Europe and North America
Big Three Truman-US Clement Attlee-Britain Stalin-Soviet Union Meet at Postdam (outside Berlin) Basic principles Germany must be demilitarized Nazi Party must be disbanded & outlawed Atrocities should be punished Germany should remain a single state ruled by occupation governments
Territorial adjustments Soviet Union wanted to keep Polish territories Poland would take part of East Prussia Soviets would take the rest of East Prussia Soviets stripped Germany of ¼ of its land Soviet Union, Czech. & Poland evict Germans Refugees flood back to Germany Demilitarization & Reparations Allies disbanded German land, air, and sea forces War industry dismantled US & Britain wanted to revive Germany France wanted Germany to remain weak Soviets wanted $10 billion in reparations Soviets were given industrial equipment instead
Documented the extent of the Holocaust First trial in history to prosecute war crimes 12 sentenced to death 7 to life imprisonment 3 aquitted Nazi Party declared a criminal organization Nazis removed from authority
Reconstructing Europe Nazis had destroyed many prewar gov’ts Italy becomes a republic & gives up all rights to colonies (UN) France adopts a new constitution that established the 4 th Republic Eastern Europe goes communistic Growing tension between Soviets and Western Allies
April 1945 51 nations met in San Francisco October, new charter is ratified
Purpose-maintain peace & security Mediate of disputes & prevent aggression 10 temporary members 5 permanent members-US, Britain, France, Soviet Union, China=veto power Purpose-designed to appeal to those who felt all nations should have equal status All nations had same rights & voting power=one vote per nation Elects the secretary- general & the judges of the International Court of Justice
Allies can’t agree on how to unify Germany Western allies reunite their zones Soviets refuse Soviets blockade East German border
Soviets – “No trucks, barges, or trains to pass checkpoints” W. Germans will starve U.S. & Britain start airlift So successful Soviets lifted blockade
U.S. & Britain poor aid into West Germany By 1958 W. Germany is #1 economy in Europe W. Germany elects anti- Soviet Konrad Adenauer as chancellor Committed to the rule of law Encourages East Germans to escape to the West So many escapees=Berlin Wall
Dead Windows “Death Zone”
Reagan visits Berlin in 1987.