7.14 Postwar Diplomacy
4 min read•january 18, 2023
Caleb Lagerwey
Caleb Lagerwey
The Role of the United States
After defeating the (Germany, Italy, and Japan) in WWII the United States was on top of the world. It was the only major war power to not have suffered fighting on its land, plus it had lost a relatively smaller number of soldiers (418,000) compared to some of its allies. On the other hand, probably lost around 10,000,000 soldiers and an equal number of civilians.
Image Courtesy of Wikipedia
Postwar Agreements
The United States dominated war-ravaged Asia and Europe politically and economically and used this power to shape much of the post-war world and agreements.
The were a series of international agreements signed in the French capital, Paris, in 1947 and 1948, that officially ended and established the post-war order in Europe. The stripped Italy of its colonies, its empire, and its territories, and reduced its military capabilities. The imposed restrictions on Japan's military and territorial holdings and required reparations to be paid to the countries that had been occupied by Japan during the war. In some countries, these agreements were seen as harsh and punitive, and they did not bring the peace and stability that was expected.
One of the most important agreements was the . The were a series of military tribunals meant to prosecute prominent leaders of Nazi Germany for war crimes, crimes against peace, and crimes against humanity. The trials included representatives from the United States, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, and France, Many were found guilty of systematically killing Jews - known as the .
Image Courtesy of Wikipedia
After , Germany was divided into four occupation zones, each controlled by one of the victorious Allied powers: the United States, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, and France. The dividing line between the Western and Eastern zones of occupation was the , with the Western zones to the west of the Elbe and the Soviet zone to the east. The purpose of dividing Germany was to prevent it from becoming a powerful nation again and to weaken it permanently, as well as to extract reparations from the country. The idea was to rebuild and demilitarize the country and make it into a peaceful democracy. However, it would lead to the rise of the and the creation of two opposing political systems: and .
The
The United States also joined the . The UN was established after , in the wake of the atrocities of the and the devastation of the war. The , which was signed by 51 countries in San Francisco on June 26, 1945, sets out the organization's purposes and principles, including the promotion of human rights, the peaceful resolution of disputes, and the provision of humanitarian assistance. The UN also adopted the which set out the fundamental rights and freedoms that are entitled to all human beings, regardless of race, gender, religion, or any other status. The United States joining the UN, unlike the post-WWI League of Nations, made the UN more successful in its peacekeeping goals.
Image Courtesy of Wikipedia
The US also controlled the post-1945 economic system set up at the . The agreement pegged the value of all currencies to the U.S. dollar - and gave the US economic control. The US was a major voice in the and International Monetary Fund set up by that conference as well. The dollar was the currency of choice and the medium of exchange for much of the world’s economy.
The US was the only country with nuclear weapons (so far…)—this is called a —and used those weapons to face off against a former ally with a large army that the US began to distrust more and more - .
This next chapter of tension with the Soviet Union would be known as the (see Period 8 guide). The war-ravaged condition of Asia and Europe, and the dominant U.S. role in the Allied victory and postwar peace settlements, allowed the United States to emerge from the war as the most powerful nation on Earth.
🎥 Watch: AP US History - Period 7 Review
Key Terms to Review (21)
Axis Powers
: The Axis Powers were a group of countries led by Germany, Italy, and Japan that fought against the Allies in World War II.Bretton Woods Agreement
: The Bretton Woods Agreement was an arrangement negotiated in 1944 among the world’s leading economies to regulate international monetary systems after World War II. It established fixed exchange rates with the U.S dollar tied to gold.Capitalism
: Capitalism is an economic system where private individuals or businesses own capital goods. In this system production of goods/services is based on supply-demand in market rather than being regulated by state.Cold War
: The Cold War was a period of political tension and military rivalry between two superpowers, United States and Soviet Union (1947-1991), without actual warfare but marked by economic competition, technological race (like Space Race), proxy wars, etc.Communism
: Communism is a political and economic ideology where all property is publicly owned, and each person works and is paid according to their abilities and needs.Elbe River
: The Elbe River is one of the major rivers in Central Europe, originating in the Czech Republic and flowing through Germany to the North Sea.Germany Occupation Zones
: After World War II, Germany was divided into four occupation zones by the Allied powers - the United States, Great Britain, France and the Soviet Union. Each power controlled its zone but also jointly administered Berlin.Holocaust
: The Holocaust was the systematic, state-sponsored genocide carried out by Nazi Germany and its collaborators from 1941 to 1945, during which six million Jews were murdered.International Monetary Fund (IMF)
: The International Monetary Fund is an international organization that aims to promote global economic growth and financial stability, to encourage international trade, and to reduce poverty around the world.Nuclear Monopoly
: A nuclear monopoly exists when only one nation possesses nuclear weapons or has control over all nuclear weaponry.Nuremberg Trials
: The Nuremberg Trials were a series of military tribunals held after World War II by the Allied forces under international law and the laws of war. They were most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, and economic leadership of Nazi Germany.Paris Peace Treaties
: The Paris Peace Treaties were a series of five separate treaties signed in 1947 at the end of World War II by Italy, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Finland with the Allies. These treaties officially ended the state of war between these nations and the Allies.The USSR
: The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), also known as the Soviet Union, was a federal socialist state in Northern Eurasia that existed from 1922 to 1991. It was a major world power that played a key role in the outcome of World War II.Treaty of Peace with Italy
: The Treaty of Peace with Italy was one part of the Paris Peace Treaties signed in 1947 that formally ended World War II between Italy and Allied powers. It included provisions such as disarmament, reparations payments, territorial adjustments including loss of colonies.Treaty of Peace with Japan
: Also known as the Treaty of San Francisco or San Francisco Peace Treaty, this was an agreement signed in 1951 that officially ended World War II between Japan and most of the Allied powers.UN Charter
: The UN Charter is a foundational treaty of the United Nations, signed in 1945. It sets out the rights and obligations of member states, and establishes the main organs and procedures of the UN.United Nations
: The United Nations (UN) is an international organization founded in 1945 after World War II with the aim to promote peace, security, cooperation among nations, human rights, social progress and better living standards worldwide.Universal Declaration of Human Rights
: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a document adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948 that outlines basic rights and freedoms to which all individuals are entitled.USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)
: The USSR, also known as the Soviet Union, was a federal socialist state in Northern Eurasia that existed from 1922 to 1991. It was a one-party state governed by the Communist Party.World Bank
: The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of poorer countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects and reducing poverty.World War II
: World War II was a global conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945, involving many of the world's nations. It was marked by significant events like the Holocaust and the use of nuclear weapons.7.14 Postwar Diplomacy
4 min read•january 18, 2023
Caleb Lagerwey
Caleb Lagerwey
The Role of the United States
After defeating the (Germany, Italy, and Japan) in WWII the United States was on top of the world. It was the only major war power to not have suffered fighting on its land, plus it had lost a relatively smaller number of soldiers (418,000) compared to some of its allies. On the other hand, probably lost around 10,000,000 soldiers and an equal number of civilians.
Image Courtesy of Wikipedia
Postwar Agreements
The United States dominated war-ravaged Asia and Europe politically and economically and used this power to shape much of the post-war world and agreements.
The were a series of international agreements signed in the French capital, Paris, in 1947 and 1948, that officially ended and established the post-war order in Europe. The stripped Italy of its colonies, its empire, and its territories, and reduced its military capabilities. The imposed restrictions on Japan's military and territorial holdings and required reparations to be paid to the countries that had been occupied by Japan during the war. In some countries, these agreements were seen as harsh and punitive, and they did not bring the peace and stability that was expected.
One of the most important agreements was the . The were a series of military tribunals meant to prosecute prominent leaders of Nazi Germany for war crimes, crimes against peace, and crimes against humanity. The trials included representatives from the United States, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, and France, Many were found guilty of systematically killing Jews - known as the .
Image Courtesy of Wikipedia
After , Germany was divided into four occupation zones, each controlled by one of the victorious Allied powers: the United States, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, and France. The dividing line between the Western and Eastern zones of occupation was the , with the Western zones to the west of the Elbe and the Soviet zone to the east. The purpose of dividing Germany was to prevent it from becoming a powerful nation again and to weaken it permanently, as well as to extract reparations from the country. The idea was to rebuild and demilitarize the country and make it into a peaceful democracy. However, it would lead to the rise of the and the creation of two opposing political systems: and .
The
The United States also joined the . The UN was established after , in the wake of the atrocities of the and the devastation of the war. The , which was signed by 51 countries in San Francisco on June 26, 1945, sets out the organization's purposes and principles, including the promotion of human rights, the peaceful resolution of disputes, and the provision of humanitarian assistance. The UN also adopted the which set out the fundamental rights and freedoms that are entitled to all human beings, regardless of race, gender, religion, or any other status. The United States joining the UN, unlike the post-WWI League of Nations, made the UN more successful in its peacekeeping goals.
Image Courtesy of Wikipedia
The US also controlled the post-1945 economic system set up at the . The agreement pegged the value of all currencies to the U.S. dollar - and gave the US economic control. The US was a major voice in the and International Monetary Fund set up by that conference as well. The dollar was the currency of choice and the medium of exchange for much of the world’s economy.
The US was the only country with nuclear weapons (so far…)—this is called a —and used those weapons to face off against a former ally with a large army that the US began to distrust more and more - .
This next chapter of tension with the Soviet Union would be known as the (see Period 8 guide). The war-ravaged condition of Asia and Europe, and the dominant U.S. role in the Allied victory and postwar peace settlements, allowed the United States to emerge from the war as the most powerful nation on Earth.
🎥 Watch: AP US History - Period 7 Review
Key Terms to Review (21)
Axis Powers
: The Axis Powers were a group of countries led by Germany, Italy, and Japan that fought against the Allies in World War II.Bretton Woods Agreement
: The Bretton Woods Agreement was an arrangement negotiated in 1944 among the world’s leading economies to regulate international monetary systems after World War II. It established fixed exchange rates with the U.S dollar tied to gold.Capitalism
: Capitalism is an economic system where private individuals or businesses own capital goods. In this system production of goods/services is based on supply-demand in market rather than being regulated by state.Cold War
: The Cold War was a period of political tension and military rivalry between two superpowers, United States and Soviet Union (1947-1991), without actual warfare but marked by economic competition, technological race (like Space Race), proxy wars, etc.Communism
: Communism is a political and economic ideology where all property is publicly owned, and each person works and is paid according to their abilities and needs.Elbe River
: The Elbe River is one of the major rivers in Central Europe, originating in the Czech Republic and flowing through Germany to the North Sea.Germany Occupation Zones
: After World War II, Germany was divided into four occupation zones by the Allied powers - the United States, Great Britain, France and the Soviet Union. Each power controlled its zone but also jointly administered Berlin.Holocaust
: The Holocaust was the systematic, state-sponsored genocide carried out by Nazi Germany and its collaborators from 1941 to 1945, during which six million Jews were murdered.International Monetary Fund (IMF)
: The International Monetary Fund is an international organization that aims to promote global economic growth and financial stability, to encourage international trade, and to reduce poverty around the world.Nuclear Monopoly
: A nuclear monopoly exists when only one nation possesses nuclear weapons or has control over all nuclear weaponry.Nuremberg Trials
: The Nuremberg Trials were a series of military tribunals held after World War II by the Allied forces under international law and the laws of war. They were most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, and economic leadership of Nazi Germany.Paris Peace Treaties
: The Paris Peace Treaties were a series of five separate treaties signed in 1947 at the end of World War II by Italy, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Finland with the Allies. These treaties officially ended the state of war between these nations and the Allies.The USSR
: The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), also known as the Soviet Union, was a federal socialist state in Northern Eurasia that existed from 1922 to 1991. It was a major world power that played a key role in the outcome of World War II.Treaty of Peace with Italy
: The Treaty of Peace with Italy was one part of the Paris Peace Treaties signed in 1947 that formally ended World War II between Italy and Allied powers. It included provisions such as disarmament, reparations payments, territorial adjustments including loss of colonies.Treaty of Peace with Japan
: Also known as the Treaty of San Francisco or San Francisco Peace Treaty, this was an agreement signed in 1951 that officially ended World War II between Japan and most of the Allied powers.UN Charter
: The UN Charter is a foundational treaty of the United Nations, signed in 1945. It sets out the rights and obligations of member states, and establishes the main organs and procedures of the UN.United Nations
: The United Nations (UN) is an international organization founded in 1945 after World War II with the aim to promote peace, security, cooperation among nations, human rights, social progress and better living standards worldwide.Universal Declaration of Human Rights
: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a document adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948 that outlines basic rights and freedoms to which all individuals are entitled.USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)
: The USSR, also known as the Soviet Union, was a federal socialist state in Northern Eurasia that existed from 1922 to 1991. It was a one-party state governed by the Communist Party.World Bank
: The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of poorer countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects and reducing poverty.World War II
: World War II was a global conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945, involving many of the world's nations. It was marked by significant events like the Holocaust and the use of nuclear weapons.
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