Wartime Relationships
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Objective: Explain the purpose of the
Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan;
Contrast the goals of the Soviet Union
and the United States after World War II
Yalta Conference
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February, 1945: Stalin, Churchill, and
Roosevelt meet to discuss what should
happen to Europe after the war
US and Great Britain want to stop the
Soviet Union from getting to strong in
Eastern Europe
Stalin wants to control Eastern Europe
Dividing Germany
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Germany split into 4 zones: US, Great
Britain, France and Soviet Union control
a zone
Stalin agreed to allow free elections in
Eastern Europe and offered to help plan
new international organization
Founding United Nations
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April, 1945: Roosevelt died suddenly;
Harry S. Truman becomes president
Truman helped set up United Nations –
an international organization
June, 1945: 50 nations meet for the first
time in San Francisco; hoped UN could
settle disputes and help prevent wars
Soviet Expansion
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Stalin kept troops in Eastern Europe and
set up communist governments
1946 – Churchill saw Eastern Europe cut
off from Western Europe
Called division an “iron curtain”
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Iron Curtain – an invisible but
unpassable barrier between democratic
Western Europe and communist Eastern
Europe
Policy of Containment
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Policy to stop communism from
spreading
Might require military and nonmilitary
actions
US Responses
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Communists tried to overthrow the
Greek government
Soviet Union wanted navy bases in
Turkey
Truman asked Congress for money to
help Greece and Turkey; became known
as the Truman Doctrine
Truman Doctrine
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United States would fight the spread of
communism anywhere in the world
Marshall Plan
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Plan to aid western Europe
People were struggling and wanted anything that
would make their life better – even communism
1948 – 1951 US sent $13 billion worth of food,
supplies, machinery and aid to western Europe
Hoped this would keep them from turning to
communism
Summary
What did the Truman Doctrine and the
Marshall Plan work toward?
 What was the purpose of the United
Nations?
Activity suggestions: Illustrate Germany
after World War II or what Containment
meant
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