Thesis and Literature Synopsis
Thesis Statement
The defeat of German Nazism led to the division of Germany into four administrative areas overseen by four WWII allies who already had strained relationships. This strained tension would inevitably lead to some unwanted outcome. The main problem became how to solve or at least contain the problem without another violent world war. The situation developed into the Cold War with Western Allies taking steps to counteract the aggression of the Soviet Union without starting another World War. My thesis is that the tension between countries that were Allies during WWII ironically led to the Cold War.
List of Sources
Bentley, J., Ziegler, H., & Streets, H. (2008). “The formation of a bipolar world. The cold war in Europe.” Traditions & encounters: A brief global history (3rd ed.)
New York: McGraw Hill. Chapter. 38. Section 1
Summary: World War II brought unlikely Allies together. The Soviet Union joined the Allied countries in to bring about an end to Nazi Germany. The Soviet Union entered Germany from the east and did not want to give up the area it occupied which included Berlin. France, Britain and the United Sates divided eastern Germany and ¾ of Berlin between them to try to balance out the power of the Soviet Union there. The Cold War tensions most clearly were recognizable in 1947 then escalated during 1948 and 1949 with the building of the Berlin Wall by the Soviet Union which divided Berlin between East and West with a huge wall of concrete and barbed wire.
Berlin Airlift. (1949). Retrieved April 3, 2009, from The National Archives Website: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/films/1945to1951/filmpage_ba.htm
Summary: The Soviet Union blockaded Berlin, Germany. The roads, railways and
shipping ports were totally blocked by June 28, 1948. Berliners had no access to food and supplies except from the Berlin Air Lift started by the Royal-Air Force and the U.S Air Force. Landing in the Western Zone the tonnage of supplies delivered was over 730,000 tons. The film reports on the first ten months about the extensive use of a variety or airplane types to deliver the supplies, the countries involved and the evening of the air lift in May 1949.
Kruschev Letter to President Kennedy. (1962). Retrieved April 3, 2009, from Library of Congress Website: http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/archives/x2jfk.html
Summary: President John F. Kennedy gave the Soviet an ultimatum to stay out of
Cuba. These are the letters Mr. Kruschev wrote to President Kennedy explaining how the
U.S.A. had no right to tell the Soviet Union what it could or could not do. They were written in 1962 during the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis and are part of the National Security Archives.
Hershberg, J. “The Cold War International History Project Bulletin.” Anatomy of a Conversation. Spring, 1995. Issue 5. Nationals Security Archives. George Washington University. Retrieved September 10, 2011 from http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/nsa/cuba_mis_cri/moment.htm
Summary: October 27, 1962 has been called the most dangerous day of the Cold War between the U.S.A. and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union had missile sites on the island of Cuba. The US navy was blockading Cuba. This source contains documents from the people who were involved. Russian transcripts from Kruschev and the Amassador to D.C. are included as well as from Robert F. Kennedy and other U.S. officials.
Hickey, M. “The Korean War: An Overview.” BBC History. 3 March 2011. Web. Retrieved 20 Sept. 2011 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/coldwar/korea_hickey_01.shtml
Summary: The author, Hickey, offers an overview of the Korean War which is also sometimes called the “forgotten war.”America’s troops joined the conflict under General MacArthur in September, 1950. American troops are still there today in support of South Korea. He reports on the very beginning of the war which were “bloody skirmishes” along the border and the creation of the North Korean People’s Army with backing from the Soviet Union. The intervention of China on the side of the North Korean forces is described. The differences between North Korea and South Korea are pointed out.
Ramos, Andreas. “The Fall of the Berlin Wall.” (1989). Retrieved Sept. 20, 2011 from http://andreas.com/berlin.html
Summary: The announcement of the fall of the Berlin Wall was an incredible announcement to come from the East German officials. This source describes the feelings of people at hearing the announcement and the celebration at the site where hundreds of people came together so they could witness in person the monumental event. The news of the tearing down of the wall started being announced November 9, 1989 and continued into the next day. On November 11th and 12th crowds of people from Germany and other parts of the world celebrated in Germany near the Berlin Wall to be a part of the great event.
