The Cold War: Roots of the Conflict
Soviet Expansion:
· The Soviet Union occupied most of Eastern Europe by the end of World War II.
· In 1946, Winston Churchill correctly warned that the Soviets were creating an “iron curtain” in Eastern Europe.
· By 1948, every Eastern European country was under communist control.
American Response:
· Truman Doctrine – statement of President Truman that promised military and economic support to nations threatened by communism.
· In 1947, the U.S. gave $400 million to Greece and Turkey in order to help them put down communist revolts.
Aid for Europe:
· Secretary of State George Marshall toured Western Europe and witnessed widespread homelessness and famine.
· Marshall, fearing that communist revolts could occur in such an atmosphere, proposed that the U.S. help to rebuild the European economy in what became known as the Marshall Plan.
* The U.S. gave over $12 billion in aid to European countries between 1948 and 1952, helping to improve their economies and lessen the chance of communist revolutions.
· After World War II, Germany was divided into four zones, occupied by French, British, American, and Soviet troops.
Soviet blockade:
· In June of 1948, the French, British and American zones were joined into the nation of West Germany after the Soviets refused to end their occupation of Germany.
· In response, the Soviets cut off West Berlin from the rest of the world with a blockade.
A huge airlift:
· President Truman decided to avoid the blockade by flying in food and other supplies to the needy people of West Berlin.
· At times, over 5,000 tons of supplies arrived daily.
Germany remains divided:
· In May of 1949, Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union ended the blockade.
· The Soviet zone of Germany, including East Berlin, became known as the nation of East Germany.
