Outline study: International Relations, 1945-2003

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The Yalta Conference: February 1945
\-Big three attending: Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill

\-Churchill aims: ensure British Empire survival

\-Roosevelt: Establish UN and curb British Empire

\-Stalin: security after war and buffer-zone in Eastern Europe
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Decisions at Yalta
\-Germany and Berlin to be split into 4

Germany to pay reparations

\-UN established

\-USSR declare war on Japan by August

\-New borders for Poland

\-EE under soviet influence but with democratic elections
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The Potsdam Conference: July 1945
\-many changes since Yalta

\-soviet troops in central Europe

\-Truman replaces Roosevelt hes very anti communist)

\-Attlee replaces Churchill (lost election)

\-US and British attitudes harden against USSR because of their actions in EE.
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Decisions at Potsdam
\-Berlin and Germany split into 4

\-Austria also slip into 4 zones

\-provide goods across the zones

\-general disagreement for future of Europe
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Hiroshima, Nagasaki and the start of the Cold War
\-6 August 1945: ‘Little Boy’ dropped on Hiroshima (c.250,000 killed) (2 mile radius from bomb destroyed)

\-9 August 1945: ‘Fat Man’ dropped on Nagasaki (people directly underneath were vaporized)

\-14 August 1945: Japan surrendered

\-the bombs were developed in SECRET-USSR not included and Stalin was furious; made speech accusing US of trying to start a new empire

\-Soviet bomb developed in 1949: nuclear arms race began = Cold War begins
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Ideological differences between the superpowers
\-USA: economic superpower

\-USSR: military superpower

\-both were suspicious of each other:USSR feared atomic bomb, USA feared Red Army

\-USA believed Stalin wanted to build an empire and move westward over Europe, but Stalin saw it as SECURING the USSR against invasion
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The Soviet takeover of Eastern Europe
soviet actions:-The Red Army remained in countries after the war

\-elections were held BUT all countries chose communism… suspicious

\-Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania controlled

\-how?: - their own people took key gov. positions

\-suggesting radical changes for economic recovery

\-secret police

\-rigged elections

\- press/media
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Response of USA and allies of the Soviet takeover
\-perceptions raised tensions

\-*George Kennan* in his ‘Long Telegram’- he was a diplomat in Moscow and he claimed that the Soviets would have to expand and spread communism in order to survive; Thought that the US would have to act to contain this spread

\-Truman accepted this: new US policy formed- CONTAINMENT, which lasted through the Cold War

\-this incorrect interpretation increased fear, tension and hostility between the two superpowers
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Greece (brief)
\-Controlled by Britain after the second World War

\-civil war between Communism and Greek gov.

\-Britain couldn’t stay; CONTAINMENT tested for the first time: it worked!!
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The Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan
\-‘Iron Curtain’: Churchill touring Us making speeches, condemned Soviet takeover of EE, called for the alliance to stop it (put pressure on Truman to stay in Europe).

\-Stalin acted angrily to this: his only concern was security.

\-Truman could test containment in Greece (civil war): he didn’t want communism to spread into Middle East and Africa.

\-12 March 1947: Truman speech to Congress

\-Congress agreed and gave Greece $400 million: ended threat of communism; Containment worked! :D

\-’Marshall Plan’: Truman and George Marshall believed communism spread to poor countries, so economic recovery could stop the spread.

\-Marshall proposed a massive investment of $13.3 BILLION for Europe

\-Offered to all countries, but had to: 1. open their markets to trade with the US and 2. Allow US to inspect their economic records

\-WESTERN BUFFER-ZONE : DOLLAR CONTAINMENT

\-Congress were doubtful at first but after the fall of Czechoslovakia in 1948 they agreed on the 31st of March 1948.

\-(impact) USSR made their own version (Comecon and Cominform) which strengthened their control over EE
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The Berlin Blockade
\-Stalin wanted to starve the West so that they would all move East, and he also was paranoid of espionage so he put up a blockade

\-the West nearly broke it but that would be bad (could start a full on War) so they decided to do an airlift

\-’Impact’: tensions increased further

\-NATO established in 1949: 12 members

\-West Germany (GDR) and East Germany (DDR): Germany now PERMANENTLY DIVIDED

\-May 1955: WARSAW PACT
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Khrushchev and Geneva Summit (brief)
\-Khrushchev: de-stalisation; ‘secret speech’

\-The Geneva Summit: 1955 World leaders met to discuss trade, arms race and disarmament;

no stockpile of weapons and motoring activity from the air= high point in relations :D
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Hungary 1956
\-*causes*: Poland and Czechoslovakia revolt and reforms

\-poverty: all their good go to USSR

\-oppression: censorship

\-Western promises: UN/US help

\-*events*: Khrushchev couldn’t allow them to leave the Warsaw Pact: so he sent the Red Army and killed 30,000. 250,000 fled to the West

\-*results*: Nagy arrested and executed

\-NATO did nothing; No Action, Talk Only

\-*impact*: ‘thaw’ in relations that had been developing in 1955 ended

\- USSR show leaving the Warsaw Pact is NOT an option (gap in iron curtain)
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Berlin, 1959-1961
\- East Berliners wanted to go to West Berlin because they were young and educated: no opportunities for them in the East; Jobs in the West

\- Push: East was poor and oppressed. Pull: West Berlin was a living advertisement for capitalism. By 1962 c. 2 million had moved from the East to the West

\-Espionage was occurring (number stations) : Khrushchev wanted to stop this

\-Force the West out (same as Stalin with the blockade)

\-1960 Paris Summit supposed to happen to discuss Berlin but didn’t (U2 spy plane): tensions increased

\-*west response*: Vienna summit 1961: JFK ordered a massive increase in the armed services: $6.4 billion

\-13th August 1961; The Berlin Wall is built (separated families, people lost jobs, if caught crossing=shot)

\-*impact*: made communism look bad, Soviet victory as it stopped people from crossing, US complained but didn’t take action (secret victory for them)
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Czechoslovakia 1968: Dubcek and the Prague Spring
\-causes of the Prague Spring: wanted to raise living standards and less censorship of press, Dubcek saw he need for limited democratic reform; introduced changes.

\-Soviet response: Brezhnev not convinced; worried other countries, may follow and USSR collapse.

\-1968-Brezhnev Doctrine: ‘if any communist state appeared to be abandoning communism, the Soviet Union had a duty to intervene.’

\-August 20th 1968: 400,000 troops from the Warsaw pact invaded

\-Radio instructed to carry out ‘passive resistance’ but there were some violent protests=a few deaths

\-Results: Dubcek forced to resign

\-country was returned to its old ways -

\-East West relations damaged further but NOT seriously (wouldn’t go to War over this)

\-Showed the West was powerless to stop the USSR from doing as it pleased behind iron curtain.