Conflict and Tension between East and West (1945-1972)

?
  • Created by: a.shaikh
  • Created on: 25-11-17 13:41

What were the WW2 alliances?

There were the Allied Powers: UK, USA, France, Russia (USSR) and the Axis Powers: Germany, Austria, Japan, Italy.

1 of 57

Tehran Conference: Summary

  • Roosevelt was keen to improve relations and agreed to the meeting being near the Soviet Union. 
  • The meeting was mainly a success for Stalin.
  • Roosevelt was not well and sided with Stalin instead of Churchill.
2 of 57

Tehran Conference: What was the date?

The Tehran Conference took place in December 1943.

3 of 57

Tehran Conference: Who attended?

This was the first major meeting between Stalin, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and American President Franklin Roosevelt.

4 of 57

Tehran Conference: What did they discuss?

The war was far from over - the Nazis still controlled Europe - but discussions were already taking place about post-war Europe. They discussed the futures of Eastern Europe as well as the creation of the United Nations.

5 of 57

Tehran Conference: List three agreements.

1) Britain and the USA agreed to open a second front by invading France in May 1944.

2) The Soviet Union was to wage war against Japan once Germany was defeated.

3) A United Nations organisation was to be set up after the war.

4) An area of eastern Poland was added to the Soviet Union. 

6 of 57

Tehran Conference: List three disagreements.

1) Britain and the USA delayed opening the seconf front till 1944. Stalin believed they deliberately waited so the German army could damage the Soviet Union as much as possible.

2) Churchill didn't believe Soviet troops would leave Estern Europe after the war.

3) Britain had gone to war when Germany invaded Poland. However, Stalin wanted to control Poland after the war to prevent future invasions for the West. 

4) Another reason for Churchill to distrust Stalin was that in 194 Soviet army had erached the outskirts of Warsaw but did nothing to stop the German army from crudhing the Warsaw uprising. 

7 of 57

Yalta Conference: Summary

By early 1945 Allied armies were closing in on Berlin. The Big Three were still focussed on Hitler which kept them mostly in agreement, although Churchill still felt isolated. 

The Yalta Conference is often thought of as the beginning of the Cold War. It was a meeting of the Big Three at the former palace of Tsar Nicholas II on the Crimean shore of the Black Sea.

8 of 57

Yalta Conference: What was the date?

The Yalta Conference was held in February 1945.

9 of 57

Yalta Conference: Who attended?

Stalin (USSR), Churchill (Britain) and Roosevelt (USA)

10 of 57

Yalta Conference: What did they discuss?

They had to decise the shape of post-war Europe. They had manyof the same aims, including peace in Europe and a Germany that would nver again threaten that peace. 

11 of 57

Yalta Conference: List three agreements.

1) Germany and Berlin were to be dvided into four zones - one for each of the USA, Britain, the USSR and France. 

2) The liberated countries of Western and Central Europe would be allowed to hold free elections.

3) The United Nations would be formed to ensure future international cooperation. 

4) An official document agreeing these points, the Decleration of Liberated Europe, was signed.

12 of 57

Yalta Conference: List three disagreements.

They disagreed on: 

1) How much Getmany should pay in reparations. Stalin wanted a much higher figure but Churchill and Roosevelt didn't want to make the same mistake as after the First World War. The decision was delayed until the next conference.

2) Where the German/Polish border should be. Stalin wanted it much further west. He aslo anted a 'friendly' Polish government as protection from Germany. Churchill and Roosevelt were worried Stalin would take contol of Poland. They persuaded him to agree to free elcetions in Poland.

13 of 57

Potsdam Conference: Summary

Five months after Yalta, Roosevelt had died and had been replaced by teh Vice President Harry Truman who was much more suspicious of Stalin. Half way through the conference Churchill lost an election and was replaced by Clement Atlee (leader of Labour party). Soviet troops had liberated Eastern European countries, but hadn't removes their troops. Stalin had set up a communist government in Poland. He ignored protest from Britain and the USA. The Red Army was now the biggest in the world.

14 of 57

Potsdam Conference: What was the date?

The leaders of the USA, the USSR and Britain met agian in July 1945. 

15 of 57

Potsdam Conference: Who attended?

The 'new' Big Three attended - Harry Truman (USA), Clement Attlee (Britain) and Stalin (USSR). 

16 of 57

Potsdam Conference: What did they discuss?

Truman had little experience of foreign affairs and had not yet played any role in the negociations at Yalta and Clement Attlee was of the opposing party (Labour). As a result, personal relations between leaders would have to be built from scatch and the decisions made at Yalta would have to be revisited. This conference was also held to shape the future of Europe.

17 of 57

Potsdam Conference: List three agreements.

1) Germany was to be divided as discussed at Yalta.

2) The Nazi Party was banned and its former leaders would be tried as war criminals.

3) Germans living in Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia were to be returned to Germany.

4) Poland was to lose some territory in the east to the USSR.

18 of 57

Potsdam Conference: List three disagreements.

They disagreed on: 

1) What to do about Germany. 20 million Russians had died during the war and Stalin wanted massive compensation that wouls have crippled Germany. Truman refused. He wanted Germany to be strong enough to resist the Soviet Union while Stalin wanted to disable Germany so it could never invade again.

2) Truman wanted free elections in Eastern European countries. These countries were occupied by Soviet troops and Stalin refused. Stalin thought the US was interfering in his 'sphere of influence' - Truman was furious and decided to start a 'get tough' policy.

19 of 57

Soviet Expansionism: Why was Eastern Europe import

  • Potential for compensation and resources to rebuild the economy.
  • A bufferzone of controlled/freindly states. 
  • A way to ensure future security of the USSR.
    • Poland had been used twice as a route to Russia since 1900.
    • Poland itself invaded Russia in 1920
  • Essential to control its territory. 
20 of 57

Soviet Expansionism: Causes?

The growth of Soviet Expansionism increased drastically after the end of the Second World War. The Red Army had already occupied much of Eastern Europe, including Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary and Yugoslavia. And although each country has its own leaders it became difficult for non-communists to gain power. After the horrors of Nazism, there was no doubt that communism was popular but the Soviets worked hard to ensure that pro-USSR communists rose to positions of power ans authroiry within the governments. 

21 of 57

Soviet Expansionism: Effects

Churchill accused Stalin of atempting to spread its influence and gain more power at all costs by addressing the invisible line between the Ear and West as an 'iron curtain'. 

The act of Soviet expansionism made Truman want to contain in so he came up with many plans to contain communism.

22 of 57

Truman Doctrine: Summary

The Truman Doctrine was a US policy of containment. In March 1947, Truman told Americans that it was American's duty to interfere because they believed that the Soviet Union was trying to spread communism. 

23 of 57

Truman Doctrine: Causes?

  • Truman believed that communism was a lack of freedom. 
  • Truman told Americans that it was America's duty to interfer becuase:
    • The USA and especially Truman, believed that teh Soviet Union was trying to spread communisn - first through Eastern Europe and then to the west and beyond.
    • The USA had the atom bomb and wanted to use this, together with their superior economic strength, to put pressure on the Soviet Union and prevent further expansion
    • Events in Greece (Civil war between Royalists and Communists needed economic and military aid due to the threat of communism)
  • Revolutions across a war-devastated Europe. This was especially a prospect as communism promises to share out the wealth of society.
24 of 57

Truman Doctrine: Consequences? (1)

Political Impacts:

  • Western zones set-up free elections to establish democracu. This was in ssharp contrast with Soviet policies.
  • In 1947, Britain and theUSA join thier two zones together into Bi-zonia. 
  • In December 1947, London holds a conference: America, Britain and France meet to discuss Germany's future. Russia is not present. 
  • Berlin was in the heart of Soviet-controlled East Germany. The western Allies were allowed access to their sectors by roas, canal and air. However, Stalin did not want the Allies inside Berlin. 
  • In April 1948, the French zone was added to the US and Britain to create 'Trizonia'. Once more Stalin said that this broke the Potsdam agreements.
  • The USSR wanted to keep Germany weak to prevent a future attack, it refused to allow it sown zone to trade with the other three zones.
25 of 57

Truman Doctrine: Consequences? (2)

Economical impacts:

  • The western Allies encouragd economic recovery of their zones by providing much-needed currency.
  • The western zones received large quantities of Marshall Aid.
  • The West wanted to speed up the economic recovery of Germany, which had been devestated by war and was now facing serious shortages of food and fuel.
  • In June 1948, America, Britain and France introduced a new currency - this caused economic chaos in the Russian zone as everyone tried to get rid of thier old money and change to the new currency, the Deutsche Mark.
26 of 57

Truman Doctrine: Consequences? (3)

Ideological impacts:

  • The Soviet Union ensured that the minority communist group took control of their eastrern zone. They tried, unseuccessfully, however to secure communist control of the Berlin city council.
  • Russia starts to stop western literature being sold in the Soviet Zone.
27 of 57

Truman Doctrine: Marshall Aid?

In June 1947, General Marshall made a visit to Europe to see what was needed. He came away thinking Europe was so poor that the whole of Europe was about to turn to Communism. Marshall and Truman asked Congress for $17 billion to fun the European Recovery Programme nicknamed the Marshall Plan - to get the economy of Europe going again. Congress at first hesitated but agreed in March 1948 when Czechoslovakia turned Communist. The aid was given in the form of food, grants to buy equipment, improvemnets to ransport systems, and everything from 'medicine to mules'. Most (70%) of the money was used to buy commodities from US suppliers.

28 of 57

Truman Doctrine: Stalin's response? (1)

In response to the Truman Doctrine, Stalin created Cominform and Comecon.

Cominform:

  • Full Name: The communist Information Bureau
  • Date Established: 1947
  • Aims: 
    • To unite communist parties across Europe under the control of the USSR
    • Organisation to co-ordinate the various communist governments in Eastern Europe.
  • Effects:
    • 2 million French workers wordkers went on strike 1947.
    • Many of those who were not loyal to Stalin were subject to violence and/or arrested:
      • In 1953 5% hungarians were prisoned.
    • The power of the USSR was consolidated in Eastern Europe.
29 of 57

Truman Doctrine: Stalin's response? (2)

Comecon:

  • Full Name: Council for Mutual Economic Assistance
  • Date Established: Set up in 1949
  • Aims: 
    • To co-ordinate the industries and trade of Eastern European countries
    • The idea was that members of Comecon traded mostly with one another, rather than trading with the west.
  • Effects: 
    • Comecon favoured the USSR far more than any of its other members.
    • It provided the USSR with a market to sell its goods.
    • It also guaranteed it a cheap supply of raw materials. For example, Poland was forced to sell its coal to the USSR at one tenth of the price.
    • It set up a bank for socialist countries in 1964
    • Reduced American influence in Eastern Europe.
    • The benefits of Eastern European recovery stayed within the Soviet Sphere of Influence.
    • Eastern Europe could not access the wealth and growing prosperity in Western Europe.
30 of 57

Berlin Blockade: Summary

  • The Berlin Blockade (24th June 1948 - 12th May 1949) was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War. 
  • During the multinational occupation of post World War II Geramny, the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway, road and canal access to the sectors of Berlin under western control.
31 of 57

Berlin Blockade: Causes (1)

Political Impacts:

  • Western zones set-up free elections to establish democracu. This was in ssharp contrast with Soviet policies.
  • In 1947, Britain and theUSA join thier two zones together into Bi-zonia. 
  • In December 1947, London holds a conference: America, Britain and France meet to discuss Germany's future. Russia is not present. 
  • Berlin was in the heart of Soviet-controlled East Germany. The western Allies were allowed access to their sectors by road, canal and air. However, Stalin did not want the Allies inside Berlin. 
  • In April 1948, the French zone was added to the US and Britain to create 'Trizonia'. Once more Stalin said that this broke the Potsdam agreements.
  • The USSR wanted to keep Germany weak to prevent a future attack, it refused to allow it sown zone to trade with the other three zones.
32 of 57

Berlin Blockade: Causes (2)

Economical impacts:

  • The western Allies encouragd economic recovery of their zones by providing much-needed currency.
  • The western zones received large quantities of Marshall Aid.
  • The West wanted to speed up the economic recovery of Germany, which had been devestated by war and was now facing serious shortages of food and fuel.
  • In June 1948, America, Britain and France introduced a new currency - this caused economic chaos in the Russian zone as everyone tried to get rid of thier old money and change to the new currency, the Deutsche Mark.
33 of 57

Berlin Blockade: Causes (3)

Ideological impacts:

  • The Soviet Union ensured that the minority communist group took control of their eastrern zone. They tried, unseuccessfully, however to secure communist control of the Berlin city council.
  • Russia starts to stop western literature being sold in the Soviet Zone.
34 of 57

Berlin Blockade: Events

  • Stalin blacked all supply lines, cutting off the 2 million strong population of West Berlin from Western help.
  • The Allies didn't want to force their way into Berlin for fear of sparking a war, so they began to fly supplies in.
  • US planes provided food to keep the population alive.
  • The Soviets offered to drop the blockade if the Western Allies withdrew the newly introduced Deutsche mark from West Berlin.
  • The airlift lasted 15 months.
  • The Blockade ended on May 12th.
35 of 57

Berlin Blockade: Consequences

  • Arms Race:
    • After Berlin, the USA and the USSR, realised that they were in competition for world domination. They began to build up their armies and weapons
  • NATO and Warsaw Pact:
    • In 1949, the Western Allies set up NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) as a defensive alliance against Russia. NATO countries surrounded Russia; in 1955, the Soviet Union set up the Warsaw Pact - an alliance of Communist states.
  • Cold War got worse:
    • It almost started an all-out war.
  • East and West Germany:
    • Germany split up. In May 1949, America, Britain and France united their zones into the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany). In October 1949, Stalin set up the German Democratic Republic (East Germany)
36 of 57

China falls to communism: Background

  • A civil war had been going on in China since the 1920s between the Nationalists and Communists. 
  • The progress made by the Commmunists under Mao Zedong had been underestimated  beause the attention had been focused on Europe in the 1930s and then on World War II.
  • In October 1949 Mao took complete control of the most populous nation on the planet and China became Communist. 
  • Becuase Mao was from a peasant background himself which meant that he appealed to the majority of the chinese population who were also peasants.
  • In February 1950, the Soviet Union and Communist China agreed the Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance. 
  • This alliance changed the balance of power between East and West.
  • American Foreign policy was intent on stopping the spread of Communism, but although containment had enjoyed had enjoyed some successes in Europe, it had failed in Asia.
37 of 57

China falls to communism: Quick Causes

  • China became communist to become 'fair' - everyone was poor
  • The appeal of communism was attractive.
  • This was a Proxy War.
38 of 57

China falls to communism: Impact

  • The US began to pay much closer attention to political events in south-east Asia. 
  • The communist revolution in China opened up an 'eastern front' in the Cold War; communism could now spread south to take root in vulnerable states like Korea, Vietnam, Malaya and Indonesia. 
  • If these countries fell to communism then important US allies - like the Philippines, post-war Japan and Australia would be isolated and at risk of communist aggression.
39 of 57

The Korean war: Causes

  • The Korean War (1950-53) took place due to  differences in ideologies.
  • Korea was controlled by the Japanese upto 1910.
  • The Japanese surrendered to teh USSR, so they took over the Japanese part of Korea. 
  • The North became Communist and South is capitalist.
40 of 57

The Korean war: Consequences

  • This war shows that the UN in the absense of USSR.
  • The two sides became more divided - the Cold War division became more entrenched
41 of 57

The Vietnam War: Causes

  • Ho Chi Minh was a communist, and was supported by China. In 1960, he set up the Nationla Liberation Front (NLF) in South Vietnam which started a guerrilla war to take over South Vietnam from Diem and his American backers. 
  • NLF guerrillas  = The Vietcong
  • The Americans supported Diem with military advisers and money.
  • Diem's government were rich Christian Landowners.
  • It was corrupt and unpopular and persecuted poor Buddhist peasants.
  • In 1963, most of South Vietnam's rural areas were under vietcong control. 
  • in 1963, the US supported a military coup, which murdered Diem and put a military government in South Vietnam.
42 of 57

The Vietnam War: Consequrences

Vietnam:

  • 500,000 civillians died
  • Many skilled and professional workers connected to the South Vietnamese regime left the country in fear of being persecuted.
  • Agent Orange was used but it cause many birth defects.

USA:

  • 58,000 soldiers were killed and 153,000 were wounded.
  • America spent $828 Billion on its military.
  • Communists win - So this meant that their was a damaged reputation for America and this made them look weak
  • They used Brutal tactics against civilian/communist population.
43 of 57

The Space Race: Summary

  • The space race was a competition of space exploration between the US and the USSR from 1957 to 1975. 
  • It involved efforts to explore outer space with artificial satellites, to send humans into space and land people on the moon.
44 of 57

The Space and Arms Race: Background

Stalin died in 1953. He was hated all over Eastern Europe. When they heard he was dead, people in East Berlin rioted. After a short struggle for power Khrushchev became the new ruler of the USSR.

45 of 57

The Space Race: Causes

The Space race stared as it was another part of the Cold War competition.

46 of 57

The Space and Arms Race: Consequences

  • The space programme became a powerful propagande tool.
  • The technology could be used to build missiles which couls carry nuclear weapon.
  • Engineers from all over the USSR were brought together to help develop powerful missiles - on the 15th May 1957 they began tetsing the world's first ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missiles) 
  • This gave the USSr the power to launch a missile into space and then back down on a target in the USA.
  • In 1959, the USA developed their own ICBM systems.
  • America began to worry about siralling cost of defence spending.
47 of 57

The Arms Race: Causes?

The nuclear arms race was a competition between the United States and the Soviet Union over nuclear weapons superiority.

48 of 57

NATO: Causes?

  • Who?
    • There were 12 original members: USA, Canada, Britain, France, Denmark, Italy, Norway, Belgium, The Netherlands, Portugal, Luxembourg and Iceland; West Germany joined in 1955.
      • NATO had more powerful countries compared to the Warsaw Pact.
  • What?
    • Members worked together on defence strategy and military action would be jointly organised.
  • Why?
    • Treaty of Brusseld was signed with the aim of halting the sprad of communism, included an agreement to support each other in matters of defence and security. However, after the Berlin Blockade, other European nations wanted to join the treaty. Truman was certain that working with the Western Europeans would help to stop the spread.
  • When?
    • After the Second World War. In 1948, Britain, France, The Netherland and Luxembourg signed the treaty of Brussels (to halt the spread of communism). In April 1949, 12 countries signed NATO - this time was also when the blcokade ended.
49 of 57

Warsaw Pact

  • Who?
    • There were 8 members: The USSR, Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, East Germany, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia
      • These countries had less power - and only some had power, not all of them!
  • What?
    • Presented as a collective security organisation like NATO but in reality the power was held in Moscow.
  • When?
    • The Warsaw Pact was formed in 1955.
  • Where?
    • In Warsaw.
  • Why?
    • This was formed as a response to NATO and West Germany Rearmament. For the USSR, the creation of NATO had been bad enough but the idea of a more powerful West Germany was the final straw - he wnated to keep Germany weak. 
50 of 57

The Hungarian Uprising: Causes?

  • Russian control - The Hungarians were very patriotic, and they hated Russian control - which included censorship, the vicious secret police (called the VH after 1948) and Russian control of what schools taught.
  • Poverty - Hungarians were poor, yet much of the food and industrial goods they produced was sent to the USSR.
  • Catholic Church - The Hungarians were religious, but the Communist party had banned Religion, and put the leader of the Catholic Church in prison.
  • Help from the West -  Hungarians thought that the United Nations or the new US president, Eisonhower, would help them.
  • Destalinisation - When the Communist Party tried to destalinise Hungary, things got out of control. The Hungarian leader Rakosi asked for permission to arrest 400 troublemakers, but Khrushchev would not let him.
51 of 57

The Hungarian Uprising: Events?

  • 1953 - Stalin dies.
  • July 1956 - the 'Stalinist' Secretary of the Hungarian Communist Party, Rakosi, fell from power.
  • Oct. 1956  - Students, workers and soldiers in Hungary attacked the AVH ans Russian soldiers, and and smashed a statue of stalin.
  • 24 Oct. 1956 - Imre Nagy - a moderate and a Westerniser - took over as prime minister.
  • 28 Oct. 1956 - Nagy asked Khrushchev to move the Russian troops out. Khrushchev agreed and the Russian army pulled out of Budapest.
  • For 5 days - There was freedom in Hungary. The new Hungarian government introduced democracy, freedon of speech/religion. Cardinal Mindszenty, the leader of the Catholic Church, was freed from prison.
  • 3 Nov. 1956 - Nagy announced that Hungary was going to leav ethe Warsaw Pact. However, Khrushchev was not going to allow this. He claimed he had received a letter from Hungarian Communist leaders asking for his help.
  • 4 Nov. 1956 - 1,000 Russian tanks rolled into Budapest. They destroyed teh Hungraian army and captured Hungarian Radio. The last words broadcast were 'Help! Help! Help!'
  • Hungarian people - even children fought the Russian troops with machine guns. Some 4,00 Hungarians were killed. 
  • Nov. 1956 - Khrushchev put in Russian supporter, Janos Kadar, as Prime Minister.
  • 23 Nov. 1956 - Nagy and his followers were kidnapped after leaving the Yugoslav embassy. They were subsequently executed.
52 of 57

The Hungarian Uprising: Consequences?

Hungary - 1956:

  • The West realised it could do nothing about the 'Iron Curtain' countries - but this made Western Countries even more determined to 'contain' communism.
  • People in the West were horrified - many British communists left the Communist party.
  • 200,000 Hungarian refugees fled into Austria.
  • Russia stayed in control behind the 'Iron Curtain' - no other country tried to get rid of Russian troops until Czechoslovakia in 1968.
53 of 57

The U2 Plane Crisis: Causes?

The crisis was caused by the 'Red Scare'.The 'Red Scare' was the fear of communism that permeated American politics, culture, and society from the late 1940s through the 1950s, during the opening phases of the Cold War with the Soviet Union.

54 of 57

The U2 Plane Crisis: Events?

The U2 Plane was a spy/utility plane built to photograph the USSR with high powered cameras. It was the ideal spy plane as it was a high altitude plane, used for reconnaissance, it flew high above enemy territory and took pictures of military bases and movements. It was desgned by the USA.

The U2 Lockheed was shot down by Soviet Air Defebce Forces (with a Soviet missile) on May 1st 1960 near Aramil, Sverdlovsk Obsast, but D.Eisenhower denied it was a spy plane - he called it a 'weather plane' that had gone astray. 

55 of 57

The U2 Plane Crisis: Consequences? (1)

  • The US was shown up as Khrushchev tricked them into lying about the spy plane.
  • Khrushchev refused to attend the Paris meeting. 
  • He gave the event as much publicity as possible to show that the West cannot be trusted.
  • Hopes of easing Cold War tension disappeared.
  • Khrushchev was very critical of the US president - he demanded an apology.
  • Khrushchev stated that the US was no longer welcome to visit the USSR in the up-coming June trip. 
  • Khrushchev demanded that those responsible for a 'deliberate violation of the Soviet Union' should be punished.
56 of 57

The U2 Plane Crisis: Consequences? (2)

  • Eisenhower's decision to only suspend spy flights (implying that they would resume at some point) caused the Soviet leader to storm out of the meeting (Khrushchev refused to meet with the US president again.)
  • Eisenhower refued to apologise for the incident.
  • Eisenhower was furious with the way Khrushchev has spoken to him. 
  • The Paris meeting collapsed and there was no Test Ban Treaty. 
  • There was no discussion about the problem of Berlin - which, ultimately led to the building of the Berlin Wall. 
  • The incident was seen as a defeat for the US - so the elected John F Kennedy as president because he promised to get tougher with the Russians.
57 of 57

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar History resources:

See all History resources »See all The Cold War resources »