Creating the Cold War

If you absorbed the material in my last post, you will be aware that the US had been building the bomb to keep Soviet ambitions under control in the post war world. Given that Roosevelt died at such a crucial point, the American military apparatus became a dominant influence in decision making in the transition to Truman's presidency. Also, despite losing the election to Clement Attlee, the personality of Winston Chuchill loomed large over the proceedings. Churchill had long been an ardent anti communist who fought on the side of the Whites in the Soviet Civil War (and a racist colonialist who recommended using "uncivilised tribes" to test chemical weapons.)

Here's a look at the relations between the US and Soviet Union up to 1945 from the CNN/BBC Cold War series

While securing Japan's surrender, the Allies were busy at work rescuing prominent Nazis from prosecution to help them with science, espionage in europe, and the dirty wars in Latin America.

CBC segment on Nazi ratlines. This is from 1996 (before American relations with Nazis were declassified in 99)

This is a history Channel documentary outlining Nazi/American relations in the post war world.


And some links to relevant Wikipedia articles.

ODESSA

Operation Paperclip

Reinhard Gehlen