Comprehensive Study Notes: The Cold War and Post-WWII Conferences

Nature and Definition of the Cold War

The Cold War is defined as a non-confrontational war between the United States of America (USA) and the USSR (Russia). A central component of this conflict was the development of a propaganda war, which served the purpose of putting down ther other country through various messaging strategies. By the year $1946$, the friendship that had existed between the Allied powers during World War $II$ had broken down, devolving into a state of intense suspicion and accusation. In anticipation of a direct conflict, both sides began to stock up on weapons. The atmosphere of distrust between the US and Russia was described as being so severe that everyone understood it was eventually going to lead to a full-scale war.

Ideological Comparison: USA (West) vs. USSR (East)

The Western block, led by the USA, adhered to the principles of Capitalism and was governed by a Democratic Government where the population participated in voting. This system emphasized the private ownership of businesses and goods. Because goods were privately owned and not distributed evenly, the system created a class division, often described as a "Rich vs Poor" dynamic where success was based on one person working hard.

In contrast, the Eastern block, led by the USSR, followed the ideology of Communism under a Totalitarion form of government, specifically a Dictatorship where power resided with $1$ Person. Under this system, the state or the Government owns all businesses. Goods are considered state-owned and are Distributed evenly among the people. The underlying philosophy of this distribution was that EVERYONE is taken care of and they get their money worth, regardless of their individual work ethic.

World War $II$ Alliances and the Shift to Conferences

By the end of World War $II$, the global powers were divided into the Allied and Axis factions. The Allied powers included the USSR (which joined the conflict in $1941$), Great Britain, France, and the USA. The Axis powers consisted of Germany, Japan, and Italy. As the war concluded, world leaders met at high-level conferences to determine the post-war order. One such note regarding the post-war status of the USSR includes the sequence $0$, $0$, and $9$.

The Yalta Conference: February $1945$

The Yalta Conference was held in February $1945$ and was attended by Joseph Stalin (USSR), Franklin D. Roosevelt (USA), and Winston Churchill (Britain). Notable physical characteristics of these leaders were observed: Churchill was associated with a big cigar, Roosevelt wore small round glasses, and Stalin was noted for having a lot of Facial hair. During this meeting, the leaders agreed on five key points to stabilize the world:

1) Stalin agreed that the USSR would join the war against Japan following the defeat of Germany. 2) It was agreed that Germany would be divided into $4$ sectors, administered by the French, the USSR, Britain, and America. 3) The capital city of Germany, Berlin, which was located in the Eastern part of the country, would also be divided into $4$ sectors. 4) The leaders agreed that Eastern Europe should be designated as the "Soviet sphere of influence." 5) The end goal for all parties was to join the United Nations to keep global peace.

The Petsdan Conference: August $1945$

The Petsdan Conference took place in August $1945$ and involved Stalin, Harry Truman, and Clement Attlee. This conference saw a shift in leadership from the previous meeting at Yalta; Harry Truman replaced Roosevelt, who had DIED, and Clement Attlee represented Britain because Churchill wasn't reallected as Prime Minister. By the time of this meeting, Stalin's armies were already occupying most of Eastern Europe, with the intent to spread Communism all over the continent. Harry Truman was noted for being very anti-communist and maintained a high level of suspicion regarding Stalin's motives.