Fluctuating Relations Essay

Question 1

Long Telegram

Answer 1

Origin to the idea of Containment (by George Kennen)
– The Soviet’s believed that the West is a threat because of ideology and the fear of invasion and therefore will never have peaceful coexistence with America and her allies

Question 2

Article X

Answer 2

An article published by George Kennen under the alias X

– Held the same ideas as the Long Telegram

Question 3

Truman Doctrine

Answer 3

America’s policy of containment made official

• • Democratic countries would be actively supported by the US to prevent communist threats
    
    • -> Prevent the ‘misery and want’ that provide the preconditions for totalitarian takeover (totalitarianism can’t hold in prosperous countries)

Question 4

Marshall Plan (Implementation)

Answer 4

• Used to help assist the economic reconstruction of Europe
• The US were anxious for economic reconstruction in Europe to keep their economy thriving
• ‘Misery and want’ created the conditions for totalitarianism taking control, economic prosperity vital to prevent this
• They formed the European Recovery Program –> nothing less than the reconstruction of Europe

Question 5

Marshall Plan (Statistics)

Answer 5

• US gave $13 billion (approx. $130 billion today)
• In operation for 4 years starting April 1947
• UK received 26%, France 18%, West Germany 11%

Question 6

Marshall Plan (Impact)

Answer 6

• By providing money to restore the Western European’s government they were preventing the spread of communism throughout Europe and the spreading of the USSR’s power
• The beginning of the implementation of the US’s policy of containment that remained throughout the majority of the Cold War

Question 7

Berlin Blockade (Implementation)

Answer 7

• The West had changed the currency in West Germany and West Berlin because the Soviets had been trying to cause inflation by printing large amounts of Germany money
• The USSR responded by blocking the West’s entrance into West Berlin
• The West has 3 options
  + Leave West Berlin (indicate weakness, and encourage further expansionist measures)
  + Use military force (lead to war, Soviets had 10:1 land superiority)
  + Launch an airlift (designed corridors already agreed upon)

Question 8

Berlin Blockade (Impact)

Answer 8

• It was successful
• Planes left West Germany for West Berlin every 30 seconds
• A total of nearly 2.5 million tonnes flown in
• Stalin ended the blockade as the West had shown their determination
• The more the airlift went on the more embarrassing it was for Stalin and made the West more determined to form a democratic West Germany
• Federal Republic of Germany was formed 23 May 1949

Question 9

Cuban Missile Crisis (Implementation)

Answer 9

• The most important event of the Cold War as it was the closest that the US and USSR can to nuclear war
• The USSR has been supplying Cuba with missiles to defend themselves from a possible US invasion after they became communist
• The US discovered this and created a blockade that would prevent the USSR from entering or leaving Cuba
• Khrushchev sent a letter to Kennedy offering to remove the missiles if the US removed the blockade and didn’t invade Cuba
• Eventually they agreed that the USSR would remove the missiles from Cuba and after the US would remove their missiles in Turkey secretly

Question 10

Cuban Missile Crisis (Impact)

Answer 10

• The Hot Line = an automatic hotline was formed between the Whitehouse and the Kremlin to prevent incidents like that happening again
• Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty = bans atmospheric testing
• JFK’s ‘Peace Speech’ = to encourage that the two sides move towards peace and ‘detente’