1945 - Present

EHAP Review Pt. 6

Decolonization

Decolonization: post-WW II European nations could no longer maintain control of colonial empires

British: 1947: India declared independence 1947: Br. withdrew from Palestine 1956: Egypt “nationalized” Suez Canal from Br.

(USSR pledged aid to Egypt) 1950-60’s: Br. lost rest of AfricaFrench: lost Indo-China (Vietnam) & N. Africa (Algeria)Netherlands: lost Dutch E. Indies (Indonesia)

Decolonization

The Cold War

Diplomatic crisis b/n U.S. (& its Western “bloc” allies) & U.S.S.R. (& its Eastern bloc)

problems from end of WW II

1946: Churchhill called Soviet domination of E. Europe the “Iron Curtain”

communist puppet gov’ts in E. Europe Poland: 1947 Czechoslovakia: 1948 Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, and Yugoslavia:

1946-47

THE IRON CURTAIN

“From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an iron curtain has descended across

the continent.” - Winston ChurchillMarch 5,

1946

The West Takes a Stand

USSR supported communist rebels in Greece & Turkey

Truman Doctrine: U.S. would provide aid to any free nation to fight communism

Military Alliances: Western Bloc: NATO (1949) North Atlantic Treaty

Organization to protect W. Europe from USSR Eastern Bloc: Warsaw Pact (1955) to protect E.

Europe from capitalist influence

Marshall Plan (1947-1951): U.S. provided $9.4 billion to rebuild W. Europe

Symbols of the Cold War

Division of Germany

At Potsdam Conference: Germany divided b/n “West” & “East” Spring, 1948: Stalin refused to reunify the zones

Berlin Blockade: Stalin blocked off W. Berlin

Allies responded w/ massive airlift to supply W. Berlin

W. Ger. became: Federal Republic of Ger. E. Ger.: Ger. Democratic Republic (Soviet puppet

state)

W. Germany

By 1950’s: W. Ger. had stable 2-party democracy

Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Social Democratic Party (SPD) Chancellor Willy Brandt (SPD): process called

Ostpolitik, to open diplomacy w/ E. Ger.

Post-war Italy

new constitution:

ended monarchycreated democratic republic2 major parties:

•Communists •Christian Democratic Party

Post-war France

4th French Republic: many small parties Female suffrage 1946

5th French Republic (1958): using crisis in Algeria, DeGaulle created 5th Rep. (giving Pres. much more power)

Economic Recovery in W. Europe

Marshall Plan: led to post-WW II economic boom in W. Eur. (until early 1970’s)

Gov’ts created social welfare programs: “cradle-to-grave” protection

Post-war Great Britain

Labor Party: focused on social welfare programs

Reforms: nationalized the Bank of England nationalized railways, airlines, coal & steel

industries old-age pensions unemployment insurance National Health Service

Costs of Reform

High taxes to pay for reforms

Margaret Thatcher (Br. PM): rollback of welfare “nanny” state

by 1990’s W. Europe less economically competitive in era of “globalization”

European Integration

Economic Integration:

1951: European Coal & Steel Community 1958: European Common Market (EEC)

eliminated barriers to trade 1962: European Parliament European Union: created by Maastrict Treaty

(1992) & defined economic, political, military roles established common currency: Euro (1999) EXPANSION EASTWARD

European Union

E. European “Satellite” States

Warsaw Pact: military control by USSRCOMECON: economic controlBerlin Wall built in 1961: to stop E. Ger. RefugeesResistance against Soviets:

1956: Polish revolts suppressed by USSR 1956: Imre Nagy of Hungary encouraged reforms…

• brutal suppression by Soviets 1968: Prague Spring led by Alexander Dubcek in

Czech. (“socialism w/ a human face”)1978: Polish Pope John Paul II

• led to Polish Solidarity Movement against USSR

“De-Stalinization”

1953: Nikita Khrushchev took control after Stalin’s death

1956: Khruschev announced “destalinization” condemned Stalin’s crimes increased tension w/ U.S. (i.e.: Cuban Missile

Crisis) Kruschev adopted “détente” policy of dialogue w/

U.S.

*Brezhnev replaced Khruschev in 1964 until his death in 1982: pursued policy of “New Cold War”

Soviet Failures & Reforms

Failed invasion of Afghanistan (1979) & Chernobyl nuclear accident

Reform policies of Mikhail Gorbachev:

Glasnost: political “openness”Perestroika: free-market reforms

Series of revolutions started in 1989:Fall of Berlin Wall (reunification of

Ger.)Romania: executed brutal dictator

Ceausescu on Christmas Day, 1989

Revolution in Russia

Satellite states in E. Europe & C. Asia separated

August 1991: hard-line communists staged a coup against Gorb.

Boris Yeltsin against hardliners

Aug. 1991-Dec. 1991: more break-away Soviet republics

December 1991: USSR dissolved & Gorb. resigned

Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)

Yugoslavia

Yugoslavia: formed post-WW I (fall of Ottomans)Post WW II: under control of Josip Broz (Tito)

Communist dictator Ethnic rivalries: Serbs, Bosnians, Croats, Slovenes Tito controlled rivalries until his death 1991: Slovenia & Croatia seceded

Bosnian Muslims feared Serbs & seceded war b/n Bosnian Serbs & Bosnian Muslims Serbs supported by Yugo. gov’t

Slobodan Milosevic

Yugoslav Pres. Milosevic: policy of “ethnic cleansing” Serbs against Muslims

U.S. & NATO nations attack Serbs Dayton Accords of 1995 U.N. war crimes trials against Milosevic

Kosovo crisis (1999): Serbs ran ethnic Albanians out of Kosovo