The End of World War II

p. 488

Celebrations marked both victories in Europe and Asia.

• The time for accounting and repair had arrived:– Germany was in ruins– So were Poland, the Soviet Union, Japan,

southern England, much of France, Italy, and China

– Millions of refugees wandered and starved in Europe and Asia

– Disease and mental illness were rampant• Decisions now had to be made by the

Allies:

What to do about the Holocaust?

–Nuremberg Trials:• Allies captured and put Nazi leaders

on trial for “crimes against humanity”. –Those most responsible were hanged. –Others imprisoned until their sentences

were concluded.

Changing Thinking• EC: What did the Allies do to change the thinking that

caused tens of millions of Europeans and Asians to support the fascists that started the war in the first place? (7)– The US promoted democracy across Europe and

Japan.• Both the governments of Germany and Japan were rebuilt with pro-

democracy politicians, – they developed democratic, constitutional governments,

» under Allied (mostly US) supervision.– Initially, both countries were forced to renounce war and military forces.

» General MacArthur personally developed Japan’s constitution• Ordinary people in Germany and Japan gained suffrage again.

What to do to prevent another World War?

• The United Nations:• Started by the Allies at the end of World War II.

– It had the same peace-keeping purpose of the League of Nations.

– However, it also had military power to enforce its decisions.

Organizationof the United Nations

• EC: General Assembly: (3) • all member nations have promised to

promote peaceful relations with their neighbors. – Began with 50 nations and, – after independence of colonies, grew to over

190 nations.• EC: Can authorize: (2)

– Referendums– Resolutions (policy statements, international

goals, criticism of peace-breaking nations)

Security Council:

• 15 members– 10 alternate (two-year terms)– EC: 5 are permanent

• Russia, China, Britain, France, United States • any one of the permanent members may veto a

decision from being made. – During the Cold War, the United States and Soviet Union

usually stopped Security Council decisions that the other wanted.

Toward Cold War

• EC: The Allies Disagree (2)• 1. German reparations

– Stalin wanted much…..• 2. Should Eastern European nations captured

by the Soviet Union be allowed free elections?

Organizationof the United Nations

• EC: Security Council: (4) • can decide to use force

– economic embargoes, – freezing of funds, – military intervention.

The Cold War:

• Period from 1947 to 1990 where distrust and tension existed between the United States and the Soviet Union.

• EC: The “Free World”: (2) – The United States aligned many nations on its side,

• Promised economic and military support to any nation that fought against the Soviet Union and communism.

• EC: The “Communist Bloc”: (2)– The Soviet Union forced Eastern Europe to join it,

• sent agents and weapons across the world to support communist revolutions against the imperialist capitalist powers led by the US.

the “Eastern Bloc”• EC: Stalin used existing communists parties to create communist

governments in what Eastern European nations: (9)– Poland– Czechoslovakia– Hungary– East Germany– Latvia– Lithuania– Estonia– Bulgaria– Romania

• EC: This group of countries were also called:– “Soviet Bloc” – “Soviet satellites”

• They did not make any decisions without Stalin’s approval.

Truman Doctrine:

• March, 1947. • U.S. President Truman’s policy to use US resources to

fight communist expansion anywhere in the world, – Speech was to explain US intervention in Greece and Turkey.

• This starts “containment” – US would do whatever it took to stop USSR

• It meant both countries would do everything short of war between each other to stop the other from becoming more powerful.– “cold” war

The US dollar was a terrific weapon against the spread of communism in Europe.

• The Marshall Plan:• US Secretary of State, George Marshall’s plan

for economic rebuilding and strengthening of European nations – If they promoted democratic constitutions and

government.• Congress passed the “European Recovery Act”

and sent billions of dollars to applying nations.– Truman even offered it to Stalin, but he turned it

down. • Stalin also forbade the Eastern Bloc nations from applying.

Stalin’s Wrath• EC: 1948, he closed the border between ____ and ____• East Germany • West Germany. • EC: This cut off the democratic zones of Germany’s former capital,

_____ from the West by ship, road, and rail. • Berlin

– People in the western part of the city needed fuel, food, and medicine.• Stalin demanded control of all of the city

– Then the people would get it.• Attempting to send supplies by land would mean the Allies would

have to attack Soviet forces.

Fear of Invasion

• The United States felt Western Europe was threatened by Soviet invasion.

• The North Atlantic Treaty Organization:• In 1949, the US and Western European nations

agreed to militarily supply, train, and protect each other from an invasion by the Soviet Union and its satellite nations.

• The US is the richest and most powerful member.

The Warsaw Pact:

• In 1955, the Soviets worry about NATO– They compelled the satellite nations to ally their

military forces to defend against NATO.– Soviets also used it to police its own members.

• Also known as the Warsaw Treaty Organization (WTO).

• It ended around 1990.

Both nations used public and private media to create public fear of the other side.

• EC: The Communist World was told, through Soviet propaganda, that America and its followers: (5)– Were racists– Trying to control and change

the world – Plotted secret ways to destroy

the Soviet World and communism.

– Only cared about being rich and used or murdered others to get rich

– Were dangerous war mongers out to take over the world.

• EC: Americans, mostly through popular culture and government policies, were told that the Soviets and their followers: (4)– Secretly worked inside our

country to destroy it– wanted to take away

personal freedom in favor of totalitarianism

– wanted to destroy religion– Were dangerous war

mongers out to take over the world.

Crimes Against Humanity

• Trials were also held in Japan, with similar results.

• This begins the idea that those who commit “crimes against humanity” (atrocities), in time of war or peace, should be brought to justice….

–the International Criminal Court (ICC): jurisdiction

Standards Check, p. 489

• Why did the Allies hold war crimes trials for Axis leaders?

• To hold them accountable for “crimes against humanity”

Standards Check, p. 489

• Compare and Contrast the United Nations and the League of Nations.

• The Security Council gives the UN the power to enforce its decisions.

• The US belongs to the UN, but did not join the League of Nations.

• EC: The UN today has five main missions: (5)– maintaining international peace and security,

• Protect self-determination of member nations.– developing friendly relations among nations – promoting global social progress, (rights) – Promoting better global living standards (quality of life) – protecting human rights

• EC: Noted Agencies are: (5)– World Health Organization (WHO)– United Nations International Children’s Education Fund (Unicef)– Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)– International Monetary Fund (IMF)– Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for

Refugees (UNHCR)

Organizationof the United Nations

Chart Skills, p. 489

• Which nation suffered the greatest number of both civilian and military casualties?

• The Soviet Union

Hot Talk Starts Cold War

• EC: In 1945, Truman basically called Stalin a liar and demanded he allow the elections in Eastern Europe he promised Roosevelt a the __ Conference.– Yalta

Other Cold War Expressions:

• East vs. West• Communist World vs. Free World • EC: What were the rest of the “non-aligned”

nations called?– The “Third World”

• EC: What does the term “Third World” infer today?– That a country is poor, with a low standard of living.

Standards Check, p. 490

• What post-war issues caused the Western Allies and the Soviet Union to disagree?

• Reparations in Germany• The nature of governments in eastern

Europe….. Should they be– Free?– Communist?

The Cold War Goes Global

• In the Balkans, in the late 1940s, Soviet agents helped ______communists attempt a takeover and worked similarly in.

• Greek• Turkey• Britain could not afford to defend this area any

longer, – the United States stepped in.

EC: Divide Germany• Everyone feared a united Germany, (2)

– it remained divided into four zones. – The same was done with Berlin.

• Nazis were removed from government positions (2) – pro-democracy officials installed in the western zones – communists in the eastern zone.

• The French, British, and American zones received much Marshall Plan aid. ___– The German economy here grew.

Divided Germany• West Germany• The three democratic zones

were united – the Federal German Republic

(DFR). • A democratic constitution

was adopted • democratic leaders were

elected.• The Allies also forgave West

Germany any reparations for the war. – This meant that it did not have

to repay the Soviet Union either.

– Stalin was angered

• East Germany • Stalin took any economic

assets had back to the Soviet Union, including people. – Eastern Germany was

impoverished. • It would be called the

German Democratic Republic (East Germany (DDR)), – few could vote.

Operation Vittles

• The Allies answered the Berlin Blockade by sending air transports around the clock for over a year. – It was called the – Berlin Airlift.

• They dared Soviet planes and gunners to shoot them down.– Stalin did not want to be the one who started the war

and – He ended the blockade after a year.

Standards Check, p. 492

• What policy did the United States establish with the Truman Doctrine?

• Containment: the policy of preventing communist expansion

Thinking Critically, p. 493

• 1. How was the role of government similar in the Holocaust and in the genocides described above?

• In each case, the country’s government allowed the killings

Quick Write

• Do you think that the Nuremberg trials were an effective way of dealing with the leaders of the Axis Powers after the War?

Letter

• Write a letter as an West German to a Family member.

• Explain how the Marshall plan is helping West Berlin after the war.

• Explain how the Berlin Blockade is affecting your life.

• Explain your feeling when hearing the news of the Berlin Airlift.