet influence but to a very high and, in some cases, increasing measure of control from Moscow.]

Part II and III [If the population of the English-speaking Commonwealths be added to that of the United States with all that such co-operation implies in the air, on the sea, all over the globe] [if all British moral and material forces and convictions are joined with your own in fraternal association, the high-roads of the future will be clear, not only for us but for all, not only for our time, but for a century to come.]

Causes of the Cold War Democracy Communism Free choices Free elections Ownership of private property Competition Entrepreneurship Competition between political parties *Unequal wealth distribution *Fluxuating unemployment Communism Improved education Increased need for skilled laborers No unemployment Equal wealth distribution *government makes all decisions *no private property *elections center around one political party only

Early Cold War Events Truman Doctrine- 1947 U.S. will aid any country willing to fight off communism $400 million were given to Greece and Turkey to fight off communism

(cont.) Marshall Plan (1947-1951) Designed to help western Europe rebuild $13 billion was sent to fight post-war hunger, poverty, and chaos Secretary of State George Marshall believed that prosperous and proud nations will resist communism

The Molotov Plan Soviets refuse to let E. Europe accept Marshall loans Soviet counter with their own plan - Molotov Plan

The Domino Effect (theory) One country becomes communist, then another, then another etc USSR influence over many new communist countries. Czechoslovakia (1948) Poland (1947) Hungary (1947) China (1949) Cuba (1959) North Korea (1945) USA worried about USSR’s influence. The USA did not want communism to spread any further

Stalin creates a blockade of Berlin Berlin was divided into four zones just like Germany Berlin lies in the Soviet controlled zone, but the French, American, and British forces were stationed in their zones within Berlin By 1948, U.S., France, and Britain would combine their zones and create West Berlin. 1948-1949 Stalin blocks all roads and highways into Berlin

What was the purpose of the Berlin Blockade? Stalin felt threatened by the creation of West Berlin Stalin hoped to starve the allies out of Berlin so that he could take over the entire city Blockade lasted for one year Allies used airplanes to bring in food, fuel, medicine, candy

Outcome of the Berlin Blockade Allies became popular for their efforts Stalin was demonized as a heartless dictator Stalin’s blockade failed to force the Allies out of West Berlin By 1960, the Berlin Wall would constructed to separate democratic West Berlin and communist East Berlin

The Berlin Airlift World watched in horror U.S. response: to airlift supplies to cities (& avoid armed conflict) 13,000 tons of food and fuel/day To many, Soviets appear ruthless (starve millions) Stalin reopened routes May 12, 1949 Berlin was still divided and a lasting symbol

The Berlin Wall 1961 the Berlin Wall was built to keep citizens of East Berlin from escaping to West Berlin 96 miles 302 watchtowers 5000 escaped 3200 arrested 192 people killed

NATO is formed Democracies of Western Europe and North America form a military alliance Formed in 1949

Warsaw Pact is formed Communist nations created a military alliance to compete with the threat of NATO Formed in 1955

Brinkmanship Brink= to be on the edge of a great event; to be moments away The world lived on the BRINK of nuclear war throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Democracy vs Communism U.S. vs. Soviet Union

Summary Summarize the early events of the Cold War.