Causes of the Cold War Part 1

• Prior to the end of World War II, the wartime alliance between the United States and the Soviet Union began to show signs of strain.
• President Roosevelt hoped victory over the Axis and the creation of the United Nations would lead to a more peaceful world.
• Instead, the United States and the Soviet Union became increasingly hostile towards each other after the war ended.

Soviet Security Concerns

• The Soviets sought to keep Germany weak and ensure that the countries between Germany and the Soviet Union were under Soviet control.
• Tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union increased due to differing goals between the two sides.
• Soviet leaders became concerned about security as the war ended.
• Germany had invaded Russia twice in fewer than 30 years.
• Soviet leaders were Communists and believed that communism was a superior economic system that would eventually replace capitalism.
• The Soviet Union thought that they should encourage communism in other nations.
• They believed that capitalist countries would eventually try to destroy communism.
• This made Soviet leaders suspicious of capitalist nations.

American Economic Concerns

• American leaders focused on economic problems, while Soviet leaders focused on securing their borders.
• Many American officials believed that the Depression had caused World War II.
• Without the Depression, Hitler would never have come to power, and Japan would not have wanted to expand its empire.
• Nations that isolate themselves economically force others to go to war to get the resources they need.
• By 1945, President Roosevelt and his advisors were convinced that economic growth was key to world peace.
• They wanted to promote economic growth by increasing world trade.
• American leaders believed that democratic governments with protections for people's rights made countries more stable and peaceful.
• A free enterprise system was seen as the best route to prosperity.

The Yalta Conference

• In February 1945, Allied leaders, including President Roosevelt, Britain's Winston Churchill, and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, met at the Soviet resort of Yalta to plan the postwar world.
• Stalin reaffirmed the Soviet pledge to enter the war against Japan after Germany was defeated.
• Several agreements reached at Yalta later played an important role in causing the Cold War.

Poland

• Shortly after the Germans invaded Poland, the Polish government leaders fled to Britain.
• In 1944, Soviet troops drove back the Germans and entered Poland.
• The first issue discussed at Yalta was Poland.
• As the Soviets liberated Poland from German control, they encouraged Polish Communists to set up a new government.
• There were now two governments claiming the right to govern Poland, one Communist and one non-Communist.
• Churchill explained that Poland should be free and sovereign because is what the war against Germany was about.
• Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill argued that the Poles should be free to choose their own government and not have one forced on them.
• Stalin responded that the Polish government had to be friendly to the Soviet Union and that it was a matter of "life and death."
• Roosevelt and Churchill agreed to recognize the Polish government set up by the Soviets.
• Stalin agreed that the government would include members of the prewar Polish government and that free elections would be held as soon as possible.
• Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin agreed to issue the Declaration of Liberated Europe after reaching a compromise on Poland.
• The declaration asserted the right of all people to choose the form of government under which they will live.

Dividing Germany

• Great Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union, and France would each control one zone of Germany, as agreed by attendees.
• The same four countries would also divide the city of Berlin, even though it was in the Soviet zone.
• Attendees agreed to divide Germany into four zones.
• Stalin wanted to weaken Germany economically, although he was pleased with the decision to divide Germany,
• Stalin demanded that Germany pay heavy reparations for the war damage it caused.
• Roosevelt agreed, but he insisted reparations be based on Germany's ability to pay.
• Stalin agreed that Germany pay reparations with trade goods and products instead of cash.
• The Allies would also be allowed to remove industrial machinery, railroad cars, and other equipment from Germany as reparations.
• Arguments about reparations and economic policy in Germany increased tension between the United States and the Soviet Union.
• Arguments about reparations and economic policy in Germany became one of the major causes of the Cold War.

Tensions Begin to Rise

• The Yalta decisions shaped the expectations of the United States.
• Two weeks after Yalta, the Soviets pressured the King of Romania into appointing a Communist government.
• The United States accused the Soviets of violating the Declaration of Liberated Europe.
• Soon afterward, the Soviets refused to allow more than three non-Communist Poles to serve in the 18-member Polish government.
• There was no indication that the Soviets intended to hold free elections in Poland as promised.
• On April 1, President Roosevelt informed the Soviets that their actions in Poland were not acceptable.
• Eleven days later, with Soviet American relations deteriorating, President Roosevelt died (he collapsed and died of a cerebral hemorrhage), and Vice President Harry Truman took office.