The Cold War

4/9/18

End of WWII in the United States was met with joy and celebration, however, uncertainty

loomed

- East/West Germany, Stalin: friend or foe?

- Winston Churchill (PM of Britain) believed that World Peace was closer than ever

Two major super powers: United States and Soviet Union never directly fought each other (Cold

War)

- “Hot Spots” were everywhere: Germany, Polan, Greece, Turkey, Czech, China, etc.

Fate of Eastern Europe becomes source of conflict between U.S. and Soviet Union

- United States was committed to seeing free and democratic election everywhere

- Soviet Union wanted a “buffer zone”, friendly nations outside the Soviet Union to protect

from Western attacks.

o Soviet Union annexed Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Czechoslovakia, Finland,

Poland, Romania (introduced communism)

o Stalin is protecting himself, Western countries fear from the spread of

Communism

Control over Nuclear Weapons was another source of conflict

- Soviet Union rejects international oversight committee after the war

Post-war Economic Assistance

- United States refused to give aid to Soviets for reconstructions

o Soviets called for reparations from Germany in response

 - Britain ran out of money to give aid to smaller countries (Turkey, and Greece)

o Things not looking good: Greek monarchy threatened, Threats of Soviet advance

in Turkey

o U.S. Government feared Soviet takeover of Turkey and Greece

 With Soviet control over Mediterranean, oil trade is at risk

- President Truman asks Congress for $400 million for Turkey and Greece

o Unprecedented amount of money for peacetime

o “Truman Doctrine”  Economic and military aid to (any) country threatened by

a Communist takeover

 Help free people retain their free institutions

o Containment Policy guides politicians during the Cold War

 Attempt to contain communism, don’t let it spread

- Marshall Plan – George Marshal’s plan to give aid to foreign countries

o Soviets didn’t want Czechoslovakia and Poland to have any economic influence

by the United States

o Committed more than 10% of the federal budget to rebuild Europe, and stop the

spread of communism

Germany split between East and West

- Soviets controlled East Germany, Western Germany under British, American, French

control

- Berlin, Capitol of Germany was also split between West and East Berlin

o Berlin is in the middle of East Germany

 Tiny sphere of democracy in the middle of communism

 - Soviets imposed Berlin Blockade to stop any supplies from entering West Berlin

o Soviet Blockade: no rail, highway, water traffic between West Germany and

West Berlin

o Airlifts of food and supplies from U.S. and Allies  2.5 million tons of supplies,

blockade lifted in 1949

 United States was determined to show the Soviets that they wouldn’t let

up

NATO is military arm of Containment Policy

- North Atlantic Treaty Organization

- United States, Canada, Iceland, Portugal, Italy, Denmark, Treaty of Brussels states

o West Germany admitted in 1955

- Pledged mutual assistance against attack

- United States plants nuclear weapons in places all over the world

- Soviet responded with Warsaw Pact

Korean War and the Vietnam War are a part of the Cold War

- June 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea

o South Korean capital, Seoul, fell to Communism

 United States ordered air and sea support

o Communist China threatened to intervene

 China sent in 300,000 troops in 1953

o Chinese intervention ended hope of reunified Korea

 United States did not declare war with China, fear of Soviet intervention