Chapter 21
Section 1 Origins of the Cold War
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Chapter Objectives
Section 1: Origins of the Cold War
• Explain the growing tensions between the
United States and the Soviet Union at the
end of World War II. 
• Identify the goals of Stalin’s foreign policy
immediately after the war.
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continued
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Guide to Reading
Main Idea
The detonation of the atomic bomb and the end of
World War II led to disagreements among the “Big
Three” wartime Allies and a shift in American
attitudes toward the Soviet Union. 
Key Terms and Names
• Cold War 
• Potsdam 
• satellite nation 
• iron curtain
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A Clash of Interests
• After World War II, the United States and
the Soviet Union became increasingly
hostile, leading to an era of confrontation
and competition that lasted from about
1946 to 1990 known as the Cold War.
(pages 654–655)
A Clash of Interests (cont.)
• Soviets were concerned with security
and wanted to avoid future attacks
from Germany. 
• They wanted all countries between
Germany and the Soviet Union to
be under Soviet control. 
• Soviets believed communism was
superior to capitalism. 
• They were suspicious of capitalist
countries because they felt capitalism
would lead to war and eventually
(pages 654–655)
destroy communism.
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A Clash of Interests (cont.)
• Americans were concerned with
economic problems. 
• Roosevelt and his advisers believed
that economic growth would keep the
world peaceful. 
• American leaders promoted a
democracy with protections for
individual rights and free enterprise
to create prosperity.
(pages 654–655)
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A Clash of Interests (cont.)
What did many American officials believe
caused World War II?
Many American officials believed it was the
Depression that had caused World War II.
Countries had cut back on trade, making
it necessary for a nation to go to war to
get the resources it needed.
(pages 654–655)
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The Yalta Conference
• A meeting of Roosevelt, Churchill, and
Stalin at Yalta–a Soviet resort on the
Black Sea–was held to plan the postwar
world. 
• Although the conference went well,
some agreements made would later
become key in causing the Cold War.
(pages 655–657)
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The Yalta Conference (cont.)
• At Yalta, a compromise was made with
Roosevelt and Churchill agreeing to
recognize the Polish Communist
government set up by the Soviets. 
• Stalin agreed that the government
would include members from the old
Polish government before the war. 
• Stalin agreed that free elections would
take place in Poland.
(pages 655–657)
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The Yalta Conference (cont.)
• During the meeting at Yalta, Roosevelt,
Churchill, and Stalin issued the
Declaration of Liberated Europe,
giving people the right to choose their
form of government.
(pages 655–657)
The Yalta Conference (cont.)
• It was decided at Yalta to divide Germany
and Berlin into four zones, with Great
Britain, the United States, the Soviet
Union, and France each controlling a
zone. 
• It was also agreed that Germany
would pay reparations for damage
caused by the war. 
• For the next several years, arguments
about these reparations and economic
policy in Germany would become one
of the major causes of the Cold War.
(pages 655–657)
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The Yalta Conference (cont.)
• Tensions rose when the Soviets did not
follow agreements made at Yalta, which
caused Soviet-American relations to
deteriorate. 
• President Roosevelt died and Vice
President Harry S Truman became the
next President.
(pages 655–657)
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The Yalta Conference (cont.)
How did Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin
disagree about what to do with Poland?
Roosevelt and Churchill felt that the Poles
should have the freedom to choose their
own government. Stalin felt the Polish
government and the Soviets needed to be
friendly for security reasons.
(pages 655–657)
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Truman Takes Control
• Harry S Truman took office, making it
clear he would stand firm against Stalin to
keep promises he made during Yalta. 
• In July 1945, Truman and Stalin met at
Potsdam near Berlin to work out a
deal regarding Germany. 
• Truman was against heavy reparations
on Germany, feeling that the
reparations would not allow German
industry to recover.
(pages 657–658)
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Truman Takes Control (cont.)
• Agreements were made allowing the
Soviets to take reparations from their
zone in Germany and a small amount of
German industrial equipment from other
zones. 
• Stalin was not pleased with Truman’s
proposal. 
• Truman then told Stalin of the
successfully tested atomic bomb,
leading Stalin to think it was a threat to
get him to agree to the deal. 
• Stalin agreed, but tensions rose.
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(pages 657–658)
Truman Takes Control (cont.)
• Other issues at Potsdam did not end
successfully. 
• The Declaration of Liberation of Europe
was not upheld, and the Soviet army’s
presence led to pro-Soviet Communist
governments being established in
Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary,
and Czechoslovakia. 
• These Communist countries of Eastern
Europe became known as the satellite
nations.
(pages 657–658)
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Truman Takes Control (cont.)
• Although they had their own governments
and were not under direct Soviet control,
they had to remain Communist and follow
Soviet- approved policies. 
• As Communists began taking over
Eastern Europe, Winston Churchill’s
term, the iron curtain, was used to
describe the separation of the
Communist nations of Eastern Europe
from the West.
(pages 657–658)
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Truman Takes Control (cont.)
Why did Stalin have to accept Truman’s
proposal at Potsdam?
American and British troops controlled
Germany’s industrial center, and Soviets
would be unable to receive any reparations
unless they cooperated.
(pages 657–658)
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Checking for Understanding
Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions on
the left.
__
B 1. the political and military
barrier that isolated Sovietcontrolled countries of
Eastern Europe after World
War II
__
A 2. the ideological and often
confrontational conflict
between the United States
and the Soviet Union between
1946 and 1990
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A. Cold War
B. iron curtain
Checking for Understanding (cont.)
Reviewing Facts Why did tensions
grow between the United States and
the Soviet Union after World War II?
Each country had different goals for
Germany and Eastern Europe.
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Reviewing Themes
Global Connections At Yalta, what
agreement did the “Big Three” come
to about Germany’s future after World
War II?
Germany was divided into four zones
controlled by Great Britain, France, the
Soviet Union, and the United States.
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Critical Thinking
Synthesizing Do you think Roosevelt
could have prevented the Cold War?
Why or why not?
Possible answers: Yes, the Cold War
could have been prevented if Soviet
needs had been accommodated. No,
the Cold War was inevitable because
the Soviets had broken several promises.
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Geography and History
The map on page 683 of your textbook shows the occupation
of Berlin after World War II. Study the map below and answer
the questions on the following slides.
Geography and History (cont.)
Interpreting Maps
How was West
Berlin’s location a
disadvantage? How
did Stalin use this
disadvantage against
the Western Allies?
It was completely
surrounded by
East Germany.
Stalin blockaded it.
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