Puppet Camp Düsseldorf 2014: Monitoring with Puppet (Beginner)
A whole lot of Foreign Policy. Early 1945, center is on Poland Who would rule in Poland? What...
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TRUMAN A whole lot of Foreign Policy
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Transcript of A whole lot of Foreign Policy. Early 1945, center is on Poland Who would rule in Poland? What...
TRUMANA whole lot of Foreign Policy
Beginnings of the Cold War
Early 1945, center is on Poland Who would rule in Poland? What would the Polish boundary be? The Soviet puppet Lublin government
was recognized as the leaders of Poland At the Yalta conference, Stalin agrees to
unfettered and free elections. He never had it in mind to act on it
Stalin shut the West and 4 freedoms out of East Europe
Cold War intellectual Kennan
“opposed to denazification policy” because Germans would soon join US in opposition to Soviet Union
No need for US- Russia post-war collaboration
Only need was clear definition of sphere of influence and Russia would never expand their area of hegemony
Truman
Does not like the do-nothing attitude toward Stalin
Truman demanded free elections in Poland
Stalin argues that Poland borders Russia, not the US or Great Britain
Stalin stated that he was not consulted with the formation of governments in Belgium or Greece
Truman
Decides on hard-line but it was always verbal
Decides on economic pressure to get compliance with the US
Orders end to lend-lease that countermands it after Stalin becomes upset
Shocking to do this before USSR declares war on Japan
Stalin will build economy from the backs of its people and take industry from Germany
Cold War defeat
Truman is faced with recognizing Polish government backed by Stalin or break relations with Soviet Union
Truman decides to recognize Polish government
Many see this as first major Cold War defeat for the United States
Potsdam
Major issue was Germany Agreement to split Germany into 4 regions
with a military commander in charge of each region
These commanders would form the Allied Control Council (ACC) – they would work out the details of reunification which need unanimity.
Problem: France and USSR wanted a weakened Germany – Great Britain and US wanted a united self-sufficient Germany. The reason Germany was not reunited earlier.
Potsdam
Russia would also receive 25% industrial capacity from west Germany in exchange for 15% of agriculture from east Germany
Russia got a carte blanche for its occupied zones
Truman came away from meeting with understanding that Russia only understood force and Japan would only be occupied by the US with MacArthur as commander
The Bomb
Gave Truman an awesome sense of power
The bomb could fight the cold war without sacrificing US citizens, a judicious use of finances, and its threat could shape the world in the US favor
Problem: bombs of 1945-1949 could not destroy the USSR
Stalin could match the destruction of Moscow with the take-over of Western Europe
Tension in the Middle East
Stalin would not withdraw troops from Iran because he wanted oil concessions
Russia initiates rebellion in northern Iran to influence events
Russia leaves with formation of Iranian-Soviet oil company
In 1947, the Iranian parliament rejected the company and it was a defeat for the Soviets
Turkey
August 1946, Soviets wanted equal access to the straits
Truman tells Turks to stand strong that the US would back them up, even sending a carrier group to the area
Soviets back down
Stalin
Becomes wary of US and Great Britain after Fulton, Missouri March, 1946 speech by Churchill in which he said an Iron Curtain had descended across Eastern Europe
Pulls out of World Bank and IMF. Put more pressure on Iran Announced a new five-year plan to make
the Soviet Union self-sufficient in the event of war
Intense campaign to remove western influences inside the Soviet Union
Acheson-Lilienthal Plan
Called for international control of atomic energy
Keep the Soviets from getting one and in a series of stages destroy the atomic bombs the US possessed.
Never realized because the US felt the bomb was the only weapon that could hold back the Soviets
