Origins of the Cold War - Yalta Conference, Potsdam, Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan, Berlin Blockade & Airlift, China, NATO http://curriculumglobal.blogspot.com

1. COLD WAR
(1945-90)
US vs. USSR

2. - Have you had a cold war
with someone?
- How can you tell when two
people are having a cold
war?
- What do people do to each
other in a cold war?
- How similar / different is it
when two countries are
having a cold war?

3. ORIGINS OF THE COLD WAR
After being Allies
during WWII, USA and
USSR viewed each
other with increasing
suspicion
Their political
differences created a
climate of tension that
plunged the two
countries into an era of
bitter rivalry
The Cold War would dominate
global affairs from 1945 until the
breakup of the USSR in 1991

4. POLITICAL DIFFERENCES
At the core of the tension was
a fundamental difference in
ideological & political systems
U.S.A.: democracy +
capitalist economic system:
elections and competing
political parties
U.S.S.R.: one party
dictatorship – the
Communists – in which the
state controls all resources
and activities, little rights for
the citizens
Soviets viewed Marx, Engels and
Lenin as founders of Communism

5. 5

7. Yalta Conference Feb 1945Yalta Conference Feb 1945
Germany was stillGermany was still
undefeated, but losing!undefeated, but losing!
Relationship between BigRelationship between Big
3?3?
What's on the agenda?What's on the agenda?

8. *What was decided at the Yalta
Conference of February 1945?
Ger was to be defeated and then disarmed. Ger was
to be divided into 4 occupational zones, which to be
controlled by USA, USSR, Br and Fr. Berlin would be
in the Soviet zone and also to be divided into 4.
Ger would have to pay reparations.
USSR would join the war against Japan.
A United Nations to be set up to keep the peace.
Eastern Europe to become a ‘sphere of influence’
for the USSR. As E. E. countries are liberated, they
would hold elections to set up democratic
governments. There were to be adjustments to the
Polish/USSR border.

9. Yalta
Feb 1945
Big Three
– Roosevelt
– Churchill
– Stalin
Agreed to govern
Germany jointly

11. RT – 65th
anniversary of Yalta
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=xVGDJNxRzOw

12. What did Stalin gain from Yalta? [5]
- One Soviet zone in Germany; one Soviet
zone in Berlin.
- E. Europe would be a ‘Soviet sphere of
influence’
- His plans for Poland’s boundaries included
large territories from E. Poland.
- the right to deal with prisoners of war from
Soviet territories.
- USSR would have veto power in the UN
Security Council.

13. Yalta – Feb 1945

14. Potsdam – Aug 1945

15. What had changed?
P. 322-323
And what problems were created these
changes?

16. Battle of Berlin 1945

18. SUSPICIONS DURING THE WAR
Stalin was furious that the U.S. had kept
its development of the atomic bomb a
secret
ISSUE
S

19. USSR DOMINATED E. EUROPE
USSR suffered ~ 20
million deaths (half
were civilians)
they felt justified in
their claim to E E
needed E E as a
buffer against future
German aggression
Also the land lost in
WWI

20. PUPPET GOVERNMENTSPUPPET GOVERNMENTS
Stalin installed
“satellite” states in
E. E.: Bulgaria,
Czechoslovakia,
Hungary, Romania,
Yugoslavia and E.
Germany
This after
promising “free
elections” for
Eastern Europe at
the Yalta
Conference
In a 1946 speech, Stalin said communism
and capitalism were incompatible – and
another war was inevitable

22. *What was agreed at Potsdam?*What was agreed at Potsdam?
• Japan would be attacked as planned (didn't say how)
• Ger (+Berlin) would be divided into 4 occupational
zones. Details were finalized
• Anything of value could be taken from Germany as
reparations. USSR could have additional reparations.
• Nuremberg trials set up to deal with Nazi criminals.
• Germans living in Hungary, Czechoslovakia and
Poland to be sent back to Germany.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?

24. Relations at Potsdam?Relations at Potsdam?

25. *Why so much difficulties and*Why so much difficulties and
tension at Potsdam?tension at Potsdam?
- USSR and the West held differing views regarding future of
Germany and EE. Both were suspicious of the other side's motives
- Roosevelt died. Truman was more anti-Communist. He saw Stalin’s
actions as a Soviet take-over of EE.
- Soviet troops had liberated EE but refused to withdraw. During
Potsdam Conf, Stalin’s troops controlled the Baltic States
→ widespread fear of a Communist take-over.
- Stalin set up a Communist govt in Poland as buffer zone against
the west, ignoring protests of Br, USA, and the Poles.
- Stalin discovered that USA had secretly tested an atomic bomb!
→ more suspicion and tension.

26. U.S. ESTABLISHED POLICY OF
CONTAINMENTCONTAINMENT
Faced with the Soviet
threat, in 1946, George
Kennan, an American
diplomat in Moscow,
proposed a policy of
containment
It meant U.S.A. would do
anything to prevent further
expansion of communism

27. CHURCHILL’sCHURCHILL’s
““IRON CURTAIN” SPEECHIRON CURTAIN” SPEECH
Europe was now divided
into two political camps: a
democratic WE and a
communist EE
In a 1946 speech,
Churchill said, “An iron
curtain has descended
across the continent”
The phrase “iron curtain”
came to stand for the
division of Europe
Churchill, right, in
Fulton, Missouri
delivering his “iron
curtain” speech, 1946

28. The idea of ‘West vs. East’
A guarded border between two
rivalry political systems
The imaginary division of
Europe into two halves:
the Soviet satellites in
communist and
dictatorships in EE
VS.
the capitalist &
democratic states in WE.

29. *So what’s the situation
in 1946?
• EE was largely in the hands of the USSR! Why?
• USSR’s Red Army liberated EE from Nazis
occupation during WWII.
• Yalta Conf. guaranteed EE to be Soviet ‘sphere of
influence’.
• Stalin refused to withdraw his troops and used EE
as a buffer zone against ‘attacks’ from the west.
• Communist govts in Soviet satellites.
• The ‘democratic elections’ were rigged by Stalin.
• 'Iron Curtain' speech

30. THE UNITED NATIONS
Hopes for world peace were
high at the end of the war
The most visible symbol was
the United Nations (U.N.)
Formed in June 1945, the
U.N. was composed of 50
nations
Unfortunately, the U.N. soon
became a forum for
competing superpowers to
spread their influence over
others
The United Nations
today has 191 member
countries

31. Then something
happened in Greece...

32. THE TRUMAN DOCTRINE
American policy of
“containment” soon became
the “Truman Doctrine”
This doctrine vowed to
provide aid to support “free
peoples who are resisting
outside pressures” of
communism
Aid = military + financial
aid!
By 1950, the U.S. had given
$400 million in aid to
Greece and Turkey
Implications?
Biography:
http://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=XzviCCiQ6MwCold War doc on

33. Marshall Plan
U.S. Secretary of
State George
Marshall proposed a
large-scale aid program
to rebuild Europe.
Nearly $17 billion in
U.S. aid was sent to
Europe 1948 - 1952.

34. THE MARSHALL PLAN
Post-war Europe was
devastated economically
In 1947, Secretary of State
Marshall proposed a U.S. aid
package to European nations
Western Europe accepted the
help, while Eastern Europe
was not allowed to.
16 countries received $13
billion in U.S. aid
By 1952 Western Europe’s
economy was flourishing
The Marshall Plan
helped Western Europe
recover economically

35. Marshall
Plan aid
sent to
European
countries

36. Greece 1947

37. Marshall
Aid
cartoon,
1947

39. “It’s the same
thing without
mechanical
problems.”

42. USA USSR
1

43. So why the Truman Doctrine & MarshallSo why the Truman Doctrine & Marshall
Plan were so significant?Plan were so significant?
Hints:
- to Greece?
- to Eastern Europe/ Europe?
- to USA’s foreign policy?
- to US-Soviet relations?
- for the development of Cold War?

44. • It ensured Greece did not fall to the Communists. In 1945 Br sent troops
to Greece to support the non-Communist side. But in 1947 Br could not
afford it anymore. The USA offered financial aid for Br troops and helped
the non-communist side win. This marked start of Truman Doctrine era.
• It marked the end of USA isolationism and beginning of USA’s active
involvement and ‘world collaboration’ and that ‘there would be no more
appeasement of dictators.’ USA was determined to prevent the spread of
Communism. Every Communist action would meet an American
reaction.
• USA was resolved to send financial and equipment aid to any country
threatened by a Communist take-over. Truman’s aim was
‘containment’ - to stop communism from spreading further.
• Money and advice were invested in WE to recover from WWII.
• It contributed to the Cold War and further increased tension and
suspicion between the two superpowers. It led to more hostile reactions
from Stalin (Berlin), formation of NATO, arms race and USA’s
involvement later in Asia, (Korea and Vietnam).

45. US$ 17 billion to Europe!

46. Where is this?

47. Why was Berlin a source ofWhy was Berlin a source of
conflicts in 1940s?conflicts in 1940s?
The future of Berlin was never clarified in Potsdam.
In 1948 USA, Br and Fr zones merged to form West Berlin and
introduced a new currency. Stalin thought this was against the
Yalta Agreement and was a plot to make East Berliners
envious of capitalism.
West Berlin was an isolated area of capitalism (with Marshall Aid
$) and democracy, surrounded by communism.
Stalin feared that the Allies were planning to reunite Germany.
So he tried to force them out from West Berlin.
USA convinced the world that Stalin was plotting to take over
the whole of Ger and then the rest of Europe.
Tension escalated when Stalin blockaded all supply routes into
West Berlin. Eventually Stalin had to back down.

49. SUPERPOWERS STRUGGLE OVER GERMANY
In 1948. USA, Fr, and Br
decided to combine their 3
zones into 1 (West Germany)
and introduced a new
currency
Stalin thought it was against
Yalta agreement and that the
Allies were trying to create a
new Germany that was
wealthier than the Soviet
East Germany.
Now more problems were
bound to occur

50. Western Allies had no right to
be in Berlin. They are
threatening us because they
had a base in our Soviet Zone
and they are showing off the
capitalist way of life!

51. Berlin BlockadeBerlin Blockade
 On 24 June 1948,
Stalin blocked all
3 routes between
West Allied zone
to West Berlin!
 the 2.1 million
residents of West
Berlin had only
enough food for 5
weeks
https://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=5EAwwNmBRP8
Intro -> 13:34 – 16:00 ->

52. USA & BR AIRLIFT SUPPLIESUSA & BR AIRLIFT SUPPLIES
TO WEST BERLINTO WEST BERLIN
Trying avoid a military war
with the Soviets, USA and
Br started the Berlin
airlift to drop supplies into
West Berlin
For 327 days, 277,000
flights, they brought in 2.3
million tons of food, fuel
and medicine to the West
Berliners

53. Facts about theFacts about the
OperationOperation
 All for 2.5 million people (~ 4,500 tons of
supplies each day).
 On its biggest day, the "Easter parade“,
April 16, 1949, there were 1,398 flights --
one every minute.
 In total, >278,000 flights carried 2.3 million
tons of relief supplies.

55. Berliners receiving food

56. SOVIETS LIFT BLOCKADE
Realizing they were
beaten and suffering
a public relations
nightmare,
the Soviets gave up
and lifted their
blockade in May,
1949

57. Results ofResults of
Airlift?Airlift?
 A victory for Allies and disaster for Stalin
 Tensions between the West and the Soviets
further increased!
 Allied cooperation paved way for formation of
new military alliance, North Atlantic Treaty
Organization, NATO
 Soviets formed their own alliance, called
Warsaw Pact in 1955
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EAwwNmBRP8

58. USA USSR
12

59. http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=5EAwwNmBRP8
Beginning until 03:40
13:34-20:47
32:14-37:16
40:40-

60. NATO FORMED
The Berlin blockade
increased Western
Europe’s fear of Soviet
aggression
As a result, ten West
European nations
joined the U.S and
Canada on April 4,
1949 to form a
defensive alliance
known as the North
Atlantic Treaty
OrganizationThe NATO flag

61. On April 4, 1949, twelve
Atlantic nations formed
the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO).
The NATO flag
NATO (1949)

62. signing of North Atlantic Treaty April 4, 1949

63. A meeting of the NATO representatives

65. 11stst
October 1949October 1949
The People’sThe People’s
Republic ofRepublic of
China wasChina was
establishedestablished
under Maounder Mao
Zedong!Zedong!
1949: The Birth of PRC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUI3bfLnf5s

66. Growth of Communism in ChinaGrowth of Communism in China
Sun Yat-sen appealed for Soviet aid
following the Versailles Conference
1921-25 – China received advisors, arms,
communist propaganda, and loans from
USSR!

67. 2: COLD WAR HEATS UP in Asia!
Since 1920s Chinese
communists struggled against
nationalist government of
Chiang Kai-Shek
U.S.A. supported Chiang by
giving his Nationalist Party $3
billion aid during WWII !
But Mao Zedong’s Communist
Party in China was stronger
and more popular (especially
among peasants)

68. Civil War in China 1927-1937Civil War in China 1927-1937
war between Communists and
Nationalists
Communist leader – Mao Zedong
Nationalist leader – Chiang Kai-shek
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5Os4xdm5lI

69. War halted in 1939-45
(to fight against the Japanese)
Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist government
wasted foreign economic aid on corruption
and ineffective management…
Communists were victorious in 1949
Nationalists retreated to Taiwan

70. CHINESE CIVIL WAR: 1945-1947
After Japan left China in 1945,
Nationalists and Communists
fought a bloody civil war
Despite the U.S. sending $
billions to the Nationalists, the
Communists under Mao won the
war and ruled China
MA
O

71. Communist
China gained
control over:
Turkestan
(Xinjiang)
Inner Mongolia
Manchuria
Tibet
PRC = People’s Republic of China /
ROC = Republic of China

72. Suddenly 20% of the world turned communist! The
Americans were very nervous that communist would
soon spread to the whole Asia.
Why was the PRCWhy was the PRC
significant?significant?

73. USA STUNNED
USA was shocked that
China had fallen to the
Communists
Many believed
containment had failed
and communism was
expanding
American fear of
communist expansion
increased – ‘domino
theory’

74. MCCARTHY LAUNCHES “WITCH HUNT”
The most famous anti-
Communist activist was
Senator Joseph McCarthy, a
Republican from Wisconsin
McCarthy took advantage of
people’s concern about
Communism by making
unsupported claims that 205
state department members
were Communists

75. Anti-
Communist
propaganda
during
McCarthy
era

76. MCCARTHY’S DOWNFALL
Finally, in 1954 McCarthy
went too far
He accused high ranking
Army officers of being
Communists
In the televised
proceedings McCarthy’s
bullying of witnesses
alienated the national
audience
Three years later he died
of alcoholism at age 49
McCarthy’s attacking style
and utter lack of evidence
led to his downfall

77. SECTION 4: TWO NATIONS
LIVE ON THE EDGE
After World War II, the
U.S. and U.S.S.R.
competed in developing
atomic and hydrogen
bombs
The Soviets tested their
first atomic bomb in
1949
The U.S. began work on
a bomb 67 times
stronger than the atomic
bomb dropped on
An H-bomb test conducted
by America near Bikini Island
in Pacific Ocean, 1954

78. BRINKMANSHIP
By the time both countries
had the H-bomb (1953),
Eisenhower and his
Secretary of State Dulles
made it clear they were
willing to use all military
force (including nuclear
weapons) to stop
aggression
The Soviets followed suit
This willingness to go to
the edge of all-out war
became known as
brinkmanship
Some Americans created
shelters in their backyards
in case of nuclear attack

79. THE COLD WAR SPREADS
As the Cold War heated
up, the U.S. depended
more and more on
information compiled by
the Central Intelligence
Agency (CIA)
The CIA began attempts
to weaken or overthrow
governments unfriendly
to the U.S.

80. THE WARSAW PACT
To counter the U.S. defense alliance
(NATO), in 1955 the Soviets formed
their own mutual defense alliance
known as the Warsaw Pact

81. NATO
WARSA
W
NEUTR
AL