Post World War II Superpowers The USASoviet Union

Post World War II

Superpowers • The USA/Soviet Union alliance began to unravel even before the end of the WWII. • *Outcome of WWII; emergence of the two superpowers contributes to more conflict and the rise of the Cold War.

Cartoon Interpretation

Cartoon Questions • 1. This cartoon was published in 1945, what major world event ended that same year? • 2. Describe the scene in the cartoon. • 3. Identify the nations the two figures represent. • 4. Why do you think the artist titled this cartoon, “Bridge the Gulch”? • 5. Why was it referred to as the “Cold War”? • 6. Based on this cartoon, what was the source of conflict between the two nations? • 7. Does the cartoonist seem hopeful? Why or why not?

Yalta Conference • Feb. 1945: WWII not over yet • Allied nations – USA, USSR, and Great Britain • Leaders met at Yalta • Agreed to divide Germany into zones of occupation controlled by Allied military forces.

United Nations • June 1945 • International organization intended to protect members from aggression • Based in New York • 50 Nation members

The Ideological Struggle Soviet & Eastern Bloc Nations [“Iron Curtain”] GOAL spread worldwide Communism METHODOLOGIES: US & the Western Democracies GOAL “Containment” of Communism & the eventual collapse of the Communist world. [George Kennan] « Espionage [KGB vs. CIA] « Arms Race [nuclear escalation] « Ideological Competition for the minds and hearts of Third World peoples [Communist govt. & command economy vs. democratic govt. & capitalist economy] “proxy wars” « Bi-Polarization of Europe [NATO vs. Warsaw Pact]

Stalin shows his true colors • Stalin ignores his promise at Yalta to allow free elections in Eastern Europe (occupied by the Soviets as a result of Yalta occupation zones). • *He put Communist governments in place in several Eastern European countries • *These moves by Stalin increase the conflict between the Soviet Union and the Allied Nations

Truman Doctrine [1947] 1. Civil War in Greece. 2. Turkey under pressure from the USSR for concessions in the Dardanelles. 3. Truman believed that the U. S. should support free peoples throughout the world who were resisting takeovers …We must assist free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way. 4. The U. S. gave Greece & Turkey $400 million in aid.

Marshall Plan [1948] 1. “European Recovery Program. ” 2. Secretary of State, George Marshall 3. *In order to make a quick recovery and keep political stability, $12. 5 billion of US aid to Western Europe 4. *The US intended to encourage capitalism in Europe.

East and West • Stalin controls East Germany, including East Berlin (capital) • The capital city of Berlin is literally divided between east and west

*The “Iron Curtain”* Churchill’s phrase for the imaginary line that separated Communist Europe from democratic Western Europe.

The Arms Race: A “Missile Gap? ” } The Soviet Union exploded its first A-bomb in 1949. } Now there were two nuclear superpowers!

*Military Technology* • *Advancement of military technologies intensifies the “arms race” between the US and Soviets. • Both nations begin stock piling weapons. • Included nuclear weapons (especially), satellites, and biological weapons.

Berlin Wall • The Berlin Wall was both the physical division between West Berlin and East Germany from 1961 to 1989 and the symbolic boundary between democracy and Communism during the Cold War. • *The purpose for building it was to keep the East German people from leaving (an exodus) to West Germany • *Because of this partitioning of Germany, the Berlin airlift will take place.

Post-War Germany

Clash with Soviets • France, Britain and the US decide to remove forces from Germany allowing them to form one nation • Berlin had already been divided into 4 zones. • Soviet Union refuses to allow east Berlin to join.

Berlin Airlift • Soviet Union cut off highway, water, and rail traffic into western zones; attempting to frighten western counties by starving West Berlin • *Truman organized an airlift of supplies to Berlin

Berlin Blockade & Airlift (1948 -49)

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (1949) v United States v Luxemburg v Belgium v Netherlands v Britain v Norway v Canada v Portugal v Denmark v 1952: Greece & v France v Iceland v Italy Turkey v 1955: West Germany v 1983: Spain Promised to meet any attack against a NATO member with military force

*Warsaw Pact (1955) } } } } U. S. S. R. Albania Bulgaria Czechoslovakia East Germany Hungary Poland Romania The Soviet answer to NATO: *The Soviet Union had control of many Eastern European nations because they were communist. *The “Eastern Bloc” countries were members of the Warsaw Pact

Premier Nikita Khrushchev About the capitalist states, it doesn't depend on you whether we (Soviet Union) exist. If you don't like us, don't accept our invitations, and don't De-Stalinization invite us to come Program to see you. Whether you like it our not, history is on our side. We will bury you. -- 1956

An Historic Irony: Sergei Khrushchev, American Citizen Who buried who?

Nixon-Khrushchev “Kitchen Debate” (1959) Cold War ---> Tensions <--- Technology & Affluence

Sputnik I (1957) *The Russians have beaten America in space—they have the technological edge!

U-2 Spy Incident (1960) Col. Francis Gary Powers’ plane was shot down over Soviet airspace.