Emergence of the cold war Flashcards
Emergence introduction
In September 1945 Japan surrendered unconditionally, ending the second world war. However , it also marked the start of the cold war.
The cold war was a period of political, economic and military tension between the USA and the USSR and their allies that emerged after the end of the Second World War which lasted until 1989.
There are many factors causing the emergence of the cold war including Ideological differences, tension within the wartime alliance, the arms race.
This essay will argue that the most important reason for the emergence of the cold war was not (Isolated factor) but instead ideological differences.
Ideological differences emergence
KU:
The USA was a multi party democracy that supported a free market economy. Whereas the USSR advocated the communist system of a single party state with a state run economy where entrepreneurship was illegal.
After the Second World War the US wanted to see the establishment of democracies across Europe. In contrast the USSR wanted to see the spread of communist regimes across Eastern Europe to create a “buffer zone” to protect against potential aggression in the future.
In 1947 the USA instituted Marshall Aid which aimed to support capitalist democracies whereas the USSR countered with Comecon in 1949 that was designed to support the Eastern Bloc’s economies.
In the aftermath of the Second World War the USA adopted the Truman Doctrine in 1947 which promised American support to nations fighting against outside intervention i.e. communism. Whereas in 1947 the USSR developed Cominform to coordinate the actions of communist parties across the Eastern Bloc.
Analysis: This potentially led to the emergence of the Cold War in the years up to 1955 because it had become quite clear that the two sides would never be able to agree with one another and work in harmony as their ideologies were so different.
Developed analysis: However, this could be disputed because the two sides proved that they were capable of settling their differences aside and working together against a mutual enemy, i.e. Nazi Germany in WWII, revealing that the one thing they did have in common was a desire for peace. Therefore, this may well not be a cause of the emergence of the cold war.
Tensions within the wartime alliance emergence
KU:
Stalin saw the British policy of appeasement towards Hitler as being cowardly and also feared that it would leave Russia isolated to fight Germany alone. He was already suspicious.
Stalin’s non aggression pact with Hitler in 1939 was in turn seen with great suspicion by the allies.
In the wartime alliance since 1941, Stalin was angered by his allies as he felt they were intentionally giving him minimal fighting support in Russia’s land war against Hitler.
The western allies and Stalin both had different plans for the control of Europe after they had defeated Hitler. The allies (Britain and America) wanted to Westernize most of Europe with a series of democracies, possessing free economies. On the other hand, Stalin wanted to convert Eastern Europe into a series of single party, pro Soviet communist states who could protect Russia should they be attacked. For example in 1945, after the Russians had driven the Nazis out of Poland they imposed a communist government there, angering the allies.
Analysis: This potentially led to the emergence of the Cold War in the years up to 1955 because any pre-existing suspicion or tension was only increased during the wartime alliance.
Developed analysis: However, some would disagree because at the Yalta conference, a few months before the end of the war, Britain, America and the USSR all cooperated with each other and came to agreements over the division of future Germany, while the Soviet Union agreed to ally with America to defeat Japan. Therefore this may not have led to the emergence of the Cold War as the powers of East and West initially came out of the war with more understanding of each other.
The arms race emergence
KU:
America’s dropping of two atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima formed the origin of the arms race. This well and truly ended the war but at the same time was designed to demonstrate America’s military advancement and dominance to the increasingly aggressive Soviet Union.
Stalin had spies who were recording information on the development of America’s nuclear bombs and therefore he knew that President Truman had planned to keep it a secret from him. Truman never told stalin about their atomic bombs at the potsdam conference
By 1949 the Soviet Union responded by testing their first atomic bomb.
The USA developed a hydrogen bomb by 1952.
By 1953 the Soviet Union possessed a hydrogen bomb of their own.
Between 1950 and 1962, America had increased their stockpile of atomic weapons from 298 to a colossal 27,100.
The reason behind America’s rapid inflation of atomic weapons was to silence the soviet union and show that America was both militarily and ideologically superior. It also gave America a means of competing with the extraordinary man power of the Red Army. They now had the capability to entirely annihilate the Soviet Union should they attack them.
Analysis: This potentially led to the emergence of the Cold War in the years up to 1955 because both sides were very much aware that the other was stockpiling nuclear weapons that could be used to completely wipe eachother out. The mutual knowledge that each side was very much prepared to kill the other can only have worsened the already existing tension between the two powers.
Developed analysis: However, some would disagree because the weapons were acquired on both sides as a means of deterrence rather than an instigator of armed conflict so really did both sides a favour in terms of keeping peace and preventing a repeat of WWII. This potentially didn’t cause the Cold War to emerge if there was a mutual understanding that all each side wanted was a means of protecting themselves.
Conclusion emergence
In conclusion the most important reason for the emergence of the cold war up to 1955 was not the arms race but ideological differences.
Even though the arms race did increase tension due to the threat of nuclear annihilation It is not as important a reason for the emergence of the cold war up to 1955 as ideological differences because the 2 powers only stockpiled weapons in response to the tension that existed due to ideological differences.
Even though Disagreements within the wartime alliance increased distrust between the 2 superpowers It is not as important a reason for the emergence of the cold war up to 1955 as Disagreements within the wartime alliance because the they had remained allies throughout the war working together at yalta but tension only emerged because of the competing ideologies.
In conclusion the most important reason for the emergence of the cold war between 1945 and 1961 was not the arms race but ideological differences. This is because the USA and USSR were brought into conflict time and time again due to their inherently opposed visions for the future of the world which is what drove tensions and caused the cold war to emerge.
