1.2 The Development of the Cold War 1947-1955

Question 1

What consequences did the creation of Soviet satellite states have for the Cold War?

Answer 1

There were several related consequences to the increase in tension between the superpowers that resulted from Stalin’s creation of a ‘buffer zone’: 1. The ‘Iron Curtain’ speech, which explained to the world that Stalin could no longer be trusted 2. The Long and Novikov telegrams, which increased tension even further and 3.Truman decided to state the USA’s case for the containment of communism through the Truman Doctrine, which used Marshall Aid as a way to deter other countries adopting communism.

Question 2

What was the Truman Doctrine, ‘officially’?

Answer 2

The Truman Doctrine was a speech given by Truman on 12th March 1947. It was officially an announcement about economic aid for Greece and Turkey. Truman said that the US would give 400 million dollars and send American civilian and military personnel to the region.

Question 3

Why did Truman focus on Greece and Turkey in his speech of 12th March 1947?

Answer 3

Because Greece was in the middle of a civil war between communist forces and government (royalist) forces. Britain had been supporting the royalists but was unable to maintain this. Crucially, both countries were on the edge of the ‘iron curtain’ and Truman feared that communism might spread in the same way dominoes fall - country by country. This was called Domino Theory.

Question 4

What was the unofficial purpose of the speech Truman gave on 12th March 1947?

Answer 4

Truman used the speech as an opportunity to make a clear statement of what he saw as the differences between democracy and communism. He spoke of two alternative ways of life between which every nation must choose.

Question 5

How did Truman describe the democratic way of life in the Truman Doctrine?

Answer 5

Majority rule and freedom from political oppression.

Question 6

How did Truman describe the communist way of life in the Truman Doctrine?

Answer 6

The will of the minority is forced upon the majority. Effectively, Truman was saying that choosing democracy over communism was like choosing good over evil.

Question 7

What else did Truman say in the Truman Doctrine that has caused many historians to see this speech as the start of the Cold War?

Answer 7

He said communism should not be allowed to grow and that the USA would was prepared to send troops and economic aid to those countries trying to resist it.

Question 8

How did the Truman Doctrine signal a new approach to international relations?

Answer 8

It showed that the USA was moving from isolationism to containment; the USA saw itself as the policeman of the world.

Question 9

What practical steps did Truman take to implement this policy of containment as set out in the Truman Doctrine?

Answer 9

First, he took over from Britain in sending military and economic aid to Greece to support the royalist government troops against the communists. Second, he implemented the Marshall Plan.

Question 10

What was the Marshall Plan?

Answer 10

It was the practical outcome of the Truman Doctrine: providing economic aid to help war-torn counties in order to stop communism from taking over in Western Europe.

Question 11

How much economic aid was given in the Marshall Plan?

Answer 11

Between 1948 and 1952, the USA gave 12.7 billion dollars of aid. In addition, they had already given 13 billion dollars before the Marshall Plan went into action.

Question 12

What effect did the Marshall Plan have on the Cold War?

Answer 12

The impact was enormous. Although it took until the 1950s for the full effects to be seen. The British foreign secretary Bevan called it ‘a lifeline to sinking men, giving hope where there was none.’

Question 13

Was Marshall Aid offered to the Soviet Union and its satellite states?

Answer 13

Yes, but they would first have to agree to a thorough review of their finances and the USA knew that Stalin would not allow this so, in practice, Eastern European countries did not benefit from the Marshall Plan.

Question 14

Was Marshall Aid only the giving of money to countries that were badly hit by WWI?

Answer 14

No. It also included making direct grants to groups in need. For example, nets for Norwegian fishermen, mules for Greek farmers and food for starving people.

Question 15

What was the overall Soviet response to the Truman Doctrine?

Answer 15

Stalin saw it as the USA’s attempt to extend its influence in Europe. He also thought that the Truman Doctrine/Marshall Plan undermined the international role of the UN by suggesting it was America’s role to protect the world.

Question 16

Why did Stalin refer to Marshall Aid as ‘Dollar imperialism’?

Answer 16

Stalin believed that the Marshall Plan was a way for the USA to use economic might to divide Europe in two and establish an American empire in Europe. Empire = imperialism.

Question 17

How much impact did the Truman Doctrine/Marshall Plan have on international relations from 1947?

Answer 17

It had a huge impact because it made it clear that the Grand Alliance was dead. Stalin’s suspicions of the West were confirmed and Europe was now divided into two economic and political camps and became a key ‘theatre of war’ for the next 50 years, where the USA and USSR tried to get the better of each other. You will need some specific examples of this! Keep learning to make sure you have these.

Question 18

What two organisations did Stalin set up (and on what dates) in response to the Truman Doctrine/Marshall Plan?

Answer 18

Cominform, 1947 and Comecon, 1949.

Question 19

What was Cominform?

Answer 19

The Communist Information Bureau, set up by Stalin on 22 September 1947. It had nine members - all of them were the Communist Parties of different countries: the USSR (obviously), Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Yugoslavia, France and Italy.

Question 20

Why was Cominform established?

Answer 20

As a result of the Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan. Cominform gave Stalin a way of directing and controlling the governments of satellite states (remember that all Soviet satellite states were controlled by a single Communist Party). Stalin wanted a way to make sure that these countries not only followed communism, but took orders from Moscow.

Question 21

Why were the Communist Parties of non satellite states like France and Italy included in Cominform?

Answer 21

The French and Italian Communist Parties were specifically tasked by Cominform with the obstruction of the implementation of the Marshall Plan and the Truman Doctrine in Western Europe. Also, Stalin saw this as a way to cause paranoia in Western Europe.

Question 22

How did Stalin use Cominform?

Answer 22

Cominform was used to keep other Communist Parties in line with Moscow (and Stalin). So Cominform discouraged contact with non-communist countries. Trade was encouraged between other Cominform members and at the first meeting, Cominform rejected the Marshall Plan and began to spread propaganda accusing America of being no different from Nazi Germany.

Question 23

What was Comecon?

Answer 23

The COuncil for Mutual ECONomic Assistance, set up by Stalin on 25 January 1949.

Members were: USSR, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and East Germany. Albania joined the following year.

Question 24

Why was Comecon established?

Answer 24

As a direct result of the Truman Doctrine/Marshall Plan. Stalin wanted communist states to keep their independence from the USA. Therefore, he stopped them from accepting Marshall Aid but needed to provide an alternative.

Question 25

How did Stalin use Comecon to keep the satellite nations under his control?

Answer 25

He used it to support economic development in its member states. At first, this was done by arranging credit and trade agreements between member countries. From 1953, the USSR used Comecon to organise industrial planning across all satellite states.

Question 26

How did Comecon’s industrial planning across the satellite states work?

Answer 26

Each state was given a Five Year Plan, nationalised industry and collectivised agriculture. Trade with the USA and Western Europe was discouraged in favour of trading with Comecon member states. For example, Bulgaria’s trade with other Comecon members rose from 10 per cent in the 1930s to over 90 percent by 1951.

Question 27

What consequences did the establishment of Cominform and Comecon have?

Answer 27

Despite the fact that Stalin set up these two organisations in response to the threat he saw in the Truman Doctrine/Marshall Plan, the establishment of Cominform and Comecon raised tensions further between the USA and USSR. This then contributed to the establishment of NATO in April 1949.

Question 28

Why was there tension between the Soviet Union and the Western Powers (Britain, France and the USA) over Germany?

Answer 28

Because Germany had been divided between them all at Potsdam and the Soviets disagreed with the others about how to deal with Germany after the war.

Question 29

What disagreements were there between the Grand Alliance members over the treatment of Germany after the war?

Answer 29

The Soviet Union wanted to take as much raw material back from Germany as possible to help rebuild the Soviet Union. However, the Western countries wanted to rebuild Germany’s economy.

Question 30

What was Bizonia and why was it established?

Answer 30

On 1 January, 1947 the USA and Britain joined their zones of Germany and Berlin together. This was partly because the USSR stopped fulfilling its agreements made in Potsdam to supply food to the other zones.

Question 31

What effects/consequences did the disagreements over Germany have for international relations?

Answer 31

In December, 1947, talks between the four countries broke down and the Soviets stormed out. In March 1948, France joined Bizonia to form Trizonia.

Question 32

How did Trizonia escalate the tension over Germany?

Answer 32

Trizonia meant that Germany and Berlin were now split into two parts: Western Trizonia and Eastern Soviet-controlled Germany. This made Stalin even more paranoid.

Question 33

What happened in June 1948 to bring the two sides to the brink of conflict?

Answer 33

The three Allies created a single currency, the Deutschmark, to give Trizonia economic unity. This made the Soviets furious for two reasons:

The new single currency created a separate economic unit from the East.

It acknowledged there were two Germanys: West and East

To Stalin, this was another example of the West ‘ganging up’ on the Soviet Union.

Question 34

Why did Stalin see Trizonia as another example of the West ‘ganging up’ on the Soviet Union?

Answer 34

Stalin saw the formation of Trizonia as a means of developing the three zones more effectively and deliberately forcing the Soviet zone into poverty.