The Beginning of the Cold War

Cold War The period of political conflict, military tension, and economic competition between the United States and the USSR. Never became a “hot” (or declared) war between the two countries (directly)

Objective How did the American-Soviet Rivalry begin?

The European Theatre June Operation Barbarossa Dec US enters WWII July Battle of Stalingrad begins Nov Operation Torch Feb Battle of Stalingrad ends July 1943 Allies invade Italy June D-Day in Normandy April Soviets capture Berlin April Americans and Soviets meet at the River Elbe

The Iron Curtain Speech 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. – Winston Churchill, March

I. Soviet Aggression Communism –As an international movement –As a theory of history

I. Soviet Aggression Russian Paranoia –World War I 1,811,000 military dead (compared with 116,000 US deaths) –World War II 10,700,000 military dead (compared with 416,000 US deaths) –Stalin He crazy!

I. Soviet Aggression Yalta (Feb., 1945) –The USSR promised to hold “free and unfettered” elections in Poland and other Eastern European countries. –These promises were never kept. –Why?

I. Soviet Aggression Eastern Europe as a buffer zone: –In order to protect itself from incursion, the USSR absorbed the following countries: Albania Bulgaria Czechoslovakia German Democratic Republic (Eastern Germany) Poland Romania Hungary Each of these states were satellite nations, or puppet states.

II. American Expansionism Capitalism –Predicated on the notion of continuous growth –To grow, capitalist societies need new markets

II. American Expansionism The “American Century” –The US government demanded new markets for US business –Bretton Woods Conference (July, 1944) International Monetary Fund World Bank Exchange rates tied to the US dollar

II. American Expansionism International Monetary Fund Intended to do the following: 1.Promote global economic stability. 2.Encourage international trade.

II. American Expansionism World Bank 1. Strengthening governments 2. Infrastructure creation 3. Development of corporations 4. Combating corruption

II. American Expansionism Both of these institutions rewarded capitalist policies and punished communist/socialist policies. –France

II. American Expansionism The United Nations – Established in 1945 at the San Francisco Conference –Meant to promote collective security –Very popular ideas among Americans, brainchild of FDR

II. American Expansionism The United Nations – But, the UN was often perceived as a capitalist/western tool Security Council: US, UK, France, Nationalist China, USSR Often rubber stamped US led actions (see Korean War in the 1950s)

III. Case Study: Germany West Germany (officially free by 1955) –Free and Open elections –Wirtschaftswunder (Economic Miracle) –Aided substantially by US financial and military aid, eventually recognized in 1955 as equal East Germany –Industrial technology stolen by Soviets for rebuilding of USSR –Police State (Stasi) –Kept in state of economic servitude by reparations –Puppet of Moscow