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What were the ideological differences between USA and USSR?
USA was a democracy and had a capitalist economy while USSR was a communist society that was essentially a dictatorship as citizens had few political rights.
Why were there tensions between the Western powers and the USSR after the Bolshevik revolution?
- Immediately after the revolution, the West didn’t recognise a communist state.
- US, Britain and France intervened in the Russian Civil War in the 20s, opposing the communists, which contributed to the USSR fears of a future Western attack.
Why was Stalin distrustful of the West in the 30s?
Stalin believes that the British and the French were deliberately allowing Hitler to expand, which is what contributed to the creation of the Nazi-Soviet Pact.
Why were the Western Powers distrustful of the USSR?
- They feared that the Communists had plans to expand into central Europe and the eastern Mediterranean.
- Senior Communists had talked about the need for worldwide revolution, increasing the likelihood of conflict between communism and capitalism.
Who attended the Yalta Conference in February 1945?
Joseph Stalin of USSR, Winston Churchill of Britain and Franklin D. Roosevelt of USA
What were Stalin’s (USSR) aims for Yalta?
Stalin wanted security for USSR as it had almost been obliterated and barely survived WW2. He wanted:
- A sphere of influence across eastern Europe to ensure friendly neighbors.
- A weak Germany that was stripped of its resources.
What were Roosevelt’s (USA) aims for Yalta?
Roosevelt had similar aims after WW2 to Woodrow Wilson after WW1. He wanted:
- Self-determination for all countries (free elections and democracy.)
- A new League of Nations created (the United Nations.)
What did they agree to do with Germany at the Yalta Conference?
- Germany would be divided into four zones of occupation (one for Britain, France, USSR and USA).
- Berlin would also be divided into four zones of occupation
- Germany would have it’s eastern border moves westwards, losing territory in Poland.
- Germany would have to pay $20 billion in reparations, half of which would go to USSR.
What did they agree to do with countries occupied by Germany at the Yalta Conference?
- All former countries occupied by Germany would hold free elections to decide their governments.
- However, due to Stalin’s security concerns, USSR was granted the right to have a “sphere of influence” in eastern Europe.
What did they agree to do with Poland at the Yalta Conference?
- A provisional government would be established consisting of exiled “London” Poles and Soviet-backed “Lublin” Poles until free elections could be held.
- Poland would lose land to Russia in the east for which they would receive German land.
What did they agree to do with Japan at the Yalta Conference?
Stalin agreed to help in the war against Japan after Germany was defeated. In return, Stalin would be given the territory lost to Japan during the Russo-Japanese War, and Outer Mongolia and Manchuria would become a part of USSR’s “sphere of influence”.
What did they agree to do with the UN at the Yalta Conference?
- Initially it was to consist of all the states at war with Germany.
- The Security Council would consist of 5 permanent members, each with a veto.
What were the changes made between Potsdam and Yalta?
- Roosevelt died shortly after Yalta and was replaced by Harry Truman.
- Stalin had arguably broken the promises made at Yalta when the London Poles were invited to Moscow and arrested or kidnapped.
- Stalin had control of most of eastern Europe
- US had successfully tested an atom bomb in mid-July
- Churchill lost the election in July and was replaced by Attlee.
How did Roosevelt’s death affect the Potsdam Conference?
Roosevelt was pragmatic and tried to keep Stalin happy. Truman believed Roosevelt was soft on Stalin and on Communism and was much more suspicious of Stalin and saw Soviet actions in eastern Europe as preparations for a Soviet take-over of the rest of Europe.
How did the USSR’s takeover of Eastern Europe affect the Potsdam Conference?
Soviet troops had liberated countries in eastern Europe but instead of withdrawing troops, Stalin had left them there. Stalin had also set up a Communist government in Poland, ignoring the wishes of the Poles. He claimed that control of eastern Europe was a defensive measure against future attack.
How did the testing of the atomic bomb affect the Potsdam Conference?
Truman tried to intimidate Stalin by telling him about the USA’s newfound nuclear power. Truman was less inclined to be cooperative with Stalin as he no longer needed him. Stalin was also distrustful of Truman as a result.
What was agreed upon at Potsdam?
- The Polish/German border was to be settled at the Oder-Neisse Line.
- Germany would be denazified and war crimes trials were to be held in Germany and Japan.
- Germany would be governed by an Allied Control Council in Berlin, where each decision would require a unanimous verdict and the country would be treated as a single economic unit. None of the occupying powers could make decisions on Germany future without agreement from the other powers.
- Each country was allowed to take reparations from their respective zone. The USSR was also allowed to take equipment from the industrialised Western zones.
- The Council of Foreign Ministers would be established to deal with the defeated European countries.
What was disagreed upon at Potsdam?
- The Allies didn’t agree over the future government of Poland and the Soviet-controlled government at Lublin continued to run the country.
- Stalin wanted to dismember Germany and prevent it from developing its own industry, however Truman rejected this idea, not wanting to make the same mistake as they did with the Treaty of Versailles.
- Stalin wanted to gain a foothold in Japan, a demand that Truman rejected.
How did the Soviets take over Poland in 1947?
- Soviet troops remained in Poland after liberation
- New government was formed in June 1945 dominated by “Lublin” Poles
- Opposition leaders were arrested and murdered
- Rigged elections in 1947 gave communists 80% of the vote.
How did the Soviets take over Romania in 1947?
- Soviet troops remained in Poland after liberation
- Soviets accepted a coalition government in 1945, accepting key positions for communists
- Gradually took over the police and security forces
- Rigged elections in 1946 gave the communists and their allies 90% of the vote
- “Show trial” of main opposition leader in October 1947
- King Michael forced to abdicate in December
How did the Soviets take over Bulgaria in 1947?
- Soviet troops remained in Poland after liberation
- Initially joined a coalition with other parties, the Fatherland Front
- Purged rival groups from the Fatherland Front
- Monarchy was abolished in 1946
- New constitution in 1947 effectively destroyed parliamentary democracy and opposition parties were disbanded
How did the Soviets take over Hungary in 1948?
- Soviet troops remained in Poland after liberation
- Communists won 17% of the vote in November 1945 elections but were given control of the Ministry of Interior
- Used secret police to discredit and persecute rival politicians and parties.
- Rigged elections in 1947 gave communists control of a coalition government
- Social Democratic Party and Communist Party merged in 1948
How did the Soviets take over Czechoslovakia in 1948?
- Soviet troops left after the war
- Post-war elections gave communists leadership of a balanced coalition government
- Politicians gradually assumed control of key government ministries allowing them to arrest political opponents
- Foreign Minister Jans Masaryk, a popular and non-communist politician was murdered in May 1947
- All non-communist members of the government resigned in February 1948, with communists filling vacant positions
What was different in Yugoslavia?
Yugoslavia became communist after the war but independent of the USSR. It hadn’t been liberated by the USSR so their leader was not willing to take orders from Stalin.
What was the Long Telegram of 1946?
The Long Telegram, was written by George Kennan. He was an American diplomat based in Moscow and an expert on Soviet policy. He provided Truman with valuable insight to Soviet attitudes after WW2 and guidance on how to manage the problem.
What did the Long Telegram say?
- The USSR was hostile to the USA due to a long-term feeling of domestic insecurity, which included a fear of its people and what might happen if they found out about alternative systems of government
- Marxism ideology (which is where Communist ideology stems from) suggests that conflicts in society cannot be solved peacefully, which justified the USSR’s kind of hostility to the outside world.
- This insecurity meant that no Soviet government would attempt to make a peaceful settlement with the USA (conflict was inevitable)
- The way to defeat the USSR was through the policy of containment as the Soviets wouldn’t push if they found immovable resistance.
- However, Kennan theorised that Soviet rule would collapse due to an internal struggle for control. Therefore, the USA only had to contain the USSR when its aggressive and wait for the inevitable collapse of the USSR.
What happened in Greece 1947?
A civil war broke out between the Communists and the Monarchists in 1946, with the British supporting the Monarchists. However in February 1947, the British announced that they were withdrawing their troops because they couldn’t afford it. Truman stepped in and funded the British troops in Greece and tried to prop up the King’s government, which helped prevent the Communists from taking over Greece.
What was the Truman Doctrine of March 1947?
The Truman Doctrine provided $400 million to Greece as well as military aid. The Truman Doctrine meant that the USA would now send money, equipment and advice to any country threatened by Communist takeover.
What was the Marshall Plan?
Communism was prominent in Europe due to poverty and hardship that followed WW2. George Marshall was sent to Europe to investigate and suggested that $17 billion go to Europe to help rebuild it over a period of 4 years.
What were the motives (or possible motives) for the Marshall Plan?
- Public: Simple altruism. Europe was suffering and the USA wished to offer it (It was even offered to USSR and eastern Europe)
- Semi-public: Truman was worried about the spread of communism in countries that were suffering hardship, including France and Italy.
- USSR Accusation: USA would gain control of some European economies, and money would likely be spent buying US goods.
What led to the Berlin Blockade?
After WW2, Germany was divided in four zones. In 1947, Britain and USA united their zones and created what was known as “Bizonia”. France joined a year later, forming “Trizonia”. Stalin felt threatened by this as he felt the West was trying to push him out. In 1948, the Deutschemark was introduced in Trizonia in order to stabilize German economy, despite USSR wanting Germany to remain crippled so it wasn’t a threat. USSR was also worried that this would lead to a capitalist West Germany. In response, on June 24 1948, Berlin was blockaded by the Soviets.
Why couldn’t the West force their way through the blockade?
It would be seen as an act of war.
How did the west respond to the blockade?
In response to the blockade, the Western Allies initiated the Berlin Airlift. This massive operation involved flying in supplies (food, fuel, and other essentials) to West Berlin using cargo planes. It was a remarkable logistical effort that lasted from June 1948 to September 1949, ensuring that the people of West Berlin remained supplied and demonstrating Western resolve against Soviet pressure.
What were the consequences of the blockade?
Confirmed division of Germany: Within a year of the blockade, Germany was divided into West and East Germany
Germany, and now Berlin, was a symbol of the Cold War: From the American POV, Berlin was an oasis of democratic freedom in the middle of Communist repression while in USSR POV, an invasive cancer growing in the worker’s paradise of East Germany.
Security pacts forming: War was a heightened possibility so the western countries signed a collective security agreement known as NATO. USSR formed a similar pact (the Warsaw pact) following West Germany joining NATO in 1955.
Why would USSR be to blame for the Cold War?
- Stalin was an ideological expansionist who wanted global domination and did not abide by the agreements made in Yalta.
- The creation of COMECON ensured that each country followed the Soviet model of economic policy
- He frequently used ideological language when condemning the west and justifying his own actions.
- The establishment of the COMINFORM was a clear sign he intended to undermine capitalist society through national communist parties.
Why would USSR not be to blame for the Cold War?
- Stalin was always pragmatic and tried to compromise and find solutions with west wherever possible. He mostly abided by the Yalta agreements and didn’t want to risk causing upset with the western countries over takeover.
- Stalin had genuine security interests in taking eastern Europe and USSR had been nearly annihilated in WW2. The West had historically conspired against USSR, and arguably even during WW2
- Stalin was in a weak position following the war. He wanted US help and had considered Marshall Aid before deeming US motives as not to be trusted.
Why would USA be to blame for the Cold War?
- Truman was an aggressive and overly firm leader. He did not understand the need to be pragmatic. Never had any intention of compromise with USSR. Responsible for many provocative moves, ‘atomic diplomacy’, Truman Doctrine/Marshall Aid, Germany plans etc.
- US was ideological in their desire to create global free markets for US goods to trade in. Wanted a free open world for own benefit.
- US was in a powerful position following WW2, felt no genuine threat from USSR and had no need to feel threatened by them.
Why would USA not be to blame for the Cold War?
- Truman was simply a man of principle who hated the idea of compromising with a man like Stalin. Even then, his actions were mainly in response to USSR actions.
- Containment was not provocative as Truman accepted nothing could be done about Eastern Europe and was simply focused on protecting Western democracies.
- Truman was simply trying to learn the lessons of WW2. Like many of his generation, the feeling was to not allow another totalitarian dictator have his way in Europe.
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