THE COLD WAR
Cominform was set up in...
...1947, in response to Marshal Aid
Germany surrendered in WW2 in...
...8 May 1945
Marshal aid was a policy whereby...
...America supported struggling European states
Roosevelt was replaced by...
...Harry Truman
The Potsdam conference took place...
...July-August 1945
Marshal aid had limited success because...
...Stalin banned Cominform members from accepting it
Potsdam was tense because...
...Truman announced the atomic bomb
At Potsdam, Truman denied Stalin...
...a naval base in the Mediterranean
Cominform was...
...a union of Communist states set up by Stalin
The USA was run by...
...an elected congress
Marshal aid aimed to...
...build export markets and contain communism
Between Yalta and Potsdam, Britain and the USA both...
...changed leaders
'The USA was successful in containing communism in Europe up to 1949'. How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer (10 mark)
...coming soon
The Yalta Conference was held...
...in February 1945
Before 1939, the USA had a foreign policy of...
...isolationism (not getting involved in major disputes)
The USSR wanted a 'buffer zone' in Europe because...
...it had suffered greatly in WWII and was afraid of invasion
The USSR spread communism west by...
...killing opponents, intimidating voters or rigging balots
In the USSR, individual freedom was considered...
...less important than the good of society as a whole
At Potsdam, leaders agreed...
...on Polish borders and war crimes trials for Nazi leaders
Stalin thought Germany should pay large reparations...
...so it wouldn't be a military threat
In the USSR, wealth was more uniform but...
...standards of living were generally low
The Truman Doctrine was the belief...
...that the USA should contain communism at all costs
By Potsdam, Germany was defeated but...
...the USSR didn't withdraw from Eastern Europe
The USSR was run by...
...the unelected Communist Party
The USA was very rich but...
...there were extremes of rich and poor
Comecon was a 1949 union...
...to co-ordinate the economies of Eastern Europe
The 'iron curtain'...
...was a metaphor for the divide between East and West Europe
Yugoslavia...
...was the only Communist state not in Cominform
In the USA, property and industry...
...were privately owned and run
At Potsdam, Truman and Stalin disagreed over...
...wether Poland should be communist and how much reparation money Germany should pay
At Yalta, leaders disagreed over...
...whether to move Polish borders west
Truman was worried reparations...
...would make Germany unstable
What decisions about Germany were taken at Yalta and Potsdam?
1. 4 zones of occupation 2. Reparations - Russia allowed to take need more....
What was going on behind the scenes at Yalta 1945?
1. Churchill feared rapid spread of communism 2. Roosevelt suspicious of Churchill's aims 3. Stalin feared that Churchill an Roosevelt would intervene in his plan to turn countries communist 4. Churchill feared Roosevelt was too easy on Stalin
What was agreed at Yalta?
1. Free elections in countries previously under Nazi rule 2. Germany and Berlin to be divided into 4 zones, UK, USA, France and USSR 3. Part of Poland would be given back to USSR 4. UN set up 5. USSR would help USA fight against Japan
What was agreed at Potsdam?
1. Germany and Berlin split into 4 zones 2. Germany disarmed 3. Nazi party abolished and war criminals tried 4. Germany had to pay huge reparations
How did the Soviets expand? (4 mark)
1. Lies - Stalin claimed to help countries rather than invade. 2. Army - big and large army, to keep Soviets strong when overthrowing countries and threatening people. 3. Propaganda - indoctrinate people's minds to make them believe Stalin was a good leader 4. Secret Police - Stalin had control over everyone, and could assassinate anyone at any time, anyone who came in his way.
The most important cause of the Cold War was the suspicion an rivalry between Truman and Stalin. Do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. - list factors
1. Personality differences 2. Ideological Differences 3. Provocative actions of the USA and USSR
What was NOT agreed at Potsdam?
1. Poland's borders 2. Peace treaty with Germany 3. Free elections in Eastern Europe
What was agreed at Yalta 1945?
1. Split Germany into 4 zones of occupation 2. Nazi war criminals to trial 3. War against Japan - revenge for attack on Pearl Harbour 4. Europe - 'soviet sphere of influence' for Stalin
Why did Stalin blockade West Berlin?
1. USA and UK joined their zones to create Bizonia 2. They created a new currency which made it prosper 3. People from East Germany were moving to West Berlin 4. ALL THIS THREATENED STALIN
How many Russians died in WWII?
21.3 million
What was the U2 incident?
A US U2 spy plane shot down over USSR. Khrushchev demands a formal apology from USA
Facism
A right-wing dictatorial system of government
Why did the USSR seek to dominate Eastern Europe?
According to Stalin, the Soviet Union did this as a defensive measure to create a buffer zone between them and Germany (As germany had invaded twice in the last 30 years) an establishment of communist governments and satellite states would make it more difficult. However the West, particularly USA, thought it was taking the first steps towards world domination & that Western life was under threat.
When did the Soviet Union successfully test an atomic bomb?
August 29th 1949.
What happened to the Baltic States at the end of the war?
Baltic states (made up of latvia, lithuania, and estonia plus eastern poland) formally annexed to the USSR so the USSR in effect extended its borders by 500km west. It had occupied Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia during the war with Finland from 1930-40 & it had occupied eastern poland under the Nazi Soviet pact of 1939 even though Germans occupied from 1941-45
April 1961
Bay of Pigs incident
1949
Berlin Blockade and NATO formed as a result
1961
Berlin Wall built
What was decided about Berlin at Yalta?
Berlin would be sub-divided into four zones
Churchill
British Prime Minister from 1941 to 45 and again 1951-55.
What was the Bay of Pigs incident?
CIA trained Cuban exiles were sent to Cuba to try and overthrow Castro. Many were captured or killed because they underestimated how much support Castro had
1959
Castro sets up a communist government in Cuba after the Cuban Revolution
1946
Churchill declares that an 'Iron Curtain' has descended over Eastern Europe in a message to Truman
Communism
Classless society, land and industry owned by the state and profits used for good of all people. One political party, no elections.
What was the Warsaw Pact?
Communist equivalent to NATO
What happened to Greece at the end of the war?
Communists not successful. Civil war fought and non communists supported by Britain and USA. Stalin kept promise to not aid greek communists who were finally defeated in 1949.
October 1962
Cuban Missile Crisis
What was decided at the Potsdam Conference, July 1945?
Germany divided as agreed at Yalta. Allies to receive reparations. Polands eastern border extended west to rivers Oder and Neisse. The Nazi Party banned and leaders to be tried as war criminals.
What was decided at the Yalta Conference?
Germany would be split into 4 zones of occupation, usa, russia, france england equal section, birlin also split into 4. Once Germany was defeated, the ussr would join the war against japan, United nations formed to replace the league of nations. East european countries liberated from nazi occ., free democratic elections would be held. Stalin allowed a 'sphere of influence' in eastern europe composed of satellite states.
What was decided about Germany at Yalta?
Germany would be split into four zones of occupation
The most important cause of the Cold War was the suspicion an rivalry between Truman and Stalin. Do you agree with this statement? - para 4 conclusion
I do not agree with statement: I believe differences in personalities are the most important cause of CW Because their actions reflected in personalities, and so didn't have any tolerance and patience to cooperate and avoid war If both countries had put their full effort in keeping up a good relationship with each other, it could have been possible to avoid any sort of war at all. - peaceful co-existence if had pure and good hearts, and co-operated for peace regardless of ideologies or anything else.
What happened to East Germany?
In 1949 it became a separate communist state called the German Democratic Republic
What happened to Czechoslovakia at the end of the war?
Initially Coalition gov ruled, from 1946 Communists were largest party in coalition. 1948 communists used army to seize control, many non communists arrested and the non communist foreign secretary Jan Masaryk, was murdered. Rigged elections held, communists won by landslide. Other parties banned.
Joseph Stalin
Leader of the Soviet Union (USSR) 1922-53
What was decided about Eastern Europe at Yalta?
Liberated countries would have free and fair elections
When was the iron curtain speech made?
Made by Churchill at Fulton, Missouri, on 5th March 1946. Increased tensions
How many states received Marshal aid?
Only 16
Why did the tensions between the Allies turn into a cold war (CW)? (6 mark) - 1st para
P .Leaders involved - 1 of most important causes of CW E. • 3 most important superpowers in world - SU, Am, Br ruled by leaders. • Stalin - SU leader- dictator, ruled with communism, HOWEVER, Churchill - Br's leader and Roosevelt - Am's leader, ruled with democracy/capitalism • Lots of differences between SU and Br, SU and Am, but MOST IMPORTANTLY, PERSONALITIES DIFFERENT, contributed to actions towards each other • E.g: Churchill - firm view against communism, Roosevelt - not as persistent against Stalin, Stalin - hatred against capitalism • Truman new Pres after Roosevelt, more hatred, arrogance an attitude against SU, THEREFORE change of pres imp. • Truman wrote to secretary: Russia needs an attitude as that of an 'iron fist' and needs to use 'strong language' to stop Stalin from conquering the world
The most important cause of the Cold War was the suspicion an rivalry between Truman and Stalin. Do you agree with this statement? - para 1
P. Personality differences- very imp, influences views and behaviour E. Churchill - unwilling to accept communism, Roosevelt - more tolerant with Stalin and communism Roosevelt replaced with Truman, Truman personality differed from Roosevelt to great extent, more anti-communist and hatred and arrogance shown Stalin - claimed to have paranoia - tendency to think no-one liked him and everyone against him, reason to understand his vast communist expansion in Europe, E. Consequently, inner personalities very important, especially Stalin's case
Explain why it was difficult to reach agreement at the Potsdam Conference. (6 mark) - 2nd para
P. Reparations was another disagreement between the Big Three E. Stalin - wanted compensation from Germany, felt strongly than Germany should pay as it was their fault that the terrible war had to be fought and caused loss of so many people but also land Truman - Not want to repeat mistake of TofV - all the paying back of Germany aroused more hatred and anger of the Germans resulting in WW2. These reparations will damage international relations severely E. This again meant the leaders were so firm in their views, that they could not find any way to negotiate and come somewhere in the middle. None of them wanted to change or negotiate, not only due to their conflicting political ideologies but here due to their poor experiences from the war or the treaty.
Explain why it was difficult to reach agreement at the Potsdam Conference. (6 mark) - 1st para
P. Soviet policy in Europe was a main disagreement between the superpowers E. Stalin = wanted pro-Soviet governments in Europe, by expand his territory and so he could enforce a communist government in each country- aim Truman = feared Soviet invasion, as it would result in rapid spread of communism, therefore took the policy of containment, to stop communism spreading so it couldn't reach America and take over the democratic government E. This means these contrasting views conflicted with each other, because they were completely unnegociable, as Truman was very anti-communist and Stalin was very pro-communist
Why did the tensions between the Allies turn into a Cold War? (6 mark) - 2nd para
P. Stalin's actions and aims also played a role in turning tension into Cold War E. • Stalin aimed to bring communism to as many countries as possible + achieved to spread communism in East Europe • Big role - because - Churchill + Truman hated communism, would be horrified at finding news of Stalin's expansion of his dictatorship • This kept on building and adding more tension between the leaders, as Attlee and Truman were completely anti-communist, and Stalin was therefore challenging their ideology and forever causing misery to them
Explain why the wartime allies disagreed about Poland in 1945? (6mark) - 1st para
P. The main reason why the war time allies disagreed about Poland was due to the communist ideology. E. In this ideology, there was no voting as part of the procedure to choose which candidate becomes dictator, and the Polish public would have no right to choose the way they want to live and the leader they want to rule. They would have no freedom and therefore no true happiness and state of mind. E. Therefore, the allies were worried about these people, and how they would make the transition from being in a republic country to a communist state.
Explain why the wartime allies disagreed about Poland in 1945? (6mark) - 2nd para
P. Truman and Atlee were both anti-communist and didn't want Poland to be ruled by the Soviet Union mainly due to fear of communism (the Red Scare). E. Communism was an ideology completely against the the democratic system of government Britain and America were used to. They were frightened by the ideology, as it meant that property and wealth was shared equally between everyone, property was state-owned and it was all ruled by one person - dictator. E. They were worried as every country was becoming communist (including Poland), communism would become stronger and spread across the world including America. This is why America took on the policy of containment, to stop communism spreading from the first place, at its beginning, Europe. This is why they disagreed.
The most important cause of the Cold War was the suspicion an rivalry between Truman and Stalin. Do you agree with this statement? - para 3
P. another crucial part - provocative actions of USA and USSR E. Stalin - took over Europe so quickly and greedily, leading USA to become suspicious of Stalin's aims Truman- USA introduces Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan, which undoubtedly build up rivalry between Stalin and Truman as they both have divided sections of Germany, and America and Russia are competing between communism and capitalism in Europe. * can talk about Berlin Blockade here as part of Stalin's provocative actions, if you get the question: The Berlin Blockade was most to blame for the Cold War tension as you have to therefore include it
The most important cause of the Cold War was the suspicion an rivalry between Truman and Stalin. Do you agree with this statement? - para 2
P. ideological differences present between Am and SU E. America- democracy, capitalist country, free elections, property owned by individuals Russia - dictatorship, communist country, property state-owned Capitalism and communism were imp matters, America feared communism greatly, aimed to contain it, so it could not spread and reach America and ruin the lifestyle of Americans. SU hated capitalism on other hand, wanted communism to take over world E. Differences did not allow cooperation between the 2 countries at all
What happened between February and July 1945 that increased tensions between US&England and the USSR?
Poland: The pro soviet Lublin poles had gained full control. USA successfully tested the Atomic Bomb (July 1945 pre-17th July) but didn't tell USSR. Truman became president, more anticommunist than Roosevelt. Attlee became Prime Minister of England, less opinionated than Truman & Stalin. All Eastern European countries liberated from Nazi occupation, but were under soviet occupation instead and no democratic elections occurred.
What happened to Romania at the end of the War?
Post nazi expulsion, coalition gov dominated by communists. feb 1945, soviets forced the king to appoint a communist prime minister. By mid 1945 communists were in control. In 1947 monarchy was abolished.
May 1945
Potsdam Conference
Franklin D Roosevelt
President of USA 1933-1945
Who attended the Yalta Conference, February 1945?
Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin
What were the major disagreements at Potsdam?
Soviet Union wanted to impose huge reparations, Truman prevented this. Soviet union wanted to share in the occupation of Japan once defeated, Truman refused. Britain & USA wanted bigger say in Eastern Europe, did not accept that Stalin had the right to set up pro-Soviet govs in countries. Stalin said it had been agreed at Yalta.
What was the Berlin Blockade?
Stalin blocked off all roads into Western Berlin and USA began airlifting supplies. It lasted less than a year
Containment
Stoping another force from spreading without pushing it back
1947
Truman Doctrine, Marshall Aid, and Cominform
1960
U2 incident
1963
USA and USSR make a Hotline to make communication easier and agree on a partial nuclear test ban treaty (underground tests were still permitted)
August 1945
USA drops atomic bomb on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, ending WW2
May 1945 (just before Potsdam)
USA tests first atomic bomb
What was the Cuban Missile Crisis?
USA took pictures which showed USSR missiles in Cuba. JFK ordered a naval blockade. Khrushchev refused to remove his missiles unless JFK removed his from Turkey. JFK secretly removed his missiles from Turkey and Khrushchev publicly removed his from Cuba
What was the Truman Doctrine?
USA's attempt to contain communism. It offered aid to any European country threatened by communism
What was Marshall Aid?
USA's promotion of capitalism. They offered financial help to all European countries to help them rebuild after WW2
What was Cominform?
USSR's response to Marshall Aid and the Truman Doctrine which financially united communist Eastern European countries
1955
Warsaw Pact
Capitalism
Wealthy people invest money into industries, employ workers and keep profits. There is a democratic system with political parties
February 1945
Yalta Conference
Truman was much more ___ than Roosevelt
anticommunist
What happened to Yugoslavia at the end of the war?
the Communist resistance fought against Germans & in 1945 the leader Marshal Tito was elected president. Relations deteriorated between Tito & Stalin as it became clear Tito would not follow orders from Moscow. Yugoslavia was expelled from Cominform and economic sanctions (impositions placed on a state in order to coerce it) against them applied for. Tito countered by taking aid from the west
