NAME: ____________________________ PERIOD: ___ DATE: _________MR. XIAO / MRS. BRANFORD GLOBAL HISTORY 10

~ THE COLD WAR BEGINS ~

RECALL: What was the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union during World War II? _____________________________________________________________________________

WWII Poster Cold War Poster During WWII, the Allied Powers two conferences to discuss the state of the world after the end of the war. The first in Yalta, and the second in Potsdam. In the Potsdam Agreement, the Allies agreed to divide Germany into four zones, each governed by the Soviet Union, Britain, the United States, and France. Similarly, the capital Berlian was also divided into four sectors.

After the end of the war in 1945, the United Nations was established as the new peacekeeping organization, a spiritual successor to the League of Nations.

Using the map of Germany shown at the front of the classroom, answer the following questions:

1. Where is Berlin located?_____________________________________________________________________________

2. Why is the location important?_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After the end of World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union became the two only superpowers. And while they were allies during WWII, their vast differences created great tension after the defeat of their common enemy (Nazi Germany).

The United States The Soviet Union

Leader (1945)

Economic system

Political system

In 1946, former British prime minister Winston Churchill delivered the “Sinews of Peace” speech, or better known as the “iron curtain” speech. In this speech, Churchill criticized Stalin and his totalitarian regime, warned the United States about its former ally, and urged for cooperation between the U.S. and Britain to handle this problem.

"From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an "iron curtain" has descended across the continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest and Sofia; all these famous cities and the populations around them lie in what I must call the Soviet sphere, and all are subject, in one form or another, not only to Soviet influence but to a very high and in some cases increasing measure of control from Moscow." -Winston Churchill, 1946

3. What is the “iron curtain”?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Based on this excerpt, explain Winston Churchill’s purpose for delivering the speech in 1946.____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Soviet Union and its allies wanted to spread Communism throughout the globe after the end of World War II. However, the United States and its allies were against Communism, wanted to contain it. In 1945, the United States was the only country that had nuclear weapon. In 1949, the Soviet Union obtained the atomic bomb, and the U.S. and the USSR began their arms race for more nuclear weapons. The ability to destroy each other kept threatened the two superpowers and the entire world, but also kept the two from all-out war against one another. As a result, this era of confrontation was known as the “Cold War”.

What enduring issues can you identify from the video and this handout? Be sure to explain your choices.

What is the issue? How is it significant?Identify and define the

enduring issue.How has the enduring issue

affected a lot of people?How has the enduring issue been

long lasting?