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The Yalta Conference (“Yalta Conference.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 11 May 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yalta_Conference.)
Who Was Involved: Winston Churchill from Great Britain, Joseph Stalin from the USSR, Franklin D. Roosevelt from the U.S.A. Why/Details of the Event: Leaders of the Allies meet for the second time. They talk about Germany's unconditional surrender, and they began to think about what the world will be like after WWII ends. What was the outcome of the event: They agree to self-determination after the war, and they divide Germany into four military zones. -
The Potsdam Conference (Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Potsdam Conference.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 25 Jan. 2018, www.britannica.com/event/Potsdam-Conference)
Who Was Involved: Harry S. Truman from the U.S.A, and the Soviet Union. Why/Details of the Event: After Yalta (& FDR’S death), President Harry Truman confronts the Soviet Union at Potsdam, Germany. He challenges them for violating the agreements made at Yalta. What Was the Outcome of the Event: The leaders decided on consequences for Germany, and what a post-war world would be like. This was a very monumental meeting! -
Winston Churchill's Iron Curtain Speech (Steinmetz, Katy. “Winston Churchill's Iron Curtain Speech and Why He Gets Misquoted.” Time, Time, 5 Mar. 2015, time.com/3733955/winston-churchill-did-not-coin-the-phrase-iron-curtain/)
Who Was Involved: Winston Churchill, Great Britain, Eastern & Western Europe, USSR Why/Details of the Event: Europe was now mostly divided into two political regions; a mostly democratic Western Europe, and a Communist Eastern Europe. In a 1946 speech, Churchill said “An iron curtain has descended across the continent.” He felt that behind it, the USSR was planning to attack Western Europe. What Was the Outcome of the Event: The phrase “iron curtain” came to stand for the division of Europe. -
The Truman Doctrine ( “Harry Truman Doctrine in 1947....” Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers - Historic Newspapers, 2018, www.rarenewspapers.com/view/627572?imagelist=1)
Who Was Involved: U.S.A., Great Britain, Turkey, Greece, Soviet Union Why/Details of the Event: The US promises to join or support any fight against communism. Great Britain announces that it can no longer protect western interest in the Mediterranean. The Soviets demand demand control over the Dardanelles from Turkey. What Was the Outcome of the Event: The US approved $400 million in aid and military support to Turkey and Greece. -
The Berlin Airlift (Bouliane, Nicolas. “The Berlin Airlift.” Ghosts of the War | Nicolas Bouliane | Web Developer in Berlin, 2016, nicolasbouliane.com/blog/the-berlin-airlift)
Who Was Involved: U.S.A., West Berlin/Germany, USSR Why/Details of the Event: America and Britain airlift supplies to West Berlin. They did this to avoid war with the Soviets. Happened in 1948. For 327 days, planes took off and landed every few minutes, around the clock. Total things brought over: 2.3 million tons of food, fuel, and medicine to West Berlin What Was the Outcome of the Event: USSR gets scared of US a-bombs. Realizing that they were defeated, they lifted their blockade in 1949. -
The Warsaw Pact (“Warsaw Pact.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 11 May 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Pact.)
Who Was Involved: Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, East Germany, Poland, Romania, the USSR, and the Czechoslovak Republic. Why/Details of the Event: This was the Communist response to NATO. It was a military treaty, which bound its signatories to come to aid others, should any one of them be victim to foreign aggression. What Was the Outcome of the Event: NATO had a rival. One half of the world was bound together by NATO, the other by the Warsaw Pact. Any violence may send the world into war again
