1. From Allies to Arch Enemies
Origins of the Cold War
From Allies to Arch Enemies

2. After the War The Costs of the War The Nuremberg Trials
Soviet Union – 22 million dead
Europe (combined) – 38 million dead
World (combined) – 75 million dead
The Nuremberg Trials
Faced with the horror of the Holocaust, Allied leaders agreed that Axis leaders had to be tried for crimes against humanity.
The trials took place in Nuremberg, Germany.
177 tried, 142 convicted. Most receive jail. Some are executed.
Similar trials were held in Japan and Italy.

3. The Emergence of Superpowers
The War had devastated Europe.
The US and the USSR(Soviet Union) emerged as the world’s two superpowers
Superpower – worldwide domination of military, political and economic power.
Vast differences in politics and policy led to a fierce rivalry for control of the world’s future

4. The United Nations
Realizing the world required a guiding hand to ensure international peace and security, the Allies decided on replacing the useless League of Nations with the United Nations (UN).
The United Nations (UN) would:
Maintain peace
Guarantee security of member nations
Encourage economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation
Base decisions on the principles of:
Equal rights
Self-determination
The Security Council and the General Assembly held the greatest power within the UN.
The 5 permanent member nations of the security council have the right to veto any decision made by that council
Those nations are Britain, France, China, US and USSR

5. After the War Primary goal remains security
Western democracies believed in the power of freedom and democratic systems to secure peace.
Stalin, instead, drew on his experiences from WWI and WWII
He wanted control of Eastern Europe to ensure security of his nation.
In former Poland, Romania and Bulgaria, Soviet troops ensured that governments enacted policies favorable to Stalin

6. The Iron Curtain
At Yalta, Stalin had promised to allow free elections in the Eastern European nations occupied by Soviet Forces.
Stalin breaks this promise
Non-Communists are replaced with Communists.
These nations become satellite states of the USSR.
This means that they are technically independent nations but are ruled by the Soviet Union.

7. Containment – the US Response
The US persued a policy of containment
Its purpose was to stop the spread of Communism
Truman Doctrine
President Harry Truman, fearing the spread of communism, appeals to congress for the authority to send arms and equipment to the government of Greece, who is threatened by Communist revolutions.
He is granted this authority. The revolutions are suppressed.
Marshall Plan
American officials, fearing a Communist rise in Europe, funds the rebuilding of the devastated European nations.

8. Berlin – The Cold War Case Study
Berlin becomes the center of Cold War tensions
French
Soviet
British
American

9. The Soviet Blockade That’s Berlin! The Entire Green
Area is Soviet Owned
The Western democracies use Airlifts to get supplies to West Berlin, forcing Stalin to abandon his ineffectual blockade.
Literally surrounding West Berlin, the Soviet presence convinces the French, British and Americans to Join their sectors together.
Stalin retaliates by shutting down the railroads leading to West Berlin