The Cold War 1945-The Cold War 1945-19911991

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YALTA (in the USSR)YALTA (in the USSR)Date: Feb 1945Date: Feb 1945

Present: Churchill, Present: Churchill, Roosevelt and StalinRoosevelt and Stalin

Yalta Conference

• Leaders from the U.S., Soviet Union, and Great Britain met to discuss their post war goals, which were:– To promote world peace– To provide emergency relief– To help for interim governments based on the

will of the people

• Victorious peace meant different things for Roosevelt and Stalin

– Roosevelt: wanted a democratic world led by his country.

– Stalin: wanted a strong Communist state and protection against renewed invasion from the West.

POTSDAM (Germany)POTSDAM (Germany)Date: July 1945Date: July 1945

Present: Churchill, Present: Churchill, Truman and StalinTruman and Stalin

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• The Russians took very high casualties to capture Berlin in May 1945. They spent the early occupation trying to take over all zones of the city but were stopped by German democrats such as Willy Brandt and Konrad Adenauer. Reluctantly the Russians had to admit the Americans, French and British to their respective zones.

Iron CurtainIron Curtain – – A term used by A term used by Winston Winston

Churchill Churchill to describe the to describe the separating of separating of Those Those

communistcommunistlands of East lands of East Europe from Europe from

the the West. West.

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• The nuclear bomb gave America a lead which was expected to last at least 5 years. The rapid Russian development of nuclear technology, helped by the work of the “atom spies” was a shock.

Significantly, Russia hurriedly declared war against Japan at the beginning of August 1945 and rushed to advance into Asia to stake out a position for the post-war settlement. This helped make both the Korean and Vietnamese conflicts more likely.

The ‘Truman Doctrine’• Truman had been horrified at the pre-

war Allied policy of appeasement and was determined to stand up to any Soviet intimidation.

The Truman Doctrine in March 1947 promised that the USA “would support free peoples who are resisting subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures”.

• Triggered by British inability to hold the line in Greece, it was followed by aid to Greece and Turkey, and also money to help capitalists to stop communists in Italy and France.

It signalled the end of “isolationst” policies.

The ‘Marshall Plan’

• The Marshall Plan offered huge sums to enable the economies of Europe to rebuild after World War II, and, by generating prosperity, to reject the appeal of Communism.

The Soviet Union (USSR) prevented Eastern European countries from receiving American money.

Berlin Blockade• West Berlin, was an outpost of Western

democracy and economic success deep within the communist zone – like a capitalist island within communist East Germany

• In 1948 France, the U.S., and Great Britain withdrew their forces from Germany. The Soviets responded by setting up the Berlin Blockade.

• The Soviet Union cut of highway, water, and rail traffic into Berlin’s western zones. Since no supplies could get in , the city faced starvation.

• The Berlin Blockade was an attempt to starve West Berlin into submitting [giving up] to the communists.

Berlin Blockade Continued

• To break the blockade, American and British officials flew flood and supplies into West Berlin.

• The blockade lasted nearly 11 months. Planes took off and landed every three minutes to bring supplies.

Berlin Blockade Continued

• In 277,000 flights, pilots brought in 2.3 million tons of supplies—food, fuel, medicine, and even Christmas presents.

• The Soviet Union, admitting defeat, lifted the Berlin blockade in May 1949.