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1945-1950
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Most European cities were destroyed by bombing from both
sides
About 50 million people were killed around the world
Homelessness was a huge problem in Europe as well as
Displaced Persons
o People without a home (ex. Jews sent to concentration camps)
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Horrific actions of Nazis had to be addressed
Genocide is defined
Nuremberg Trials
o Main Nazi leaders put on trial for “crimes against humanity”
o Most found guilty and sentenced to death for their role in Hitler’s
Final Solution
o Set precedent for future; atrocities cannot be committed in war and
go unpunished
Tehran Conference (1943)
 Meeting on war strategy
 Soviets would attack from
East
 US & Britain promise to
invade France (D-Day) and
attack from West
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Yalta Conference (1945)
Discussion on post-war
Europe
Divide Germany into 4
zones
Reparations and territorial
loss for Germany
Allow Eastern Europe to
determine their own
governments
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After the war, Germany was divided by the Allies
o West Germany: controlled by U.S., G.B. and France
o East Germany: controlled by Soviet Union
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City of Berlin was divided too
o West Berlin: controlled by U.S., G.B. and France
o East Berlin: controlled by Soviet Union
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US cuts off economic aid to USSR
Stalin forces communist dictatorships on Eastern Europe
Winston Churchill gives “Iron Curtain” speech
Communist revolutionaries wage civil wars in Greece and
China
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Policy of “containment”
o United States would stop the spread of communism into non-
communist areas through economic or military means
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US feared the destruction of war would lead to communist
takeovers throughout Europe
Marshall Plan
o Economic aid open to all European nations to rebuild
o Money accepted by Western European nations only
o $13 billion ($200 billion today) spent in Europe
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Berlin located deep in East Germany
Stalin orders closure of roads into West Berlin to force
western powers out
US airlifts supplies for over a year to beat the blockade;
USSR lifts blockade in 1948
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Defensive alliances created by US and Soviet Union
NATO (1949): US and Western Europe
Warsaw Pact (1955): Soviet Union and Eastern Europe
Impact: assured that Europe would be divided into two
armed blocs