Cold War HistoryCold War History

Origins of the Cold War

Atlantic CharterAtlantic Charter 1) self-government for all 1) self-government for all

peoples peoples 2) no territorial gains were to 2) no territorial gains were to

be sought by the United States be sought by the United States or the United Kingdomor the United Kingdom

3) territorial adjustments must 3) territorial adjustments must be in accord with the wishes of be in accord with the wishes of the peoples concernedthe peoples concerned

4) the participants would work 4) the participants would work for freedom of the seasfor freedom of the seas

5) trade barriers were to be 5) trade barriers were to be loweredlowered

Teheran ConferenceTeheran Conference

meeting between U.S. President meeting between U.S. President Franklin Delano Franklin Delano RooseveltRoosevelt, British , British Prime Minister Winston Prime Minister Winston ChurchillChurchill, , and Soviet and Soviet leader leader Joseph Joseph StalinStalin in in Tehran, Iran, between November 28 Tehran, Iran, between November 28 and December 1, 1943.and December 1, 1943.

discussion centred on the opening of discussion centred on the opening of a “second front” in western Europea “second front” in western Europe

German QuestionGerman Question

Yalta ConferenceYalta Conference

shape of the post-war worldshape of the post-war world Germany devided into four occupation zonesGermany devided into four occupation zones Soviet Union kept Soviet Union kept the Polish territory it had the Polish territory it had

occupied between 1939 and 1941 and occupied between 1939 and 1941 and suggested compensating Poland for its losses suggested compensating Poland for its losses with German lands in the westwith German lands in the west

Stalin confirmed at Yalta that the Soviet Union Stalin confirmed at Yalta that the Soviet Union would declare war on Japan two or three would declare war on Japan two or three months after Germany’s surrendemonths after Germany’s surrenderr

the the Declaration on Liberated Europe Declaration on Liberated Europe pledged the three governments to aid all pledged the three governments to aid all peoples liberated from Nazi German controlpeoples liberated from Nazi German control; ; free electionsfree elections

Potsdam ConferencePotsdam Conference

TThe conferees discussed the substance and he conferees discussed the substance and procedures of the peace settlements in Europe procedures of the peace settlements in Europe but did not attempt to write peace treatiebut did not attempt to write peace treatiess

Each Allied power was to Each Allied power was to seize reparations from its own occupation seize reparations from its own occupation zoneszones

Poland’s boundary became the Oder and Poland’s boundary became the Oder and Neisse rivers in the west, and the country Neisse rivers in the west, and the country received part of former East Prussia. This received part of former East Prussia. This necessitated moving millions of Germans in necessitated moving millions of Germans in those areas to Germanythose areas to Germany

Atomic bombAtomic bomb

World after WWIIWorld after WWII All the major west European powers All the major west European powers

were exhausted either from defeat, were exhausted either from defeat, occupation or the strain of six year of waroccupation or the strain of six year of war

The pre-war power balance had been The pre-war power balance had been destroyed. Resulting vacuum was filled destroyed. Resulting vacuum was filled by two new superpowers: by two new superpowers: The United The United StatesStates

The Soviet UnionThe Soviet Union Started ideological and economic Started ideological and economic

struggle between the opposing blocsstruggle between the opposing blocs

Origins of the Cold WarOrigins of the Cold War Throughout 1946 differences between Throughout 1946 differences between

the representatives of the Soviet Union the representatives of the Soviet Union and the West deepenedand the West deepened

The State Department cabled the US The State Department cabled the US Embassy in Moscow for a background Embassy in Moscow for a background study of Soviet Union’s foreign policystudy of Soviet Union’s foreign policy

George Kennan composed an eight-George Kennan composed an eight-thousand word response (“The Long thousand word response (“The Long Telegram”)Telegram”)

It predicted struggle between It predicted struggle between democracy of Western powers and democracy of Western powers and expansionism of Soviet Unionexpansionism of Soviet Union

Long TelegramLong Telegram Kennan wroteKennan wrote in February in February

1946 from Moscow1946 from Moscow: : “…it is “…it is desirable and necessary that desirable and necessary that the internal harmony of our the internal harmony of our society be disrupted, our society be disrupted, our traditional way of life be traditional way of life be destroyed, the international destroyed, the international authority of our state be authority of our state be broken, if Soviet power is to broken, if Soviet power is to be secure.”be secure.”

The Long Telegram was The Long Telegram was basic of new US foreign basic of new US foreign policy – policy – “policy of “policy of containment”containment”

George F. Kennan

Harry. S Truman (1945–Harry. S Truman (1945–1953)1953)

Truman became President with the Truman became President with the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt on April death of Franklin D. Roosevelt on April 12, 194512, 1945

Truman's policies abroad, and Truman's policies abroad, and especially toward the Soviet Union in especially toward the Soviet Union in the emerging Cold War, would become the emerging Cold War, would become staples of American foreign policy for staples of American foreign policy for generationsgenerations

In response to what it viewed as Soviet In response to what it viewed as Soviet threats, the Truman administration threats, the Truman administration constructed foreign policies to contain constructed foreign policies to contain the Soviet Union's political power and the Soviet Union's political power and counter its military strengthcounter its military strength

Elected in 1948Elected in 1948 Truman's popularity sank during his Truman's popularity sank during his

second termsecond term (soft on communism) (soft on communism)