cold war begins

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The Cold War Begins

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Background:

After WW II, the US and USSR emerged as rival superpowers.

Each nation was strong enough to greatly influence world events.

Stalin – Premier of USSRHarry Truman President of the USA

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Satellite Nations…

Stalin never allowed truly free elections.

Instead, communist governments were installed in many Eastern European nations.

Main Purpose? Protect USSR from

invasion from the West Buffer Zone

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Containment Policy

George Kennan, career Foreign Service Officer

Formulated the policy of “containment”: US would not get rid of

communism, but would not allow it to spread.

US would “contain” communism where it already existed.

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The Iron Curtain

Winston Churchill coined this term

Famous speech on March 5, 1946 at Westminster College, in Fulton, Missouri

Click for video

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Churchill’s Warning…

Churchill felt that behind the Iron Curtain, the USSR was planning to attack and conquer Western Europe

The world is now polarized into democracy vs. communism

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Division of Germany

The Allies decided to divide Germany into 4 zones after the war.

Also, the capital of Berlin was divided into 4 sectors.

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Problem with Berlin?

Berlin was in the Soviet Sector.

Stalin was not happy with a “small piece” of democracy in Eastern Europe.

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Berlin Blockade June 1948, Stalin attempts to starve West

Berliners into submission. All rail and street access was blocked.

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Berlin Airlift

American and British planes flew food and supplies into Berlin for 327 days Planes took off every

3 minutes for 10 months

Stalin relents in May 1949

Official start of Cold War

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The Marshall Plan June 1947, U.S. plan to give direct

aid to European nations Rationale: fewer poor nations =

fewer communist nations Canada contributed $706 million

out of $12.5 billion over 5 years Example of containment

US Secretary of State George Marshall

Labeling used on aid packages

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The Berlin Wall 1961 – skilled workers

crossing in huge numbers to West Berlin

East German economy about to collapse

Berlin wall built – physical and symbolic barrier between East and West

Wall came down in 1989 – signalled end of Cold War

Berlin wall in 1986 – death strip

Officer Conrad Schumann defecting to West Berlin during the wall's early days in 1961.