Origins of the Cold War

Setting the Stage

• A history of bad feelings between the U.S. and Soviet Union ever since the Russian Revolution in 1917

• Soviets disagreed bitterly about strategy with their American and British partners during WWII

Differences at Yalta

• Yalta Conference – Feb. 1945– Meeting of the 3 leaders– Agreed to divide Germany 4 ways – Soviets refused to declare war on Japan– Helped to cause for more disputes

Differences in Postwar Goals

• Truman mentioned to Stalin that the U.S. had a new weapon of great power

• Stalin simply nodded his head as he already knew of the weapon from soviet spies

• U.S- democracy, unite Germany, and rebuild Europe

• Soviet Union- communism, keep Germany divided, use eastern Europe as a buffer zone

Soviets Tighten Their Hold

• Soviet troops rolled into Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Romania

• Spread communism to these countries, which created satellite nations

• Satellite nations- countries subject to Soviet domination, on the western borders of the Soviet Union that would serve as a buffer zone against attacks

Iron Curtain

• Iron Curtain- The nations that were under Communist domination and oppression

• Helped to stem the Cold War • The Cold War- the competition that developed

between the U.S. and the Soviet Union for power and influence in the world

Containment

• The U.S. had already lost Eastern Europe to communism

• The U.S. developed a new policy called containment- to prevent and stop the spread of communism

Quick-write

• What were some issues that led to the shaky relationship between the U.S. and Soviet Union? Name several and explain.