Transcript The Conflict Begins

The Conflict Begins
Livadia Palace of Yalta
YALTA, Overture to Conflict
• At Crimean Resort of Yalta, met 3 most powerful men in the
world: FDR, Stalin, Churchill
– February 4-12, 1945
– Preliminary meeting requested by Churchill with FDR was
declined by FDR
– Said FDR of Stalin: “. . . I think that if I give him everything I
possibly can and ask for nothing from him in return, noblesse
oblige, he won't try to annex anything and will work with me for
a world of democracy and peace.”
• Agenda:
1.
2.
3.
4.
The dissection of Germany into four (US, Great
Britain, France and USSR) occupational sectors
The entry of USSR into war with Japan
The fate of Poland
Formation of the United Nations
• There was an agreement that the priority would be the
unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany. After the war,
Germany would be split into four occupied zones.
• Stalin agreed that France might have a fourth occupation zone
in Germany and Austria but it would have to be formed out of
the American and British zones.
• Germany would undergo demilitarization and denazification.
• German reparations were partly to be in the form of forced
labor. (see also Forced labor of Germans in the Soviet Union).
The forced labor was to be used to repair damage Germany
inflicted on its victims.[citation needed]
• Creation of a reparation council which would be located in
Russia.
• The status of Poland was discussed. It was agreed to reorganize
the communist Provisional Government of the Republic of
Poland that had been installed by the Soviet Union "on a
broader democratic basis."
• The Polish eastern border would follow the Curzon
Line, and Poland would receive territorial
compensation in the West from Germany.
• Churchill alone pushed for free elections in
Poland.[7] The British leader pointed out that UK
"could never be content with any solution that did
not leave Poland a free and independent state".
Stalin pledged to permit free elections in Poland,
but eventually never honored his promise.
• Citizens of the Soviet Union and of Yugoslavia were
to be handed over to their respective countries,
regardless of their consent.
• Roosevelt obtained a commitment by Stalin to
participate in the United Nations.
• Stalin requested that all of the 16 Soviet Socialist
Republics would be granted United Nations membership.
This was taken into consideration, but 14 republics were
denied.
• Stalin agreed to enter the fight against the Empire of
Japan within 90 days after the defeat of Germany.
• Nazi war criminals were to be hunted down and brought
to justice.
• A "Committee on Dismemberment of Germany" was to
be set up.
• "Marshal Stalin as a negotiator was the toughest
proposition of all…Of course the man was ruthless and of
course he knew his purpose. He never wasted a word.
He never stormed, he was seldom even irritated."3
Post-Yalta Failures
• The wording was vague & subject to interpretation.
• FDR agreed that Stalin should keep the Soviet gains
agreed to in the Nazi-Soviet Pact, incl Kresy
• Following Yalta, in Moscow, when Soviet Foreign
Minister Molotov expressed worry that the Yalta
Agreement's wording might impede Stalin's plans,
Stalin responded "Never mind. We'll do it our own
way later.“
• By March 21, Roosevelt's Ambassador to the USSR
Averell Harriman cabled Roosevelt that "we must
come clearly to realize that the Soviet program is the
establishment of totalitarianism, ending personal
liberty and democracy as we know it."
Post-Yalta Failures
• March 27, 1944, 16 members of Polish opposition
party were invited to Moscow to participate in the
agreed provisional government negotiations
– On arrival, they were arrested by NKVD (GPU) agents and
sentenced to GuLAGs
– Eventually, fraudulent elections were held in Poland in Jan
1947 and established “official” Communist state by 1949
• By March 21, Roosevelt's Ambassador to the USSR
Averell Harriman cabled Roosevelt that "we must
come clearly to realize that the Soviet program is the
establishment of totalitarianism, ending personal
liberty and democracy as we know it."
Operation Keelhaul
• By the end of World War II, there were over 5
million (maybe 8 ½ million) displaced Russians in
Western Europe
• March 31, 1944 a secret codicil was added to Yalta
agreement which would not be made public for 50
years
– Churchill and FDR agreed to forcibly return these refugees
to the Soviet Union
– This was extended to include all Eastern Europeans
– Considered “Western Betrayal” of Polish and nonCommunist Russians (someone needs to do a paper on
this one!)
Operation Keelhaul
• between August 14, 1946 and May 9, 1947 American and
British forces rounded up these refugees and turned them
over to Communist authorities
– Treated as traitors and their fate was execution, torture and
slave labor
– Many were executed within earshot of British forces
• Polish soldiers, Cossacks, White-émigré Russians, Yugoslav
partisans, OST-Arbeiter (Eastern Europeans captured and
forced into slave labor by the Nazis) were among the
betrayed
Beginning of the UN
• The UN Charter was finalized at the United
Nations Conference on International
Organization (UNCIO) 25 April 1945-26 June
1945 in San Francisco.
• The conference was chaired by U.S. diplomat
Alger Hiss as Secretary General.
• The UN Charter was adopted by fifty nations
including the US and ratified by the Senate with
very little debate on July 28, 1945.
Iron Curtain Falls in Eastern Europe
• April 12, 1945, FDR died suddenly leaving the world
including his Vice President (Truman) in shock
• At Potsdam Conference Truman, Attlee (replaced
Churchill), Stalin met to conclude World War II which
was still raging in Pacific
• Red Army occupied Eastern Germany, the Baltic States,
Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania and
refuges fled fearing Communist take-over.
• Stalin reiterated promises not to incorporate Eastern
Europe into the Soviet bloc and to permit “selfdetermination”.
Iron Curtain
• With Churchill out of the picture, there was no
resisting Stalin
• Truman was focused on ending the war with Japan
and willing to make concessions
– Unlike Wallace, Truman departed from FDR’s all out
trust of Soviets (moderate liberal)
– Member of Cabinet Henry Wallace insisted that the
Soviets be trusted and should be catered to
(progressive liberal)
– This became the basis for elections in 1948, As the
Soviet intentions became obvious, the progressives
platform became unpopular (even though atrocities of
repatriation were unknown to the public until 1994)
Iron Curtain Falls
• Not only didn’t the Red Army not pull out of Eastern
Europe but rigged elections set up
– Communist governments established in Poland,
Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Albania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia
– Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Eastern Poland, Belarus, Azerbaijan,
Armenia, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia became SSRs
• Truman had enough of Soviet atrocities and decided to get
tough
• Cabinet divided, Wallace protested that we must continue
FDR’s approach of currying favor with Soviets
• Secy State James F Byrnes demanded Truman dismiss the
wayward cabinet member and Truman did on Sep 16,
1946
Truman Doctrine
• Next was Greece on the chopping block:
– Communist guerillas supported by Albania, Bulgaria
and mainly Yugoslavia tried to topple the governments
of Greece and Turkey
– First attempt by West to stop Soviet take over
• March 12, 1947 President Truman addressed joint
session of Congress:
– outlined a strategy of “containment” of Soviet advance
– “Truman Doctrine”
– Containment was a reactionary, restrictive diplomacy
– “may well have contributed to the perpetuation of the
Cold War.”
Greek Civil War
• First application of Truman Doctrine
• Greek government managed to muster 90,000 troops
supported by arms supplied initially by the UK and
later by the US under the Truman Doctrine.
• Greek Communist forces were heavily reliant on
support from Yugoslavia where they had established
bases.
• Yugoslav Communist leader, Marshall Josip Broz Tito, led his country
through World War II and afterward without the assistance of the Red
Army. He despised Stalin’s despotism and finally broke with the Soviet Bloc
in 1948 and remained as a non-aligned Communist country.
• Facing an unexpected dilemma, the Greek Communists elected to side with
Stalin.
• In retaliation, Tito drove the Greeks out of Yugoslavia, dismantled the bases
and closed Yugoslav borders. Without resources, the Greek Communists
were eventually overrun and annihilated. 6
Checking the Growth
of Communism in
Europe
• Germany was in desperate
straits: before the war, most of
the food came from Eastern
Europe
• After the iron curtain fell, food
was cut of to the Western zones
• Russia incorporated Eastern
Poland and to compensate gave
the bread basket of East
Germany to Poland
• US Morganthau plan called for
deindustrialization of Germany
to 50% of prewar levels
Marshall Plan
• In June 1948, the United States
engaged in a bold, ambitious plan to
bolster up and rehabilitate post-war
Europe, the European Recovery
Program (“Marshall Plan”). Over a
three year period, the plan cost
American taxpayers $10.2 billion.
• For fear of Soviet misinterpretation of the European
Recovery Program as an attempt to Americanize Western
Europe, Secretary of State George C. Marshall declared,
“our policy is not directed against any country or doctrine
but against hunger, poverty, desperation and chaos.”
• Despite this, it was an important strategy designed to
check the spread of Communism
Success of Marshall Plan
• The popularity of indigenous Communist parties in the
West, especially in Italy and France, was fueled by post
war poverty. America wisely abandoned Morgenthau
plan as recommended by former President Hoover
• Unlike Soviets who were in process of assimilating or
stripping Eastern Europe, America helped Western
Europe get back on its feet.
• By 1951, all countries that participated in Marshall plan
had economies >35% improved over pre-war levels
• Marshall plan set up the first unified European economy
by erasing trade barriers and setting up institutions to
coordinate economic development across the continent
Soviet Reaction to Marshall Plan
• Incompatible with Soviet plans to punish
Germany & Europe
• Since Marshall Plan was offered to all
European countries, Poland &
Czechoslovakia were interested
• Stalin at first forbid Eastern Block
participation, then realizing Poland &
Czechs might rebel, countered with the
COMECON equivalent of Marshall Plan
• Molotov accused US of forming a
Western Bloc
• Stalin reprimanded CP of Poland, Czech,
France & Italy for even considering aid
from US:
– Molotov and COMINTERN started “Public
Relations” campaign against US calling
America the new fascist government
exercising “DOLLAR” imperialism in Europe
CAN HE BLOCK IT?
The Second Crisis: Berlin
• Western Berlin like island, completely surrounded
by Communist-controlled territory. The nearest
non-communist city was 110 miles to the West.
• Marshall Plan & introduction new Deutche Mark
(which isolated East Germany from the West
economically) dramatically improved conditions in
West Germany.
• Soviets, fearing a mass exodus from East to West,
countered by introducing their own new Mark, 5
days later and shut off all power, supplies and
roads leading to West Berlin in June 1948
Prelude to Berlin Crisis
• Berliners despise Soviets
– For 2 months after Nazis
surrender, Western Allies not
permitted in Berlin
– During this time, Red Army
inflicted brutality on people
• 1946, Berlin voters strongly
rejected Communist candidates
with over 86% for opposition
• Never any formal agreement
for access to West Berlin, only 3
air corridors permitted by
Soviets
– West relied on “goodwill” of USSR
Berlin
Airlift
• When the Soviets cut off electricity, food and supplies to
Western Berlin,
• The administration came up with an elegant and
unprecedented plan: the Berlin Airlift.
• At one minute intervals, military transport aircraft took off
with supplies every day for over a year.
• Soviet military aircraft began to violate West Berlin
airspace and harass (or "buzz“) flights in and out of West
Berlin. On April 5, 1948 a Soviet Air Force Yak-3 fighter
collided with a British European Airways Vickers VC.1B
Viking airliner near RAF Gatow airfield, killing all aboard
both aircraft.
Berlin Airlift
• Some of the
achievements of the
airlift included:
1. 1,500 flights a day
2. lasted fifteen months
3. total of 278,228 flights
4. delivered 2,326,306
tons of food and supplies
5. 17 US and 8 British
aircraft loss with total of
101 fatalities
6. Cost was$224 million
(1949 dollars)
• The airlift was so overwhelmingly successful and embarrassing to
the Soviets that in May 1949, they lifted the blockade. The airlift
continued another 3 months to build up a reserve.
1948 Presidential Elections
• By end of 1948, support for USSR was
unthinkable in USA
• Henry Wallace’s Progressive ticket was soft on
Soviets ala FDR and failed to generate popular
support
• Truman’s proven moderate stance received an
overwhelming victory and Truman carried on
for another term as President
Truman Takes it Up a Notch
• Bitter over the broken promises by the Soviet
Union and mounting infidelity exhibited by Stalin’s
regime, the Western Allies responded by forming a
new alliance, the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO).
• This was the third and most enduring of the three
foreign policy legacies established by the Truman
administration:
– Truman Doctrine (containment)
– Marshall Plan (Economic Pact)
– NATO (Defensive Pact)
• Charter members were United States, United
Kingdom, France, Canada, Italy, Belgium,
Luxemburg, Netherlands, Norway, Denmark,
Portugal and Iceland.
• Unlike the Marshall Plan, this was a military
alliance, a defensive pact that if any one of the
members of NATO were attacked, it would be
considered an attack on them all.
Concluding a Decade of Trouble
• At that same time, the NATO allies agreed to for an
independent Federal Republic of Germany (West
Germany).
• Incensed, the Soviets formed the German Democratic
Republic (East Germany) extending the iron curtain
further West.
• It was now apparent that the promised reunification of
Germany was never going to happen.
• Furthermore, the Soviets shocked the world by
detonating a nuclear weapon on August 29, 1949.
• Now with the hardening of the Soviet position and the
widening rift between East and West, the world was now
locked in a long and dreadful arms race which affected
the lives of everyone on the face of the planet.