AQA History cold war part one, the origins of the cold war key events

**The Yalta Conference

**

• Cause:

  • Allied victory in WWII was imminent. The Big Three (USA, Britain, Soviet Union) needed to decide on post-war Europe.

• Key Events:

  • Agreement to divide Germany and Berlin into four zones of occupation.

  • Stalin promised to join the war against Japan and free elections in Eastern Europe.

  • Creation of the United Nations.

• Impact on Tensions:

  • While agreements were made, tensions arose over Poland's future, with Stalin wanting a communist government and the West wanting the old Polish government restored.

  • Demonstrated the ability to work together but also highlighted deepening mistrust between the USA and USSR.

**The Potsdam Conference

**

• Cause:

  • Roosevelt died, and Truman became president with a desire to assert US influence.

  • The US successfully tested the atomic bomb.

• Key Events:

  • Truman and Stalin disagreed over reparations and Eastern Europe.

  • Stalin's refusal to hold free elections in Eastern Europe further strained relations.

• Impact on Tensions:

  • Increased tensions due to the atomic bomb and Stalin’s tighter control over Eastern Europe, violating previous agreements.

  • The US saw Stalin's actions as expansionist, leading to the start of the Cold War.

**Dropping of the Atomic Bomb on Japan

**

• Cause:

  • The US sought a swift end to the war in Japan without further troop sacrifices.

• Key Events:

  • The bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, killing 140,000 people.

  • A second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki three days later, killing 74,000 people.

• Impact on Tensions:

  • Heightened Cold War tensions by showing the USSR the US's technological superiority and the destructive power of nuclear weapons.

**Soviet Takeover of Eastern Europe

**

• Cause:

  • Stalin’s fear of Western expansion and desire to secure a buffer zone in Eastern Europe.

• Key Events:

  • The USSR established communist regimes in countries like East Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary.

  • Stalin manipulated elections and eliminated opposition to ensure communist control.

• Impact on Tensions:

  • Increased Cold War tensions as the USSR expanded its influence against Yalta agreements, leading to conflict with the West.

  • The USA focused on containment, with tensions deepening due to differing ideologies.

**The Truman Doctrine

**

• Cause:

  • The threat of communism spreading in Greece and Turkey, with Britain withdrawing support.

• Key Events:

  • Truman declared that the US would support free people resisting subjugation by armed minorities or outside pressures.

  • The US committed to containing communism through economic and military support.

• Impact on Tensions:

  • Solidified the USA’s commitment to opposing Soviet expansion and marked the beginning of active US involvement in the Cold War.

**The Marshall Plan

**

• Cause:

  • Post-WWII economic hardships in Western Europe and the spread of communism.

• Key Events:

  • The US introduced Marshall Aid to rebuild Europe’s economies, offering $12 billion.

  • Stalin rejected the plan, blocking Eastern Bloc countries from participating.

• Impact on Tensions:

  • Increased tensions by challenging Soviet control and promoting capitalist influence in Europe.

**Creation of Comecon and Cominform

**

• Cause:

  • Response to the Marshall Plan and US influence in Europe.

• Key Events:

  • The USSR set up Comecon to provide economic aid to Eastern Bloc countries.

  • Cominform was created to ensure Eastern Europe aligned politically with the USSR.

• Impact on Tensions:

  • Heightened tensions by further dividing Europe into capitalist and communist spheres of influence.

  • Isolated the Eastern Bloc from the West economically and politically.

**Berlin Blockade and Airlift

**

• Cause:

  • The division of Germany and Berlin, with the West uniting their sectors, causing concern for Stalin.

• Key Events:

  • In June 1948, the Soviets blockaded all land access to Berlin, hoping to force the West out.

  • The West responded with a year-long airlift, supplying Berlin with food and supplies.

• Impact on Tensions:

  • Increased Cold War tensions due to direct conflict over Berlin.

  • Led to the formation of NATO and the Warsaw Pact as both sides solidified military alliances.