The yalta conference
The Yalta conference was a meeting between the United States, Great Britain and the Soviet Union on February 4 through February 11, 1945 in order to make important decisions for what will happen when WWII is finally over. Many important decisions were crafted and agreed upon during this conference. Great Britain and the United States agreed that Russian involvement in the pacific battle with Japan would help bring the war to a close. Stalin agreed to help end the war in exchange for partial soviet influence in part of Manchuria after the Japanese surrender.
Germany and Eastern Europe’s future was also decided during the conference. The three eventually agreed to divide Germany, allowing each to have occupation in their respective region of Germany. Germany was also to be held responsible for WWII and thusly have to pay war reparations, however unlike WWI, Germany was not seen as the only one to blame for the war. Eastern Europe governments told Stalin to look forward to friendly relations between them, as long as the USSR agreed to free elections in the west. Stalin agreed, thinking that Eastern Europe was fond of the communist party. Great Britain, the United States and the USSR agreed to join and expand the United Nations. France was then included into the United Nations and the Big Three decided to allow French occupation of German land. The United Nations would accept all communist government in hopes to ease tensions and not single anyone out. Finally, they discussed and agreed that the five big members would hold the power of voting and veto for the Security Council of the United Nations. The Yalta conference was seen as a huge success for America. The U.S. felt like it had just avoided conflict with Western Europe and had prevented another war. All of America was in celebration. The alliance that the USSR and the United states shared during the war would prevail into post war negotiations. |
brinkmanship
Overview:
The term “brinkmanship” is credited to U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and became known as the policy of Presidents Kennedy and Eisenhower. It was created in reference to being on the “brink of war.” Its tactic was to persuade the opponent to retreat or stand down due to the fear of starting a war. Its creation during the Cold War is prevalent because of the intense fear of mutually assured destruction by nuclear weapons between the United States and the Soviet Union.
Impact:
The concept of brinkmanship only worsened relations between the U.S. and Soviet Union during the Cold War. Brinkmanship played a large role in the Cuban Missile Crisis which occurred in October 1962. The U.S.S.R. placed nuclear missiles in Cuba, which endangered most of the United States. President Kennedy stated that if any missile was launched it would be considered an attack on the United States and the U.S. would invade. The U.S. Navy was also prepared to blockade Cuba from the new missile bases. However, within a few days, the Soviets began removing missiles from Cuba and the U.S. invasion was canceled. The events of the Cuban Missile Crisis put the U.S. and the U.S.S.R on the “brink of war.”
The term “brinkmanship” is credited to U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and became known as the policy of Presidents Kennedy and Eisenhower. It was created in reference to being on the “brink of war.” Its tactic was to persuade the opponent to retreat or stand down due to the fear of starting a war. Its creation during the Cold War is prevalent because of the intense fear of mutually assured destruction by nuclear weapons between the United States and the Soviet Union.
Impact:
The concept of brinkmanship only worsened relations between the U.S. and Soviet Union during the Cold War. Brinkmanship played a large role in the Cuban Missile Crisis which occurred in October 1962. The U.S.S.R. placed nuclear missiles in Cuba, which endangered most of the United States. President Kennedy stated that if any missile was launched it would be considered an attack on the United States and the U.S. would invade. The U.S. Navy was also prepared to blockade Cuba from the new missile bases. However, within a few days, the Soviets began removing missiles from Cuba and the U.S. invasion was canceled. The events of the Cuban Missile Crisis put the U.S. and the U.S.S.R on the “brink of war.”