6._WWII_Aftermath__part_3_

World War II Conferences

• Allied Diplomacy During the War

  • The collaboration among the Allies was pivotal in securing victory in WWII.

Casablanca Conference

• Key Leaders: FDR (Franklin D. Roosevelt) and Churchill.

• Decisions Made:

  • Declaration of an unconditional surrender policy for the Axis powers.

  • Agreement to invade Italy first prior to opening a second front in France (D-Day).

Moscow Conference (October 1943)

• Objective: To secure Soviet commitment to enter the war against Japan after Germany's defeat.

• Additional Points: Promotion of the future United Nations.

Cairo Conference

• Participants: FDR and Chiang Kai-shek (China's leader).

• Key Outcomes:

  • Japan to surrender unconditionally.

  • Japan to return territory to China, and Korea to become free.

Tehran Conference

• Significance: Marked the first meeting of the Big Three (FDR, Stalin, Churchill).

• Outcomes:

  • Agreement for a Western Europe invasion planned for 1944.

  • Stalin’s commitment to engage in the war against Japan post-Germany defeat.

  • Disputes over the postwar world, particularly regarding Eastern Europe:

    • Stalin desired control over Eastern Europe for security reasons.

    • Churchill advocated for free elections and democratic governance.

Yalta Conference (February 1945)

• Participants: FDR, Stalin, and Churchill.

• Significant Decisions:

  • Stalin reaffirmed commitment to enter the Pacific War three months post-Germany's surrender.

  • Declaration of liberated Europe with promises of free elections (although Stalin later reneged).

  • Formation plan for the United Nations, meeting in April 1945.

  • Germany’s division into four occupied zones, creating a coalition government.

Potsdam Conference (July-August 1945)

• Key Figures: Truman (succeeded FDR), Stalin, and Clement Attlee (replaced Churchill).

• Critical Events:

  • Truman’s order to drop the atomic bomb.

  • Discussion of the ongoing issues in the alliance, which began to break down.

  • Approval for war crime trials and reparations from Germany.

Aftermath of World War II

• Human Cost:

  • Estimated 46-55 million deaths; 35 million wounded, 3 million missing.

  • Approximately 300,000 American lives lost.

  • Significant civilian casualties, especially in the USSR where 15 million civilians died (totaling 23 million with military losses).

  • Mass destruction across European cities.

The Holocaust

• Casualties: 6 million Jews, plus 5-6 million others targeted by Hitler’s regime (gypsies, homosexuals, disabled individuals, Jehovah's Witnesses, etc.).

• US Immigration Response: Biased restrictions on immigration during and before the war, leading to incidents of turning back Jewish refugees.

Nuremberg Laws

• Legal framework that reduced Jews to second-class citizens—mandated they carry identification and wear the Star of David.

• Segregation into ghettos and systematic rounding-up into concentration camps.

Postwar Political Issues

• Allied forces became ideological adversaries after the war, leading to the Cold War.

• Eastern Europe Control: Stalin's postwar control over various countries, ignoring promised free elections.

• Germany’s Division: The division into East (Soviet control) and West (US and British control), with differing economic recovery philosophies.

Emergence of Superpowers

• Postwar, the US and USSR emerged as the two global superpowers, ending Western Europe’s dominance in world affairs.

Nationalism and Decolonization

• Surge in postwar nationalism as countries sought independence from European empires.

• Notable examples include India gaining independence, and the mixed outcomes for other regions (e.g., Vietnam).

Social Change in America

• Shifts in demographics, with movement towards the Sunbelt.

• Impact of WWII on racial equality advances, including opportunities for African Americans and women, leading to future civil rights movements.

Technological Advances

• Innovations in synthetic materials and military technology.

• The atomic bomb represented a significant shift in warfare and power dynamics, marking the beginning of the atomic age.

Conclusion: Seeds of the Cold War

• The aftermath of WWII laid the groundwork for a prolonged period of geopolitical tension, known as the Cold War, lasting over forty years.