The 'Big Three' met in Potsdam, Germany, to agree on the '5 D's' proposed at Yalta in February (demilitarisation, deindustrialisation, decentralisation, denazification & democratisation). Stalin confirmed that he would join the war with Japan.
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First meeting of Council of Foreign Ministers, September 1945
The Foreign Ministers of USA, USSR, Britain, China & France met in London to draft peace treaties with enemy states. The Council broke down after only one unproductive month.
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US, Soviet & British Foreign Ministers meet in Moscow, December 1945
The prospect of a peace treaty with Germany was becoming increasingly poor because of disagreements over Iran (both USA and USSR sought to dominate it)
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Stalin's speech, February 1946
The Truman administration was shocked by Stalin's speech that declared the incompatibility of Communism & Capitalism. It was described as the declaration of World War 3. Kennan sent his 'Long Telegram' from Moscow suggesting 'Containment'
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Churchill's 'Iron Curtain' speech, March 1946
Prospects for peace-making worsen when Churchill declares that the Soviets have brought down an 'Iron Curtain', separating Sovietised East-Europe from democratic Western Europe.
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Foreign Ministers meet in Paris, June 1946
Treaties were finalised with Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Finland & Italy. There was no treaty made with Germany as their relationship had further deteriorated due to disagreements over Greece, Turkey & Germany.
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Truman Doctrine speech, March 12th 1947
In a speech to Congress, Truman advocated Kennan's 'Containment' policy. He said that Greece & Turkey were threatened. by Communism, so granted them, $400 million. It is viewed as a final declaration of the Cold War.
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The Marshall Plan, announced June 1947
Secretary of State George Marshall suggested that it may be countries with poor economies that were likely to turn to Communism, so Truman pumped $13 billion into the restoration of their economies. USSR and other Eastern European countries rejected.
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The Berlin Blockade/Airlift, 1948
In June, Stalin blocked all Western access to the Western zones of Berlin. Truman responded by having millions of tons of goods airlifted by USA & Britain. This was a triumph, and Stalin ended the blockade in May 1949.
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Loss of China, 1949
Truman gave $2 billion aid to Chiang Kai-shek's nationalist forces, however they were still defeated by Mao Zedong's Communist forces in late 1949. Chiang and his followers fled to Taiwan. Truman was blamed for losing China to Communism.
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The Korean War, 1950
On June 25th, 1950, North Korea attacked South Korea, so Truman sent air and naval assistance. Douglas MacArthur's attack on Inchon in September 'turned the war around'. In October, China threatened to enter.April 1951; the situation was stabilised.
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The Employment Act, 1945
12 million veterans needed employment, and Congress passed a bill empowering federal government to help this. Most servicemen quickly returned to work; manufacturing industries boomed. $20 billion was distributed between 7.8 billion veterans.
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Strikes & Unions
In 1945, 15 million workers were unionised. Widespread strikes broke out in 1946: 800,000 steelworkers in January, 400,000 miners in April. United mine workers started another in November, but Truman's administration took the union leader to court.
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The Taft-Hartley Act, 1946
In response to the mass strikes, the Act was to curtail union power. Unions were liable for breach of contract, they could not insist that workers joined their union as a term of employment, and the president could order a 'cooling off' period.
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Fair Deal, January 1949
Social reforms including social security extended to an extra million Americans, minimum wage raised from 40 to 75 cents an hour, and assistance to farmers.
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The National Housing Act, 1949
There was a post-war housing shortage due to 12 million men returning from the war ready to start families. Congress reluctantly agreed that 810,000 subsidised public housing units would be built for low-income Americans. However, only 156,000 were
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Other cards in this set
Card 2
Front
The Foreign Ministers of USA, USSR, Britain, China & France met in London to draft peace treaties with enemy states. The Council broke down after only one unproductive month.
Back
First meeting of Council of Foreign Ministers, September 1945
Card 3
Front
The prospect of a peace treaty with Germany was becoming increasingly poor because of disagreements over Iran (both USA and USSR sought to dominate it)
Back
Card 4
Front
The Truman administration was shocked by Stalin's speech that declared the incompatibility of Communism & Capitalism. It was described as the declaration of World War 3. Kennan sent his 'Long Telegram' from Moscow suggesting 'Containment'
Back
Card 5
Front
Prospects for peace-making worsen when Churchill declares that the Soviets have brought down an 'Iron Curtain', separating Sovietised East-Europe from democratic Western Europe.
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