Post-WWII Conflicts and Alliances
CONFERENCE OF YALTA (1945): To establish post-WWII principles, Churchill (Britain), Roosevelt (USA), and Stalin (USSR) met and made key decisions: the USSR gained a “sphere of influence” and guaranteed free elections for Eastern European countries under its influence. Germany was also divided into four zones. CONFERENCE OF POSTDAM (1945): Attlee (Britain), Truman (USA), and Stalin (USSR) convened. They created the United Nations (UN), decided Germany would pay reparations and its war criminals would be tried, establishing the Nuremberg Tribunals to judge Nazi leaders. Stalin agreed to help the USA defeat Japan. This conference led to disagreements that established the two blocs of the Cold War (capitalist and communist). UNITED NATIONS (1945): A worldwide organization created at the Potsdam Conference, its objective was to create a system for peaceful international cooperation (arbiter of disputes). Its main goals are listed in the Charter of the United Nations, signed in San Francisco by 50 countries. It replaced the League of Nations, and most countries now belong to the UN. KOREAN WAR (1950-1953): This was the first major conflict of the Cold War. Korea was divided into a communist state (North Korea) and an anti-communist state (South Korea). North Korea invaded South Korea with the “permission” of Stalin and Mao, prompting UN intervention with troops. After Stalin’s death and Truman’s replacement, the two sides agreed to a ceasefire, and Korea remained divided with the same borders as before.
VIETNAM WAR (1964-1975): Vietnam, formerly part of the French Empire, was divided into North and South Vietnam. The USA opposed an election for a united Vietnam, fearing a communist victory. The Vietcong (pro-communist party) tried to overthrow the South Vietnamese government, and the USA eventually withdrew. RECONSTRUCTION (Perestroika) and TRANSPARENCY (Glasnost): These were reforms introduced by the Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, known as twin policies. WESTERN BLOC (USA): Capitalism, the Marshall Plan (economic assistance for European reconstruction), and NATO (an attack on one member is considered an attack on all). EASTERN BLOC (USSR): Communism, COMECON (fixed economic principles for its member states), and the Warsaw Pact (a mutual-defense alliance between the USSR and Eastern European countries). 1st Stage: OPERATION BARBAROSSA (1941): Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa to invade the USSR, believing Stalin intended to break the Treaty of Non-Aggression (the USSR wouldn’t attack Germany if war broke out). Despite being unprepared, the USSR resisted the German attack and joined the Allied Powers (France and Great Britain). Hitler invaded the USSR and controlled most of Europe at that time. 2nd Stage: EL ALAMEIN (1942): This battle occurred when Hitler sent Rommel to Egypt because the Axis Powers were suffering major defeats, and Hitler believed he should extend the war to the colonies. In the Battle of El Alamein, Rommel fought against the British Army, and Germany was defeated. After the battle, the Germans allowed the Allied Powers to cross the Mediterranean Sea and occupy Sicily.