1. Cold War Conflicts
Origins of the Cold War

2. Birth of the Cold War

3. 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

4. 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

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

6. 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

7. The United Nations 1945

8. 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

9. 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

10. Potsdam continued…

11. 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

12. Soviet Satellite Nations

13. 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

14. The Iron Curtain

15. 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 Congress sent aid to both countries

16. Truman Doctrine continued…

17. The Marshall Plan Western Europe was also in chaos post WWII
Millions of people in refugee camps, buildings and commerce destroyed
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

18. The Marshall Plan

19. 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

20. 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

21. Berlin Airlift

22. The Candy Bomber

23. 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)

24. NATO