Post on 04-Jan-2016
Soviet and U.S. troops celebrating victory over the Germans
Soviet vs. US Power
Each power played a central role in shaping a postwar world
Each sought to create a world sympathetic to Soviet communism or U.S. capitalism
In 1945, the Big Three held two conferences – at Yalta (February) and Potsdam (July) – to try to sort out how they would organize the world after the war. It was at these conferences that the tensions between the two sides became obvious.
”Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin working together to save the world”
Yalta (Feb. 1945)
Russia would join the United Nations. divide Germany into four ‘zones’, which Britain,
France, the USA and the USSR would occupy after the war.
bring Nazi war-criminals to trial. help the freed peoples of Europe set up
democratic and self-governing countries by helping them to (a) maintain law and order; (b) carry out emergency relief measures; (c) set up governments; and (d) hold elections (this was called the 'Declaration of Liberated Europe').
Potsdam (later that year)
Potsdam was the Versailles of World War II. four ‘zones of occupation’ in Germany. The Nazi Party destroyedBring Nazi war-criminals to trial. Hold 'free elections as soon as possible'. Russia was allowed to take reparations from the
Soviet Zone, and also 10% of the industrial equipment of the western zones as reparations. America and Britain could take reparations from their zones if they wished.
The Big Three Disagreed…
But in fact the Allies had disagreed openly about:
1. the details of how to divide Germany. 2. the size of reparations Germany ought to
pay. 3. Russian influence over the countries of
eastern Europe.
The Yalta Conference – held during the war in 1945
Stalin after WWII
During 1946–47, Stalin made sure that Communist governments came to power in all the countries of eastern Europe (the countries which Russia had conquered in 1945).
The Hungarian Communist Rakosi described
this process as ‘slicing salami’ – gradually getting rid of all opposition, bit-by-bit. In this way, Russia gained control of Eastern Europe
In this American cartoon from 1946, the thief labelled ‘Russia’ is caught stealing a bag labelled ‘territorial grabs’. He is being helped by Stalin, who is dressed like a policeman and holding a truncheon. Policeman Truman, from the 'World League Police Station' is too late to stop him.
Eastern European Communist Nations
Albania (1945) – the Communists took power after the war without opposition Bulgaria (1945) – a left-wing coalition gained power in 1945; the Communists then
executed the leaders of all the other parties Poland (1947) – a coalition government took power in 1945, but Stalin arrested all the
non-Communist leaders in 1945, and the Communists forced the other non-Communists into exile.
Romania (1945–1947) – a left-wing coalition was elected in 1945; the Communists gradually took over control.
Hungary (1947) – Hungary was invaded by the Russians, and in 1945 the allies agreed
that Russian troops should stay there. Stalin allowed elections, in which the non-communists won a big majority. However, some communists were elected, led by a pro-Russian called Rakosi. Rakosi now started demanding that groups which opposed him should be banned. If not, he hinted, the Russians would take over the country. Then he got control of the police, and started to arrest his opponents. He set up a sinister and brutal secret police unit, the AVO. By 1947 Rakosi had complete control over Hungary.
Czechoslovakia (1945–48) – a left-wing coalition was elected in 1945. In 1948, the
Communists banned all other parties and killed their leaders.
East Germany (1949) – the Russian turned their zone of Germany into the German Democratic Republic in 1949.
Soviet Sphere of Influence
Winston Churchill of Britain…
said ‘a shadow’ had fallen on eastern Europe, which was now cut off from the free world by ‘ an iron curtain’. Behind that line, he said, the people of eastern Europe were ‘subject to Soviet influence . . . totalitarian control [and] police governments’.
Harry Truman and the USA
Now, on 12 March 1947, Truman told Americans that it was America’s DUTY to interfere. His policy towards the Soviet Union was one of ‘containment’ – he did not try to destroy the USSR, but he wanted to stop it growing any more. This was called the ‘Truman Doctrine’.
In June 1947, the American general George Marshall went to Europe. He said every country in Europe was so poor that it was in danger of turning Communist! Europe was ‘a breeding ground of hate’.
He said that America should give $17 billion of aid to
get Europe’s economy going and stop Communism.
Marshall said that it was up to the countries of Europe to decide what they needed. In July 1947, led by Britain and France, the countries of western Europe met in Paris, and asked for substantial economic aid.
The Marshall Plan
Aid Provided by the Marshall Plan
2826
2445
1316 1297
877
561 547 515
257 237 153 146 119 51 33 29
350
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
Country
Million
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Pro
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3 R D VIDEO
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/ir2/
causes_coldwaract.shtml
Atomic Warfare Website
http://www.cddc.vt.edu/host/atomic/hiroshim/index.html
Cold War Clips
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/focuson/film/film-archive/archive.asp?catID=3&subCatID=3