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setlong · 2 years

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Potsdam conference

Potsdam conference free#

Other key decisions included the demilitarisation of Germany the payment of reparations by Germany, partly in the form of forced labour the representation of two of the 16 Soviet Socialist Republics (Ukraine and Byelorussia) at the UN, and Soviet participation in the war against Japan, following Germany’s surrender.

Potsdam conference free#

But he conceded to Churchill’s demand that free elections be held in all Nazi- liberated territories in Eastern Europe, including Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Poland. For centuries, the country had been used as a historical corridor for armies intent on invading Russia, and Stalin was determined to retain the regions of Poland that he had annexed in 1939 after the Soviet invasion. The fate of Poland was a key sticking point in negotiations. A brief guide to the Nuremberg Trials, where some Nazis faced justice after WW2.Once Germany’s unconditional surrender had been received, it was proposed that the country, and its capital, be split into four occupied zones – the fourth occupation zone was granted to France but, at Stalin’s insistence, would be formed out of the American and British zones. The decisions made at Yalta demonstrate the extent to which power had shifted between the Allies over the course of the war. Listen: Richard J Evans responds to listener queries and popular search enquiries about the Third Reich What was eventually agreed at Yalta? If France was allowed to participate at Yalta, other nations, too, would arguably have had an equal right to attend. Stalin in particular felt that decisions about the future of Europe should be made by those powers who had sacrificed the most in the war. Why wasn't French leader Charles de Gaulle present at the conference?ĭe Gaulle, by unanimous consent from all three leaders, was not invited to Yalta, nor to the Potsdam Conference a few months later it was a diplomatic slight that created deep and lasting resentment. With differing priorities and world views, it was clearly going to be difficult for the Big Three to reach an agreement. Both he and Truman were worried that inflicting huge reparations on Germany, as had been done after World War I, could, in the future, create a similar economic situation in the country that had led to the rise and acceptance of the Nazi Party. A dictator’s death: how Stalin, Hitler, Mao and other self-styled strongmen met their endsĬhurchill, too, was keen to see an end to any future German threat, but he was also concerned about extending the power of the USSR and wanted to see fair and free government across Eastern Europe, especially in Poland, in whose defence Britain had declared war with Germany in 1939.Stalin needed money to rebuild his battered country, and pressed for huge reparations from Germany, as well as spheres of influence in Eastern Europe to prevent further invasions, and ensure that Germany could never threaten world peace again. The Soviet Union, whilst crushing German forces on the eastern front, had been devastated by the war, with an estimated 27 million Soviet citizens (around one in seven) killed during the conflict, and vast swathes of industry, farming, cities and homes obliterated. Stalin’s priority at Yalta was to get his country back on its feet and increase its standing on the European political stage. What elements of the Second World War are we in denial about? Keith Lowe explains – in 60 seconds The US president also wanted the Soviets to join the UN – a new global peacekeeping body – which it did, remaining a member until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. For Roosevelt, ending the ongoing war with Japan was of paramount importance, but to achieve this, he needed Stalin’s military help. The tentative beginnings of what a future peace settlement might look like had been made in Tehran, but it was at Yalta where the real discussions began.Įach leader sat down at Yalta with specific goals in mind. The three leaders had met 15 months earlier in the Iranian capital Tehran, where they had discussed ways to defeat Nazi Germany, agreed on an invasion of Normandy and had conversations around the Soviets’ entry into the Pacific War. What did each of the 'big three' want from the meeting? Aspersions have since been cast on whether the plot ever existed. At the Tehran Conference of 1943, Soviet agents alleged that the Germans were planning Operation Long Jump – a plot to assassinate the Big Three at the same time, only for it to be called off at the last minute.

#Potsdam conference

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redvanillabee · 2 years

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CATFA/Agent Carter and the Pacific Theatre

So I’ve been thinking about how...my experience in the CATFA/AC fandom is probably a bit different from that of most fans I’ve encountered on Tumblr, mostly because for me, there’s always been a history project element to it.

CATFA/AC is about, almost exclusively, the European Theatre in WWII (with one notable exception; I’ll go into that). And with most of the fans I have encountered being from an American or Western European background, I’d imagine that means the show is referencing events that you all would, if not know thoroughly, then having grown up with it in the public consciousness and learnt about in detail in school. The events mentioned and the characters’ experiences might even echo the stories you hear from teachers and grandparents.

But that’s not the case for me. For some context, I’m from East Asia, and while I was definitely taught about the WWII European Theatre in school, there are lots of finer details I have never heard of. I only have a general understanding of the most major incidents. We were taught, essentially and discounting the ‘causes of/lead up to’ chapter, invasion of Poland, invasion of Russia, and then Potsdam Yalta Cairo. That was it. The war events I grew up hearing were Japanese occupation. During construction work around the city, we semi regularly run into unexploded American shells, from when the US forces would bomb Japanese occupied territories. The stories I hear from my grandparents are about them living in Japanese occupied territories. Ever since I dove back into CATFA/AC, I found myself having to do a lot of deliberate research, to deliberately teach myself many finer events that took place in Europe that school skipped over.

For example, I’ve never heard of the SOE until AC S2. And even then, I thought it was just a thing Marvel made up, like the SSR or SHIELD; it wasn’t until I listened to an episode of True Spies podcast that I realised the SOE was a real thing. Or, I have never heard about Bastogne and the Battle of the Bulge until I came across the Oversimplified video about 2-3 years ago, and later on in AOS S7. And to fully understand what the shows are talking about, I’ve had to do a lot of extra research. And I don’t really think I am a particularly uninformed outlier; compared to my friends, I was the one who took History in high school (it’s an elective), so I probably already know more than my peer average.

The only thing in the CATFA/AC world that had even the remotest thing to do with my part of the world is Jack Thompson, who served in the Pacific, which really begs the question: how out of place would Jack have felt among his peers at work? Literally everyone in the CATFA/AC world were only involved in the European Theatre--Peggy, Europe; Howard Stark, Europe; Ana and Jarvis, Europe; Sousa, Europe. Even Steve Rogers, THE American WWII icon, was a strictly European Theatre icon. Can you imagine when he talks to other agents at the SSR about what they did during the war, and no one could understand his experience?

#agent carter #jack thompson #ac meta #my meta #ish #i mean is this meta if this is just me trying to understand my fandom experience

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weirdestbooks · 2 years

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Secrecy and Deception Chapter 3

Untold Power

New Mexico POV

Event: Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima Location: Hiroshima, Empire of Japan Date: August 6, 1945

I was nervous. It was happening. The weapon that had been created and tested in my state was finally going to be used. I was sitting in a plane with the people who were meant to observe the blast, waiting anxiously for the moment to arrive.

The deadliest weapon humanity has ever seen so far was about to be used. I sighed. Why did everything have to come to this? Why couldn't Japan see that this war was hopeless and spare the lives of her people.

Not that there was much she could do. Little Boy was going to be dropped on the city of Hiroshima very soon.

I had seen what the first bomb at the Trinity Test had done. What was this one going to do to this city?

I wish it didn't have to come to this, that more civilians didn't have to be caught in the crossfire. But still, this was to save my people's lives, to save the lives of the Americans fighting this war.

Each island we took was taken with a high price in American lives. They were so bloody and went on for so long. And as soon as our invasion troops landed, the Japanese were planning on executing all American prisoners. It would be the deadliest battle we've fought so far.

This was the best way. People would die, but more of our people would live. Japan would surrender, and the war would finally be over. We wouldn't have to fight costly battles for the main Japanese islands. Although, if Japan refused to surrender even after these bombs were dropped, Operation Downfall would commence.

I hope Japan wasn't that much of a fool.

"Miss, the bomb is about to be dropped." One of the men in the plane said. I nodded, looking out the plane's window at the Enola Gay, the plane carrying the bomb, before looking down at the city. It had been picked because it contained the headquarters of the Japanese army that would be defending the island of Kyushu as well as war industries.

I exhaled. We were really doing this. We were going to fulfill the promise Papa, Britain, and China had made at Potsdam. Unconditional surrender or prompt and utter destruction.

Japan had not surrendered, so it was time to make them know exactly how serious we were about destroying them.

It was 8:15am, and Enola Gay dropped one of the deadliest weapons humanity had ever created. Instantly the plane jumped a decent amount of feet due to the sudden loss of weight as the bomb was released.

Enola Gay quickly turned around, trying to get out to the blast zone, as we weren't sure if the plane would be able to survive the shockwaves from the explosion.

The bomb exploded in a brilliant flash of light, and shockwaves began shaking the plane, so violently, in fact, that I feared we may be knocked out of the sky. I turned my head back towards Hiroshima, having looked away when the shockwaves hit the plane.

There was a giant purple mushroom cloud overtop of the city. On the ground, fires and smoke. I couldn't see the city. But then again, who even knew if the city was left?

Hiroshima was the first city to experience an atomic bombing.

And if Japan didn't surrender, it wouldn't be the last.

RSFSR POV

Event: The Soviet Union Declares War on Japan Location: The Far East, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Date: August 8, 1945

"We've declared war. The invasion starts tomorrow."

Tomorrow was in less than an hour. I was nervous.

Отец had finally fulfilled the promise he had made to America at the Yalta Conference and declared war on Japan, which hopefully came at a great surprise to her.

Just like America's new weapon had.

Отец was upset about America not informing him of the nuclear bomb. I mean, we already knew about the nuclear bomb, we had spies that had figured it out before America even implied it's existence at the Potsdam Conference.

We were aware of what it could do. America claimed he trusted us, but he didn't tell anyone about him figuring out the nuclear bomb.

It was worrying, to say the least.

I shook the thoughts of America out of my head. It wasn't the time to be thinking about him, that was Отец's job. My job was to fight with these forces, to invade Manchuria, take the Kuril Islands, take South Sakhalin, take Port Arthur, take Hokkaido, and occupy Northern Korea.

We had many goals in Asia, even though most of Отец's goals remained in Europe.

There was worry about America, and his nuclear bombs, but we would create our own. We wouldn't let America be the only nuclear power for long.

Why did I keep thinking about America? I was supposed to be worried about Japan. I sighed. I guess the threat of a bomb that could wipe out a city was more concerning then going into battle against an enemy, that according to America, Britian, and China, would not surrender easily.

Why was I more worried about an ally than an enemy? I had met America once in Berlin, after Germany had surrendered. He was nice, even though he seemed overly energetic, and less exhausted than the other European nations. Probably because he was less affected by the war than others.

It is August ninth now, I noted, looking at the timei. The invasion was planned for one in the morning. Japan was told we were going to invade tomorrow. Of course, tomorrow for Moscow and tomorrow here were very different. Hopefully that would give us a very advantageous element of surprise, and hopefully we would complete our goals before America used any more of his bombs.

We needed influence here just as much as we needed influence in Europe. And if America got her to surrender before we even got a chance to be involved, anything we could do here was going to be severely limited.

Maybe I was too worried about America, but even if America was our ally now, and Отец and America both wanted to remain allies, but if someone went wrong, America would be a very dangerous enemy to have.

But I don't think that was going to happen anytime soon. Despite America not telling Отец about the nuclear bombs he had developed, he was still an important ally, and would remain that way until something between us went wrong.

Hopefully nothing would go wrong. Enough bad things had happened because of this war. I didn't need anymore problems to deal with.

Japanese Empire POV

Event: Atomic Bombing of Nagasaki

Location: Kyūshū, Empire of Japan

Date: August 9, 1945

I didn't think the Allies were going to invade now. I was with the ground forces that would be defending Kyūshū, and we were prepared if they did, but still...after that nuclear bomb America had used, I didn't they they would invade until they had exhausted their supply of those.

And who knew how many they had? I didn't even know America had actually built a working nuclear bomb. I thought he was still in the scientific investigation stage. But I was so very wrong. I wanted the Allies to invade! I would much rather fight off an invasion again then deal with that bomb.

The pain from it is indescribable. I've been bombed constantly throughout this war, even since America got close enough to do it. But that bomb was worse than every other bombing combined. If America used another one of them, it was likely that my government would surrender. And we couldn't surrender. The Empire of Japan shouldn't back down to others!

Still, if these nuclear bombing attacks continued, I might not be left with much of a choice, no matter how much I hate it. If only my attacks at Pearl Harbor and Midway had been more effective. Instead, America's carriers were safe and ended up destroying mine. I scowled. Hopefully America had used his only nuclear bomb in an effort to get me to surrender.

But if he hadn't...I didn't want to think about that.

Then I felt it. The pain I had felt when Hiroshima was attacked. My face paled, as I knew what this meant. America had another one. He had another bomb. The pain quickly overwhelmed me, as I collapsed to my knees.

It felt like I was being stabbed, or being ripped apart, or burned, or being shot! I couldn't find a comparison that fit the pain I was feeling. It was an indescribable, relentless pain.

It wasn't just the bomb that was causing pain, but the deaths of so many of my people at once, the destruction of whatever city was just bombed.

Thankfully the pain was short lived, only lasting about a minute or so. But still, I was breathing heavily, and I knew what this would most likely mean.

My government was probably going to make me surrender.

DC POV

Event: VJ Day

Location: Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America

Date: August 14, 1945

"Dad, guess what?" I said, throwing open the doors to the room he was in.

"I can finally get out of this wheelchair?" Dad asked. I shook my head, my mouth starting to hurt from the smiling.

"No! Japan surrendered!" I exclaimed. Dad looked excited to hear that.

"Oh thank god it's over." Dad said relief in his voice as the tension that had been there since the war started drained out to him, though some remained. "It's finally over."

"Well for now. We still have to wait for Japan to officially surrender and then there is the matter of occupying Japan and her former colonies and possessions, the promise we made to Phil about his independence, your injury, Oklahoma's injuries, North Dakota's injury, Alaska telling Soviet, the introduction of nuclear weapons, and the issues President Truman had with Soviet but-" I started rambling, thinking about all of the issues we were going to have to deal with. Dad groaned.

"Dee I appreciate you reminding me of all the problems I have to deal with but can you please not remind me about all the problems I have to deal with? I need a break, and the war's over. One day to relax, especially since most of your siblings aren't here." Dad said.

"Stop complaining about the wheelchair. Then I'll stop talking about the things you need to do." I offered.

"I sincerely hope you will be helping me do some of those things. Also the only way I will not complain about this chair is if you get me out of it." Dad said. I rolled my eyes.

"You'll be out of it by the end of the month, stop complaining before I make it take longer." I said. Dad laughed.

"Are you threatening to make it worse?" He asked, amusement in his voice. I smiled and nodded. Dad laughed again.

"There is a reason we fear Dee, Dad." I heard Virginia say as she walked up behind me, using my head as an armrest.

"Kindly fuck off dear sister." I said, pushing her arm off my head. Dad started laughing at us as Virginia rolled her eyes.

"I'd rather say West is my favorite sister then do that. I'm supposed to be babysitting Dad, remember?" Virginia responded. Dad groaned.

"Ginny, I don't need a babysitter. Why don't you go celebrate with anyone else who's here?" Dad asked. Virginia snorted, and walked over to grab the handles of Dad's wheelchair. "Hey, what are you doing?"

"The public wants to see you. And by the public I mean Phil, Guam, and Guam's twin." Virginia said, pushing him out of the room.

"Oh thank god it's not the actual public otherwise I'd be running away no matter how bad my leg is." Dad said. I snorted. Our people could be a little...over enthusiastic to say the least.

"They aren't that bad." Virginia said.

"They don't know about you, they know about me. They can be very...very enthusiastic people, in both good and bad ways. But they have an excuse to be enthusiastic now. It's over! Finally!" Dad said, raising his hands in the air. I smiled at Dad's antics, before Virginia pushed him out of the room.

I was glad things were finally looking up.

America POV

Event: Official Surrender of Japan

Location: USS Missouri, Tokyo Bay, Empire of Japan

Date: September 2, 1945

There were two great things about this day. One, Japan was officially surrendering, which was going to officially end this godforsaken war, and two, it was the second day of me being out of the wheelchair and I loved it. Sure I was still on crutches, but that was a big step up from the wheelchair.

"I'm glad this is over." Australia said, drumming her fingers on the table.

"That's what I've been saying since August. Along with 'when am I allowed out of the wheelchair?'" I replied.

"I can't believe your government gave you a babysitter to make you stay in your wheelchair." Netherlands said. I shrugged.

"Apparently I'm too stubborn to listen to what people tell me to do." I said.

"You are." Dad and Canada said. I rolled my eyes.

"You fight in one War of independence and no one lest you forget it." I said, smiling slightly.

"Ame, you've told me you call the War of 1812 the Second American War of Independence sometimes." Canada pointed out.

"Really?" Dad asked.

"I know for a fact you and at least twelve other European countries were making bets on how long my government would last and when I would be returned as your colony. Don't act like you're surprised." I said.

"You were taking bets on when he would collapse? Seriously?" China asked, amusement in her voice.

"You are very confusing." General MacArthur said, as he and the other humans here were listening to our conversation. I shrugged. It was a fair point.

"I know my mother bet 10 livres." France said, causing me to give her a confused look. It was nice to know my allies had faith in me after helping me with the war in the first place. Then again most of the Frenchmen who helped me in my Revolution were somewhat elitist.

"None of you were taking bets on how long I would last, were you?" Soviet asked. I laughed, knowing full well that they absolutely were taking bets, as I was invited to participate in it. Soviet looked annoyed, probably taking my laugh as a yes.

"It's a European tradition." Dad said, trying to defend himself.

"You guys have weird traditions." New Zealand said.

"It's Europe." Australia, Canada, China and I said.

"Thank you. I'm glad you think so highly of our continent." Netherlands said sarcastically.

"You're welcom-" Australia began, before she noticed something, we turned to where she was looking. We saw Japan standing there with her people, having just arrived. Japan kept her face blank, but you could still see anger in her eyes, anger which was reflected by many other allied nations.

"日本." (Japan.) China said, hatred in her voice.

"中国." (China.) Japan responded, an emotion that I couldn't place in her voice. It seemed like it could be hatred, but it was hard to tell. Netherlands crosses his arms.

"Can we start the signing now?" He asked. General MacArthur nodded, and gestured for the Japanese officials with Japan to come forwards, and directed them to the felt covered table they needed to sit at. On top of the table was the canvas back book for the Japanese to have, and the leather backed version for the Allies to have. That was what the humans were signing. We had our own set of the books in front of us.

This was the first signing that I was at with humans. Normally the humans and the countries did it separately, like what we had done with Germany. I don't really know why we did it, but it's always been a thing. But this was a boat so we didn't have that luxury this time.

Japan was still staring off to the side, having not approached the table we were at.

"Japan just come here so we can get this over with." I said, picking up my pen and spinning it in my fingers until Australia snatched it out of my hand. I gave her an annoyed look and stole her pen. Australia smiled and grabbed the two books containing the surrender documents before signing her name on them both.

Japan then walked over and sat opposite of us, as none of us wanted to sit next to her. Australia passed her the books.

"Sign." Australia said, giving her my pen. Japan took it, and sent Australia a look full of loathing, before signing her name, looking like it was painful for her to do so. Maybe it was, or maybe she just hated having to surrender.

I heard France let out a sign of relief as Japan signed.

"I'll sign next." Soviet said, so Netherlands passed the books down to him.

"You betrayed me." Japan said, turning to Soviet. He shrugged.

"I made a promise to America and Britain. I wasn't going to back out of it." He said, giving the books back to Netherlands, who signed them.

"Yes, thanks for keeping that promise Soviet." I said as Dad took the books and signed them, before passing them to me. Japan's fist clenched, and her face twisted to one of anger.

"Are you okay?" I asked, signing my name before passing the books to Canada.

"Don't act like you care." Japan said. I shrugged.

"Figure I'd ask. After all, we aren't at war anymore." I said as France signed the documents. China was quick to take it from her, signing her name before passing it to New Zealand. New Zealand signed it, officially completing the surrender. Japan glared at me, but sighed, looking away. It was odd to see, like some of the fight had been drained out of her.

Maybe I will figure out exactly why later. But for now, I was content with not knowing. The war was officially over.

I just hoped that meant we could have some peace.

#secrecy and deception by weird #countryhumans america #countryhuman ussr #countryhumans japanese empire

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weirdestarrow · 2 years

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The next two chapters of Secrecy and Deception are taking a long time so here is a snippet

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America’s POV

Event: Iranian Crisis of 1946-Resolution 3

Location: Westminster Central Hall, London, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Date: April 4, 1946

I was pissed. It had been months since the deadline and Soviet had yet to pull out of Iran. I had already gotten UN and the rest of the current Security Council, China, France, Dad, Australia, Brazil, Egypt, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, and, slightly to my surprise, Soviet, to pass a resolution that told them to pursue negotiations.

A resolution that seemed to have done nothing, as we had once again need to pass a resolution addressing this problem. Thankfully, Soviet wasn't here at this meeting, as I'm pretty sure he would be doing his best to slow down the passing of the resolution if he was. I wasn't sure what he was doing to cause him to be absent, but it most likely had something to do with his actions in Iran.

“Resolution of 4 April 1946, obviously, we know the date." UN said as he began reading out what was written in the resolution before we voted on it. UN was interesting. He was nice, but always seemed very nervous. Then again his father, League of Nation, had failed to stop a world war, so he might just be nervous that he would fail at that as well. Still, UN was a very hard worker, even if he did have an annoying habit of calling everyone by their full names.

"The Security Council, taking note of the statements by the Iranian representative that the Iranian appeal to the Council arises from the presence of USSR troops in Iran and their continued presence there beyond the date stipulated for their withdrawal in the Tripartite Treaty of 29 January 1942." UN began.

I had been the first country to withdraw from Iran, followed by Dad. We had started to get worried when Soviet hadn't withdrawal by the date he was supposed to, but I had been alarmed when he expanded his military presence there, and when he had helped set up those two puppet states.

Soviet was after influence, that much has been made clear.

And now I was getting worried over what that influence would mean. I now regret what I had let Soviet get away with at Yalta and Potsdam, but I wasn't looking to provoke a conflict, and for the sake of peace I was willing to let him have what he wanted.

But if Soviet was going to start conflicts because what he had been given wasn't enough for him, I should've just started a fight right there and then we wouldn't be in this mess.

Still, hopefully this pressure from UN would help convince him to back down, although I was willing to help Iran if he didn't.

If only Kennan's telegram had been created earlier. Perhaps things would be different. But now wasn't the time to focus on the past. I had other concerns to deal with.

#countryhumans #statehumans #secrecy and deception by weird

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coffeeinthelibrary · 3 years

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The reason I know that GCSEs and A levels are harder than the American SATs is that I've seen many, many American TV shows and quite a few of them have been set in a high school or college and what little they show of the learning is stuff I learnt in year 9.

We have Jeff Winger in Community trying to learn cellular mitosis for his Biology 101 final and struggling to (season 3, episode 22) He is about 30 years old; I'm 15 and I could answer a 6-marker on cellular mitosis in my sleep.

In Annie's Politi-Sci class they speak about the Yalta conference and only the two Annies can answer the question - bitch please the Yalta and Potsdam conferences are the least of my worries when it comes to History GCSE.

Also in season 1 I know they're all being taught by Chang but the fact that they're struggling to pass Spanish 101 when all they need to know is basically whats in Module 1 of my 10-module textbook for GCSE - come on guys.

So yes obviously I may be wrong and maybe real-life SATs and college is harder but American TV shows make it seem so easy like please could I do those instead of GCSEs 😫

#this was brought to you by the procrastination gang #community #seriously why do American shows so the education to be so basic

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warsofasoiaf · 4 years

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What do you think of the "atomic bomb" versus "Soviet DOW" camps regarding Japan's 1945 surrender?

It’s more complicated than that. To understand it, you need to understand who was calling the shots in Imperial Japan. Emperor Hirohito was in charge, and the highest policymaking body was the Supreme Council, otherwise known as the Big Six. These included the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, the Army and Navy Ministers, and the chiefs of staff for the Army and Navy.

By early 1945, the writing was on the wall, and the Emperor authorized exploring options for peace. Foreign Minister Togo wanted to pursue a peace with the Soviets as the mediator (the Soviets were not involved in the Pacific Theater at that point), hoping to split the Allies and achieve a favorable peace. The military heads wanted to create a decisive battle at Kyushu, some believed that they could win the war outright, but most were under the impression that a decisive victory would give Japan the ability to demand favorable peace terms: no occupation, no disbanding of the imperial military state or disbanding of the military, no war crimes tribunals.

Togo’s peace plan kept running into problems. The Soviets elected not to renew their neutrality treaty in April, had agreed to enter the Pacific War three months after defeating Germany at Yalta, and refused to commit to the plan in July with face-to-face diplomatic talks. Eventually, his long-term supporter Prime Minister Suzuki refused to back him. Potsdam (28 July) was the death blow for Togo’s plans, and the Foreign Minister at this point was in favor of accepting the peace terms if the Americans agreed to maintain the one-party imperial military state, but the military members refused to go along with any unconditional surrender of the Japanese military. After Hiroshima, the Big Six didn’t meet until 9 August, the day of the Soviet invasion of Manchukuo and the Nagasaki bomb.

This is where timing is important. After the Soviet invasion before dawn, the Big Six were still not considering surrender, because the military heads still refused to accept any peace terms that came with occupation, and that Japan would run the war crimes tribunal and administer its own disarmament. The Nagasaki bomb was dropped a few hours later. Some of the Big Six believed the USA only had one bomb (Truman bluffed here with his “rain of ruin” speech, he only had one more bomb). At this point, the Big Six were deadlocked 3-3, but Hirohito pulled rank and said that surrender now would be the best course of action.

So as you can see, it’s both and neither. Japan was terrified of Soviet soldiers on Japanese home territory (they saw the difference in Germany what happened with surrender to the Soviets versus surrender to the Americans), they did not want more bombings, they feared a severe famine from the continuing naval blockade. All in all, it was a confluence of factors that caused the Surrender of Japan.

Thanks for the question, Anon.

SomethingLikeALawyer, Hand of the King

#history #japan #world war 2 #world war ii #ww2 #wwii

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gaypersonalscouple03 · 4 years

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GETTIN SUCKED ON THE game Yalta

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#gay sites #gay eds #gay she #gay severin #guy carr

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meepmorpperaltiago · 5 years

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Everything Changes (1/?)

I have no idea if anyone’s going to like this series but here it is: a prefects/head boy/head girl au! Thanks so much to @397bartonstreet for all your help and to @mashikkara for encouraging me to actually write this

The Yalta Conference, February 1945

The Potsdam Conference, July 194- Jake is staring at her again. He’s pulling goofy faces and not taking this seriously as usual.

Iron Curtain Speech, March 194- Why does he always have to ruin everything? Why can he not take anything seriously? Ugh, now she’s completely lost track of what she’s writing.

Just focus. You’ll be fine.

Ugh, now he’s sticking his tongue out.

“What the hell was that?” she says angrily as they all spill into the corridor.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about”, he says flippantly, as if he hadn’t ruined her essay and possibly her predicted grades and therefore her life. Ok, maybe it wasn’t that extreme, but the way he breezes through everything without a care in the world and still somehow gets by with stellar grades is infuriating.

She simply spits angrily: “You know what you did – and your tie is undone” before flouncing off to assembly, her shiny ponytail bouncing as she walks.

“Are you nervous?”, he asks, catching up with her as if she wasn’t clearly fuming at his behaviour in the mock exam, whilst also making no effort to correct his uniform.

“What, no”, she says. She’s lying. The announcement of Head Boy and Head Girl means everything to her. Her competitive nature, combined with it being a vital part of her potential key to Oxford, have made it an intense focus all year so far.

Yet another thing that Jake hasn’t taken seriously, but has somehow aced, being one of the most popular candidates for Head Boy.

From the first time they’d been paired together for Prefect Duty, Jake had made teasing Amy his number one priority. Considering his distaste for rules, Amy was unsure why he’d even taken on a role that required him to enforce them. After a year and a bit of being stuck with him, she did have to admit that he could be really funny, charming and was a sweet guy underneath all the bravado – but then he’d say or do something intensely irritating and they’d be back at square one.

“Are you?”, she asks, genuinely curious. She didn’t think anything would faze him – but he’d asked her the question and the thought that he might not be entirely confident for the first time in his life had crossed her mind.

“Eyes closed, head first, can’t lose, right?”. There’s the Jake Peralta she knows and kind of sometimes likes. Not in that way though. That would be weird. Obviously.

This assembly is taking forever. Mr Holt is harping on about exams or drugs or something – why can’t he just get to what they all really care about?

Jake’s trying to look chilled, but boredom and anxiety are starting to take over a little. Ok more than a little. A lot.

He just really wants to prove himself. To show everyone that he’s more than just the goofy guy who brings the laughs.

To be important.

He’s just hoping that him and Amy don’t end up as Head Boy and Girl together. He likes her, but she’s such a stickler for rules, she’d be a pain to work with.

Holt’s getting towards a big announcement. Here we go.

Ugh, it’s some dumb crap about mock exam timetables. They all already know this stuff, it’s literally on the school website and on all their emails.

Why does he keep torturing them like this?

Ok, here we go again, for realz this time.

“Our Head Boy and Head Girl are… Jake Peralta and Amy Santiago”.

It takes both of them a few seconds to process. They quietly walk towards their headteacher, both delighted at the news but still processing that they’ll have to work together.

“I guess you’re stuck with me”, he says, trying to make light of the situation.

Amy grimaces in response.

#b99 #peraltiago #jake peralta #amy santiago #jake x amy #brooklyn nine nine #brooklyn nine nine fanfic #b99 au #my writing

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laws-are-like-sausages · 5 years

Text

key conferences & key ideas

Nov. 1943: Tehran

First wartime conference

Hinted the bomb to Stalin

Agreed on the Polish borders

Stalin wanted to annex all occupied territory (up to Curzon Line); compensate it with German territory

No objections from FDR and Churchill

Disagreements:

2nd Front

Governments in Eastern Europe

Stalin wanted Moscow-friendly governments in E. Europe and Poland

Also clash between Polish govt.-in-exile (London Poles) and the pro-USSR Union of Polish Patriots (ZZP)

FDR willing to persuade cooperation with Stalin vs. his vice-presi Truman who was lowkey anti-Communist

Idea that hostilities between both sides were to reassert itself after WW2

Jul. 1944: Bretton-Woods (United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference)

Financial arrangements for the post-war world

44 governments represented, including the USSR

Drew up plans for the IBRD (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development) to give foreign aid

World Bank formed, came into *actual existence* in 1945

IMF (International Monetary Fund) formed, though also came into like actual existence in Dec. 1945

Stabilize exchange rates

Help balance out international payments

End post-war discriminatory tariffs

Oct. 1944: Tolstoy (% agreement // naughty documents // 4th moscow conf.)

Stalin & Churchill on influence over E. Europe

Romania 90% to USSR

Greece 10% to USSR (argument against Soviet world domination is that Stalin did keep his promise here and didn’t intervene in the civil war in Greece)

Yugoslavia and Hungary 50% to USSR

Feb. 1945: Yalta

Division of Germany into 4 zones

Stalin felt sphere of influence vital to Soviet security (as agreed in naughty docs.)

Stalin worried about US open-door policies

FDR now supported the idea of a sphere of influence less; American suggestion to not have a sphere of influence

Good guy just wanted Wilsonian democracy everywhere and self-determination --> Atlantic Charter principles of 1941

FDR suggested forming the United Nations

Stalin accepted London Poles; believed they could cooperate (but no)

Negotiated war reparations

USSR wanted over $10 billion...

Stalin disliked American dollar diplomacy at Bretton-Woods and American imposition of terms & conditions when the USSR asked for loans in Jan. 1945

What actually happened: USSR ended up increasing reparations and taking them from its OWN sphere of influence (Soviet economic control OR the Soviets weren’t economically strong enough and therefore needed money to rebuild itself so desperately)

Free elections in Poland

USSR later failed to honor the agreement at Yalta of free elections in Poland, giving rise to American suspicion esp. with Truman

Jul. 1945: Potsdam

Conference:

Already pretty clear they were winning the war (i mean, this was after V. E. Day)

Recognized moving Polish borders westwards

USSR declares war on Japan

Dissolution of the Polish govt.-in-exile

After the Trial of the 16 (London Poles, who were invited over and killed), Britain and the US withdrew support for the legitimate Polish govt.-in-exile

Bulgaria secretly given to Stalin by Allies

Create a Council of Foreign Ministers

Andddd what do we do with Germany now? (some stuff from ern’s & lucas’s presi -- thank you!)

German territory = Poland (skiddadle skiddation german territory is under requisition!)

Nuremberg Trials approved

Division of Germany into 4 zones

Oversight over German war economy

Declaration:

“unconditional surrender” of Japan, issued by Truman, Churchill and Chiang Kai Shek

Basically an ultimatum that if Japan refuses to surrender it would face “prompt and utter destruction”

Atomic bomb

Korean Agreement:

Americans tried to avoid the discussion of the trusteeship of Korea

Korea key to Muscovite spread of ideology and RESOURCES (esp. if you’re going along the lines of USSR being economically stripped after the war)

USSR in <3 with Korea and Manchuria

Evidence: when the USSR declared war on Japan it also invaded Korea and Manchuria (... perhaps Korea and Manchuria was a motive behind the USSR joining the US in the Pacific theater?)

During WW2, FDR proposed a 4-power trusteeship over the Korean Peninsula; keep the Commies in check!

Division of the Korean Peninsula the 38th parallel

US and Western forces over South Korea

Later had to support Koreans who collaborated with the Japanese as well as Syngman Rhee in the 1948 elections (which was, like, soooo democratic and *totally not rigged*)

Trusteeship to last 5 years before Korea allowed to be independent

Dec. 1945: Moscow Conference (of Foreign Ministers)

Brynes, Bevin and Molotov discussed “Far East” issues: occupation & peace

In the Communique:

Peace treaties (1947 Paris Peace Treaties) with:

Italy

Romania

Bulgaria

Hungary

Finland

Japan: establish a Far Eastern Commission and Allied Council

Korea: unification of the Korean peninsula

US and USSR commands to work together through a Joint Commission to unify it under a single, free government

Led to a lot of (mutual) suspicion

Oh well we know how it all went in Korea

Formation of the UNAEC (United Nations Atomic Energy Commission)

Kennan about Brynes (in diary): “The realities behind this agreement, since they concern only such people as Koreans, Rumanians, and Iranians, about whom he knows nothing, do not concern him. He wants an agreement for its political effect at home. The Russians know this. They will see that for this superficial success he pays a heavy price in the things that are real”

Kennan worked in the American embassy in Moscow

Byrnes --> Sec. of State

Feb. 1948: London Conferences (and again in Jun. 1948)

Before Berlin Blockade

Held between the US, Britain, France and Benelux countries

Encourage German participation in the international community / economy

Basically to create the Federal Republic of Germany

Dec. 1947 Foreign Secretary Conference failed to agree on the German question!

Democratic Federal Republic of Germany must be formed! Czechoslovakia already went Commie!

London Recommendations:

Minister Presidents in West Germany should form a parliamentary council to form a free, democratic state according to Atlantic Charter dogma

Frankfurt Documents

Federal Republic of Germany to not have WMDs (weapons of mass destruction)

Federal Republic of Germany to not invade Soviet zone

France wanted to merge zones if Saarland could be financially merged with the Ruhr

Bizonia --> Trizonia

#paper3

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krisihistoryblog-blog · 5 years

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How ideological differences lead to the Berlin wall

Following WWII, tensions between the USSR and the Western allies (USA, Britain, and France) rose due to the fundamental differences in Communism and Capitalism. This division became known as the Iron Curtain following Winston Churchill’s speech in 1936 in which he said that due to the tensions between the two sides (Capitalist West and Communist East), "iron curtain" has descended across the continent. The Berlin wall became the infamous physical symbol of the deep divide and oppression under the Communist regime in Eastern Europe, but why was it built and why did it fall?

International relations: historical context of Russia and the West

Russia and the West – America and Britain- have had a pretty complicated relationship for a very long time, and this section aims to give the modern historical background of it (1917 up to 1945).

Russia joined WWI in 1914, one of its allies being Britain. The was crippled Russia’s economy: over 17 million farmers were conscripted into the army meaning there were food shortages; factories that didn’t directly contribute to the war effort by making weapons or equipment suffered from under supplying and many had to shut down, leading to further unemployment; and to top it all off the Tsar at the time- Nicholas II -took a personal control of the army despite having no military experience. By 1917, the Russian population was desperate to leave the war, having already lost about 40 million men.

As discontent with the Tsarist regime and continuation in the war grew, support for Lenin and the Bolshevik party also grew. Sure enough, when they came to power in 1917, they issued the Peace Decree which promised an end to the war. After signing the Treaty of Brest- Litovsk in March 1918 (which had deeply detrimental terms for Russia, such as losing 50% of its industry), Russia was out of the war. By abandoning their allies, Russia made the West think communists could not be trusted.

In the years following this, Russia went into civil war. The war was mostly between the Reds (Bolsheviks) and Whites (Mensheviks and other anti-Bolsheviks). The western capitalist countries supported the Whites financially and by sending troops, and although the reason for this wasn’t necessarily because they wanted the Whites to win, but because they didn’t want the Bolsheviks to win, the Reds used the foreign interventions in their anti- white propaganda.

After the Bolsheviks fully established their rule, the western capitalist countries were always seen as enemies that had gone against them in the past and were ready to intervene in national issues if it meant preventing the establishment of communism.

During WWII, USSR, Britain and the United States put aside their ideological differences in order to unite in defeating Nazi Germany. Russia has joined the western allies after in 1941 Hitler broke a non- aggression pact with Stalin by invading the USSR.

Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam

The Big Three, as they became known, met in Tehran, Iran in 1943. Stalin (leader of the USSR), Roosevelt (US president), and Churchill (UK prime minister) had the common aim of improving their relationship with one another and their countries. During that meeting they decided on the opening on the second front- which meant that Britain and America would now open a front at the west of Germany, so Russia doesn’t have to do all the fighting on the Eastern front. This was a turning point in defeating the Germans as it meant their army was now divided.

Although the conference was successful, it did highlight some tensions already: Churchill was very anti-communist and Britain had joined the World War on the 3rd of September 1939 after Poland was invaded by Germany; Stalin wanted complete control over Poland so he can create a ‘buffer zone’ (the countries between the capitalist west and Russia would have to be invaded before Russia would be, giving the Russians more time to react), and was also very distrustful of Britain and the US as he felt their purposely delayed opening the western front. Stalin thought that they had waited so long so Russia would be weakened after fighting Germany for so long, and once the western front was opened, Britain and America could invade Germany and get to Russia next. The reason Stalin was so worried about getting invaded from Germany is because it happened twice already: in 1914 and then again in 1941 when Hitler broke the non-aggression pact he had made with Stalin.

Potsdam conference 1945

The Big Three then had a second meeting- Potsdam February 1945. At this point it was obvious that Germany was going to lose, so the plans surrounded what happens after that point. Among other things, a decision was made that the USSR would have a sphere of influence in Eastern Europe- although exactly what that entails differs depending on which side you asked. The most relevant, in relation to the future of Berlin, decision they made at this conference was to divide Germany in 4 sections following the war. Britain, France, America and Russia would all get one section. Despite being entirely in the Eastern side of Germany, the capital city of Berlin was also divided in this way- with the west 3 sections belonging to the western allies and the east one to the USSR.

Potsdam was the final conference, attended by Stalin, Harry Truman and Clement Atlee. President Roosevelt had died and been replaced by Truman, who was more anti-communist; Churchill had lost the general election and been replaced by Atlee. Despite the shift in leaders, the decision about splitting Germany and Berlin into four was confirmed. After 1933 there had been no free elections in Germany and the Big Three had decided to re-establish them along with democracy, freedom of speech and freedom of press. The Nazi party was banned, and Nazi war criminals were tried. Russia would receive reparations on the form of goods from the Western sectors.

The Berlin Blockade 1948-1949 and establishing of two separate countries

Having been invaded by it twice in the past, Russia wanted to keep Germany to prevent any future threat. The Allies (Britain, France and America) wanted to make it independent and prosperous so they don’t have to keep paying for it, and so they can build trade with Germany. This disagreement was bound to cause conflict.

In 1947, Britain and America joined their sectors to form Bizonia, and due to the very good relations with the French zones, they united with them too forming Trizonia. In Trizonia they decided to introduce a new, trustworthy currency called the Deutsche Mark which was essential if they wanted to rebuild the German economy. This worried Stalin and he retaliated by introducing the Ost Mark in the eastern sectors.

The western sectors of Germany and Berlin were accepting Marshall Aid (American support to help countries rebuild themselves after the war), while the eastern sectors, and eastern Europe apart from Yugoslavia) did not, which deepened the divide between the east and west even more due to their economical states and standards of living.

As Stalin feared western capitalist ideas and currency entering the eastern part of Germany or Berlin, he cut off all rail, road and canal links. This was with the aim that the west would be forced to give up on western Berlin as they wouldn’t be able to get any supplies to their people.

However, Truman saw this was a testing case – he wanted to prove to Stalin that we would not give up and he would maintain his policy of containment (stopping the spread of communism). The allies, the US in particular, started the Berlin airlift to supply western Berliners with necessities. The airlift code-named “operation vittles” had its first flight on the 26th of June 1948 and lasted until 30th September 1949 – even though the blockade was lifted in May of the same year.

The airlift was incredibly successful as both achieving its aim of supplying the citizens- for example on the 16th of April 1949, 1400 flights brought in 13k tons of supplies, even though the necessary amount needed for the western Berliners to over was 6k tons a day- but also at showing the USSR they wouldn’t give up on their citizens. Truman wanted western Berlin to be a symbol of freedom behind the iron curtain.

Straight after the Berlin blockade was lifted, the western sectors officially united as one country – The Federal Republic of Germany. In October of 1949, the eastern part of Germany became the German Democratic Republic (ironically enough).

The wall goes up

East and West Berlin had been very different. The west was extremely prosperous thanks to the allies investing in it, whereas the East was poor and had low living standards. This resulted in immigration from the East to the West- with over 3.5 million East Germans emigrating to West Germany before 1961, which comprised most of the total net emigration of 4.0 million emigrants from all of Central and Eastern Europe between 1950 and 1959.

On 13th of August 1961, the communist government of the German Democratic Republic started putting up barbed wire fences along the border of West and East Berlin. It was quickly replaced by a concrete one and through the years,more and more was added to it such as watch towers. The 27-mile portion of the barrier separating Berlin into east and west consisted of two concrete walls between which was a “death strip” up to 160 yards wide that contained hundreds of watchtowers, miles of anti-vehicle trenches, guard dog runs, floodlights and trip-wire machine guns.

Hundreds of people tried to go into West Berlin and hundreds died trying to do so. Amongs the people who escaped successfully are the three Bethke brothers, whose escapes are like from an action movie. The oldest of the three, Ingo, escaped by floating on an inflatable mattress across the Elbe River in 1975. Then in 1983, the middle brother, Holger soared over the wall on a steel cable he fired with a bow and arrow to a rooftop in West Berlin. Six years later, they both flew an ultra-light plane over the wall and back to pick up their youngest brother Egbert.

The American view of the wall is nicely summarized by my President Kennedy in 1961: “It’s not a very nice solution, but a wall is a hell of a lot better than a war. This is the end of the Berlin crisis. The other side panicked—not we. We’re going to do nothing now because there is no alternative except war”. The wall was used to show how bad communism is- they had to build a wall to keep people from leaving, which gave it a similar image to a prison. It became a symbol of the division in Berlin, and in Europe at the time.

Accidental freedom

Although it came after years of discontent and protests, the fall of the Berlin wall was accidental. East Germany had decided that its citizens can emigrate for a short period of time, after having gone through a lengthy visa process.

Then on the 9th of November 1989, a press conference took place at which East German politburo member Günter Schabowski prematurely announced that restrictions on travel visas would be lifted. People attending started questioning him and when asked when this new policy would take power he responded with: “Immediately, without delay.”

His confused answers and the erroneous media reports that followed, sent a wave of people to the Berlin wall ready to cross it.

The chief officer on duty at Bornholmer Street checkpoint, overwhelmed by the thousands of people and by the insults rather than instructions he received from his superiors, opened the border crossing and the gates soon followed. The flood of East Berliners couldn’t be stopped by the officials.

The symbolism of the fall

For decades the wall symbolized the division ideologies can make. Because of the differences between capitalist and communist way of rule, and the difference in priorities and values they had, the people of Berlin were entirely separated. Eastern Berliners grew up being restricted and isolated while the West being prosperous and having opportunities. The fall of the wall symbolized the fall of the division, or at least to a point in which people weren’t physically restricted, or risked losing their life if they tried to escape.

#cold war #ussr #berlin wall #kennedy #berlin #east berlin #west berlin #bizonia #trizonia #history #historyblr #9th november 1989 #communism #capitaliam #capitalism #ideological difference #history article #essay

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ninaho · 2 years

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Cold War: Post WWII

Figure 1. "Special Session," by Berryman, Clifford Kennedy, 1869-1949, Artist

"How and why did the Cold War begin? Which side, the Americans, or the Soviets, were most to blame?"

‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎Much like World War one and World War two, there is no single culprit that caused the outbreak of the war. Similarly, there is no single cause that led to the outbreak of The Cold War. The Cold War was a tragic stalemate between the Americans and the Soviets from a string of misunderstandings by the Americans who misinterpreted the true intentions of the Soviet Union. It is not to say that all of America was willing to wage war against the Soviet Union (SU). Henry Wallace was against all forms of hostility towards the SU simply because he believed that it would lead to mutual destruction. However, the large majority of Americans and American congressmen were eager to pressure the SU into submitting to America as a superpower. The cause of the Cold War was by the Americans and their clear misunderstanding of the Soviet Union’s intentions.

‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎American misinterpretation of Soviet intent set the stage for the Cold War. The start of the Cold War begins as early as the peace conferences that began nearing the end of World War II. During the Yalta Conference in February of 1945 the allies were convinced that allied victory in Europe was practically inevitable but was worried about the war that occurred in the Pacific. During the negotiations, two key agreements occurred during the Yalta Conference led to major misunderstandings of Soviet intentions. First, the council was certain that Soviet intervention in the Pacific war would help accelerate the end of the war and allied victory. The Soviets were promised a sphere of influence in Manchuria which included Port Arthur and the operation of the Manchurian railroads. This sudden expansion to their sphere of influence was harmful to the Soviet-American relationship as it bolstered American suspicion that the Soviets planned to perpetuate communism in Europe and Asia. Additionally, the agreement to call for free elections to determine Poland’s future was a dreadful agreement to the Americans as the Soviet army already occupied Poland and therefore further solidified their suspicions of Soviet intent. The Americans believed that the Soviet Union’s eagerness in complying to these negotiations were because it helped bring them one step closer to perpetuating communism. In reality, for a very long time the Soviet Union’s goals in the Yalta and Potsdam conference were to secure a warm water port and a buffer zone which did not align to the American assumption that the Soviet goals were only to expand their sphere of influence. Therefore, during the Yalta Conference, Americans clearly misunderstood the intentions of the Soviet Union that increased animosity that could have been avoided. The misunderstanding was not constricted to the Conferences but occurred within the American Embassy in the Soviet Union. Kennan’s Long Telegram was the most famous example of American misunderstanding and encapsulates the essence of American assumptions about the Soviet Union. Keenan advised the united states to take tough stance against the Soviet Union. Her believed that Soviet leaders were motivated by traditional Russian insecurities and Marxist-Leninist dogma and were willing to expand at any possible opportunity. Kennan believed that the Soviet power though, “impervious to the logic of reason, is highly sensitive to the logic of force.” (Podcast 11 23:23) Kennan believed that the soviet union was aggressive and willing to expand and whatever cost to secure Marxist-Leninism across Europe. However like before, Kennan simply misread Soviet moves to obtain a warm water port and a buffer zone as an act of aggression. The Soviet’s intention to only a warm water port and a buffer zone is further justified by their moves nearing the postwar era. In 1945 to 1946, Stalin encouraged free election in Czech, Hungary, and Berlin. He cut aid to communist revolutions in Greece and did not support Mao and actively recognized Chiang Kai-shek and the GMD as Nationalists in China. Stalin only wanted two things completely unrelated to the expansion of communism and actively avoided intervention in countries experiencing communist uprisings. He wanted no involvement in these countries and it was clear by his actions.

‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎In contrast to the American belief that the Soviet Union was aggressive, the U.S. implemented a variety of policies to instigate the Cold War and show American aggression. One main tactical form of aggression was the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall plan. In March 12, 1947, Truman sent 400 million dollars in aid to Greece and Turkey where he built schools and other types of infrastructure to bring Greece back onto their feet. The European Recovery Program (ERP) or the Marshall Plan invested 13 billion dollars into Western Europe from 1948 to 1952. It was designed to rebuild Western Europe, create open markets, and win European support for capitalist democracies. (American Yawp Chapter 25) Although the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall plan was innocently labelled as a fight against hunger, poverty, and chaos, it was clear that it’s true intentions was to act as a “‘Trojan Horse’ designed to lure Germany and other countries into the capitalist web.” ( Yawp Ch25) Additionally, Truman’s policy of containment and thereafter Kennedy’s and LBJ’s commitment to containment lead to unnecessary American interventions that escalated the nature of the Cold War. The policy of containment required American presence on the world stage to prevent the expansion of communism. This policy was practised in the Korean War and the Vietnam war where American intervention displayed a visible act of defiance to the changes occurring in eastern Europe. Although Stalin did publicly endorse Kim Il Sung during the Korean War, Soviet involvement in both the Korean War and the Vietnam War was much more ‘hands-off’ than the Americans. This shows that rather than fearing communism, America was actively preventing communism and perpetuating capitalism throughout Europe. American attempts to contain and prevent communism was and should have been regarded as aggression and animosity directed towards the Soviet Union.

‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎Overall it is clear that American initiative in containment and the misunderstanding of the Soviet Union as the leading cause to communism. Therefore it is natural to conclude that America was the cause of the Cold War.

Works Cited Holtz, John. 2017. “Contending Voices, Volume II: Since 1865, Fourth Edition.” Cengage Learning. University, Stanford. 2021. The American Yawp. Accessed September 9, 2021. amerianyawp.com.

#HIST258 Discussion #history #academic #folio

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implexis · 3 years

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1947

Jan 17 A harsh winter is aggravating Europe. There is economic stagnation, inflation, hunger and political unrest. Churchill is visiting the United States as a private citizen and asks the United States for help in policing Europe. Doing so is too much of a financial burden for Britain.

Jan 17 A US military unit has been in China to disarm the Japanese. The court martial of a US Marine begins, accused of raping a Peiping (Beijing) university student. The rape has touched off monstrous demonstrations across China against the US military presence, targeting China's government for allowing foreign troops on Chinese territory. The Pentagon believes that US forces are no longer needed in China. The Marines will be out by the end of May.

Jan 19 In Poland, a coalition dominated by the Communist Party wins 80 percent of the vote in parliamentary elections. Stalin is succeeding for the time being in having a friendly Poland between the Soviet Union and Germany.

Jan 21 The Soviet Union asks the UN Security Council to look into Britain's interventions in Greece and Indonesia.

Jan 28 Unhappy with the recent elections in Poland, the United States charges that the Provisional Government of Poland has "failed to carry out its solemn pledges" to conduct free and untrammeled elections as called for in the Yalta and Potsdam Agreements.

Feb 17 The US begins Voice of America radio transmissions into the Soviet Union, viewed by Russians as hostility.

Feb 28 Chiang Kai-shek, China's anti-Communist ruler, sends soldiers against rioting Taiwanese. Between 18,000 and 28,000 will be said to have been massacred. Many Taiwanese disappear.

Mar 12 To a joint session of Congress, President Truman proclaims what will become known as the Truman Doctrine. The US is to aide Greece and Turkey, to support "free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way." A few conservatives are opposed. One Congressman complains about do-gooders getting "us all broke."

Mar 19 Chiang Kai-shek's troops take control of Yenan, which had been a base for China's Communist Party. Chiang has created a National Assembly that the Communists think is bogus in that it does not have representation for those who side with them rather than with Chiang.

Mar 21 President Truman sees fears of a Communist takeover or influence on the US government as ridiculous, but he is responding to public pressure. He institutes a program of loyalty oaths for federal employees.

Mar 29 A nationalist group in Madagascar rises against French rule. The revolt spreads quickly, with some expecting help from the United States.

Apr 3 In the US, the Attorney General's List of Subversive Organizations is created under President Truman's Executive Order 9835. Among those on the list are 71 organizations and 11 schools viewed as "adjuncts of the Communist Party." Also on the list are the Ku Klux Klan and a patriotic society for Japanese veterans of the Russo-Japanese War.

Apr 15 Jackie Robinson begins playing baseball, at first base, for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Apr 16 With "enemies" in mind the phrase "Cold War" is invented. In his home state of South Carolina, Bernard Baruch, multimillionaire financier and adviser to presidents, says "Let us not be deceived. We are today in the midst of a Cold War. Our enemies are to be found abroad and at home. Let us never forget this." Some in the US would think of Russia and communists as intent on destroying the US or at least intent on helping Americans change their way of life. Some others would think it a mistake to consider philosophical or political adversaries as enemies and that the "Cold War" was fiction.

Apr 18 Father Josef Tiso, wartime "leader" in Slovakia, is hanged.

Apr 22 In a game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies, players for the Phillies shout continual abuse at Jackie Robinson, calling him "nigger" and advising him to go back to the jungle.

Jun 5 A few people in the US are concerned that hardship in Europe will bolster Marxist arguments and add to the appeal of Communism. At Harvard University, the US Secretary of State, George C. Marshall, outlines an economic recovery plan for Europe. He speaks of the need to protect political stability and peace. "Our policy, he says, "is directed not against any country or doctrine but against hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos."

Jun 30 In China, the Communists have begun mobile warfare against Chiang's government. They have crossed the Yellow River, recruiting people as they advance.

Jul 3 Stalin is hostile toward the Marshall Plan – not yet approved by the US Congress. He accuses the Western powers of seeking to divide Europe into two hostile camps.

Jul 11 A Czech delegation returns from Moscow and announces that the decision to receive Marshall Plan assistance has been cancelled.

Aug 14 Pakistan splits from India and gains independence from the British Empire.

Aug 15 India gains independence from the British Empire.

Sep 7 Stalin is worried about economic recovery in that part of Germany occupied by Britain, France and the United States. He proclaims that "imperialists want war."

Sep 9 In Argentina, women receive the right to vote

Sep 12 In Haifa, Palestine, a labor leader, Sami Taha, is assassinated.

Sep 13 Thousands of Arab workers form a funeral procession for Sami Taha. British authorities detain two Jewish women regarding the assassination.

Sep 16 Arab League Secretary Azzam Pasha rejects a Jewish plan for partition, saying. "Nations never concede, they fight." About the Jews fighting for partition he says "We shall try to defeat you. I am not sure we'll succeed, but we'll try. We were able to drive out the Crusaders, but on the other hand we lost Spain and Persia. It may be that we shall lose Palestine. But it's too late to talk of peaceful solutions."

Sep 19 The rightist Jewish guerrilla fighters, the Irgun, bomb a police station in Haifa, killing four British policemen, four Arab policemen, two Arab civilians and wound 46 others.

Sep 30 In the United States around 14,000 television sets are in use, and the World Series is televised for the first time.

Oct 16 Britain urges the United Nations to begin creating a suitable authority to replace the British administration of Palestine.

Oct 27 Film stars who belong to the Committee for the First Amendment arrive in Washington D.C. They include John Huston, William Wyler, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Danny Kaye and Gene Kelly. They are unhappy with the committee's investigation of communism in the film industry. They are for letting artists work free of government interference. Danny Kaye claims that the motion picture industry has not been putting propaganda into its work. Gene Kelly follows, saying: "As Mr. Kaye has remarked, its pretty hard to find any propaganda in pictures."

Nov 29 By a narrow margin, the United Nations General Assembly passes a resolution for the partition of Palestine. The Soviet Union and Truman administration have voted in favor. The resolution calls for Jerusalem to be under international control.

Dec 9 France has been paralyzed by a general strike, said to have been a Communist Party bid for power. The strike is considered a failure and called off.

Dec 16 William Shockley, at Bell Laboratories, invents the transistor, destined to replace glass tubes in electrical equipment.

Dec 25 The French have not yet completely suppressed the revolt in Madagascar. Around 60,000 people have died. Europeans and those friendly toward the French have been attacked and killed.

Dec 27 Greece's pro-monarchist government outlaws the country's Communist Party.

Dec 30 In Communist dominated Romania, King Michael, great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria, is forced to abdicate.

to 1946 | to 1948

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lower-coast-times · 3 years

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Edward R. Murrow - DECEPTIVE and DISHONEST Liberal Hatchetman

Murrow's See It Now attack on Senator McCarthy

One of the most prominent attacks on Senator McCarthy was an episode of the TV documentary series See It Now, hosted by Edward R. Murrow, which was broadcast on March 9, 1954.[1] By the time Murrow produced his See It Now assault on Senator McCarthy in 1954, the senator had been under almost constant vicious attack for four years. According to McCarthy biographer Arthur Herman, Murrow and his staff had spent two months carefully editing film clips to portray McCarthy in the worst possible light. There were no clips showing McCarthy in a professional manner. Despite Murrow's claims, this "was not a report at all but instead a full-scale assault, employing exactly the same techniques of 'partial truth and innuendo' that critics accused McCarthy of using."[2]

The episode consisted largely of clips of McCarthy in the most unflattering context, including "belching and picking his nose".[3] In these clips, McCarthy accuses the Democrat Party of "twenty years of treason" because of the Democrat Party's concessions to the Soviet Union at the Yalta conference and Potsdam conference, describes the American Civil Liberties Union as "listed as 'a front for, and doing the work of,' the Communist Party," and berates General Zwicker for Zwicker's claim that he would protect any other general who promotes Communists within the military. Murrow also portrays a Pentagon coding room employee, Annie Lee Moss as an "innocent victim" of McCarthy even though it was later established that the F.B.I. had warned the Army and the Civil Service Commission about her Communist Party connection.[4]

Murrow, left, receiving an Emmy Award for wining the 1956 Best News Commentary category.

However, even some McCarthy critics were outraged by this one-sided presentation. Consistent McCarthy critic, John Cogley of Commonweal, "sharply attacked Murrow and his producers for their distorted summary and selected use of video clips."[5] Cogley commented that a different selection of footage could have easily portrayed McCarthy in an extremely positive light and, then further warned against the misuse of television in this fashion. He and another McCarthy critic from llthe Saturday Review agreed that it "was not a proud moment for television journalism".[6]

To counter the negative publicity, McCarthy appeared on See It Now on April 6, 1954, and presented his case in order to clarify the misconceptions that Murrow had televised. McCarthy countered that his committee, "has forced out of government, and out of important defense plants, Communists engaged in the Soviet conspiracy." McCarthy went on to say, "For example, 238 witnesses were examined [in] public session; 367 witnesses examined [in] executive session; 84 witnesses refused to testify as to Communist activities on the ground that, if they told the truth, they might go to jail; twenty-four witnesses with Communist backgrounds have been discharged from jobs [in] which they were handling secret, top-secret, confidential material, individuals who were exposed before our committee." McCarthy also exposed Murrow's left-wing background and previous associations with Communist organizations.[7]

The Murrow report, together with the televised Army-McCarthy hearings of the same year, and four years of consistent anti-McCarthy media reporting were the major causes of a nationwide popular opinion backlash against McCarthy. However, well-known broadcaster Eric Sevareid said the Murrow assault "came very late in the day. The youngsters read back and they think only one person in broadcasting and the press stood up to McCarthy and this has made a lot of people feel very upset, including me, because that program came awfully late."[8]

Herman, Arthur (1999). Joseph McCarthy: Reexamining the Life and Legacy of America's Most Hated Senator. Free Press, page 253. ISBN 0-684-83625-4

Bayley, Edwin R. (1981). Joe McCarthy and the Press. University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 0-688-00148-3.

https://conservapedia.com/Edward_R._Murrow

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political-affairs · 6 years

Text

73rd anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War Two

The surrender of Imperial Japan was announced on August 15 and formally signed on September 2, 1945, bringing the hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) was incapable of conducting major operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent. Together with the British Empire and China, the United States called for the unconditional surrender of the Japanese armed forces in the Potsdam Declaration on July 26, 1945—the alternative being "prompt and utter destruction". While publicly stating their intent to fight on to the bitter end, Japan's leaders (the Supreme Council for the Direction of the War, also known as the "Big Six") were privately making entreaties to the still-neutral Soviet Union to mediate peace on terms more favorable to the Japanese. Meanwhile, the Soviets were preparing to attack Japanese forces in Manchuria and Korea (in addition to South Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands) in fulfillment of promises they had secretly made to the United States and the United Kingdom at the Tehran and Yalta Conferences.

On August 6, 1945, at 8:15 AM local time, the United States detonated an atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Sixteen hours later, American President Harry S. Truman called again for Japan's surrender, warning them to "expect a rain of ruin from the air, the like of which has never been seen on this earth." Late in the evening of August 8, 1945, after its April 1945 denunciation of the Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact, and in accordance with the Yalta agreements, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan. Shortly after midnight on August 9, 1945, the Soviet Union invaded the Imperial Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo. Later in the day, the United States dropped a second atomic bomb, this time on the Japanese city of Nagasaki. Following these events, Emperor Hirohito intervened and ordered the Supreme Council for the Direction of the War to accept the terms the Allies had set down in the Potsdam Declaration for ending the war. After several more days of behind-the-scenes negotiations and a failed coup d'état, Emperor Hirohito gave a recorded radio address across the Empire on August 15. In the radio address, called the Jewel Voice Broadcast (玉音放送 Gyokuon-hōsō), he announced the surrender of Japan to the Allies.

On August 28, the occupation of Japan led by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers began. The surrender ceremony was held on September 2, aboard the United States Navy battleship USS Missouri, at which officials from the Japanese government signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, thereby ending the hostilities. Allied civilians and military personnel alike celebrated V-J Day, the end of the war; however, isolated soldiers and personnel from Japan's far-flung forces throughout Asia and the Pacific refused to surrender for months and years afterwards, some even refusing into the 1970s. The role of the atomic bombings in Japan's unconditional surrender, and the ethics of the two attacks, is still debated. The state of war formally ended when the Treaty of San Francisco came into force on April 28, 1952. Four more years passed before Japan and the Soviet Union signed the Soviet–Japanese Joint Declaration of 1956, which formally brought an end to their state of war.

#World #Atomic bomb #Hiroshima #Japan #Japan's surrender #United States #World War II

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