The Cold War BeginningsAya Zak & SaraTS 9A

What is the Cold War?

• The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, and economic competition between the Communist World and the powers of the Western World, primarily the United States and its NATO allies.

What were the differences between Russia and USA at the end of WWII?

• After WWII, Truman wanted peace, prosperity, and a democracy, whereas Stalin wanted to dominate Europe and spread communism. In his speech, Churchill said that there was an iron curtain separating USSR and its satellite states from Western Europe and US. It refers to the physical and ideological division between freedom (democracy) and oppression (communism).

How did Truman respond to the Soviet domination of Eastern Europe?

• In response to the Soviet domination of Eastern Europe, Truman adopted the policy of containment. Containment is a policy that tried to keep communism within its existing borders. He issued the Marshall Plan, Truman Doctrine, and Berlin Airlift.

• The Marshall Plan helped improve the economic situation in Europe by providing food and money. The Truman Doctrine was a policy set forth by President Truman stating that the US would support Greece and Turkey with economic and military aid to prevent communism from flowing in. The Berlin Airlift was the allies sending food, fuel, and money to the trapped citizens of West Berlin.

• Berlin Airlift

Marshall Plan

Truman Doctrine

What were the causes and results of Stalin’s blockage of Berlin?

• The city of West Berlin was in very good shape in contrast to the city of East Berlin, for that particular reason, the citizens of East Berlin began flocking in. Stalin wasn’t pleased with that, thus he blocked all means of transport heading to West Berlin, but he can’t control the sky. To help West Berlin from falling into Stalin’s hands, the Allies issued the Berlin Airlift.

The End