The Early Cold War

Cold War- struggle between the Soviet Union and its "satellite" nations against the United States and its allies

Germany- divided into sectors after WWII

Potsdam Conference: US, Britain, Russia- agreed that there would be a re-united, democratic Germany

Stalin- did not keep his word

Eastern Europe- most countries turned into communist dictatorships

- occupied by Red Army: easy to set up

- Winston Churchill: called it an "Iron Curtain"

- became known as the "Communist Bloc"

Stalin believed that it was possible to get all of Germany

Berlin- former German capital- divided into sectors

-location: inside the Russian sector of Germany

- west Berlin: occupied by the US, Great Britain, France

- east Berlin: occupied by the Russians

Stalin wanted all of Berlin

1948-Berlin Airlift- Stalin blocked the road between West Berlin and the US sector

-cut off all supplies to the western part of the city

Berlin Airlift- USAF flew supplies into the city for 8 months- Stalin gave up his blockade

Germany- remained divided

1949- West Germany- democratic government

1952- East Germany- Communist dictatorship

Relations between the US and Soviet Union became hostile

US- had a temporary advantage- Soviet Union developed atomic weapons in 1949

- stolen by spies in the US, sent to the Soviet Union

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