WWII and the Cold War
World war two set up the playing field for the event that
became known as the Cold War. The war created a great tension
between the two military powerhouses, the United States and the
Soviet Union. The rise of these two powers was largely due to the
fall of the British and French empires following world war two. At
the conferences of Yalta and Potsdam, England, the Soviet Union, and
the United States made decisions on what would happen to the various
countries in Europe following world war two.
The British Empire became all but nothing after the war because of the financial and prestigious decline of England itself. The speed at which the British were defeated in places such as Singapore gave colonies under British control a feeling of fear because many (such as Australia and New Zealand) began to feel that the British could not protect them from threats such as Japan. ("British Empire." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Empire>.)
From this, many colonies in Asia began to look at the United
States for their aid because British had not proven herself as a
reliable source of security against Japan. England also became
bankrupt following the war with huge sums of money owed to the
United States and without any money the British cannot support their
control over their Empire. The significance of the loss of the
British Empire meant that the influence of Communism from the Soviet
Union became free reign over Europe and Asia. The only country that
could hold back Soviet expansion was the United States, and the
United States would because of its anti-communism hostility towards
the Soviet Union.
At the Yalta conference much of what was to be done with Europe
was decided. Roosevelt wanted aid from the Soviets, Churchill wanted
free elections in Soviet controlled countries, and Stalin wanted to
set up his own sphere of influence in Eastern Europe. (Hickman,
Kennedy. "Yalta Conference - World War II Yalta Conference."
Military History - Warfare through the Ages - Battles and Conflicts
- Weapons of War - Military Leaders in History. Web. 15 Feb.
2012. <http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/worldwarii/p/yalta.htm>.)
What was decided at the conference was a splitting of Germany into a
soviet half and another half owned by the US, British, and French.
(later the US took authority over the whole half). This split Europe
into a democratic western Europe, and a communist eastern Europe. A
noticeable problem during the conference was no relinquishment of
Soviet controlled Eastern Europe. Eastern Europe became completely
controlled by the Soviet Unions, and none of it was to become free
from Soviet power. The countries became known as “satellite states”
and created a protective buffer, for the Soviet Union, from western
influence. Any promises of free elections in countries (such as
Poland) were ignored by Stalin following the Yalta conference. The
Soviet Union definitely had their way at Yalta, and many blame
Roosevelt for giving away Eastern Europe to Stalin.
Once the war came to a close, Truman, Churchill, and Stalin met
once more in Potsdam to discuss the future of Europe (largely
Germany). The big issue of the conference was what to do with
Germany. They agreed upon the removal of all Nazi influence in
Germany, and a restriction upon the German military. Stalin strived
for large reparations to be paid to the Soviet Union to pay for the
massive damage done to the country. Truman and Churchill, however,
refused to let Stalin grab any reparations from Germany. ("Potsdam
Conference Begins — History.com This Day in History — 7/17/1945."
History.com — History Made Every Day — American & World History.
Web. 15 Feb. 2012.
<http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/potsdam-conference-begins>.).
Stalin also pressed the idea of a unified, but weak Germany that
could be controlled easily by the allies, but Truman and Churchill
went against this idea. Instead, the idea of splitting Germany into
4 parts, half to the soviets, and the other half equally split among
France, England, and US, (previously agreed upon at Yalta) became
the dominant idea amongst Churchill and Truman. This was done to
limit the influence of the Soviet Union into Germany. Refusal of any
desires from Stalin became a common theme at the conference, and
this showed a fear from Truman and Churchill to the growth of power
and influence by the Soviet Union. Unlike Yalta were Stalin was able
to get everything he wanted out of Roosevelt, Truman would not let
Stalin acquire anymore advantages in Europe. Potsdam lit the fuse of
tension between the US and Soviet Union.
The fall of the imperialistic empires of England and France, the
meetings of Yalta, and Potsdam set up the scene for the Cold war. As
the only country to properly suppress the growth of the Soviet Union
into Asia, and many places around the world, the United States
became the opposing force to the Soviet Union. The splitting of
Europe on the German line the world became a battlefield of
democratic or communist ideas.
Works Cited
"British Empire." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia.
Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Empire>.
Hickman, Kennedy. "Yalta Conference - World War II Yalta
Conference." Military History - Warfare through the Ages -
Battles and Conflicts - Weapons of War - Military Leaders in History.
Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/worldwarii/p/yalta.htm>.
"Potsdam Conference Begins — History.com This Day in
History — 7/17/1945." History.com — History Made Every Day —
American & World History. Web. 15 Feb. 2012.
<http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/potsdam-conference-begins>.