Iron Curtain Separates Europe

1. What is your overall impression of Source 26 (p. 70) and use extracts from the source to support your view. (No fence sitting; you must choose one but not both)      

• a reasonable assessment of Stalin’s aims based on the facts
• an overreaction to Stalin’s actions based on fear of and prejudice towards the USSR?        

  Source 26 is a reasonable assessment of Stalin's aims.  At the time it was made, Stalin had taken the "Soviet influence" to mean that they could control other countries, so the source was correct in stating that the Soviet Unions is "not prepared to co-operate with any non-Communist controlled government in eastern Europe".  The source is accurate because the Soviet Union was not allowing the countries under its influence to hold elections for the type of government they want, but just directly controlling and implementing governments for the Soviet Union.  The other reason this is a reasonable assessment is because it states that Stalin is planning to take over the world and "the immensity of the aim should not betray [others] into believing that it cannot be achieved".  This was a good assessment of the facts at the time because a weapon had been developed, the atom bomb, and people believe that, once a country obtained it, it could be used to take over other countries very easily, therefore a country with the bomb could take over the world.  So it was accurate when the source states that the Soviet Union might be able to take over the world. Clearly the source was a reasonable assessment of the facts.

  
2. Source 26 is a British source. Does it seem likely that similar documents were being produced by the American government?      
  It seems likely that similar documents were being produced by the American government.  This is because Britain and America usually agreed on how to handle the Soviet Union.  Also, the government could win over the public and convince them that funding the Cold War was a good thing by producing documents like this that are meant to scare people into fighting the Soviet Union.  Such documents were most likely produced by the American government.



3. Study Source 27 (p. 71) and make a list of three different actions that Communists took to achieve power in eastern Europe. Explain how each factor helped.     

•   The Communists disbanded the monarchy of Romania in 1947 after a Communist was elected president in 1945.  This was making sure that there was no other important person in the country besides a Communist.  Without the monarchy, there was not important group to criticize the Communists or threaten their power.
• The Soviet Union set up the German Democratic Republic in 1949 in its part of germany and used its army to control it. This "Democratic Republic" gives the illusion of being free, but can still be controlled by the Communists and, with the help of the military, no one would be brave enough and strong enough to rebel against them.
• In Czechoslovakia, the Communists one the election in 1945 and then became the biggest political party.  In 1948, other parties were banned.  This helped the Communists take power in Eastern Europe by making their party strong and then making sure no other party would ever threaten its strength because they would not exist.  This would also make people accustomed to Communism.

Origins of the Cold War: Yalta Conference

1. Choose two points of agreement from the list and explain why they were significant for the future peace of Europe.      

First Point:     

  The Big Three agreed to join the United Nations Organization and this group would go on to try to maintain peaceful relations between countries.  This was important for the future peace of Europe because, with the leadership and joining by the Big Three, this group would help ensure peace in between countries, including countries in Europe.

Second Point: 
  The agreement that the Big Three would track down war criminals involved in concentration and death camps was significant for the future peace of Europe.  This is because it was one way to ensure that Britain and the Soviet Union stayed allies, so there would at least be peace between those two countries.  Also, this would keep such camps from being started or attempted in other countries.  This would hopefully decrease the anti-Semitism that could wreck the peace in Europe.


2. Read Sources 2 - 11 on pages 320 and 321. What is your overall impression of the Yalta Conference based on these sources?        
  Based on these sources, although they were allies, America, the USSR, and Britain never really trusted each other.  The Soviet Union always felt as if Britain and America were trying to steal its money and would not let it take over more countries and land.  Meanwhile, Britain and America were afraid that the Soviet Union would end democracies and so they did not want it to expand.  Also, America was nervous that Britain would be pro-Soviet Union.  This was the more serious part of the Big Three not trusting each other.  There were lighter parts, such as Churchill and Stalin teasing each other, but underneath the alliance there was no trust.

America Enters World War II

1. What impact did the outbreak of war in Europe have on U.S. foreign and defense policy?   
  The outbreak of war in Europe had many impacts on U.S. foreign and defense policy.  To start with, the war forced America to revise the neutrality act that had been put in place in 1935.  Also, a "cash-and-carry" policy was put into place.  This allowed America to sell war goods to nations at war as long as they took the good on their own ships and paid cash.  The debate over this also created another neutrality act in 1939.  Also, the war in Europe scared America, so the amount spent on defense was raised by Congress in 1940 and a law, which was the first of its kind, was created to draft men even though it was a time of peace.  This was called the Selective Training and Service Act.  The outbreak of war clearly made the U.S. less isolated and forced them to prepare for war.


2. Why did Roosevelt take one “unneutral” step after another to assist Britain and the Soviet Union in 1941?    
  Roosevelt took one "unneutral" step after another to assist Britain and the Soviet Union in 1941 because he wanted to protect the United States without going to war. He first justified lending weapons to Britain under the Lend-Lease Act because he felt that the Axis powers would have no opposition if Britain was defeated and this would lead to the Axis powers taking over the world.  Roosevelt also justified helping the Soviet Union by stating that the Soviet Union was an enemy of the Axis powers and so was America.  Therefore, the two should help each other.  Clearly, these unneutral steps were taken to keep the Axis powers at bay so that America would not be threatened and not have to enter the war directly.  Roosevelt wanted the Axis powers defeated, so he helped the Soviet Union and Britain because he thought that they would defeat the Axis powers.


3. Why was the Atlantic Charter important?   
 The Atlantic Charter was important for many reasons.  The Atlantic Charter was a document signed by Winston Churchill and Roosevelt and promised that the two nations, Britain and America, would work together to make sure the Axis powers did not take away the freedom of other countries.  This was really when Roosevelt promised to fight the Axis powers, so it was important in that respect, as well as the document that ensured that the two nations were allies.  The last important aspect of the Atlantic Charter is the fact that it would be the document from which "A Declaration of the United Nations" would be created and that document was the start of the United Nations.  Clearly the Atlantic Charter was very important.


4. Why did the United States enter into an undeclared shooting war with Germany in fall 1941?   
  The United States entered into an undeclared shooting war with Germany in the fall of 1941 because Germany submarines were bombing U.S. destroyers.  Roosevelt had given the orders that, if Germany attacked, they must be instantly taken down.  So, when a U-boat hit fired at Greer, a U.S. destroyer, those on the ship were ordered to shoot at every German submarine that was there.  A similar incident occurred with the U.S. destroyer Rueben James and a merchant ship, Pink Star.  These attacks further provoked shooting because, between the two incidents, 110 lives were lost.  All of the lives lost and the orders from Roosevelt were why the U.S. entered into an undeclared shooting war.


5. How was oil a source of conflict between Japan and the United States?   
  Oil was a source of conflict between Japan and the United States.  This is because Japan wanted to "unite East Asia" by taking over all the countries in East Asia, but the U.S. did not want them to do this. Therefore, the U.S. stopped trading with Japan and this was a problem because the U.S. provided Japan with oil and the Japanese needed oil to run the machines needed to take over other countries and have a war.  The only way for Japan to obtain oil would be to make peace with the U.S. or take control of oil fields in the Dutch East Indies.  The Japanese chose to act against the wishes of the U.S., thus causing a conflict that led to a war.


6. What problem would the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor solve for Roosevelt? What new problems would it create?  
  The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor solved problems for Roosevelt, but it also created problems.  The problem it solved was whether or not to go to war.  After Pearl Harbor was attacked, there was no question that the U.S. should go to war so Roosevelt was easily able to make the Congress declare war.  Also, the awful reports from Pearl Harbor probably helped the American public realize that the Axis powers were a threat and that the war needed to be fought.  They themselves also felt threatened, so that would make them want to fight.  However, two new problems were created.  The first was that American could no longer hold onto its isolationism.  America was now part of the war and involved.  The second problem was that America had to full on go to war and on two sides of the country.  There were fights to be made across both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.  This was going to be difficult because the U.S. Air Force and Navy were not very strong, so they would need to grow in order to win the war.  Another problem is also the fact that a harbor in U.S. territory was attacked so U.S. property was destroyed.  Those were the problems created, but the problem that was solved by Pearl Harbor was also very important.