1. The most important question of 1945 was…
What should be done after the war?

2. The Big Three (the first time around, in Yalta)
USA:
Franklin D. Roosevelt
UK:
Winston Churchill
USSR:
Josef Stalin
Yalta Conference, Feb. 4-11, 1945

3. The Big Three (the second time around, in Potsdam)
USA:
Harry S. Truman
UK:
Clement Atlee
USSR:
Josef Stalin
Potsdam Conference, Jul. 17 – Aug 2, 1945

4. What did they decide?
The Big Three agreed that Germany should be divided into 4 occupation zones after the war, overseen by the US, UK, France, and the USSR
The United Nations was created
Tried to avoid the problems of the League of Nations
The US joined and they agreed to establish the UN Security Council, which could use force against an aggressor

5. The “Iron Curtain” Speech
Given by Winston Churchill in 1946
Proclaimed that the world was then ideologically divided into two opposing camps: Democratic (the West) and Communist (the East)

6. Truman Doctrine (1947)
The US must take responsibility for defending “free peoples” throughout the world
Designed to contain communism by giving economic and military aid to countries resisting its spread
1st countries: Greece and Turkey
Why so significant?

7. Containment Truman Policy based on: Containment Policy
George F. Keenan
The policy of the US towards the USSR
Firm resistance to Soviet aggression to prevent its spread in the hope the system would eventually change from within

8. Marshall Plan (1947) European Recovery Program
Written by George C. Marshall
Plan to rebuild and strengthen the European economies destroyed by WWII
Map of Cold-War era Europe and the Near East showing countries that received Marshall Plan aid.
The red columns show the relative amount of total aid per nation.

9. Molotov Plan (1947) USSR rejected the US plan put forth by Marshall
Created Molotov Plan in response
Plan to rebuild Eastern European nations’ postwar economies

10. But, what about Germany? Germany was once again blamed for the war
Nuremberg Trials,
Presided by Allied Powers: 22 Nazi leaders were tried for war crimes; 12 sentenced to death
To prevent their ability to strengthen themselves, Germany was divided into 4 zones
Basically, the democratic US, UK, and France against the communist USSR
The capitol, Berlin, was also divided into four zones

11. A divided Germany
Berlin, Germany

12. The Problem
When the western powers decided to unite their regions, the USSR felt threatened
In response, the USSR stopped all rail and street access by the American, Brits, or French to West Berlin; they even cut off the electricity to some regions of West Berlin
Blockade of Berlin: 1st act of the Cold War
Without access to the outside, how would the West Berliners survive?

13. The Solution: The Berlin Airlift
                                     

14. 1949: A Busy Year 1 3 4 2

15. Arms Race
Around 1950, the Soviet Union successfully tested their first atomic bomb
Began the arms race – a “race” between the US and USSR to stockpile the most atomic bombs
Mutual Assured Destruction: the belief that the best way to prevent total nuclear destruction is for both sides to have access to nuclear weapons
Huh? How does that work?
By knowing that you and your enemy have an equal ability to wipe each other out, nobody will make the first strike

16. China
Communists win the Chinese Civil War and take over the country in 1949
Mao Zedong
Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek) and the Nationalist Party flee to Taiwan

17. NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization Formed on April 4, 1949
An alliance of nations stating that an “attack against one… shall be considered an attack against them all”
Original members were: US, Canada, Britain, France, Iceland, Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Italy

18. Climate of Fear
Fearful of a communist takeover and the constant threat of an nuclear war, American society was consumed with a “climate of fear”
Came to be known as the Red Scare
Watch: Duck and Cover

19. Korean War ( )
North Korea invades South Korea to establish a Communist regime
US sends troops to South Korea
Stalemate
DMZ at 38th Parallel
What is the significance?

20. Stalin dies (1953) Warsaw Pact (1955) Replaced by Nikita Krushchev
Alliance signed by communist countries in response to NATO
With the USSR as leader, member nations pledged to defend each other in case of attack

21. A Series of Crises (1956)
Suez Canal: seized from Britain and France by Nasser of Egypt
British and French forces attack, start Suez War
Hungarians declare independence from USSR on Nov. 1, 1956
USSR attacked
Budapest on Nov. 4

22. Sputnik (1957)
A new race is on…
the Space Race!

23. Berlin Wall
Problem: East Germans are escaping Soviet control through West Berlin!
On Aug. 17, 1961, construction began on a wall to surround West Berlin
Became the symbol of the Cold War

25. You are the President of the United States, and a spy plane has just brought back this photo from a run over Cuba—what do you do?

26. Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
The Soviets supplied Cuba (a recent convert to Communism) with missiles that could hit the US
Kennedy and Khrushchev succeed in defusing the situation through letters and a naval blockade
VERY tense moment in the Cold War

28. So, based on all of this information, can you come up with some characteristics of the Cold War?