Cold War and a New Western World (Chapter 28): Historical Overview: Strong tensions and distrust grew

between the Soviet Union and the United States right after the alliance against Hitler was no longer necessary. Post war ideas differed for Harry S. Truman and Joseph Stalin. Stalin wanted to prevent Germany from remilitarizing and prevent their economic growth. He also wanted to spread pro-Soviet governments throughout Europe to prevent the overcoming of communism in the USSR. Truman wanted almost exactly the opposite; he wanted to stabilize Germany in order to stabilize the world. He started a world bank and funded the rebuilding of Japan through General Douglas McArthur. He also created the Marshall Plan which provided Germany with $10 million dollars to do reparations with. Stalin disagreed with the Marshall Plan and began an iron curtain. At this point the two major powers in the world already disagreed. The creation of the Eastern Bloc, countries dominated by Soviet ideas in Eastern Europe, and the Berlin Crisis led to the United states idea of containment. The idea of containment was the determination to not led communist rule spread further throughout Europe. The Western Powers joined NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) to protect themselves against attack from other countries. The tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union soon spread to Korea when North Korea (with the support of the Soviet Union) invaded South Korea. Truman was determined to not let communism spread and double military funding. McArthur was ordered to stop the spread. He pushed North Korea back almost as far as the Chinese lines then Chinese communists backed him back up to the original border. Growth and prosperity described the United States economy after the war. The baby boom increased the population. The immigration of African-Americans to cities changed the demographics of the cities. The greatest crisis of Kennedys presidential term was the Cuban Missile Crisis. He ordered 1,000 convicted Cubans to be trained to take down Castro, the leader of Cuba. The Bay of Pigs invasion failed and Castro turned to the USSR for help. When the Americans agreed to stop the blockade, both countries removed missiles.