The Cold War Begins!

Cold War Europe 1945-1953

Stalin and Truman Argue

• What to do with Defeated Germany?

• “Bargaining Away” Eastern Europe at Yalta…why?

Dividing Berlin: In the MIDDLE of Soviet Sector!

Truman and Containment: The Truman Doctrine

• Trouble in Greece and Turkey, 1947: Communism threatening!

• Truman pledges AID to non-communists

• Sets up policy of CONTAINMENT

Marshall Plan DIVIDES Europe Economically!

• $13 Billion in aid to NON-COMMUNIST COUNTRIES

• Offered to Eastern European countries, but they did not accept: WHY?

• Long-term effects felt today!

Three Sectors Merge: Germany is divided!

• West Germany• East Germany• Stalin’s reaction: close

off border to Berlin• Truman’s response?

Berlin Airlift 1949!• “Poker Game” between

USA and USSR: who will back down first?

In 1949, USSR successfully tests Nuclear Weapon

• How is the Cold War “fought?”– Arms Race– Space Race (Sputnik)– Threats– Fear/Suspicion– Expanding influence as

much as possible (Latin America, Africa, etc.)

“An Iron Curtain has descended across Europe…”

• Winston Churchill says this in 1947

• What does he mean?• NATO and Warsaw Pact– Military alliances

Crisis in Cuba: The Cold War gets “Hot”

• Rise of Fidel Castro• Failed Bay of Pigs

Invasion• Cuban Missile Crisis,

October 1962• Khrushchev vs. Kennedy– Eventually, US pulls our

missiles from Turkey and USSR pulls from Cuba

– Closest we’ve come to nuclear war!

Closest to Nuclear War since 1945!

Berlin: A City Divided

• “Brain Drain” causes 3 million East Germans to leave from 1949-61

• Our U2 Spy Plane shot down!

• Khrushchev closes border, August 13, 1961

• US is disgusted, but not willing to go to war over Berlin

Images from the Wall

An East German Guard leaves

So how can you escape?

Peter Fechter: One of many casualties of the Wall

• Why didn’t anyone SAVE HIM?!?!?!