1. The Cold War Begins
APUSH
3/12/13
Mrs. Housenick

2. Truman as President Very little political experience
“Average man”—didn’t have a college education
At first seemed unable to fill FDR’s shoes
Grew into his role
Stubborn
Stood up to Stalin
“Buck stops here”

3. Wartime Tensions between US and USSR
Evident during Yalta conference
Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin agreed to plans to defeat Germany
Stalin promised free elections in Poland and other Eastern European countries
Allies agreed to divide Germany
Stalin promised to enter war against Japan, Roosevelt promised him territory in Pacific
Many of Yalta promises were later broken

4. The Inevitable Cold War
Long standing mutual suspicions
Communism and capitalism were historically hostile philosophies
USSR resented US for delaying 2nd front, and developing a-bomb
DIFFERENT VISIONS OF POSTWAR WORLD!!
Soviets wanted to expand to create “buffer zone”
US wanted to CONTAIN Communism, spread democracy

5. Shaping the Postwar World
1944 Bretton Woods Meeting: Allies established International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank
IMF: Encourages trade by regulating currency rates
World Bank: Promotes economic development in underveloped areas
Creation of United Nations
Created before end of war
Countries in Security Council (US, Britain, USSR, France, China) had veto powers
US plays big role
Failed chance to outlaw atomic weapons

6. How to Deal With Germany?
Punishing the Nazis: Nuremberg Trials
22 Nazis tried, 12 put to death, 7 sentenced to life in jail
Conflict over what to do with Germany:
Soviets and some in US wanted to punish Germany, force it to pay reparations
Most in US wanted Germany to be strong to avoid another war and spread of Communism.

7. The Berlin Blockade
Germany and Berlin divided by Allies and Soviet Union
Soviets afraid Americans were trying to unite their parts to create a capitalist West Germany.
Stalin responds to plan for new currency with blockade of West Berlin in 1948.
Cut off all inhabitants from West Berlin of fuel, power and food.

8. US Response: Berlin Airlift
US airlifted supplies into Berlin
Attempt to aid Germans and avoid all-out war with Soviets
After a year, Stalin ended blockade
Germany remained divided—built Berlin Wall in 1961.

9. The Berlin Wall: The Real “Iron Curtain”

10. Containment and The Truman Doctrine
George Kennan, US diplomat, proposed US policy of CONTAINMENT
Primary goal is to keep communism within its present territory, and not allow it to spread anywhere else
Truman Doctrine (1947)—key example
$400 million in aid to Greece and Turkey to fight against communism
US believes it is its responsibility to combat communism all over the world.
Reinhold Niebuhr: Good v. Evil
Shows US and USSR competing for territory globally.

11. The Marshall Plan
US wanted to strengthen Western Europe to make sure countries wouldn’t fall to Communism
1947: Plan called for $17 billion in aid to Europe
Soviets offered aid, but refused
Saw it as a plot to strengthen capitalism
Economic alliances increased division between two.

12. Truman Recognizes Israel
Israel created in 1948 as refuge for Jews after Holocaust
Arab world resented Israel, and the US needed Arabs for oil
Truman risked all of this by officially recognizing Israel
Wanted to pre-empt Soviet influence in Jewish state, and get support of Jewish voters