World War II Aftermath and Cold War History

The Aftermath of World War II

Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended the war. In the years following, thousands suffered from radiation sickness and cancer. This remains the only time atomic weapons have been used in warfare.

The Holocaust

The Holocaust resulted in 6 to 10 million deaths. The targets included Jews and various minorities, such as the handicapped, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and homosexuals.

Geography of World War II

Germany controlled most of Europe, except for Moscow (Russia), the United Kingdom, and neutral countries like Switzerland and Sweden. Japan controlled most of Southeast Asia, including much of China, Korea, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia.

The Cold War Era

The Yalta Conference and Rising Tensions

The Cold War began following the Yalta Conference. Tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union resulted in mutual suspicions, international incidents, and brinkmanship that led to the edge of disaster.

The Berlin Wall: A Symbol of Division

The Berlin Wall was built by the communist government of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) between East and West Berlin. East Germany was communist and controlled by the USSR, while West Germany was capitalist and controlled by the U.S. The purpose was to stop people from passing from one side of Germany to another. Approximately 100 people died trying to escape. It served as a symbol of the Cold War, representing the real division between two doctrines.

The Iron Curtain

Winston Churchill delivered his "Iron Curtain" speech, which addressed the division between communism and capitalism, effectively dividing Europe into communist and capitalist spheres.

The Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan

The Truman Doctrine aimed to influence countries by providing military and other aid to those with democratic or capitalist ideas to contain the spread of communism. Under the Marshall Plan, the U.S. invested $400 million in Greece and Turkey, which were under communist pressure. It provided financial aid, including money, food, and weaponry, to Western Europe. Critics suggested the U.S. practically "bought its friends" with this financial support.

The Space Race

During the Cold War, the world's two great powers—the democratic, capitalist U.S. and the communist Soviet Union—competed to demonstrate their power. The Space Race of the late 1950s was a competition of technology and military strength. The first man in space was Russian, while the first man to step on the moon was American.

McCarthyism and the Red Scare

Senator McCarthy was determined to identify communists. Actors and producers with past communist ties were blacklisted, meaning they were placed on a list of suspected or actual communists and were not accepted for employment. Some suspected communists were even executed. McCarthy also accused members of the military of being communists. This period, known as the Red Scare, was characterized by an intense uneasiness regarding who was or was not a communist.