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The Yalta Conference
The Yalta Conference was held toward the end of World War II. The leaders of France, Britain, the US, and the Soviet Union attended the conference. The focus was to decide how to reorganize Europe after the War. It was decided that Germany would be split into two zones. The Soviet Union would control Eastern Germany, while the allies would control Western Germany. Berlin, the capital of Germany, would ALSO be divided -- even though it is located in Eastern Germany. -
The Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine was an American foreign policy created to contain Soviet/communism expansion during the Cold War. It was announced to Congress by President Harry S. Truman. This doctrine promised US assistance to Greece and Turkey in their fight against communism. -
The Marshall Plan
As part of the US policy of containment, Secretary of State George Marshall created a plan to help aid European nations rebuild after WWII. The plan gave European countries $13 billion to supply nations with what they needed to repair their economies and communities. The US also believed that this money would help ensure that European countries resisted communism, and choose democratic systems instead. -
Berlin Blockade
The Berlin Blockade was one of the first international crises of the Cold War. During this emergency the Soviet Union blocked all roads that went between West Germany and West Berlin, both regions that were occupied by the Allies. This blockade meant that people in West Berlin had little to no food and fuel. Stalin's goal in blocking the supplies was that the Allies would give up control of West Berlin. -
Berlin Airlift
The Berlin Airlift was the US response to the Berlin Blockade. President Truman decided that to ensure the well being of residents of West Berlin he would fly in the necessary supplies. Over the course of about one year, 2 million tons of supplies were delivered by plane to West Berlin. Eventually Stalin ended the blockade and the Allies remained in control of West Berlin. -
Formation of NATO
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was an agreement signed by democratic nations to follow the policy of collective security. Collective security is when all member nations agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by an outside nation/group. -
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was a collective defense treaty between the Soviet Union and seven other Soviet satellite states that were communist. The Warsaw Pact was created in response to NATO.
