Yalta Conference
Franklin
Roosevelt - US
Winston
Churchill - GB
Joseph Stalin SU
Jan. 1945 FDR sworn in for FOURTH TERM!
Meeting held Feb. ’45 in Yalta, city in SU – what do we
do with Germany?
Yalta Conference – 2 things important..
1. Divide Germany into four occupation zones – US,
GB, SU, FR
Did the same thing with Berlin… capital of Germany
Notice what zone Berlin is in???
As WW2 coming to a close…
close….
Which direction was Stalin (S.U.) moving during
WW2?
Yep! West!!
In order to move that way, he had to “take over” or
“occupy” what?
Yep! Countries in Eastern Europe - ex… Poland,
Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria….
2. Stalin agreed to give Poland, other Eastern
European countries he took over free elections after
war is over
The satellite states of Eastern Europe…
Europe….
Can you see where I am going with this? What is going
to happen after WW2? Is Stalin going to give the land
back to the original country?
NOPE!
Stalin keeps them and creates “satellite states” - the
gov. is established by the S.U. - a communist friendly
gov. basically run by the S.U.!
Was Stalin justified in keeping these territories? What
“reason” might he use to say he should keep the land?
Yep! Protect itself from Germany or other invasions!
Kinda like a buffer zone!
“Ladies and Gentlemen, the
United States stands at this
time at the pinnacle of world
power. It is a solemn moments
for the American democracy.
For with primacy in power is
also joined an aweawe-inspiring
accountability to the future.”
future.”
Europe 1945 ….
What does an “iron curtain”
curtain” mean?
Both U.S. and GB frustrated over Stalin’
Stalin’s refusal to
“give back”
back” Eastern European countries
March 5, 1946 the “iron curtain”
curtain” is born!
Winston Churchill travels to Fulton MO, Westminster
College - what happens is one of the most historical
moments EVER!
Churchill delivers a speech “A shadow has fallen upon the scenes so lately lighted by
the Allied victory. Nobody knows what Soviet Russia and
its Communist international organizations intends to do
in the immediate future, or what are the limits, if any, to
their expansive tendencies…
tendencies… It is my duty to place before
you certain facts about the present position of Europe.
From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an iron
curtain has descended across the Continent.”
Continent.”
What’
What’s so bad about the Soviets?
The Cold War lasts from 19461946-1989 – about 45 yrs
Why the name “Cold”
Cold” war?
SU and US never directly fought each other – but did
fight for ideas and beliefs using other countries
ie…
ie… Korea in 1950s
ie…
ie… Vietnam in 1960s1960s-70s
ie…
ie… Afghanistan 1980s
So then what is a “Hot”
Hot” war?
Direct conflict between nations
ie…
ie… World War I, II
ie…
ie… War in Iraq
A hatred is born…
born….
Truman’
Truman’s way to “contain”
contain” the SU’
SU’s
expansion of communism
communism…
….
George F. Kennan, a U.S. diplomat
and expert on the Soviets, created
the idea of containment
Wherever the Soviets tried to
expand their power and influence,
the U.S. should be there resisting
Not limited to military action
- also provided economic aid
to other countries so they
would not need to turn to the
S.U. for help
Truman Doctrine
1947 asked Congress for $400 million in economic and
military aid
Greece and Turkey
Soviet rebels trying to take over governments of Greece
and Turkey – stop communism from spreading
Promised to help nations that might be
in danger of communism – “I believe it must be the policy
of the United States to support free people who are
resisting attempts of subjugation (forced control) by
pressure…
armed minorities or by outside pressure
….” – Harry
Truman
Marshall Plan
WW2 destroyed cities, farms, factories, industry, RR, mines…
Hunger, poverty increasing
Americans felt like WE had to help – if not… what would
happen???
Europe would turn to those evil Soviets!
June 1947 George C. Marshall proposed massive aid program
1948-1951 U.S. gave $13 BILLION to Europe
Money bought farm equipment, food, rebuilt homes,
factories
Stalin refused to let Eastern European satellite states take
U.S. money
Marshall Plan
As a result …
• W. Europe feeding
hungry
• Jobs were provided
• W. Europe able to
purchase American
goods (helps our
economy!)
• Political connections
with W. Europe grew
stronger
Berlin Blockade
Remember… this is what Germany and Berlin look like!
Divided into four
parts….
US/GB/FR joined
their parts of
Germany and
Berlin making
West Germany
and West Berlin –
W. Ger and Berlin eventually started to
set up free,
prosper… While E. Ger/Berlin not doing so
democratic gov!
hot!
Berlin Blockade
June 1948 Soviets blocked all
roads, RR’s, river traffic going
into W. Berlin – 2.2 million
Berliners cut off from food, coal,
everything!
GB/US begin massive airlift into W.
Berlin within days – EVERYDAY 7,000
TONS of supplies flew into W. Berlin
planes flew 24 hrs a day, 3 min.
apart for 15 months
June 26, 1948 – Sept. 30, 1949
Details, details…
details… you know I love them!
• Overall – 2,326,406 tons of food and
supplies - $224 million
• 278,228 total flights to Berlin
• Same distance as going back and forth
to the sun 130 times
• Daily, Berliners needed 4,500 tons of
food, coal, essentials
• 646 tons flour/wheat
• 180 tons dehydrated potatoes
• 19 tons powered milk/5 tons fresh
• 109 tons meat/fish
• 125 tons cereal
•5,000 tons coal/kerosene during
winter
Uncle Wiggly Wings
While waiting to board a
plane… USAF 1st Lt. Gail S.
Halvorsen talked with some of
the children in Berlin - he
offered them his last two sticks
of Wrigley's Doublemint Gum
Said he would drop more
candy the next day
A child asked how they would know it was his
plane - he told them he would tip the wings on
approach acting as a signal to the kids… thus his name
Uncle Wiggly Wings!
Lt. Halvorsen made parachutes out of hankies, ripped
shirts and sheets and filled them with chocolate bars, candy
and gum which he dropped daily
http://www.squidoo.com/berlin-airlift-candy-bombers
NATO
W. Europe nervous over
increasing Soviet power
– they know alone they
would be no match for
the Soviet army
North Atlantic Treaty
Organization - 1949
12 nations joined
together to create
military alliance…
Communist countries were not invited – today there are
26 countries involved
EISENHOWER’
EISENHOWER’S “NEW LOOK”
LOOK” MILITARY
John F. Dulles - hated containment because allowed communism
to exist - wanted to roll back communism
Balance the
budget, spend LESS
$ on military, MORE
on nuclear
weapons (cheaper,
Americans get a tax cut!)
“More bang for
your buck”
buck”
Massive
retaliation –
Use
overwhelming
force against
anyone,
regardless
of situation
It was necessary to go to the brink of war - brinkmanship - to
preserve peace in world
Americans shocked, unsettled - would we risk nuclear war to
force communism to back down?
John Foster
Dulles
Felt communism was a moral evil
“… to depend primarily upon a
great capacity to retaliate,
instantly, by means and at
places of our own choosing.
Now the Department of
Defense and the Joint Chiefs
of Staff can shape our
military establishment to fit
what is our policy, instead of
having to try to be ready to
meet the enemy’
enemy’s main choices.
That permits of a selection of
military means instead of a
multiplication of means. As a
result, it is now possible to
get, and share, more basic
security at less cost.”
cost.”
“I am directing the Secretary of Defense to undertake a reorganization
reorganization and
modernization of the Army's divisional structure, to increase its
its nonnonnuclear firepower, to improve its tactical mobility in any environment,
environment, to
insure its flexibility to meet any direct or indirect threat, to facilitate its
coordination with our major allies, and to provide more modern
mechanized divisions in Europe and bring their equipment up to date,
date, and
[to provide] new airborne brigades in both the Pacific and Europe.
Europe.”
e.”
THE CAMELOT ERA
JFK AND FLEXIBLE RESPONSE
JFK AND FLEXIBLE RESPONSE
Preferred a flexible strategy
over Eisenhower's nuclear
threats
Kennedy expanded normal
military forces, nuclear
forces, and began idea of
counter-insurgency
Counter-insurgency - increase in
special forces, “advisors” in foreign
countries trying to undermine
communist governments
• Propaganda
• Economic aid to improve country
• Special military forces waging fights
JFK felt the threat of
nuclear war had become
slim, but the possibility of
smaller, brush-fire wars
increased
Wanted options for the
military - not every situation
warranted a massive nuclear
strike