Chapter 18 Section 1
Origins of the Cold
War
Former Allies Crash
• Problems building
between the US and
SU before and during
WWII
• Economic and
political systems
incompatible
• Resentments had
built up over previous
events
Former Allies Crash
• Soviet Communism:
– State controlled all
property
– All economic activity
– Totalitarian
Communist Party
allowed no opposition
party
– Resented the US for
not recognizing
communist govmt for
16 years
Former Allies Crash
• The United States:
– Capitalist system
– Private citizens
controlled almost all
property and economic
activity
– Elect politicians from
competing political
parties-unlimited
number of political
parties
Former Allies Crash
• US furious at StalinSigned
nonaggression pact
with Hitler in 1939
• Stalin angry with the
US for not opening a
second front in
Europe until 1944
• Stalin also angry that
we kept the
development of the
atomic bomb a secret
Truman Becomes President
• Key American figure
in early part of the
Cold War
• Became President
when FDR died
• 82 days as Vice
President-met with
FDR only twice
Truman Becomes President
• FDR left Truman
uninformed on military
matters
• Truman knew nothing
about the
development of the
atomic bomb
Truman Becomes President
•
With the war ending
Truman would have
to
1. Make difficult military
decisions
2. Deal with world
leaders of greater
experience
1. Churchill
2. Stalin
Potsdam Conference
• Truman’s 1st meeting
with other major world
leaders-Potsdam,
July 1945
• By this time, the
Soviets had broken
their promise for free
elections in Poland
Potsdam Conference
• Not only did the
Soviets not allow free
elections in Poland,
but they banned
democratic parties
• The was a violation of
Poland’s rights
according to Truman
Potsdam Conference
• Truman pushed for
free elections-Stalin
refused
• With the Soviet army
occupying Eastern
Europe, the West
could do little
Tension Mounts
• Refusal to allow free
elections convinced
Truman that
American and Soviet
goals were at odds
• Truman feared giving
Stalin too much land
and reparations
– Soviets wanted all of
German stripped of
industry
Tension Mounts
• Americans and British
opposed Soviet
demands
• Agreed that each
occupying nation
could collect
reparations from the
German zone it
occupied
Tension Mounts
• At odds over Eastern
Europe
• US wanted Eastern
Europe to stay open
to trade
• US wanted to be able
to sell their goods to
Eastern European
Nations
Soviets Tighten Grips on Eastern
Europe
• Soviets felt justified to
stay in Eastern
Europe
• Lost more than 20
million in WWII and
felt vulnerable to
attack from the west
• Needed friendly
neighbors
Soviets Tighten Grips on Eastern
Europe
• Stalin propped up
communist
governments in
Eastern European
nations
• The Satellite
Nations- were
countries dependent
upon and dominated
by the Soviet Union
Soviets Tighten Grips on Eastern
Europe
• Stalin seized the
industry of these
nations to rebuild the
Soviet Union
• 1946- Stalin announces
that communism and
capitalism are
incompatible
– Stated that war was
inevitable
– US say this as a
declaration of war
United States Establishes a Policy
of Containment
• US institutes a policy
of Containment
towards the Soviet
Union
– An effort to block the
Soviets’ attempts to
spread their influence
United States Establishes a Policy
of Containment
• Containment Policy
worked by:
– Creating alliances
– Supporting weaker
nations
This policy guided the
Truman
administration’s
foreign policy
United States Establishes a Policy
of Containment
• March 1946 Churchill
gives his “Iron
Curtain” speech
• Stalin stated that
Churchill’s words
were a “call to war”
Cold War in Europe
• Conflicting US and
Soviet aims in
Eastern Europe led to
the Cold War
– State of hostility short
of direct military
confrontation between
the 2 superpowers
until the breakup of the
Soviet Union in 1991
Cold War in Europe
• During the Cold War,
the US and Soviet
Union tried to spread
their economic and
political influence
wherever they could
– Eventually spread to
Asia, Africa, and Latin
America
The Truman Doctrine
• US 1st tried to contain
communism in
Greece and Turkey
• Britain was helping to
prevent a communist
takeover-but could no
longer afford it
• Asked the US to take
over the responsibility
The Truman Doctrine
• US spent $400 million
to help Greece and
Turkey
• Truman DoctrineThe US should
support free peoples
throughout the world
who were resisting
takeovers by “armed
minorities” or
“outside pressures”
Marshall Plan
• After WWII, Europe
was in economic
chaos
• Many homeless with
no jobs and no where
to go
• Governments had to
figure out where to
out these people
Marshall Plan
•
•
•
•
1946-47-harsh winter
Food shortages
Fuel shortages
British could only use
electricity a few hours
a day
• British rations lower
than during the war
Marshall Plan
• June 1947 US
Secretary of State
George Marshall
proposed that the US
help
• US would send aid to
all European Nations
that needed it
• Known as the
Marshall Plan
Marshall Plan
• Congress debated
plan for several
months
• Then…
• February 1948
Soviets invaded
Czechoslovakia
– Took over the country
Marshall Plan
• Invasions showed the
need for congress to
move quickly and
help create strong,
stable governments in
Europe
– To resist communism
– Congress quickly
approved Marshall
Plan
Marshall Plan
• The Plan was a
success
• By 1952 Western
Europe was
flourishing
• Communist parties
lost their appeal to
voters
Superpowers Struggle Over
Germany
• Europe starts to get
back on its feet
• Western allies and
Soviets arguing over
German reunification
• Soviets want
Germany weak and
divided
• West wants stable
productive Germany
Berlin Airlift
• 1948-Western Zones
combine into 1 nation
• Soviets respond by
holding Berlin
Hostage
• Berlin divided into 4
zones as well
• Lays deep in Soviet
Zone
Berlin Airlift
• Soviets cut off all
access to Berlin
• No supplies could get
in
• City faced starvation
unless Western
nations would
surrender Berlin
Berlin Airlift
• Americans and British
started the Berlin
Airlift-fly food and
supplies to West
Berlin
• Lasted 327 daysplanes landed and
took off every few
minutes
Berlin Airlift
• 277,000 flights made
delivering 2.3 million
tons of supplies
• West Berlin survived
• American prestige
grew in the world
• Soviet prestige
dropped
• May 1949 Soviets lift
blockade
Berlin Airlift
• May 1949 West
Germany becomes
known as the Federal
Republic of Germany
with its capital at
Bonn
• East Germany
becomes German
Democratic Republic
with its capital in East
Berlin
NATO
• Blockade increased
fear of Soviet
aggression
• In response, 10
western European
nations, the US and
Canada formed a
defensive military
alliance-NATO
NATO
• NATO-North Atlantic
Treaty Organization
• An attack on one
regarded as an attack
on all
• First time the US
entered a military
alliance in peacetime