Cold War: The Origins of The Cold War

What is meant by the term ‘cold war’?

A war of worlds, of propaganda and of threat between the US and USSR, however there was no direct confrontation (proxy wars).

Why did the cold war begin?

-Differing ideologies

-Stalin’s suspicion of the west

Why did the US and USSR have different ideologies?

-1917 Russia became first communist country in the world, both the US and USSR believed their system was the best way of organizing a country and other countries should follow

-USSR= one party state, no free elections, state owned industry. Lack of freedom and strict censorship.

-USA= democratic and capitalist, free elections, privately owned industry run for profit, free press and freedom of movement.

Why was Stalin suspicious of the west?

-USSR had previously been attacked (Germany invaded Russia in 1914, Hitler invaded in 1941). Stalin believed it was essential to have friendly countries on his boarder

-Stalin did not trust the West (they appeased Hitler in 1930’s and were slow to open a second front to help the russians fight Hitler)

What was the grand alliance?

An alliance established by the USSR, US, ad GB in 1941 to defreat the axis powers (Germany, Japan and Italy).

When was Yalta Conference?

February 1945

When was the Potsdam conference?

July 1945

When was the Tehran conference?

November 1943

Who were the leaders during Yalta and Tehran?

-USSR= Stalin

-USA= Roosevelt

-GB= Churchill

What were the agreements made at Tehran?

-The US and GB would open a ‘second front’ by launching an attack on Germany and Stalin agreed to join the war against Japan once Germany was defeated

-Discussions about what should happen to germany post WW2. A general agreement that an international body should be set up to settle disputes through discussion/negotiation (laid the foundation of the UN)

What were the agreements made at Yalta?

-Stalin agreed to join the war against Japan once Germany was defeated

-All 3 agreed to join the United Nations.

-Germany to be divided into four zones of occupation (Br, Fr, USA, USSR)

-Berlin to be divided into four zones, as Germany

-Stalin to have ‘a sphere of influence' in Eastern Europe.

-‘Free elections' to be held to decide governments countries liberated from Nazi occupation

What was the disagreement at Yalta?

Stalin insisted on a ‘friendly government’ in Poland. The West demanded free elections in Poland.

What was the personality clash at Potsdam?

Truman, the new President of the USA, was fiercely anti-communist. He was not prepared to negotiate with Stalin.

What were the agreements made at Potsdam?

-USSR to gain eastern Poland and Poland to be compensated with some German territory - the German border was settled at the Oder-Neisse Line.

-Nazi Party to be banned and Nazi war criminals to be put on trial.

What were the disagreements at Postdam?

-Stalin demanded harsh reparations from Germany for the USSR - demanded $20 billion compensation. This figure was rejected by Truman and Attlee – they did not want to make the same mistakes as at Versailles.

-Stalin denied a naval base in the Mediterranean

-Stalin had set up a communist government in Poland without free elections being held – this angered Truman and Attlee and made them suspicious of Stalin’s motives.

The Atomic Bomb/Arms Race

-USA successfully tested their first A Bomb (Aug 1945 during Potsdam)

-Truman informed Stalin about it, but was not willing to share the technology, starting an arms race.

-Until 1949 the USSR could not risk a war against USA.

-When the USSR exploded its own nuclear weapon in 1949 tension began to increase.

-The USA began to develop the H bomb. In 1952 the USSR exploded its own H-bomb.

-The USA began to build bomber aircraft, to deliver the H-bomb, in the mistaken belief that the USSR had more bomber aircraft than the USA did.

What was the Long Telegram?

-Truman received a worrying telegram from Kennan (an american ambassador in Moscow) in a secret report from their embassies trying to gain information on Stalin and his plans.

What did Kennan report in his telegram?

-Stalin had given a speech calling for destruction of capitalism

-America could have no peace with Russia while it opposed capitalism

-Russia was building military power

-The USA should seek to contain communism.

What was the novikov telegram?

Stalin received a worrying telegram from Novikov (an russian ambassador in Washington) in a secret report from their embassies trying to gain information on Stalin and his plans.

What did Novikov report in his telegram?

-America desired to dominate the world.

-Following Roosevelt’s death, the American government was no longer interested in co-operation with the USSR.

-The American public were being prepared for war with the USSR.

The creation of Satellite States

-The USSR responded to its nuclear inferiority by strengthening its control over Eastern Europe.

-Rigged elections, violence, intimidation and other methods were used to gain control over Eastern European states including Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Romania.

-By 1947 all eastern European states apart from Czechoslovakia had communist governments

How did the USSR justify the creation of satellite states?

-It had created a buffer zone against the West.

-It was afraid of the USA’s atomic power

-It was afraid of an attack by the West in the near future.

-It had created a ‘sphere of influence’ as agreed at Yalta.

What did the US claim against the Soviet creation of satellite states?

-The USSR had seized control of Eastern Europe and rejected free elections as agreed at Yalta.

-The USA feared that the USSR was determined to extend its influence into Western Europe -The USSR claimed that their measures were defensive, but the USA claimed they were aggressive and a threat to the west.

What were the causes of the Truman Doctrine?

-USSR increasing its hold over Eastern Europe

-Greek civil war: Britain said it could no longer support capitalist monarchy

-Truman feared greece (and then turkey) would fall to communism

What were the details of the Truman Doctorine?

-Truman announced US would intervene and support in Greece

-Major change of policy from USA isolation to active containment of communism

-Truman made clear his approach applied wordwide

What were the consequences of the Truman Doctrine?

-Communism defeated in Greece

-Rivalry grew, formed idealogical division

-USA became more involved in European affairs

What were the causes of The Marshall Plan?

-Czechoslovakia became communist

-US secretary of state (George Marshall) witnessed extent of poverty in post-war europe during a visit

-US feared Western Europe was susceptible to falling to communism

What were the details of The Marshall Plan?

-From 1948 US offered economic support to all European nations who applied

-USA supported Western European economies with 12billion in loans

-Most aid given to GB, Fr, and Western Germany

What were the consequences of The Marshall Plan?

-Support for communism in Western Europe fell

-USSR barred any satellites from applying for aid

What were the causes of Cominform?

-US Truman Doctrine and Marshall Aid convinced stalin of need for coordinated on USSR interests

-Number of communist governments across europe growing and needed unification

-Desire to coordinate communist activities under soviet direction

What were the details of Cominform?

-Coordinate activities of communist parties across europe

-Western european communist parties were charged with disrupting marshall plan activities

-International communist newspaper started to promote consistency with soviet doctrine

What were the consequences of cominform?

-USA believed USSR wanted european impoverishment

-USA saw communism as a violent threat to recovery

-Increased use of coordinated propaganda by both sides

What were the causes of comecon?

-Marshall aid was taking affect in western europe which was improving living standards

-Some communist states were tempted to start to apply for aid

-Attempt to organise european recovery without needing to trade with the capitalist west

What were the details of comecon?

-Economic council for communist governments based in moscow

-Comecon promoted international planning and division of resources

-Comecone gave countries ‘specialisms’ that they could supply the communist world with (e.g. Bulgaria = electronics)

What were the consequences of comecon?

-Gave USSR more influence in communist states

-Less trade and other links across the iron curtain

-Long term gap between living standards between east and west grew

When was cominform?

1947

When was comecon?

1949

What were the causes of the formation of NATO?

-Western europe would not be strong enough to repel soviet military expansion

-Tensions had risen over Berlin crisis

-USA wanted a detern to further soviet aggression

What were the details of the formation of NATO?

-Collective defence alliance signed April 1949

-Western Germany admitted in 1955

-USA troops and missiles provided strategic defence across western europe

What were the consequences of the formation of NATO?

-Stalin believed the alliance was an aggressive treaty made to threaten the USSR

-Admission of West Germany was seen as aggressive (and led to the Warsaw pact)

-Arms race intensified

What were the causes for the Warsaw pact?

-West Germany admitted to nato meaning they would be armed and supported

-Stalin wanted control over military resources of eastern europe

-Stalin wanted a counterweight to NATO

When was the Warsaw pact?

1955

What were the details of the warsaw pact?

-Collective defence alliance signed in Warsaw, weeks after Germany joined NATO

-Gave USSR effective control over the Communist states’ armed forced

-Deployment of strategic soviet forces across eastern europe

What were the consequences of the warsaw pact?

-Threat level on both sides rose

-Warsaw pact used as a tool of soviet control and intervention

-Arms race intensified further

When was the Berlin Blockade?

1948-9

What were the causes of the Berlin Blockade?

-Britain, France and the USA had merged their zones of West Germany into one in March 1948 -Britain, France and the USA had then introduced a new currency called the ‘Deutsch mark’ to western Germany, which was intended to help it become economically stronger

-There was a crisis as capitalism was drawing many people away from the communist east towards greater opportunities and freedoms in the west.

What were the events of the Berlin Blockade?

-In June 1948 Stalin cut off all road, rail and canal links to West Berlin

-The city only had 6 weeks supplies of food and fuel.

-Stalin aimed to starve the 2 million inhabitants in West Berlin into submission.

-West responded with a massive airlift - food, fuel and supplies were flown into Berlin for 10 months.

-Stalin did not dare to shoot down any planes – it would be an act of war. Stalin called off the Blockade in May 1949.

What were the consequences of the Berlin Blockade?

- A propaganda victory for the West

- Truman had shown he would not allow the policy of containment to fail.

- Stalin was humiliated as the USSR had failed to extend its influence

-The division of Germany into two separate states

-The formation of NATO.

- Deepened hostility between East and West

What was the context of the hungarian uprising?

-Hungary was under communist rule since 1947

-Rules by Rakosi as a Stalinist dictator

-Very repressive (brutal secret police, purges, political prisoners)

-Economic problems as a result of comecon

What were the causes of the Hungarian Uprising?

-Khrushchev had recently denounced Stalin’s brutality

-Communist Hungarian government was deeply unpopular

-Hungarian government unstable (Nagy had already been replaced as prime minister by Gero)

-The communist hungarian government had failed to improve living standards

-Mass protests in poland had resulted in concessions from Moscow

What were the events of the hungarian uprising?

-Mass protests led by students in budapest demanding reforms

-Nagy returned to power

-Nagy stated Hungary would leave the Warsaw pact and end one party communist rule

-Khrushchev deployed society tanks and troops, (20,000 dead)

-Communist control re-established

What were the consequences of the Hungarian Uprising?

-USA more suspicious of Khrushchev despite de-Stalinisation

-Soviet satellite states focus of tension

-USA determination not to appear weak over eastern europe

-Reduced risk of other satellite states rebelling

-Increase Khrushchev’s security as leader

-Shows limits of de-Staninsation

-Hungary had a communist government for next 30 years