Post War IssuesMWH – CorningMarch 2010

General Overview

•WWII involved the loss of millions of human lives and billions of dollars in damage.▫60 million dead – (20 million USSR)▫$862 billion spent

•The U.S. survived WWII undamaged and with a strong economy which allowed it to become a world power.

•Whole societies destroyed (political/economic), people homeless, property heavily damaged.

Post-War Issues? (Brainstorming)•Who will run the gov’ts? Who is in

charge?•How to rebuild economies and societies?•Rebuilding the infrastructure –what

should be done first? How to pay for it? •How to avoid future wars?•The Jewish question – what to do with all

the displaced people?•How to solve international problems in

the future?

Post-War Europe

•Cities damaged: only Paris, Rome and Brussels undamaged (why?)▫London, Warsaw, Berlin

•Displaced people – forced migrations, homeless, property ownership issues (see article)

•Agriculture destroyed – famine and disease in cities

•People look to government to solve these problems – but which government?

Post-War Europe - Politics

•Some nations returned to pre-war governments (Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Norway).

•Other countries did not want to return to previous gov’ts – Germany, France, Italy.

•Increase in the popularity of Communism just after war but as economic conditions improve communism declines.

Post-War Europe - Responsibility• A major issue post-war was War Crimes.• 1946- an International Military Tribunal

representing 23 nations put Nazi war criminals – Nuremberg Trials.

• Nazi leaders were charged with waging a “war of aggression” and committing “crimes against humanity”.▫Hitler, Himmler and Goebbels suicide before the

trials▫Goring, Hess and other Nazis went on trial

• Question: what is the difference between an act of war and a war crime?

Post-War Plan• Yalta Conference – before end war – Feb 1945

▫Churchill (Great Britain), Roosevelt (USA) and Stalin (USSR) met in USSR

▫Agreed to divide Germany into occupation zones controlled by Allied forces

▫Germany to compensate USSR▫USSR promised free elections for Eastern Europeans

• United Nations – 50 countries joined in forming the UN (including USA and USSR) June 1945▫Protect members against aggression, HQ in New York▫General Assembly PLUS Security Council (5 permanent

members: US, USSR, Britain, China and France plus 6 rotating members).

Eastern Europe / Iron Curtain• Soviet Union wanted to shield itself from another invasion

from the West.• Used Eastern European nations as a divison between the

West and USSR ▫ Stalin ignored Yalta Agreement and installed/ supported

Communist gov’ts in Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia

• Postdam Conference – July 1945 U.S. Pres. Truman pushed for free elections in Eastern Europe – Stalin refused

• 1946, Stalin declared “communism and capitalism cannot exist in the same world”.

• Europe divided by the “Iron Curtain” – democratic Western Europe and communist Eastern Europe.

U.S. Tries to “Contain” USSR

•The US pursued a foreign policy of “containment” – directed at blocking Soviet influence and stopping the expansion of communism.▫Included forming alliances and helping

weak countries resist Soviet advances.▫“Truman Doctrine” – US support for

countries that reject communism. Opposition to US involvement in affairs of

other nations AND the cost involved.

US Support• Marshall Plan (1947) – aid program to need

European nations (food, machinery and other• materials).

▫Plan very successful• Berlin Airlift – in 1948 US/British/French

forces withdrew from Germany, USSR held onto its zone and put West Berlin under a blockade (see pg. 535)▫For 11 months US and British officials flew food

and supplies into West Berlin, USSR eventually withdrew the blockade (May 1949).

Post-War Asia

•Japan was left in ruins – millions killed, damage to cities, stripped of colonial empire, economic instability

•Gen. Douglas MacArthur took charge of US occupation of Japan – he respected Japanese culture and wanted to be fair/not plant the seeds of a future war

•Two key components of his plan: demilitarization and democratization

Occupation Plan• Demilitarization: disbanding the Japanese military, only

a small police force remained• Democratization: the process of creating a government

elected by the people▫ Feb 1946, creation of new constitution- constitutional

monarchy (effective May 1947)▫ Emperor no longer divine, rather a symbol of Japan▫ Political power -> Diet, led by Prime Minister▫ Suffrage for women, bill of rights▫ Article 9 – Japan cannot declare war, only defensive actions

• Economic reforms: broaden land ownership, increase democratic participation of workers and small farmers, independent labor unions.

Surprising Friends / Enemies•Sept 1951, Allies and Japan sign formal peace

treaty•1952 US occupation Japan ends, however US

maintains military bases to protect Japan and American interests in Asia▫Close political and economic ties

•Germany allows US military bases as protection against USSR – close political and economic ties

•Former allies – US and USSR – are now locked in a power struggle Cold War