KQ4 - Who was to blame for the Cold War?

Question 1

Inherent differences between USA and USSR

Answer 1

1. USA was richest country, USSR was biggest country
2. USA was a democracy, USSR was a one-party state led by a dictator
3. USA advocated freedom of speech and press; USSR conducted purges, censorship, secret police and terror
4. USA=capitalism, USSR=communism
5. Both leaders suspected each other
6. USA wanted to rebuild Germany, USSR wanted to cripple Germany
7. USA feared the spread of communism-it joined B+F in attempt to overthrow communism in Russia in 1919 but failed. Remaining hostility. USSR despised USA for siding with white army in Russian revolution–bitterness
8. USA angry about Nazi-Soviet Pact. USSR angry that USA and Britain delayed opening the second front (attacking France) to let Germany and Russia destroy each other on the Eastern Front

Question 2

Agreements at Yalta Conference

Answer 2

1. Free and fair elections in Eastern Europe. For now, unsympathetic, neutral, emergency government set up until elections can be held. Eastern Europe=Soviet Sphere of influence
2. Germany (and Berlin) to be divided into 4 zones: British, French, America, Russian
3. Poland: only real disagreement. STalin wanted to expand eastwards in Poland, Poland could go east into Germany. USA and Britain gave in. Gov. of national unity set up–neither Lublin nor London
4. Stalin to join war against Japan after Germany has been defeated
5. They would join UN, permanent members of SC

Question 3

Failures of Yalta

Answer 3

1. Misinterpreted by the West, created false expectations. Expected Stalin to set up Western style governments in EE, not the case
2. Interpreted differently by Stalin-for USSR, democracy meant the USSR type democracy, where you can only vote for communist party
3. Issue of Poland still to be settled. GOv. can’t be sympathetic to Lublin and London

Question 4

Yalta in practice

Answer 4

Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov in charge of negotiating with American and British ambassadors. Talks were unsuccessful because Molotov refused to give equal share to London poles.

Question 5

Leaders at Yalta

Answer 5

Churchill, Stalin, Roosevelt

Question 6

Leaders at Potsdam

Answer 6

Attlee, Stalin, Truman

Question 7

Changes between Yalta and Potsdam

Answer 7

1. Roosevelt had died and been replaced by Truman who adopted a much more aggressive stance towards communism. Viewed Soviets as extremely hostile.
2. Stalin had control of most of EE, and elections were NOT free and fair. Lublin poles in charge of Poland despite previous agreement at Yalta.
3. Truman had acquired the atomic bomb and just tested it. he informed Stalin about it at the start of Potsdam.

Question 8

London and Lublin poles

Answer 8

1. London poles: anti-Soviet members of “polish gov. in exile” who fled to London during the war. Catholics, landowners, hated communists and stalin.
2. Lublin poles: in July 1944 USSR set up its own future gov. for Poland. Mostly communists and Stalin trusted them

Question 9

Agreements at Potsdam

Answer 9

1. agreed to abolish all Nazi influence in Germany
2. German reparations agreed. Each country to take reparations from its own area of occupation. SU to receive 10% of industrial equipment from Western Zones UNFAIR!!!
3. German-polish borders on rivers Oder and Neisse were finally agreed
4. germans living in Poland, hungary and cz would be sent back to Germany
5. german borders would be divided as agreed at yalta

Question 10

Disagreements at Potsdam

Answer 10

At Yalta, Stalin had promised a gov. of national unity, but by June, London poles were a minority. Stalin invited 16 non-communist leaders to Moscow and arrested them. Poland became entirely communist when the British and Americans “recognized” the majority of Lublin poles. Strengthened control in 1947 elections which were rigged. London Poles fled.

Question 11

Date of take-over of Romania and Bulgaria

Answer 11

Mid-1945

Nov 1945

Question 12

Describe takeover of Romania

Answer 12

1945 elections-communist led coalition gov. was set up.
Soviet politician threatened Romanian king to dismiss current PM and replace him with one chosen by Stalin. Abolished monarchy in 1947.

Question 13

Describe takeover of Bulgaria

Answer 13

rigged elections. communist led coalition but communists ditched. non-communists executed. monarchy abolished.

Question 14

describe takeover of Hungary

Answer 14

non-communists won elections in 1945. New elections were rigged, absolute comm gov was set up. Non-comm parties banned, opponents arrested and executed by communist secret police. catholic church attacked.

Question 15

Describe takeover of Czechoslovakia

Answer 15

1948
Coalition gov. by non-communist benes. Communist leader Gotwald got control of mass media and set up secret police force to arrest non-communists and murdered Masyrk-former non-communist PM.

Question 16

Tactics used by Stalin

Answer 16

salami tactics-divide and conquer

Question 17

Reasons for soviet expansion

Answer 17

1. Soviet security: SU had been invaded by Germany in 1914 and 1945 through Poland. Wanted control of Poland and EE as a buffer zone as if they were left independent, they would become anti SU
2. Wartime sacrifice: avoid repetition of extent of damage in ww2
3. Triumph of communism: communist soviets had beaten capitalist Germany–>proof that communism worked. They had the right.
4. US imperialism: believed that USA was creating its own form of world empire by buying up companies in other countries to try and get their sympathy. Stalin needed group of Soviet-friendly states to prevent spread of capitalism

Question 18

Long telegram

Answer 18

Feb 1946
John Kenan explained Soviet motives in a long telegram saying that it was determined to expand
it was the basis of the policy of containment

Question 19

What was the iron curtain (speech)

Answer 19

• iron curtain symbolized the growing divide between West and soviet-dominated East Europe
• it was the metaphor for the soviet takeover of Eastern Europe following Potsdam
• it showed the separation of free democratic states from communist dominated ones
• a denial of freedom and democracy

Churchill gave this speech in 1946 and most americans and british agreed with him. However, Stalin accused Churchill of being a warmonger.

Question 20

Case study: Greece

Answer 20

By 1947, Greece was one of the few countries who had not succumbed to communism.
Civil war: British supported the non-communists. However, their forces deteriorated quickly so they had to turn to the Americans
-Truman stepped in and declared that USA was no longer isolationst and would wholeheartedly defend any country under communist threat.
-developed into Truman doctrine

Question 21

what was the Truman doctrine?

Answer 21

• based on “containment”-stemmed from Long Telegram: USA would use its wealth and power to stop or contain the spread of communism
• rejected isolationism, would play a leading role in world politics
• initially the doctrine was applied in Europe and the middle East, but later spread throughout the world inc. Korea and Vietnam where it caused a war

Question 22

1947 Europe was no heaven

Answer 22

Economic downturn-crisis in Europe

• food shortages
• mass unemployment
• hostile weather
• in France in Italy, discontent led to rise in support for communist party.

Question 23

When was cominform formed and what was it?

Answer 23

Sep 1947–response to Truman doctrine
Regulated the work of the communists through annual briefings in Moscow. Aimed to ensure that communists obeyed soviet rule.

Question 24

When was the marshall plan?

Answer 24

March 1948

Question 25

What was the Marshall plan?

Answer 25

• stemmed from a belief that communism could be stopped if western Europe became wealthy
• usa have $17bn in economic aid to western Europe
• first the plan was rejected but when Czechoslovakia became communist, congress accepted it
• aid was in the form of food, grants and transport improvement
• plan was open to all European countries but stalin forbade members of cominform to accept it
• ->could be seen as dollar imperialism–>USA bribing European countries to become pro-America
• ->however, generally successful in reviving economies of europe

Question 26

What was comecon?

Answer 26

Jan 1949
Response to Marshall Plan
Trading organization of communist countries, but nowhere as near as successful as the marshall plan

Question 27

Significance of Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan

Answer 27

Made USA appear more powerful, portraying the communist ideology as weak, esp. when comecon wasn’t as successful was marshall aid. this escalated hatred for usa by ussr.

Question 28

when was the berlin blockade?

Answer 28

June 1948

Question 29

what was bizonia?

Answer 29

jan 1947: British and americans fused their zones in Germany to create bizonia–>beginning of establishment of west Germany

Question 30

what was trizonia?

Answer 30

mar 1948: between B. F and USA

Question 31

When was introduction of new currency?

Answer 31

June 1948

introduction of new currency in western’s area of control in Germany–>not used in soviet zone

Question 32

what was the berlin blockade?

Answer 32

when stalin cut off all rail and road links to West Berlin, cutting off the 2 million strong population of Berlin from Western aid

Question 33

Reasons for berlin blockade

Answer 33

1. Cold war already well underway. A chance for stalin to add one more city to his collection of soviet-friendly states, an addition to his iron-curtain, to depict his power in the face of USA
2. Germany had already been an ongoing concern since Yalta and Potsdam. while usa wanted to rebuild Germany, Stalin wanted to cripple Germany so it could never rise again and never attack it again like it did in 1914 and 1945
3. Bizonia and trizonia isolated Russia and appeared hostile. any sense of unity over Germany was demolished.
4. marshall aid was dollar imperialism, another form of propaganda and birbery
5. june 1948: introduction of new currency in bizonia and west berlin. even eastern European economies began to change to that currency which was stronger and was catalyzing economic recover in west Germany. stalin saw this as an attempt to wreck East Germany’s economy
6. Stalin thought USA wanted to reunite Germany and tried to force the allies to remove their troops from there

Question 34

what was the berlin airlift?

Answer 34

response to berlin blockade
allies airlifted supplies to berlin–determined to adhere to policy of containment. millions of germans saved from starvation
–>stalin saw this as another form of propaganda=a way of escalating the cold war
–eventually stalin had to remove the blockade by may 1949

Question 35

Consequences of the berlin blockade

Answer 35

1. Germany became split into West and East Germany. West Germany had its first elections in 1949 and an extremely anti-communist figure came into power–>threatened Stalin even further
2. Iron curtain became permanent
3. Cold war broke out into open confrontation and the two superpowers began an arms race
4. 1949: NATO was set up to establish a united front against communism. Much more than a promise of American help–it was a peacetime, military alliance willing to provide troops too if needed
5. Warsaw pact, 1955–soviet response to Nato

Question 36

How was USA to blame for cold war?

Answer 36

1. Truman didn’t warn stalin about his use of atomic bomb on japan
2. Truman doctrine was openly hostile to communism, much more than Roosevelt
3. Marshall plan was aimed at portraying Russian economy’s weakness and a form of dollar imperialism
4. berlin airlift was a form of propaganda intended at escalating war
5. iron curtain speech–>warmongering
6. NATo
7. Provoking Russia by implementing new currency, bizonia, trizonia

Question 37

How was USSR to blame for cold war?

Answer 37

1. . Fell back on agreements at Potsdam and Yalta–>no free and fair elections. instead progressively took over eastern Europe through hostile salami tactics (but also consider their motives)
2. berlin blockade–inhumane torture
3. cominform, comecon
4. warsaw pact

Question 38

Arguments put forth for who was to blame

Answer 38

1. Traditionalists: USSR was to blame
2. USA was to blame cuz USA didn’t tell Stalin about atomic bomb
3. neither: it was inevitable because of their inherent differences

Question 39

Why did the wartime unity of the allies break down in 1945-47?

Answer 39

1. USA and USSR did not trust each other due to opposing ideologies. Common enemies Germany and Japan had brought them together for the timebeing, but once defeated, mistrust was reignited
2. with the death of Roosevelt, a hardening of the US attitude towards the USSR was shown by president Truman, esp at Potsdam
3. Truman felt that Stalin had gone beyond agreement at Yalta and Potsdam, no free and fair elections in EE, London poles not given control in Poland
4. It was felt that stalin was ensuring that ussr was surrounded by soviet-friendly states–>manifested through iron curtain speech
5. when Truman made it known that he had tested an atomic bomb, increased mistruts, perhaps ignited arms race

Question 40

Why were western governments suspicious of the ussr in the period 1945 to feb 1948?

Answer 40

1. agreed at Yalta that free and fair elections would be held in eastern Europe, although it would be a soviet sphere of influence. by Potsdam in july, Romania and Bulgaria had rigged elections returning communist governments+lublin poles in control of poland
2. iron curtain speech showed views of western powers that soviets were setting up communist buffers. confirmed by further rigged elections in Poland in 1947.
3. soviet army remained in occupation of ee states until communist government had been confirmed

Question 41

Why was ee largely in the hands of USSR by 1946?

Answer 41

1. agreed at Yalta that EE was to be a soviet sphere of influence and that free and fair elections should be held there. soviets misinterpreted this as their own form of democracy…
2. by 1946, they had control of the Baltic states, finalnd, Poland, hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania–most of these countries had communist governments and they showed their loyalty to stalin
3. used notorious means such as arresting and executing opposition leaders, rigging elections etc.

Question 42

Why was marshall aid offered to countries in Europe/

Answer 42

1. stemmed from belief in Washington that reducing poverty in western Europe will lead to a fall in support for communism
2. Truman did not want to use military and soldiers, he wanted to attack misery and want
3. poor countries were vulnerable to communism
4. wanted to improve economies of other countries to rebuild their own trade–>dollar imperialism
5. Triggered by Greek civil war

Question 43

why was there continuing tension over berlin in the years 1945-49?

Answer 43

• by 1948, trizonia had been created–against Yalta
• by these actions, west berlin became a small island of capitalism and democracy surrounded by communism
• usa redeveloped west berlin, stalin thought this was a ploy to make him envious of benefits of capitalism
• allies introduced new currency in 1948
• stalin feared usa was gonna reunite Germany and wanted to force the allies to remove their troops from west berlin to stop such plans
• usa convinced the world that stalin was plotting to take over the whole of Germany and then the rest of Europe
• tension reached its climax when stalin blockaded west berlin

Question 44

Why did tensions between the USSR and the western allies increase after the Potsdam conference?

Answer 44

• during the conference, USSR emerged ever more powerful since the Yalta conference. He had used salami tactics to takeover much of eastern Europe such as Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, hungary and then later cz–this was against Yalta–>increasing suspicion
• when western allies asked for greater say over future of eastern Europe, stalin refused, so Truman took on a more “get tough attitude”
• Truman was highly suspicious of STalin’s motives. He was much less trusting than Roosevelt, who had relied on the theme of mutual cooperation to achieve his objectives. Stalin refused to reduce the size of the Red Army, the biggest in theworld. In Eastern Europe he believed the Soviet leader intended to set up USSR controlled buffer states.
• Stalin was annoyed by the USA as Truman did not tell Stalin that he was going to use the atomic bomb on Japan. This prompted Stalin to start developing his own one to prevent USA gaining a nuclear monopoly. This increased tensions as it made USA feel threatened
• They had disagreements about how to treat Germany. Allies wanted to rebuild Germany whereas stalin wanted to cripple Germany.
• decisions from Yalta were not adhered to e.g. Stalin was supposed to join war against Japan–this did not happen
• Churchill gave iron curtain speech in 1946, saying that there was a growing divide between independent free democratic states and communist controlled ones. He was accused as being a warmonger

Question 45

Which country had the more successful policies in Europe between 1945 and 1949–the USA or USSR?

Answer 45

USSR

• communist rule in eastern Europe, without the use of free elections, by abolishing non-communist rule, such as doing away with London Poles in Poland
• successful in countries like Bulgaria, Romania, hungary and later, Czechoslovakia, where communist gov. was set up
• not as successful in Yugoslavia as Tito used his own form of communism and in Greece where US aid opposed USSR influence
• stalin refused to allow soviet controlled nations to accept marshall aid so set up cominform and comecon to regulate the activities of communists, ensuring they were in line with soviet ideology. however, comecon wasn’t as successful as marshall aid, and displayed the weaknesses of communism

USA

• in the wake of west berlin being cut off from European supplies, USA participated in the berlin airlift, saving millions of people from starvation. This was in line with its policy of helping Germany to rebuild quickly to act as a buffer against communism
• responded to USSR’s takeover of EE with the Truman doctrine which showed the world that USA was willing to take a firm approach. Formed basis of foreign policy for many years to come.
• offered marshall aid to countries of Europe–killed 2 birds with one stone. Helped to water down communism in that area (poor areas were apparently more vulnerable to communism), as well as help their economies recover–dollar imperialism
• NATO-peacetime military alliance, designed to help members help each other if attacked by stalin

Question 46

It was the attitude of Truman and Churchill, not stalin, which started cold war?

Answer 46

Churchill and Truman

• Truman much more hostile than Roosevelt–firmer stance to eradicate communism. Threatened Stalin. Perhaps he wanted to reunite Germany, which was also opposed by Stalin, prompting him to blockade West Berlin
• Truman did not tell Stalin about the use of the atomic bomb on Japan. Went against Yalta–Stalin could not join war against Japan after Germany defeated. Escalated tensions as it made USSR feel threatened and encouraged it to develop its own bomb.
• Truman doctrine and marshall plan-USSR saw this as a threat
• Churchill gave iron curtain speech-accused of being a warmonger

Stalin

• following Yalta, fell back on several agreements. Elections in Eastern Europe were to be free and fair, instead he ruthlessly violated human rights by rigging elections, arresting and executing non-communist leaders indefinitely to gain power, imposing communism in EE. This obv. led Truman to feel threatened and suspicious of his further motives
• marhsall aid was offered to the entire Europe, but Stalin refused to let comecon countries to accept it as he thought that it was dollar imperialism.

Question 47

Only Stalin of the Allies achieved what he wanted after World War Two. Do you agree?

Answer 47

• stalin was able to largely dominate trhough communist influence in EE between 1945-48 e.g. Poland, cz, hungary, Bulgaria, Romania. Acted as a buffer zone against Germany threat as Germany had attacked Russia in 1914 and 1945 trhough EE
• wanted Lublin poles to be in control of Poland. This occurred in 1945
• although Truman was unable to contain communism in EE, he succeeded with Greece, at least. Marked the start of Truman Doctrine which was applied to many nations
• Berlin airlift
• Marhsall aid-2 birds with one stone

Question 48

The cold war began during the wartime conferences. Do you agree? ***

Answer 48

Yes:

• exposed underlying tensions between USA and USSR, although Yalta was seen as rather peaceful, in practice, it was interpreted differently by each leader and it created false expectations
• Potsdam: when Truman got hold of atomic bomb, he informed Stalin about its presence but made no mention about his intention to use it on Japan–>escalated tensions
• showed major disagreements about Germany-Allies wanted to rebuild (buffer against communism) but Stalin wanted to cripple-even the conferences only came up with temporary solution-split into 4 zones, but no consensus on how to treat Germany

No:

• Yalta was actually seen as a huge success during that time. A lot had been agreed upon such as united action against Germany, agreements about Japan, free and fair elections in EE-Soviet sphere of influence etc–only Poland was major disagreement. Although in hindsight, Stalin didn’t keep any of his promises, in that time, it was hugely peaceful settlement
• began much earlier, maybe during the communist revolution in Russia. Americans and British joined war against Red Army and lost. Remaining bitterness pit them against each other.
• There was already tension, but the fact that USA did not do much about their suspicions about Eastern Europe, showed that the war hadn’t started yet. Perhaps it started really only when Truman publicly announced his doctrine based around containment–>turning point, triggered arms race
• Can be argued that it started even later–only after NATO and Warsaw Pact after Berlin blockade did the war truly begin

Question 49

The Berlin Blockade brought Europe close to war. How far do you agree?

Answer 49

Yes

• tension since division of Berlin into zones of occupation-not very practical as western zones were surrounded by communist territory
• difference in opinion about how to treat Germany–cripple or rebuild?
• stalin cut off all access. If west tried to break blockade, stalin could have easily declared war. But did not give in. Flew in supplies.
• to further discourage Stalin, Americans stationed B29 bombers in Britain putting the Soviet Union within range of the atomic bomb
• NATO and Warsaw pact were formed after that–>wartime alliances were ready

No

• airlift brought ball back in stalin’s court. he hoped it would fail as shooting planes would mean war. in hindsight, the fact that he didn’t showed how willing he was to avoid war. after all, stalin had suffered the savages of ww2-not prepared to declare war
• the fact that the airlift occurred showed their passive stance
• staliln had tested the resolve of the West and failed
• 1948 was election year in usa so he might not have wanted a war (but could not appear to be docile)
• no, not berlin blockade, but rather stalin’s actions prior to that– i.e. his steady takeover of eastern Europe by notorious means
• no not berlin blockade but rather, marshall plan?

Question 50

The main reason for the escalation of the Cold War was the Berlin Blockade. How far?

Answer 50

Berlin blockade:

• western allies became increasingly frustrated that Soviets refused to rebuild Germany economically, so decided to implement new currency in their zone to speed up economic recovery. This threatened the USSR, leading them to think that allies wanted to reunite Germany, so they blockaded it. West defeated this by flying in supplies–stalin backed down. West saw this as a victory, but consequences were dire.
• on a high point. if west tried to break the blockade, it could cause war. sensitive issue, because thousands of people were being starved.
• consequences: cold war developed into a hot war, with each side starting an arms race, on the contrary to limiting weaponry…Germany was divided permanently into West Germany and East Germany. West Germany elected very anti-communist leader–wanted to link W Germany with USA–>threatened stalin. NATO and Warsaw pact established

Other reasons

• Stalin’s takeover of EE
• Truman doctrine was outrightly hostile towards communism–>escalated tension as threatened Stalin
• Marhsall plan was dollar imperialism, made stalin feel vulnerable and felt it was a ploy to make him jealous of capitalist ideas–>increasing divide between East and West Europe, esp. due to Comecon refusing aid
• formation of NATO was direct challenge to communism. (BUT WASN’T THIS A RESULT OF THE BERLIN BLOCKADE?)
• consider reasons for berlin blockade–not the blockade itself, but motives behind it e.g. implementation of new currency and trizonia/.bizonia provoked them