Post-WWII World: Peace, Consequences, and Functionalism
Peace and its Consequences (1945)
The Yalta Conference (USSR, February): Churchill (UK), Roosevelt (USA), and Stalin (USSR) agreed on:
- Allied occupation of Germany and Japan
- Division of Germany into four zones (UK, France, USA, USSR)
- Creation of the United Nations (UN)
The Potsdam Conference (USA, July): Churchill (UK), Truman (USA), and Stalin (USSR) agreed to send Nazi leaders to the International Court of Justice (Nuremberg Trials).
Birth of the United Nations
Created at the 1945 San Francisco Conference to replace the League of Nations. The UN aimed to prevent conflicts and ensure human rights, including self-determination. It adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and could enforce decisions with armed forces from member states. Today, UN peacekeepers maintain international peace.
Consequences of WWII
Demographic: Greatest loss of life in history, over 50% civilians. Decreased working population and birth rates hindered economic recovery.
Economic: Destruction of infrastructure, farmland, and cities made reconstruction costly and slow.
Destruction of Dresden
February 1945: British bombing destroyed Dresden, killing approximately 25,000 people.
WWII Casualties
Estimated 36-50 million deaths. Civilian deaths: 19-30 million, including 6 million Jews. Military deaths: Millions of soldiers from USSR, Germany, Japan, UK, USA, and others.
Political: Weakening of UK and France; rise of USA and USSR as superpowers. Division into Western and Eastern Blocs.
Territorial: Changes in European borders, Germany divided, USSR expanded.
Functionalism in Architecture
Popular in Europe pre-WWII, spread to the USA (1940-1960). Characteristics:
- Strictly functional, no decoration
- Emphasis on horizontal and vertical lines, simple shapes
- Reinforced concrete, steel, and glass construction
Influenced by the German Bauhaus school. Key architects: Van der Rohe and Le Corbusier.