The Cold

War Begins

Questions
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Notes:
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The Cold War Begins
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I. Allies Become Enemies
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A. Yalta Conference (before end of WWII) allies
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met - discussed what would happen after war
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B. June 1945 United Nations was formed
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Stalin and Truman and the Start

of the Cold War
In early 1946, Stalin refuses to allow elections in
the Eastern European countries under Russian
control.
IN 1946 President Truman announces that the
USA would stop babying the Soviets and
aggressively move to block communist influence
through a policy of CONTAINMENT

In 1947 the President announces the TRUMAN

DOCTRINE, declaring that the USA would give any
assistance to any country trying to fight
communism.

Stalin
and
Trumans
Motivations
Paranoia Stalin was afraid of
ALL kinds of threats to his power

Truman wanted the USA to be able to

maintain its position as the worlds
dominant power

History Russia had been

invaded many times from the West "We have about 50% of the world's
wealth, but only 6.3% of its
(thrice within the last 30 years)
population....In this situation, we cannot
American Policy the USA was
fail to be the object of envy and
very hostile to Russia and Stalin
resentment.... We should cease to talk
knew the Americans wanted to see about vague and...unreal objectives such
communist Russia destroyed
as human rights, the raising of the living
standards, and democratization. The day
is not far off when we are going to have
to deal in straight power concepts.
National Security Council Policy
Statement 20

To defeat the Nazis,

the Red Army
invaded Germany.
Stalin remembered
that his country had
recently been
invaded three times
from the west.

Stalin leaves the Red

Army in Eastern
Europe.
At Potsdam Truman
urges Stalin to allow
elections.
Stalin refuses.

From Stettin in the Balkans, to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron

curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line
lies the ancient capitals of Central and Eastern Europe.
- Sir Winston Churchill, 1946

Questions
________________________________________________________
Notes:
________________________________________________________
The Cold War Begins
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
I. Allies Become Enemies
________________________________________________________
A. Yalta Conference (before end of WWII) allies
________________________________________________________
met - discussed what would happen after war
________________________________________________________
B. June 1945 United Nations was formed
________________________________________________________
II. Eastern Europes Iron Curtain
________________________________________________________
A. USSR wanted a buffer in the west
________________________________________________________
B. Stalin left Red Army in Eastern Europe
________________________________________________________
C. Potsdam Conference Truman wants free
________________________________________________________
elections in Eastern Europe Stalin refuses
________________________________________________________
D. Churchill iron curtain splits free AND
________________________________________________________
communist
________________________________________________________
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At the present moment in world history nearly every

nation must choose between alternative ways of life
One way of life is based upon the will of the majority,
and is distinguished by free institutions, representative
government, free elections, guarantees of individual liberty,
freedom of speech and religion, and freedom from political
oppression.
The second way of life is based upon the will of a
minority forcibly imposed upon the majority. It relies upon terror
and oppression, a controlled press and radio; fixed elections, and
the suppression of personal freedoms.
I believe that it must be the policy of
the United States to support free peoples who
are resisting attempted subjugation by armed
minorities or by outside pressures.
I BELIEVE THAT WE MUST ASSIST
FREE PEOPLES TO WORK OUT THEIR OWN
DESTINIES IN THEIR OWN WAY.
I BELIEVE THAT OUR HELP SHOULD
BE PRIMARILY THROUGH ECONOMIC AND
FINANCIAL AID WHICH IS ESSENTIAL TO ECONOMIC
STABILITY AND ORDERLY POLITICAL PROCESSES.

Congress approved sending

over $400 million to
Turkey and Greece to aid
anti-communist forces.

President Harry Truman, speech to Congress, March 12, 1947

Marshall Plan - 1948

1. European Recovery Program.
2. Secretary of State, George Marshall
3. The U. S. should provide aid to all European
nations that need it. This move is not

against any country or doctrine, but against

hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos.

4. $12.5 billion of US aid to Western Europe

extended to Eastern Europe &
USSR, [but this was rejected].

Questions
________________________________________________________
Notes:
________________________________________________________
The Cold War Begins
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
I. Allies Become Enemies
________________________________________________________
A. Yalta Conference (before end of WWII) allies
________________________________________________________
met - discussed what would happen after war
________________________________________________________
B. June 1945 United Nations was formed
________________________________________________________
II. Eastern Europes Iron Curtain
________________________________________________________
A. USSR wanted a buffer in the west
________________________________________________________
B. Stalin left Red Army in Eastern Europe
________________________________________________________
C. Potsdam Conference Truman wants free
________________________________________________________
elections in Eastern Europe Stalin refuses
________________________________________________________
D. Churchill iron curtain splits free AND
________________________________________________________
communist
________________________________________________________
III. USA tries Containment of USSR
________________________________________________________
A. Truman Doctrine (1947) USA will contain the
________________________________________________________
spread of communism everywhere in the world
________________________________________________________
B. Marshall Plan massive aid to Europe to rebuild
________________________________________________________
after WWII and stop communism spreading
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Post-War Germany

The Berlin Airlift

Berlin Blockade & Airlift (1948-49)

The Berlin Airlift Candy Man

Questions
________________________________________________________
Notes:
________________________________________________________
The Cold War Begins
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
I. Allies Become Enemies
________________________________________________________
A. Yalta Conference (before end of WWII) allies
________________________________________________________
met - discussed what would happen after war
________________________________________________________
B. June 1945 United Nations was formed
________________________________________________________
II. Eastern Europes Iron Curtain
________________________________________________________
A. USSR wanted a buffer in the west
________________________________________________________
B. Stalin left Red Army in Eastern Europe
________________________________________________________
C. Potsdam Conference Truman wants free
________________________________________________________
elections in Eastern Europe Stalin refuses
________________________________________________________
D. Churchill iron curtain splits free AND
________________________________________________________
communist
________________________________________________________
III. USA tries Containment of USSR
________________________________________________________
A. Truman Doctrine (1947) USA will contain the
________________________________________________________
spread of communism everywhere in the world
________________________________________________________
B. Marshall Plan massive aid to Europe to rebuild
________________________________________________________
after WWII and stop communism spreading
________________________________________________________
C. Berlin Air Lift supplies flown into Berlin after
________________________________________________________
USSR shut ground supplies reaching the city
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