US History II Honors

US History II Lecture Notes One – Post WWII (1944 – 1950)

. By the end of WWII, it was obvious that international interdependence was inevitable.

Distribution of power by end of WWII: . Germany is no longer even in the picture (“zero hour”) . Japan is in ruins (compared to prosperity of the 1930’s) . France was knocked out early (aspirations only) . Britain looked OK on the outside (basically bankrupt) ………So the polarized world is gone………

. Replaced with a bi-polar world by 1945: United States and Soviet Union . These are the two superpowers of the time – Everyone knew in 1945 that permanent world peace hinged on peace between SU and US.

February 1945 – Big Three met at Yalta Big Three – Stalin, Churchill, & Roosevelt

Refresher Questions: Q: What was Roosevelt concerned with at Yalta? A: Establishing liberal democracy

Q: What was Stalin concerned with at Yalta? A: 1. dismember Germany and get all they can from them. 2. create a Soviet buffer zone . (Stalin wanted as much land and power as he could get his hands on, but had to be careful because he didn’t want more than he could single-handedly control)

Q: What did the Declaration of Liberated Europe allow? A: It allowed European countries to hold free elections . (This could have been a signal/warning to the SU of what the US would be pushing for)

It was agreed upon that Poland, Bulgaria, & Romania would hold free elections. . But Stalin did not keep the agreement . FDR & Churchill had to be careful because they wanted Soviets help against Japan. . A couple months later – FDR died.

Q: Who replaced FDR? A: Truman

July 1945 – Big Three met at Potsdam Big Three – Truman, Stalin, & Atlee Potsdam Conference . Two major issues discussed at Potsdam ultimately were two of the origin causes of the Cold War o Atomic Bomb o State of eastern Europe . The final tally of Britain’s government vote was going to be announced at the Conference, so they brought Churchill’s opposition just in case the opposition won. (which it did)

Atomic Bomb . January 1945 – 99% of US couldn’t even imagine what an atomic bomb was. . Truman did not even learn of the Manhattan Project until April 1945 when he became the President following FDR’s death. . So we have this debate of what to do with the Atomic Bomb and how to discuss it with the SU o What about the SU? . We didn’t mind sharing information and making decisions with our good ally, Britain, but the SU?  Do we share information with them? (after all, they are our ally, right?)  Do we use the Atomic bomb to intimidate them? (Some historians argue we used it on Japan to show SU what we could do to them.)

The possession of the atomic bomb becomes the impotence of our omnipotence. . What the heck does that mean? (You decide)

Something to think about with this Atomic Bomb situation: . Do you really want to share your Trump card with your biggest potential enemy? . We might not want to share Atomic bomb info with SU because we wanted them to use their time, money, and resources instead of us.

The American Century . Unlike most countries after WWII, the US actually emerged stronger. . Economically, things were really good during and following the war, but the Great Depression was still fresh in their minds. – It was massive government spending, not the New Deal, that got the US out of the Great Depression. . The attack on Pearl Harbor was the only “fighting” done on US soil.

Both the US and SU won WWII o In very different ways o With very different political aims . SU & US had very little in common o Both opposed Nazi Germany, but that was about it. . Despite talks at Yalta, free elections did not take place in Eastern Europe. . Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, & Eastern Germany became satellite states- controlled by SU. . FR, BR, & US merged their zones & this merger became known as Western Germany. . SU was not happy about the merger.

Potsdam was supposed to be a peace conference – setting up the world after war. . Instead, it set up a worldwide rivalry between the US & SU. o The 46-year struggle became known as the Cold War. o Cold War – term used because the two superpowers never faced each other directly in a “hot” military conflict.