Post-WW II Europe& Cold War

Post war recoveryDestruction and chaos of WWII and Holocaust leave millions homeless, forced out, or wanting a new life

Marshall Plan (1948-51)• $13 Billion in loans to help rebuild Europe • 17 countries received aid for farms, factories, homes, roads, etc.• Stalin didn’t allow Eastern European countries to get aid

Search for justiceNuremburg Trials & Tokyo War Crimes Trials• Some Nazi and Japanese leaders were tried and convicted of “crimes

against peace” and “crimes against humanity”• Atrocities of Holocaust and Nanjing Massacre revealed to world• Reaffirmed that individuals, not just a country, were accountable

Yalta Conference

• February, 1945 – Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin met in Yalta (USSR)• Stalin promises free elections for Eastern European countries• Divide Germany & Berlin into four occupation zones – France, UK, USA, USSR

Post war Germany• Western powers allow elections, combine to form West Germany • Stalin forces East Germany and other countries to accept Communism• Berlin stays divided (in East Germany)

An “iron curtAin”• In famous speech, Churchill says Stalin’s acts have led to an Iron Curtain -

“iron” division between communist east and democratic west

Cold War• Cold War = state of hostility between US & USSR (a.k.a. the “Superpowers”)

using threats, propaganda, and anything short of war (1945-1990)• N.A.T.O. = U.S., Canada, 10 western nations form military alliance in 1949• Warsaw Pact = USSR & Eastern “Bloc” nations form military alliance (1955)

Berlin Airlift• Stalin cut off traffic into West Berlin, hoped leaders would give it up rather

than force war• West responded with massive airlift of supplies:

• June 1948 – May 1949• 278,000 flights, 2.3 mill. tons of food, fuel, medicine, etc.• Stalin lifted blockade (plan defeated)

Arms Race• The U.S. and USSR competed for military superiority

• 1945: U.S. A-Bomb

• 1949: USSR A-Bomb

• 1952: U.S. H-Bomb

• 1953: USSR H-Bomb

Space Race• 1957: Soviets launch Sputnik (first man-made satellite) into space• 1958: U.S. created N.A.S.A., more spending on math/science education• 04/12/1961: Yuri Gagarin (Soviet) = first man in space• 05/05/1961: Alan Shepard = first American in space• 1962: Pres. Kennedy “We choose to go to the Moon in this decade”• 1969: First manned moon landing (U.S., Neil Armstrong)

Berlin Wall upBuilt by East Germans to separate East and West Berlin

• Done overnight, August 13, 1961

• People, families separated

• Attempts to escape, many deaths, improved security until 1989

Berlin Wall up

Berlin Wall downAfter years of pressure, the Berlin Wall came “down” (opened) –November 9/10, 1989

Cuban Missile CrisisBackground• 1959: Fidel Castro took over Cuba, made it communist, allied with USSR• 1961: U.S. attempted to assassinate Castro (Bay of Pigs Invasion)

• Total disaster

1962: Cuban Missile Crisis• Castro turned to Khrushchev (USSR) for help, he built nuclear silos in Cuba• Kennedy called out USSR, set up blockade, demanded removal• U.S. and USSR headed for war, world feared nuclear war• Soviets removed missiles, U.S. wouldn’t invade Cuba