early developments in the cold war, 1945-1949 Flashcards
4 reasons for soviet expansion into eastern europe
- the war was a triumph for stalin and thus for communism
soviet leaders felt USSR had made the biggest contribution to the war and USSR defeating Germany symbolized communism defeating capitalism.
they thus believed that they had the right to shape Germany’s future, gave a new sense of confidence and determination to soviet government.
- did not want to repeat the soviet level of sacrifice and thus wanted to use eastern europe as a buffer zone
both times russia had been attacked it had been through poland, so to stop a repeat of this stalin was determined to seize control of poland and other eastern european countries. before the war these had been governed by right-wing anti - communist parties to it seemed likely that were these countries to become independent the would become anti soviet
- us imperisalsim
stalin was convinced that american businesses were planning to spread their power and increase profits by buying up companies in other countries and selling american goods - thus creating an economic empire - coca colonization - dollar imperialism
american troops would not need to conquer lands instead capitalism would
as communist they wanted to avoid this and thus to stop american business form dominating the world they wanted to set up a group of communist friendly countries
5 methods of creating puppet states/satellite states in eastern Europe/ gaining control of eastern Europe
- force and excution of opponents
- bulgaria - leaders of other parties executed
- hunagry - imprisoned opposition and attacked church leaders - banning of opposition parties / monarchy
- Czechoslovakia - 1948 other parties are banned
- Poland - non-communist leaders forced into exile - red army staying in place and taking control
- east Germany - run by the red army until creation of FDR - communist immediately gain power after war with no/little opposition
- Albania - lack of resistance / support from local population - rigging elections/electoral malpractice/intimidation
- lots of elections in many countries e.g. poland, bulgaria, czechoslovakia
opponents of communism in eastern europe or people who ,might oppose at a later date were sent to gulags
iron curtain speech - quotes + what are the main concerns voice
‘an iron cutain has descended acorss teh continent’
‘there is no true democracy’
‘not the liberated europe we fought to build’
‘increasing measure of control form moscow’
worries
- increasing Russian control of Eastern Europe, how shut off eastern Europe is, influence e.g. soviet sphere of influence
- communism spreading through eastern Europe , repeat of nazi control
- aim of ww2 was not completed - as there is no democracy Europe is not free, there is no permanent peace
- worried that the longer action is delayed the strong control will get
speech given in Fulton Missouri so a message to Truman in march 1946
what happened in Greece in the late 1940s?
after the germans retreated from Greece in 1944 a civil war began between the monarchists and the communists.
the uk sent troops to help restore order and to hold free elections but basically pu the king in charge.
the ussr communist troops were sent to try to take over Greece and Britain could no longer afford troops so the use, being determined that communism should not spread, provided funds to keep British soldiers there.
they propped up a monarchy in Greece and prevented a communist take over by 1950s the the royalists had a weak control of Greece.
what is containment
the American policy from 1947 that it would get involved to prevent the further spread of communism and the ussr’s influence.
some thought that containment would mean should mean that if the Soviet Union expanded beyond a certain point it would met with military forces
what was the Truman doctrine
idea that America will provide aid, money, advice, equipment to countries at risk from communism and the ussr.
Truman believe that communism thrives in conditions of want and misery so the usa should intervene to stop these conditions developing.
why was Marshall aid introduced?
due to containment and the Truman doctrine George Marshall was sent to eureop to asses the situation.
he found a Europe with a ruined economy that owed 15 billion to the usa. there were also extreme shortages and rationing.
Marshall suggested that the usa fund Europe with 17billion to rebuild and help thus preventing communism.
however congress denied
but when the communist took over Czechoslovakia in 1948 by a purge and a pro American minister jan Masaryk was found dead ( he ashy ‘jumped’) congress accepted the marshal plan and made the 17 billion available over a period of 3 years
what were the 4 aims of Marshall aid?
- preventing the spread of communism
- coca-colonisation, producing new market form American goods
- weaken communisms grip on Europe
- trying to control states by making them dependant on the dollar.
(17) who received Marshall aid?
- Austria
- belgium
- denmark
- france
- greece
- iceland
- ireland
- italy
- luxembourg
- the netherlands
- norway
- portugal
- sweden
- switzerland
- turkey
- United Kingdom (over 1/4)
- west germany
was aid offered to the east?
aid was offered to the east but under the condition that the usa could look through the countries finances.
Stalin put a lot of pressure on these countries to refuse aid as he viewed Marshall aid as a western plot to get rid of communism (which it kinda was) - worried about dollars imperialism
why did Stalin hate Marshall aid (3) ?
- felt it was weakening his control of Eastern Europe
- felt it was an example of coca-colanisation/dollar imperialism
- thought it weakens the role of the un to present the usa as the protector of the world
3 effects of the Truman doctrine and Marshall aid
- any remains belief that there was still a grand alliance was gone - usa and ussr in direct competition, the next 50 years would be spent by each side trying to win diplomatic and political victories over he other
- stalin suspicious of the west - thinks usa is trying to destroy Soviet Union
- Europe divided into two economic and political camps through tying western countries in to support the usa
what was Stalin’s retaliation to Marshall aid?
the creation of
cominform 1947 ( the communist information bureau ) an association of communist parties from a ll over Europe. gave stalin a way of directing and controlling g the governments of satellite states. spread propaganda, rejected Marshall plan, ensured the loyalty of eastern European states
comecon 1949
stalin did not allow satellite states to accept Marshall aid as he did not want them to become reliant on the usa. he thus created his own alternative - come-on. an aid package based on communist beliefs. it was in direct competition with marashall aid as it supported its members economically and discourage trade with the west. however Comecon was not as successful as Marshall aid ad the ussr simply has fewer funds.
5 long term causes of the Berlin blockade
- the division of Germany and Berlin at the Potsdam conference for administration
- Berlin was in the soviet zone and only approachable though road , rail and Ari link form west germany.
- allies had diferent aims regarding post war germany
- post war economic recovery was variable because allied development of zones due to investment vs reparations taken in eastern zone, an embarrassment for communism
- many east Berliners/germans fled to the west through Berlin, thus Berlin was a weak point in soviet security
3 aims of soviet blackade
- stalin worried that prosperous west germany would be a threat to soviet security and the embarassemnt of having a successful capitalist enclave next to a struggling communist country. wanted to stop West Berlin being used as an escape route by people fleeing communism
- wanted to force western allies to pull out of their sector by staving west Berlin into surrender
- wanted to force western allies to abandon plans for separate development of their zones
