Yalta Conference Vs Potsdam Dbq

Instantly following the end of the Second World War, the fears of the American people rapidly began accumulating as the mistrust between, the United States and the Soviet Union intensified. During World War II, tension between the two world powers began to emerge through ideological differences such as political beliefs and contrasting views regarding the future of Poland that took place at both the Yalta conference and Potsdam. This lasting skepticism only increased as the Soviets started to become more advanced through nuclear weapons and developments in space technology. Despite Eisenhower’s acknowledgment of these widespread fears, he was not particularly successful in addressing them. The American people lived in constant fear of the spread

This fear includes communism not only within our nation but internationally as well. As secretary of state, John Foster Dulles stated that if communism captures any American state it will “increase the danger to the entire free world” (Document B). Moreover, Dulles feared Latin America particularly due to their close proximity and the idea that if one state becomes communist then the rest will follow, otherwise known as the domino theory. However, a note to keep in mind about Dulles is that he favored the policy of massive retaliation, a nuclear strategy supporting the idea that if the United States was attacked, we would retaliate with an even greater force which only intensified the fear. In addition, not only were we afraid of what the Soviets would do to those states around them, but a striking fear became present through the possibility of spies within the United States. Eisenhower addressed these fears at the press conference of March 1954 stating that we fear “what unwise investigators will do to us here at home as they try to combat subversion or bribery or deceit within” (Document A). As these fears emerged, senator Joseph McCarthy went to extreme measures in order to try