Cold War Intro Lesson

Beginning of the Cold War

United Nations

Created on June 26th,1945

International Peace keeping organization

Multiple Select

Why is the United Nations provided as part of a presentation on the Cold War?

• The Soviet Union and the United States set aside their differences at the UN.

• It became an arena of competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

• The United States and the Soviet Union would both try to direct United Nations policy

• The United Nations would prevent the United States and Soviet Union from getting involved in surrogate wars

Potsdam Conference, July 16th - August 2nd, 1945

• Truman presses Stalin to allow free elections in Eastern Europe

• Stalin refuses

• Stalin installs communist “satellite nations” in Eastern Europe to create ‘buffer zone.’

• Labeled ‘Iron Curtain’ by Winston Churchill

Multiple Choice

What was the source of tension between Truman and Stalin at the Potsdam Conference?

• Free elections in Western Europe.

• Free elections in Eastern Europe

• The Creation of a "Buffer Zone in Western Europe

• The unconditional surrender of Germany.

• U.S. adopts containment policy.

• Taking measures to prevent any extension of communist rule

• George F. Kennan (1946)

Multiple Choice

Which of the following do you think is the key advantage of the policy of containment?

• It ended the Cold War quickly.

• It allowed the United States to directly confront the Soviet Union.

• It avoided direct conflict with the Soviet Union.

• It did not add to the national deficit.

• Truman Doctrine - “It must be the policy of the U.S. to support free peoples resisting subjugation.” (1947)

• $400 million in aid to Turkey and Greece to help them resist Communism

• The Marshall Plan - proposal by Secretary of State George Marshall to aid European nations recovering from WW2.

• Helped democratic nations resist Communist influence

Multiple Choice

What is one method in which the U.S. was trying to contain communism based upon the Marshall Plan?

• Financial aid to countries recovering from World War Two.

• Sending troops into Greece and Turkey.

• Sending troops into Eastern Europe

• Financial aid to the Soviet Union

The Berlin Airlift

• Germany had been divided into four zones occupied by the U.S., Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union

• The capital of Berlin had been divided into four zones occupied by the same nations

The Berlin Airlift

• In response to Allied desires to unify Western Germany, Stalin blockaded West Berlin.

The Berlin Airlift

• American and British officials started Berlin airlift to fly food and supplies into West Berlin.

• West Berlin survived, Soviets lifted blockade (1949) and U.S. prestige was enhanced

Open Ended

How do you think most of the world viewed the United States following the events of the Berlin Airlift?

NATO

• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (April 4, 1949)

• United States, Canada, and 10 European nations pledged military support to one another if any member was attacked.

• First U.S. peacetime alliance

• 29 members today

• Soviet Union forms Warsaw Pact in response

Multiple Choice

What is the name of the first peacetime alliance in United States history?

• United Nations

• North American Treaty Organization

• North Atlantic Treaty Organization

• North Pacific Treaty Organizatoin