Cold War Beginnings 1945-1948

Postwar Anxieties Would peace reverse the economic recovery? No more government contracts meant no more government spending GNP slumps in ‘46 and ‘47; prices rise without control High demand creates inflation and huge black market

Germany, oh, Germany Nuremberg Trials – Germany, 1945-1946 22 tried; 12 hung, 7 jailed, Goering suicides Other trials continue for years

Germany, oh, Germany Dispute: Hurt or help? Reparations requested by U.S.S.R. (wanted payback, but not a strong German future threat) Healthy Germany needed to rebuild Europe Territory divided up between France, Britain, U.S. and U.S.S.R. East and West Germany; satellite states bound to U.S.S.R. Russia regained and extended territory – Poland “Iron Curtain” – Winston Churchill West Germany an independent country

Germany, oh, Germany Berlin? Operation Vittles – Berlin Airlift Split into 4 zones U.S. and Britain introduced common currency in Western zones – Stalin replies by halting all traffic to West Berlin June 24, 1948 Operation Vittles – Berlin Airlift RAF and U.S. Air Force ship in 2 millions tons of supplies over the next year; blockade ends May 1949 Flights occur daily; citizens build runways out of gravel and broken buildings; intense coordination of flights

The Role of Yalta February 1945 February 1945: Stalin, Churchill, Roosevelt Plans to end Axis power Poland, Bulgaria, Romania to have self-determination and free elections (didn’t get it) Stalin to attack Japan in return for concessions in China Intervention not needed – Stalin still got control of Manchuria Purpose of meeting was informational, not determination of final outcome of conflict

Yalta

The Potsdam Conference July 1945 Big Three: United States, Great Britain, Soviet Union Same players as the Yalta Conference in February Stalin had promised free elections, did not ever happen Soviets, British, Americans, and French would take reparations from their own occupation zones U.S. wanted to use Europe as a market for new productivity

Timeline February 1945: Yalta April 1945: FDR Dies, Truman becomes Pres May 8, 1945: V-E Day June 26, 1945: United Nations Established July 1945: Potsdam August 6-9 1945: Hiroshima and Nagasaki September 2, 1945: V-J Day (end of the war for U.S.)

Cold War Tensions George F. Kennan U.S. Policy of Containment American diplomat in Moscow U.S. Policy of Containment Prevent any expansion of communist rule Truman’s foreign policy Western (democratic) Europe and Eastern (communist) Europe June 26, 1945 – United Nations charter signed Arena for competition between the United States and the Soviet Union

Cold War Tensions After Yalta After Potsdam Germany divided into 4 allied zones Stalin promises free elections in satellites (especially Poland) – doesn’t happen Germany to pay reparations After Potsdam Allied divisions become East (USSR) and West (US, UK, France) Germany Stalin wants extra German reparations, UK and US say, “No.”

Reflection What accounts for the breakdown in relations between the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II? Is there anything that the United States could have done to avoid it?