The Cold War begins 1945

Key issues: Why did the wartime alliances fall apart?What were the major points of

differenceThe importance of Yalta and Potsdam

conferencesThe roles of Stalin and Truman

The chronology and narrative

Major point: The USSR lost around 25 million people in WW2

Stalin was determined to make the USSR secure in the future

By contrast GB lost around 390,000 and the USA lost 495,000 people.

KEEP THIS IN MIND

Comparison

Casualties WWII

Soviet Union 25,568,000 China 11,324,000

Germany 7,060,000 Poland 6,850,000 Japan 1,806,000 France 810,000 USA 495,000 Italy 410,000 Great Britain 388,000 TOTAL 59,000,000

Casualties WWI Germany 1,800,000 Soviet Union

1,700,000 France 1,385,000

Great Britain 947,000 Japan 800,000 Italy 460,000 USA 137,000

TOTAL 11,000,000

The rise of the superpowers

Before WW2 there were a number of countries which could have claimed to be superpowers – USA, USSR,GB, France, Japan, Germany.

The damage caused by the war to these countries left only two countries with the military strength and resources to be called superpowers….USA and USSR.

What they believed

Don’t forget USA was capitalist and USSR was communism

They were complete opposites They had allied against Fascism

(WWII) ….. Now the common enemy had been defeated the reason for co-operation was gone

Differences soon emerged

Europe at the end of WW2

After the war who would lead the countries and form new governments?

The USSR favoured the communist groups, the USA favoured the non-communists

TASK

Two conferences were held in 1945 at Yalta and Potsdam

The aim was to discuss the future and to create the UN for peacekeeping

Churchill (England), Roosevelt (US), Stalin(USSR) below at Yalta

Potsdam

Atlee (England), Truman (US),Stalin (USSR)Wanted Japan to surrender unconditionally

What to do with Germany’s leaders after the war?

Nuremberg Trials Persecute leaders and war

criminals after the war http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc

udlm6tPa0

Truman Doctrine

Examples would be Greece and Turkey which would be the cause of tension between the superpowers

How do you think the US convinced these nations not to become communist nations?

What would happen to the occupied countries after liberation, especially those of Eastern Europe?

How to end the war with Japan? (Soviet and US invasion)Create a timeline of events on your paper

1945 (July 26) Potsdam-ultimatum demanding Japan surrender unconditionally or face destruction (Japan will not)

Aug 6 1945 Bomb dropped on Hiroshima Aug 8 Japanese ignore Russian warning - Russia

declares war on Japan - attacks Japanese forces in China. (For years the Russians claimed the reason the Japanese surrendered was that Russia had entered the war with Japan for the first time.)

Aug 8 warned of another bomb to be dropped Aug 9 1945 Bomb dropped on Nagasaki August 15, 1945 Japanese surrender (VJ Day)

Atomic Cafe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh5Xv89eLdo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bsw1T0nDfw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0K_LZDXp0I

How to build a lasting peace? The United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945 after the Second World War by 51 countries committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights.

The UN has 4 main purposes

1. To keep peace throughout the world; 2. To develop friendly relations among

nations; 3. To help nations work together to improve

the lives of poor people, to conquer hunger, disease and illiteracy, and to encourage respect for each other’s rights and freedoms;

4. To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations to achieve these goals