Cold War Conflicts Origins of the Cold War

Birth of the Cold War

The Cold War A conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union from 1945 until 1991 Neither nation directly confronts each other on the battlefield Dominates global affairs and US foreign policy

Former Allies Clash Post WWII, US and Soviet Union emerge as rival superpowers Both strong enough to influence world events Stalin had once been an aligned with Hitler Stalin resentful of Allies’ delay attacking Germany Stalin resentful of atomic bomb secrecy

Communism vs. Capitalism State controlled property State controlled economic activity Totalitarian regime Private controlled property Private controlled economic activity Elections

United Nations April 25, 1945 50 nations met in San Francisco After two months of debate, delegates signed the charter establishing the UN Ironically, intended to promote peace Became an arena where the two superpowers competed and spread their influence

The United Nations 1945

Potsdam Conference July 1945 Same countries as Yalta Clement Attlee replaced Churchill and Truman replaced Roosevelt It was clear Stalin would not keep the promise of free elections in Eastern Europe Soviets prevented free elections and banned democratic parties

Potsdam continued… Bargaining Soviets wanted reparations from Germany Truman wanted nations to have right to self-determination Soviets, British, French and the US would take reparations from the own occupation zones Truman felt the US had a large economic stake in spreading democracy and free trade To continue growing, US wanted access to raw materials in Eastern Europe

Potsdam continued…

Soviets Tighten Grip on Eastern Europe Soviet Union had emerged from WWII as an enormous economic and military power Suffered devastation on own soil 20 million Soviet deaths during war Felt justified in their claim to Eastern Europe Stalin installed communist governments in satellite nations Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania and Poland In early 1946, Stalin gave a speech announcing capitalism and communism were incompatible and another war was inevitable

Soviet Satellite Nations

Containment Truman: “Stop babying the Soviets.” Containment: taking measures to prevent any extension of communist rule to other countries Became Truman’s foreign policy mission “Iron Curtain”: The division in Europe Democratic Western Europe Communist Eastern Europe Stalin believed these words were a call for war

The Iron Curtain

Truman Doctrine Greece and Turkey Britain could no longer afford to send them aid to prevent communist takeover US intervenes Truman asks Congress for $400 million Truman Doctrine: “It must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures” Between 1947-50 Congress sent aid to both countries

Truman Doctrine continued…

The Marshall Plan Western Europe was also in chaos post WWII Millions of people in refugee camps, buildings and commerce destroyed 1946-47 bitterest winter in centuries Sec of State, George Marshall, proposed the US would send aid to all European nations who needed it Over the next 4 years, 16 countries received $13 billion in aid Communism was losing its appeal; democracy looked good

The Marshall Plan

Superpowers Struggle over Germany Clashing over German unification Four occupation zones Britain, France and US decided to combine their three zones into one nation Western part of Berlin was surrounded by Soviet-occupied territory No written agreement that Soviets would guarantee free access to Berlin by road or rail Stalin closed all routes into West Berlin No fuel or food could reach the city—only enough to last two weeks

Berlin Airlift In an attempt to break the blockade, Americans and British started the Berlin Airlift Fly food and supplies into West Berlin For 327 days, planes took off and landed every few minutes, around the clock 277,000 flights 2.3 million tons of supplies Fuel, food, Christmas presents American prestige lifted; Soviets lift the blockade West Germany vs. East Germany

Berlin Airlift

The Candy Bomber

NATO Alliance The Berlin Blockade increased fear of Soviet Aggression Belgium, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the US and Canada enter into a defensive military alliance North Atlantic Treaty Organization: military support pledged to one another (other countries joined subsequently)

NATO