PostWar America and the Cold War After the

Post-War America and the Cold War **After the defeat of Germany and Japan and the victory of the Allies in WWII, two new superpowers emerged: -The United States -The Soviet Union **Although both of these nations fought on the Allied side during the war, their many differences in political, economic, and social beliefs made it impossible for them to remain on friendly terms.

United States Capitalism Individual Property Freedom of Religion Democracy Discrimination Unequal Distribution of Wealth Soviet Union Communism State Controlled Economy Suppression of Religion One-Party Rule Classless Society Use of Force to Crush Opposition

**Because of their differences and distrusts of one another, the U. S. and the U. S. S. R. entered into a new Era- the Cold War. The Cold War- -A state of political tension and military rivalry between nations that stops short of full -scale war, especially that which existed between the United States and Soviet Union following World War II.

**After WWII, Germany is Divided into 4 zones: West 1. U. S. 2. Great Britain 3. France All democratic nations East 4. Soviet Union **The city of Berlin which is East Germany was also divided into 4 zones.

A Divided Europe **Stalin was determined to have “friendly” nations surrounding the Soviet Union. Therefore, the Soviet “sphere of influence” was spread throughout nations of Eastern Europe. The Iron Curtain -represented the constant conflict and physical division between the Democratic West and the Communists. -used to describe the conflict that existed from the end of World War II (1945) until the end of the Cold War in 1991. -Represented tension between 2 sides and was NOT an actual wall

**The U. S. , British, and French join their areas of Germany together to form West Germany. **The Soviet Union retaliates by cutting off roads and supply lines to areas of Berlin held by U. S. , Britain, and France. Berlin Airlift -10 months -U. S. drops food, medicine, and supplies into West Berlin -Shows U. S. air superiority -Makes Soviets look like bullies

The Truman Doctrine and the Policy of Containment **Pres. Truman announces his policy to “contain” or control the communist threat around the world. Truman doctrine - President Truman's policy of providing economic and military aid to any country threatened by communism or totalitarian ideas. -Restricting communist expansion -First used to help Greece. Later used to justify sending troops to Korea and Vietnam.

**When Secretary of State George C. Marshall toured Europe after the war, he was horrified at the devastation and ruins he saw. He later told Truman that if the U. S. did not help these nations, they would all fall to communism. Marshall Plan -U. S. plan to rebuild European nations and their economies -”not against any country or doctrine but against hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos. ” -fuel, raw materials, goods, loans and food, machinery and advisers. -It jump-started rapid European economic growth -offered to Communist nations too but Stalin forbid it. -$17 Billion from U. S.

NATO - -North Atlantic Treaty Organization -An alliance of nations whose essential purpose is to safeguard the freedom and security of its members through political and military means. -Includes some European and North American nations **When Stalin learns that West Germany joins NATO, he creates his own alliance which includes communist nations. Warsaw Pact -a collective defense treaty among Soviet Union and seven Soviet satellite states in Central and Eastern Europe in existence during the Cold War. -all promised not to interfere with each other’s affairs, of course the Soviet Union still controlled them.