Origins of the Cold War, 1945-1960

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Ideological Differences and their Effects

USA: 

  • Democratic system of government. The President and Congress of the USA were chosen in free democractic elections
  • It had a capitalist economy. Buisness and property were privately owned. Individuals could make profits in buisness or move jobs if they wished, but they do it at thier own risk
  • USA was the world's wealthiest country, but under captialism there were great contrasts- some very rich and some very poor. 
  • Freedom of the individual and in government by consent

USA had a policy of isolationism, where they withdrew from international politics and policies. However, now, with the threat of communism, they are willing to help and support countries that wanted democratic states. This was seen as the defence of people's freedom against a system they didn't want.

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Ideological Differences and their Effects (2)

USSR:

  • People could vote in elections for the Supreme Soviet, but they could only vote for members of the communist party and the Supreme Soviet had no real power
  • The rights of individuals were seen as less important than the good of society as a whole. 
  • USSR had a planned economy. The Government owned all industry and planned what every factory should produce.
  • Unlike the USA, USSR had been attacked many times in the past. Germany had invaded Russia twice. Stalin was determined that this would never happen again. He believed that if he didn't set up a communist government, the USA would encourage hostile countries on USSR border
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The Yalta Conference, 1945

To be decided...

  • What to do with Germany and its leaders after surrender
  • What was to happen to the occupied countries after they had been liberated
  • How to bring the war in Japan to a speedy end
  • How to create and maintain a peace that would last

What was decided...

  • Germany would be divided into 4 zones, run by USA, USSR, Britain and France
  • Germany's capital, Berlin, would also be split into 4 zones
  • The countries of Eastern Europe would be allowed to hold Free elections to decide how they were governed
  • The USSR would join in the war against Japan in return for land in Manchuria and Sakhalin Island
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The Potsdam Conference, 1945

Agreements:

  • Denazification and the leaders would have to be tried as war criminals
  • The Oder-Neisse line was to form part of the border between Poland and Germany

Disagreements:

1. Stalin wanted a naval base in the Mediterranean but was denied by USA and Britain. 

  • They saw no need for Stalin to own such a base 
  • Stalin viewed this as a sign of mistrust

2. Stalin wanted more reparations from Germany than Britain and the USA did. 

  • USA and Britain did not wish to cripple Germany again 
  • Stalin was suspicious about why his allies wanted Germany to recover and protect it

3. Stalin had set up a communist government in the capital of Poland so USA and Britain were very suspicious of Stalin's ideas.

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The Atomic Bomb and its effects

  • 75,000 died at Hiroshima instantly with 10,000s with radiation poisoning
  • 60,000 died in Nagasaki.

Stalin had been told about the atom bomb by Truman at the start of the Potsdam Conference and was furious that it had been kept a secret.

  • Stalin was convinced that USA had used to bombs as a warning to the USSR
  • An arms race emerged with the USSR determined to develop its own atomic bomb

Soviet Expansion in the East:

Elections were held in each Eastern European country but were rigged to allow the USSR-backed communist parties to take control. Opponents of the Communists were beaten, murdered or frightened into submission. By 1948, all Eastern European states had communist governments

This was known as The "Iron Curtain".

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The Truman Doctrine, 1947

Greece:

  • The Royalists, who wanted the return of the King, was restored with the help of British troops. But when they came under attack by communist forces the British withdrew.
  • The USA then stepped in and provided Greece with arms, supplies, and money. The communists were then defeated. 

Turkey:

  • Stalin demanded partial control of Daranelles, which belonged to Turkey.
  • Britain and USA supplied aid including an aircraft carrier 

The Truman Doctrine:

"I believe that it must be the policy of the USA to support all free people who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressure".

  • The USA would not return to isolationism 
  • The aim was to contain communism- Policy of Containment
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The Marshall Plan

Truman believed that poverty and hardship brought about communism. It was also important that US businesses had trading partners in the future, so he started Marshall Aid.

  • To stop the spread of Communism
  • To help the economies of Europe to recover

Effects of Marshall Aid:

  • Between $12-13 billion were poured into Europe to economic reconstruction
  • Only 16 European countries accepted it and these were all Western states
  • Stalin refused Marshall Aid and banned it for all Eastern countries 

Cominform & Comecon:

  • An alliance of Communist countries and spread communist ideas and restricted contact with the west. 
  • Set up by Stalin to co-ordinate the production and trade of Eastern European countries. 
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The Berlin Blockade, 1948-49

Causes:

  • Britain and USA wanted Germany to recover and couldn't afford to keep feeding people as punishing Germany would not maintain future peace
  • The French were unsure about whether to get Germany back on its feet or not
  • The USSR did not want to rebuild Germany and Stalin was suspicious about why the USA and Britain did 
  • USA, France and Britain merged their zones of Germany to form a "trizonia" called West Germany. 
  • With help of Marshall Aid, West Germany began to recover and prosper, however, in East Germany there was hunger and starvation, so West Germany seemed a more attractive place to live. 
  • Stalin thought they were doing this to try and attack him
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The Berlin Blockade, 1948-49 (2)

Events:

  • Stalin tried to blockade Berlin and closed all roads and rails from Berlin to West Germany hoping to force the Western Allies out of the city. 
  • Britain and USA could have withdrawn from Berlin, but that would be humiliating 
  • They could lift supplies into West Berlin by air but would be risky.
  • The allies decided to airlift supplies and nearly 13,000 tons of supplies in 24 hours were lifted. 
  • During the airlift, West Berliners were supplied with everything from food and clothing to oil and building supplies. 

Results:

  • May 1949, the USSR lifted the blockade and was a victory for the West. 
  • Co-operation with Germany in the future was very unlikely and the country would remain divided.
  • The zones controlled by the USA, Britain, and France became West Germany and the Soviet zone became East Germany. 
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NATO, 1949

It was a military alliance contained most of the states in Western Europe as well as USA and Canada. The main purpose was to defend each of its members. If one member was attacked, all the others would help it. When the USSR developed its own atomic bomb in 1949, NATO seemed more important as no European country had it and acted as a defense for Western Europe. 

The Importance of NATO:

  • The USA was now formally committed to the defense of Western Europe
  • Stalin did not see it as a defensive alliance but as a direct threat to USSR
  • The USA was able to build air bases in Western Europe where planes armed with nuclear weapons could be stationed- ready for use against the USSR. 
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The Korean War

Both North Korea (USSR and Communist) and South Korea (US democratic government)viewed themselves to be superior and relations were tense so N.Korea attacked the South. 

Events:

  • The North Korean forces pushed back the South Korean forces into a small area of South-East Korea. Truman asked the UN to help and the Security Council's Permanent member agreed to do so.
  • UN forces from many countries drove the Communists back almost as far as the Yalu River on the border with China
  • This worried China who didn't want a capitalist neighbor supported by US troops, so China joined the war
  • The UN forces were driven back and the UN commander, General MacArthur, called for the use of the atomic bomb on China surpassing the President. Therefore, Truman sacked him
  • Once again UN troops began to push back the Communists. By June 1951, the fighting seemed to be settling roughly around the 38th parallel
  • In 1935, a truce was agreed at Panmunjom
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The Korean War (2)

Consequences:

  • When China became a Communist Country in 1949, the USA was extremely worried.Truman was worried that the Domino Effect would work in Asia as it had in Europe. 
  • The USA saw this as a successful example of containment. However, it had been achieved at a price. There was massive damage to Korea itself. 
  • Many observers thought that the USA had used the UN for its own purposes.
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"The Thaw"

Stalin died in 1953. Khrushchev seemed to be a less aggressive leader than Stalin and talked of "Peaceful Co-existence".

"Peaceful Co-existence":

  • Khrushchev seemed to be encouraging greater freedom in the USSR
  • He indicated Polish people should be allowed more freedom
  • He seemed a lot less hostile to the West than Stalin
  • He also seemed to be willing to relax the USSR's grip on Eastern Europe.

The Warsaw Pact:

  • Khrushchev was determined to strengthen Eastern Europe and was annoyed at the fact that West Germany also joined NATO.
  • After the creation of NATO, the Soviet response was to create the Warsaw Pact-  a communist version of NATO. 
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Hungary, 1956

Causes of Uprising:

  • Hungary became Communist shortly after WW2. Rákosi followed Stalin and was hated by Hungarians
  • There were decreased standards of living and increased poverty and a brutal secret police (AVH), which they blamed on Soviet policies

Events:

  • The protests got worse as Stalin's statue was pulled down and Rákosi was forced to resign. 
  • Nagy replaced him and demanded free elections, an end to the secret police and the removal of Soviet occupation
  • Khrushchev was alarmed when they withdrew from the Warsaw Pact following a neutral role. Free elections also meant the end of communism in Hungary.
  • If Hungary withdrew, there would be a gap in the buffer zone between the East and the West breaking the Iron Curtain
  • Soviet troops and 1,000 tanks were moved in and Nagy appealed to the West for help, but none came. Nagy's forces were crushed and he was later shot after 2 weeks of street fighting
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Hungary, 1956 (2)

Results:

  • Between 2,500 and 30,000 Hungarians, mostly civilians were killed along with 700 Soviet troops. Over 250,000 refugees fled Hungary and settled in the West
  • Limitations of Khrushchev's peaceful co-existence
  • No active support from the West because they were preoccupied with the Suez Crisis.
  • A new pro-Soviet government was set up under Kádár and re-established Communist control of Hungary, negotiating the withdrawal of Soviet troops once the crisis was over. 
  • Other satellite states in Easter Europe did not dare to challenge Soviet authority after the events in Hungary
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The Space Race and Arms Race

The Space Race:

  • Both superpowers tried to prove their superiority of either Communism or Capitalism. 
  • USSR took the lead at first alarming the US, who seemed to be lagging behind.
  • However, USA took the lead with the Apollo missions that eventually landed the first man on the moon

The Arms Race:

  • Soviets had developed rockets that could carry nuclear warheads all the way to USA 
  • The USA developed its own Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles and these could be ready for use within 30 seconds
  • The USA also developed a Polaris Missile from a nuclear submarine that could be fired from sea close to the USSR so would be more accurate.
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