The Origins of the Cold War

The Cold War

1945-1991:

War with no direct fighting between USA and USSR

USA

Economically capitalist

Politically democratic

• A variety of political parties

• People are free to make their own profit

• Freedom of speech

→Freedom and opportunity

USSR

Communist

• One political party

• People work for the state

• No one criticizes the state (censorship)

→ Faireness and equality

Russian Revolutioin

1917: Communists come to power under Lenin.

Joseph Stalin

After Lenin dies

Totalitarian from 1924-1953

Franklin D. Roosevelt

1933-1945: US President

Harry Truman

1945-1953: US President

Yalta Conference

February 1945: Churchill + Roosevelt + Stalin

→ During WW2: What to do with Germany once it is defeated?

• Divide Germany into 4, Berlin into 4

Potsdam Conference

July 1945: Attlee + Truman + Stalin

→ Put Yalta ideas into action

Buffer states

States that provide protection zone.

→ USSR wanted to control Eastern Europe because they could serve as a buffer zone against the Nazis

The Long Telegram

1946: George Kennan

→ Soviets will do anything to oppose America

→ America can and must beat the Soviets

→ No need for war: Use propaganda

George Kennan

USA diplomat who gave the Long Telegram.

The Iron Curtain Speech

1946: Churchill gives a speech about the dividing of Europe into two separate areas.

Greece and Turkey

Britain could no longer support Greece Civil War against communism.

Fear of these two countries falling into communism,

France and Italy

Fear that communist parties will come to power in these countries.

Containment

1947: Prevent the spread of communism in Europe.

→ Truman Doctrine

→ Marshall Plan

Truman doctrine

1947: Commitment to defend any free countries threatened by communism.

→ Provides aid to Greece

Marshall Aid

1947: Stabilise European economies to prevent the spread of communism.

→ Aid = goods

→ Communist influence fell in France and Italy

Dollar Imperialism

Soviet name for Marshall Aid

Cominform

In response to Containement

1947: Communist Information Bureau

Comecon

1949: Council for Mutual Economic Assistance

→ Links USSR with Eastern Europe (Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria)

Bizonia

1947

Trizonia

1948: Western powers unite 3 zones

The Berlin Blockade

1948: Soviet Union cuts off all access from East to West Berlin

The Berlin Airlift

In response to the Berlin Blockade

→ Western powers agree to supply city with air lift

Why does Stalin call off Berlin Blockade

Wanted to stop Berlin Airlift but scared of war (USA has atomic bomb)

NATO

1949: North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

→ If one attacked, all protect

Manhattan Project

1942-45: USA produces first nuclear weapons.

Warsaw Pact

1955: Soviet Union + Eastern European nations.

Eastern bloc

Group of communist states.