THE COLD WAR Two Superpowers Face Off Yalta















- Slides: 15
THE COLD WAR Two Superpowers Face Off
Yalta Conference
Yalta Conference • Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt meet in February 1945 • Agree to divide up Germany • Germany must pay compensation to Soviets • Stalin promises free elections in Eastern Europe
The United Nations
The United Nations • International organization intended to protect members against aggression. • Based in New York City • General Assembly: 50 nations in 1945 - 191 today • Security Council: Five permanent members are U. S. , Russia, Great Britain, China, and France
Soviets Control Eastern Europe • Major goal to shield itself from invasion • Saw Eastern Europe as a “buffer zone” • Communist governments installed by the Soviets • Iron Curtain
U. S. Counters Soviet Expansion • Containment - prevent the expansion of communism • Truman Doctrine - support given to countries that rejected communism • Marshall Plan - aid given to any European country that needed it
Germany Divided • East controlled by the Soviets: communist government • West given its freedom by the Allies powers: democratic government
Germany Divided • City of Berlin also was divided • Soviets blockaded city in 1948, hoping allies would surrender control • U. S. airlifted supplies into the city for 11 months
Cold War • State of diplomatic hostility between superpowers • Much of the world allied with one or the other
Rival Alliances • Berlin blockade heightened fears of Soviet aggression in Europe. • NATO is created. It is a defense alliance of 10 European nations, Canada and the U. S.
Rival Alliances • In response to NATO, the Soviets created the Warsaw Pact. • Members included Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Albania
Nuclear Threat • 1949: Soviets explode an A-bomb • November, 1952, U. S. explodes an H-bomb. • Soviets explode one the next year • Both sides produce large stockpiles of nukes
Cold War in the Skies • August 1957, Soviets announce the first ICBM • October 4, 1957, Sputnik launched. • It is the first man-made satellite • U. S. begins pours money into education • Especially math, science and foreign languages