PRELUDE TO THE COLD WAR - PowerPoint Presentation

PRELUDE TO THE COLD WAR Both Germany and Japan were decimated by the war The Potsdam Conference was held by the Allies in Potsdam, Germany to work out the details of their joint occupation of Germany. The British, French and US divided up the Western side The USSR occupied the Eastern and rural part Berlin, in the Soviet zone, was divided likewise Austria was also divided up

German Occupation Agree to crush the Nazi Party Re-establish local governance Rebuild industry R epatriate German Refugees Soviet Actions that Caused Tensions The Soviets demanded that Poland be given German territory won in the war They also wanted reparations from Germany The Soviets had absorbed the countries between them and Germany

The Occupation of Japan From 1945 to 1952 Emperor Hirohito was confined to his palace and had no power Several million Japanese troops were demobilized Democracy in Japan In 1947 a new democratic Constitution was adopted: Voting rights to women Freedom of Religion Abolished the army and navy- forever Land redistribution and unions were legal Broke up the “zaibatsu”- huge corporations run by single families- Japan made a huge recovery

The United Nations *The number 1 goal of the UN is world peace* April 1945- 50 nations met in San Francisco to draw up the charter General Assembly - includes all member nations- deals with day -to -day stuff Security Council - 15 nations, 5 permanent with veto power over the general assembly. The SC deals with military and political problems- US,GB, USSR, France, China The US overwhelmingly joined in October of 1945 and Eleanor Roosevelt was one of the US’s first delegates Many critics thought the UN would fail because of lack of enforcement powers

REVIEW What happened at the Potsdam Conference? Identify one purpose for German Occupation by the Allies. Explain one Soviet action that caused tension. How did Japan benefit from democracy? Define Zaibatsu . What is the “#1 Goal” of the United Nations?

The Cold War Begins The Cold War I ntense rivalry between the US and the Soviet Union for International Dominance Everybody else was too weak or destroyed in WW2. D ifferences in their world view US perceived the Soviets as a threat because of their rapid expansion and forced control of countries after WW2

Philosophical Differences US Beliefs Democratic government – multiple parties Individual freedom Capitalistic economy Communist Beliefs State-run economy – no private ownership One-party rule Suppression of religion – “Opiate of the masses” Use of force to crush opposition

REVIEW What happened at the Potsdam Conference? Name ONE change which occurred in Japan under U.S. occupation. What is the #1 goal of the UN? Who is on the permanent Security Council? What is the “Cold War”? Identify ONE philosophical difference between the U.S. and USSR.

Soviet Expansionism During WW2 the Soviets had “acquired” many nations in Eastern Europe. They intended to keep them as a buffer… The nations became known as Satellite Nations In response the other Allies strengthened their control in western Germany and spent a lot of money to revive their industries Churchill said that an “Iron Curtain has descended across the Continent” Under George Kennan (State Dept official) the US adopted a policy of containment- restricting the spread of Soviet communism

The Arms Race The Baruch Plan (US presidential advisor) An international agency should inspect any country’s nuclear plants The Soviets didn’t comply and by 1949 they had a bomb of their own. In August of 1946 the US Congress passed the Atomic Energy Act Created the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) O versaw nuclear weapons research and promoted peacetime uses

Containment Around the World The Truman Doctrine “It must be the policy of the US to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.” Truman was referring to the civil war in Greece and Soviet claims of Turkish territory. Congress gave $400 million to Greece and Turkey to keep them out of Soviet control

Containment Around the World Marshall Plan George C. Marshall was Secretary of State Felt that the destitute conditions in western Europe made it susceptible to the USSR Truman followed Marshall’s advice and asked Congress for $17 billion to help rebuild western Europe . Following the Soviet takeover of Czechoslovakia, Congress provided the money.

The Berlin Airlift The Allied zones in Berlin were growing stable and prosperous and the Allies merged them. Soviets were unhappy and blocked all access to West Berlin in protest. Over the next 10 months US and British planes supplied West Berlin U.S. told Soviets that if they shot down any planes it would be considered an act of war = nukes The Soviets quickly backed down.

NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization After the Berlin crisis the US shifted its focus from economic aid to military security Nine Western European nations joined the US, Canada and Iceland in a mutual defense league called NATO – Founded in 1949 General Dwight D. Eisenhower was put in charge and the US supplied troops and military aid and money to our NATO allies The Soviets responded in 1955 with the Warsaw Pact – mutual defense agreement with satellite nations

WRITTEN REVIEW What are Satellite Nations ? Explain the US Policy of Containment. According to the Truman Doctrine, what must the US policy be? Why did Marshall ask for $17 billion? What was the Berlin Airlift? Define NATO and explain its purpose.