Physically destroyed Europe after WWII Widespread famine Governments

§ Physically destroyed Europe after WWII § Widespread famine § Governments physically, financially, and emotionally unable to reconstruct § United Nations created to replace the League of Nations

The Yalta Conference § Held in February 1945, when the war not yet officially over § Leaders present: FDR (USA), Churchill (GB), and Stalin (Soviet Union) § Decisions: § Germany and the capital city of Berlin were divided into 4 zones, each occupied by an allied country § Stalin promised free elections in the Eastern European countries the USSR occupied FDR Churchill Stalin § USSR joined war against Japan § USSR would join United Nations

The Potsdam Conference § Held in July 1945 when war had ended § Leaders present: Truman (USA), Atlee (GB), Stalin (Soviet Union) § The only leader who had now been at both conferences was Stalin and he felt he had the upper hand because of it § Stalin refused to allow free elections in Eastern Europe, which he had promised at Yalta Truman Atlee Stalin § Countries agreed to take reparations from their zone within Germany § Truman convinced the US and the Soviet Union were now at odds

The Iron Curtain § Term for division of Europe § Democratic Western Europe vs. Communist Eastern Europe

THE COLD WAR 1945 – 1991 Conflict between the U. S. and the Soviet Union in which neither nation directly confronted each other on the battlefield

Origins of the Cold War United States • Democratic • Free Market (Capitalist) economy • Believed countries should choose their own leaders After WWII, the United States and Soviet Union represented very different fundamental values. Soviet Union • Totalitarian • Communist • Controlled Eastern Europe to protect itself

U. S. Foreign Policy: Containment § Keep communism from spreading § Key foreign policy of US until end of USSR in 1991 § Applied to Europe first (Greece & Turkey), then Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and Africa later

Truman Doctrine http: //www. history. com/topics/cold-warhistory/videos/the-truman-doctrine § US believed communism would infiltrate areas of Europe that were weakened by war § US prepared to use any means necessary to contain communism

Two Sides are Formed NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) US and Western European countries Warsaw Pact Soviet Union & Eastern European countries

The Marshall Plan § European Recovery Program § Created to combat the negative economic impacts of WWII § Named after George C. Marshall (Truman’s Secretary of State) § 2 major goals: 1. Prevent spread of communism to Western Europe 2. Stabilize nations to allow for democracy and free-market economy http: //www. history. com/topics/world-war-ii/marshallplan/speeches/marshall-plan-announced

Effects of the Marshall Plan § Aided 22 European nations § Assisted American businesses by opening up European markets § Stabilized European politics § Helped W. European nations resist communism

Division of Germany and Berlin • West Germany & West Berlin § Democratic § Occupied by § United States § Great Britain § France East Germany & East Berlin § Communist § Occupied by Soviet Union

The Berlin Wall (1961 -1989) http: //www. history. com/topics/coldwar/berlin-wall

The Berlin Wall (1961 -1989)

The Berlin Airlift § Stalin cut off access to Berlin § 2. 1 million people cut off § US & GB attempted to break the blockade by flying in food & supplies to West Berlin § 327 days; 277, 000 flights; 2. 3 million tons of supplies § Food, fuel, medicine, Christmas presents