COLD WAR 1946-55 Flashcards
Iron curtain speech
when
content
effect
reactions
importance
when: March 1946 Fulton, Missouri
content: ‘iron curtain has descended across the continent’
‘indefinite expansion of its power and doctrines’ (USSR)
Europe firmly divided and USSR in control of Eastern Europe with a hope to expand its powers and doctrine of communism
effect: ‘the Iron Curtain Coutries’ used to describe the Soviet bloc
spurred US policy of opposition to spread of communism
reactions: Stalin argued they had the right to take measures to ensure their own security afetr losing so many in the war and they only had peaceful ambitions
many in US thought speech was irresponsible and Truman didn’t initially signify approval
importance: much less important in determining US policy than views of foriegn policy experts like Kennan (feb 1946) who warned in his telegram of Russian ambitions for expansion and need to oppose this
did more to confirm changing views than create them and harden anti-russian sentiment and equally strong rhetoric in Russia
content flawed as ‘indefinite expansion’ but Stalin hadn’t interveneed in Greece
elements of soviet domination
salami tactics by allowing coalition then slicing out non-communist parties
elections controlled by violence and intimidation
control of army and police and media to release propaganda
opposition leaders arrested or murdered
result? suspicion of Russian ambitions in eastern europe led to counter-measures in form of truman doctrine which led to greater control imposed by russia
Truman Doctrine
when
what
why
results
12th march 1947 appealed to congress for political, military and economic assistance to nations under threat from communism
initially asked for $400 million for greece and turkey
seen as official declaration of the cold war
why? could no longer rely on Britain for support and clear stalin wasn’t keeping to agreement made at yalta about elections in Eastern Europe (Declaration of Liberated Europe) so needed to protect other countries
results? policy confirmed emergence of mutually hostile blocks
under this that Marshall Aid began
US committed to active foreign policy
stalin reacted by introducing Cominform, Comecon, approving takeover of Czechoslovakia and Berlin Blockade
Marshall Plan
when
what
why
results
applied principle of truman doctrine by deciding to send $13 billion to aid european countries in June 1947 in their fight against communism
stalin forbade the soviet dominated nations from attending a meeting in Paris so they were unable to receive Marshall Aid
results? strengthened hostility of Communist block as saw US attempting to use ‘dollar diplomacy’ (econommic power to improve relations and trade with US) e.g aid went to 17 countries but mainly UK and West Germany who weren’t in danger of becoming communist AND most of monetry aid used to purchase goods and raw materials from US
supported reindustrialisation of West Germany which contributed to stability and success (trigger of Berlin Blockade as introdcution of successful currency)
stalin called conference in Poland of all european communist parties out of which emerged Cominform in 1947 and later Comecon in 1949 (forced stalin into solidifying division between east and west by forming them)
Cominform
reason for creation
aims
significance
when abolished
why? stalin forbade Communist bloc from accepting aid from US and instead called a conference in Poland of all european communist parties out of which emerged the Cominform in September 1947
propaganda to prevent any communist party being lured by ‘dollar diplomacy’ and undermine truman doctrine and marshall plan in france and italy
promoted solidarity in Communist bloc
significance? emphasised moscow’s control of information and ideology which led to anti-communit resolve by US
abolished in 1956
Comecon
why
when
what
significance
why? provide economic assistance to combat Marshall Aid (building upon principles of Cominform as preventing ‘dollar diplomacy’)
when? 1949
what?provided direct economic aid to eastern europe as stalin (like US) saw link between economic prosperity and political stability and didn’t want need for imports from outside bloc
significance? divided europe into 2 competing economic blocs
East Germany joined in 1950
increasing divisions in germany before berlin blockade
Bizonia created in jan 1947
1948 bizonia ceased reparations and began reindustrialising germany (USSR still imposing heavy reparations)
USSR had ensured a left-wing coalition victory in 1946 elections ensuring communist domination
june 1948 Deutschmark introduced without consulting USSR and they responded by introducing the Ostmark (D mark 7:1)
Berlin Blockade
when
why
what
23 June 1948 stalin blocked all transport links into West Berlin and cut off its electricity as wanted to prevent creation of West German state
retalitation to the introduction of the Deutschmark which had come about due to decision to idustrialise West Germany as part of Marshall Plan in 1948
on the 26 june 1948 the US began an airlift of supplies to western berlin sending 2000 tons per day and by February 1949 had increaed to 8000 tons
blockade and airlift ended in may 1949
significance? could have resulted in nuclear war as first direct clash in the cold war and foreshadowed future conflict in berlin
FRG formed in may 1949 and GDR in October 1949 marking official separartion of germany. official division which led to berlin wall as West again refused to ‘unify’ germany
france joined bizonia to form trizonia in april 1949
formation of the FRG and GDR
and consequences on berlin
and results
FRG formed in may 1949
Adenauer became chancellor in August 1949
GDR formed in October 1949 with some reluctance by stalin as wanted German unity especially as West contained richer and more industrial part of Germany (including Ruhr)
elections only offered candidates from SED so became a one-party state heavily controlled by security
Berlin:
dislike of SED led to establishment of West Berlin government and elected assembly in November 1948
East Berlin became capital of new GDR
results:
Stalin remained uncommitted to indepepndent East Germany even up until 1952 when he offered reunification in return for a neutral Germany
East Germany one of the most closely controlled of all the satellite states and deeply impoverished
West Germany and West Berlin was a model of capitalist success
unification becoming increasingly unlikely
NATO
North Atlantic Treaty signed on 4th April 1949
expansion of the Brussels Pact of 1948 to include the US
promised mutual defence against an aggressor (USSR)
growth of NATO from 1950 onwards as USSR had dveleoped atomic weapons in September 1949, Communists took power in China in 1949 and in 1950North Korea invaded non-communist south (NATO countries joined Korean war)
1952 Lisbon Conference set up permanenet HQ in Paris and defence planning further expanded
may 1955 FRG joined NATO (led to Warsaw Pact)
Warsaw Pact
why
what
sigificance
formed in response to joining of FRG into NATO in may 1955 (created in the same month)
assistance in event of attack on any member country(military acomplirnent to Comecon)
more a political than defensive move as promised to dissolve if Germany became neutral
significance? divided europe into armed camps but Europe divided anyway as USSR already controlled defence and foreign policies of satellites
however it did mean that suppression of discontent would be by all members of the Warsaw Pact rrather than by the USSRr alone e.g in prague
GDR signed in 1956
atomic weapons
atomic bomb
H bomb
espionage
Massive Retaliation
Mutually Assured Destruction
effects
16th july 1945 US successfully tested an atomic weapon and one month later destroyed the japanese cities of hiroshima and nagasaki
secrets not shared with Stalin who developed atmoic weapons in spetember 1949
US developed hydrogen bomb in 1954 which was equivalent of 10 million tons of TNT (Hiroshima was 12 500 tons)
russian had equivalet in 1955
espionage which helped the russians develop atomic weapon increased tensions and suspicions of Communism which were heightened by the execution of the Rosenbergs in 1953 and the ensuing anti-communist hysteria stirred up by senator McCarthy
January 1954 secretary of state Dulles proclaimed doctrine of Massive Retaliation promising the use of nuclear weapons in the event of an attack
increased tensions and endangered peace
Berlin uprising
June 1953
causes: measures announced at 2nd Party Conference (July 1952) including raising work norms (quotas and production levels) and collectivisation of agriculture
party admits series of mistakes after introduction of new course, work norms still not rescinded
events:construction workers march and call for lowering of work norms and free elections
general strike on 17th June demanding for withdrawal of norms, reduced cost of living, free elctions and resignation of govn
soviet tanks brought in to restore law and order and 1000s killed injured and arrested
consequences: Stasi built up
reason to build berlin wall on 13th august 1961
members of SED placed responsibility of strike on american culture influencing german youth
first of several troubles USSR faced in their eastern bloc countries
Khrushchev’s policy of peaceful coexistence
1953
improved relations with west and economic modernisation
improvements: destalinisation (secret speechin 1956), patched up argument with Mao’s china, geneva conference sought to end cold war, Austrain state treaty, visited usa in 1959
aggressive: Warsaw pact in 1955 to put soviets in charge of armed forces, Hungarian uprising, soviets shot down U2 spy plane, berlin wall, cuba
reasons for growth of tensions between 1946-49
germany:
berlin blockade and official divide by formation of FRG and GDR which Russia aimed to avoid and issue over which Berlin Wall built
reindustrialisation pitted model of capitalist success against impoverished east
US policy:
truman doctrine start to cold war as following active foreign policy against expansion of communism
marhsall aid shown to be tension causing due to immidiate creation of cominform and later Comecon
NATO
including arms race
Soviet expansion:
iron curtain speech and Kennan’s Long Telgrem which triggered continment policy
actions of revenge and against Declaration of Eastern Europe
Poland 16 non-cmmunists arrested and 47 000 arrested anti-communists and coup to overthrow king in place of communist government in romania
SOVIET EXPANSION TRIGGERED FOREIGN POLICY WHICH TRIGGERED GERMANY
