Cold War in Europe in 1949

Historical maps from Worldinmaps.com, now part of TerraScientifica.

After the Second World War the 2 superpowers (US and USSR) try to put their influence in Europe.

The US offer substantial loans to Europeans Countries (Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, France, West Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Trieste, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom), with the so called Marschall Plan, to rebuild their economy and establish trade links.

Meanwhile, the USSR, that wanted to protect his border, set up pro-Soviet countries in liberated countries (Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Romania, Bulgaria and Albania).

As a result, the Second World War left Europe divided into 2 parts, separated by what is called the Iron Curtain (from 1945 to 1991).

In 1949, the USA set up the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), which is an intergovernmental military alliance. The treaty was signed by the following European members: UK, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Norway, Iceland, Portugal and Italie.

Throughout the cold war, there were many indirect conflicts between the two powers and their allies.