THE COLD WAR BEGINSChapter 29, Section 1

The Problems of Peace

• Potsdam Conference (May 1945)– Germany split into 4 zones of occupation– Berlin (in Soviet zone) split into 4 zones of

occupation– Eliminate all traces of Nazism by trying Nazis for

war crimes at the Nuremberg Trials– Reparations from Germany for war damage, most

of which went to the Soviets

The Problems of Peace

• Disagreed about what to do about E. Europe– Soviets wanted friendly, communist gov’ts to

create a buffer zone against another attack– US and UK wanted free elections

• Stalin promised to allow free elections• Soviet armies occupied E. Europe meaning

Stalin could do what he wanted there despite his promise

The Conflict Worsens

• Cold War: era of tension and hostility between the Western democracies and the Eastern communists

• Stalin reneged on his promise of free elections• Stalin refused to withdraw Soviet troops from

independent foreign countries• Both sides believed war was coming soon– Churchill described this sharp division of Europe as

the “Iron Curtain”

The Conflict Worsens• The Allies respond with the Truman Doctrine– Pledge to provide economic and military aid to

oppose the spread of communism• 1st example of its use was the Marshall Plan– Provided $13 billion to help rebuild Europe– Created political stability for countries in danger of

falling to communism– Mainly helped England and France, but helped

many countries in Europe– Offered to include communist countries in E.

Europe knowing Stalin would make them refuse

Cold War Confrontations• Truman Plan followed the Policy of

Containment– Resisting Soviet aggression in order to contain the

spread of communism but not attacking it• Berlin:– Allied part of Berlin was an island of democracy in

a sea of communism (it threatened Stalin)– Stalin cut off all supply routes to starve the city

into surrender. Berlin Blockade– Allies answered with the Berlin Airlift, flying in

supplies on planes landing every 30 seconds

Cold War Confrontations

• To create a unified resistance against communism, Western Europe, the US, and Canada formed NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

• The Soviets formed a communist equivalent called the Warsaw Pact

PLUS US &CANADA

Cold War Confrontations

• Korea:– Japan lost Korea to the Allies after WWII– Soviets and Americans split the

peninsula at 38⁰ N– Soviets create a communist gov’t

in north, US creates ananti-communist gov’t in south

– North attacks South to unify thethe country under communism

Cold War Confrontations

• Korea (continued):– US gets UN to send an army to defend the South

(most soldiers are American)– South almost completely conquered except for city

of Pusan until the US invades at Inchon– US pushed all the way to the Chinese border

before the Chinese join pushing back the US– After 3 years of stalemate near the old border both

sides sign an armistice (agreement to stop fighting; neither side has ever signed a peace treaty)

Sept. 1950Nov. 1950-1953

Progress of the Korean War

Oct. 1950