COLD WAR (1945 1963)

A period of conflicts between the superpowers that emerged after the WWII: the US and the USSR. Europe was divided along ideological lines between capitalism to the West and communism to the East. The clash between these two ideologies was replicated geographically in the four zones of occupation agreed in Yalta Conference (1945), and later in the construction of the Berlin Wall (1961).

Causes
1945 Yalta Conference (February): meeting to discuss the issues that would affect the postwar world. The USSR was in a position of strength because: - she had borne the main burden of the war and suffered the heaviest loses: Stalin had been fighting the Germans for 3 years alone, and it took 2 more years until the US opened the Western Front Stalin resented this - The USSR would declare war against Japan on condition that the territories the USSR liberated were to be handed over or restored to them - The USSR would receive Germanys biggest reparations in kind (equipment, ships and machine tools) for the loses caused during the war - US agreed on dismembering Reich but realized German prosperity was essential for European stability

Postdam Conference (August): aimed at the establishment of post-war order, peace treaties
issues, and countering the effects of war. Main issues:

Extra German reparation demanded by the Soviets US wanted USSR to enter war against Japan Truman learned that the first nuclear bomb made un the US had been successful. US realized USSR was not indispensable Treatment of Germany: disarmament and demilitarization to convince German people they had suffered a total military defeat and were responsible for their own loses, to destroy the National Socialist Party, and to reconstruct Germany politically on a democratic basis.

Stalin understood he had a free hand in the Eastern territory = spread of communism + position of strength Dropping of US bombs to show power before the Soviets 6/8 Hiroshima 9/8 Nagasaki 2/9 Japanese official surrender. They would have surrendered before if it had not been for unconditional

1947 Policy of containment Strategic US foreign policy of the late 1940s and early 50s to prevent the spread of communism. An early application of containment was the Truman Doctrine (1947), which provided U.S. aid to Greece and Turkey. To act accordingly, the US had to study Communist theory communism spreads when there is poverty, instability. People should see the benefits of the US (=of capitalism) to then translate them into their cultures (=continuation of Manifest Destiny) Truman Doctrine Set of gral principles for the conduct of East-West relations couched in universal terms (democracy vs totalitarianism) and offering support (with money, supplies, military advisors, and personnel to supervise the administration of funds) to any pro-western gvmt that feared the threat of communism. Born out of the conquest of Greece and Turkey which had been liberated by the British the US had the moral duty of helping those nations which rejected a totalitarian regime (Manifest Destiny, US interventionism and idealism)

Marshall Plan or European Recovery Program It was the large-scale American program to aid Europe where the United States gave monetary support to help rebuild European economies after the end of World War II in order to prevent the spread of Soviet communism. The plan was in operation for four years beginning in April 1948. The goals of the United States were to rebuild a war-devastated region, remove trade barriers, modernize industry, and make Europe prosperous again. only for countries with capitalist economies/no aid provided to socialist or communist countries purpose: to set capitalist gvmts and establish free trade within European countries indirect subsidy to American industry because the aided countries had to buy Am products by 1950s American industry boomed since it supplied most of Europe a way for the US to show its power to/challenge the USSR

Development
No actual fighting in the US or the USSR territories but abroad: Korean War (1950 1953) Vietnam War (1954 1975), Suez Canal Crisis (1950s?)

Consequences

The military blocs, NATO (1949) and the Warsaw Pact (1955) were formed. It led to destructive conflicts like the Vietnam War (1954- 1975) and the Korean War (1950- 1953).

Dissolution of the Soviet Union (Dec. 1991). The Berlin Wall was demolished (1989) and the two German nations were unified. The Warsaw Pact disintegrated (1991). The Baltic States and some former Soviet Republics achieved independence. America became the sole superpower of the world. Communism collapsed worldwide. Reunification of Germany (Oct. 1990).