Chapter 7: Reasons for Cold War Flashcards
Ideological difference
EX
Both USA and USSR had different political, social and economic systems and thus have different visions of the world.
USA(democracy):
To ensure political self-determination where people have the freedom to choose the form of government for themselves, creating and sustaining social, economic and cultural conditions. This creates a world where there are individual rights over areas such as property and profits (capitalism), freedom of expressions.
USSR(communism):
To incite world revolution and destroy capitalism through world-wide class struggle. This is to create a world where all people are equal - equal sharing of means of production.
Both USA and USSR had different systems:
USA:
-Political: democratic, which means they are able to choose their own leaders through free and fair elections. They are governed by usually two or more political parties. The government comprises or representatives elected by the people.
-Economic: Capitalist, which means that there is free market economy. The individuals and companies are free to develop, have control over resource and means of production.
USSR:
-Political: Authoritarian government, where there is only one political party, the Communist Party. They have absolute power as it is centralised in the hands of the Communist government. The people are not allowed to choose their own leader.
-Economic: Planned or command economy. The state controls and decides on what to grow, how much to grow and how much to sell. Profits were used for the good of all.
A
Having two different political systems meant that each side was suspicious of the other. Ea.ch believed that their system was more superior than the other. Being fundamentally different in their beliefs, they see each other as threats. Leading to the tension in their relationship and causing Cold War
History of distrust containment
Ex
Russian Civil War:
The Russian Civil War was between the communists (the Reds) and multiparty groups formed by the monarchists, capitalists and the social democrats (the White).
Other western European nations and the Americans sent supplied and troops to support the Whites.
A
Communist Russia saw the actions by the Western European nations and the USA as evidence that they would not allow the communist to pervade in Russia as well as spread to the rest in the world. Hence, they would naturally view any actions by them with suspicion. This strained the relationship between the parties.
Ex
Munich Agreement: Britain and France met with Germany and Italy over the discussion about Czechoslovakia. Stalin was not invited for this meeting Britain and France practiced the Policy of Appeasement and gave in to Hitler’s demands about Sudentenland.
A
Stalin felt that Britain and France gave in to Hitler because they rather had a strong Germany to counter Russia. He viewed their actions as a threat to encourage Germany to weaken Russia.
Ex
Stalin’s offer of alliance:
Stalin approached Britain and France to form alliance against Hitler before outbreak of WWII. However, this was rejected by them.
A
To Stalin, Britain and France’s action showed that they were not fully committed to confronting the growing threat of Nazi Germany.
Ex
Nazi-Soviet Pact:
USSR was not ready for war with Germany. Without strong allies, USSR could be under German threat as Hitler had a strong anti-communist stand. To buy time for USSR, Stalin signed a pact with Germany and promised not to attack each other. The Nazi-Soviet Pact removed Hitler’s worry of a two-front war. It emboldened Hitler to attack Poland, leading to WWII.
A
Britain and France saw Stalin’s pact with Hitler (and his actions to crate his sphere of influence in Eastern Europe) as a sign that he was unreliable and a threat to peace in Europe. This deepened the distrust between the 2 parties. At the end of WW2, without a common enemy, the history of distrust strained their relationship and outbreak of Cold War.
Truman Doctrine: March 1947
Ex
Truman Doctrine was to protect USA’s sphere of influence. It was for USA to help other democratic countries threatened by communism. It was necessary to limit the aggression ambitions of the Soviet Union.
USSR saw this policy as an American declaration of war upon Communist Russia. They also saw this as USA actively creating its own sphere of influence in Europe.
A
This increases the mistrust between USA and USSR which will lead to the increase of tensions between them. Hence, this will worsen the relations between this countries and led to cold war between them.
Marshall Plan : 3 April 1948
Ex
Marshall Plan is to purpose that USA provide economic assistance to restore the economic infrastructure of post-war Europe.
Stalin refused to accept the American aid and prevented its satellite states to receive it.
A
-It halted the spread of communism
- division of Europe
-the recovery of western Europe
Cominform( Communist Information Bureau) : Sep 1947
Ex
- spread the communist propaganda and co-ordinate the activities of member communist parties.
A
-Divided Europe into two competing blocs
- American sphere of influence under Marshall Plan and Soviet sphere of influence COMECON.
-Both USA and USSR tightened their own control over their own sphere of influence.
-Europe was increasingly becoming bipolar
- divided along political and economic lines.
