Lecture 8: Europe divided the Cold War

Question 1

Theme from 1945:

Answer 1

• Marked the era of the superpowers – era of superpower competition between USA and USSR – represented different forms of organisation in society – extraordinary and disproportionate influence on the rest of the world, particularly in Europe – due to competition created a division in Europe: East and West
• A divided Europe – a theatre in which the Cold War is played out and Europe was at the front line of the conflict
• Explore European history through superpower prism

Question 2

Features of superpower conflict:

The Superpower relationship =

Answer 2

• Disproportionate influence – power dwarfed all other countries – USSR a superpower but still weakened by the war, the US grew stronger out of the war, particularly economically as the war helped the suffering economy after the great depression
• Anti-colonial – US gave money to Britain – used influence in an anti-colonial way - war vacuum – new world order – international order built around European colonialism yet there was now a vacuum as powers that had been previously strong were no longer – massive change to the international system – superpowers created the new order
• Ideological – beyond nationalism – absolute – US representative of capitalism, USSR representative of communism – powerful sense that only one ideology could prevail – disproportionate influence made this apparent – had to shape and rebuild society in Europe with one ideology – Europe became sight whereby competition of ideologies was apparent
• Total – comprehensive – systemic
• Nuclear – M.A.D. – mutually assured destruction – undermined and minimised prospect of conflict - proxy conflict – conflicts in other countries that would be by proxy – trying to establish ideology across different countries

Question 3

The Impact on Europe:

Answer 3

• Diminished status – no longer a leader – pre-war comparison
• Symbols – the Iron Curtain – The Berlin Wall
• Normalisation of the Divide – historical transformation – Germany divided – divide created by the war by the superpowers – divide of ideology between East and West – division accepted – division of society
• Loss of agency - how will Europe regain it? – lost sense of independency and identity – objective was to avoid war

Question 4

The Reconstruction Period: 1945-55

The creation of West

Answer 4

*Americanisation
o anti-communism (worried about the expansion of communism into their sphere e.g. Italy) and covert intervention (associations developed with Vatican and the Mafia, both of whom were sceptical and feared communism)
o proxy action evident as mobilisation of forces by Americans to resist threat of communism prevailing
*Economics
o Marshall Aid (programme of economic expansion to help reconstruction in Europe following the war – reorganise European economy – done in the service of defeating communism and created a market for American goods)
o economic imperialism -
*Politics
o social and Christian democracy and a new form of capitalism – broad political consensus, important to rehabilitate the Catholic Church, trying to avoid the totalitarian twins – fascism and communism
*Culture
o promoting the US way of life – Consumerism – America = prosperous in this period – idea was to develop culture of consumerism – promote American version of the good life, focussed on consumption
*Massive intervention in European life

Question 5

The Creation of East: Eastern Europe

Answer 5

*Sovietization 
o Creating a security barrier 
o Beyond the military 
*Single Party States
o All power in the party 
o Sympathetic to the USSR 
*Rapid industrialisation 
o Echoing Soviet model 
o Alienation and impoverishment 
*Totalitarianism
o Crushing resistance – not natural and what not have occurred unless the Soviet Union expressed their power

Question 6

The Economic Miracle Years: 1955-1970

Material and Cultural Transformation, West

Answer 6

Transformations: speed of transformation huge, rapid change in Europe throughout this period, growth of welfare state and people trusted governments again, cohesive society
*Prosperity
o	4% growth per capita per annum 
o	Across Western Europe 
o	Extend South to the Mediterranean
*Built Environment: 
o	Rural exodus 
o	Suburbia 
o	Security 
*Lifestyle
o	The consumer citizen 
o	American model of consumption 
o	Baby boomers 
*Workplace
o	Growth of

Question 7

The Economic Miracle Years: 1955-1970

Material and Cultural Transformation, East

Answer 7

*Modernisation
o	Different pathway 
o	Destalinization 
*Culture 
o	Democratisation 
o	Science – sport – music – theatre 
 *Politics 
o	Optimism – socialism is the future 
o	Repression – no dissent 
 *Structure 
o	Cominform 
o	Comecon

Question 8

Did the destruction lead to the revival of Europe?

Conclusion:

Answer 8

*The Record = West delivers on material progress, the East, less so
*The Irony = Capitalist state incorporates workers, workers state sacrifices them
*The Frustration = In the West: affluence is not enough; in the East, a cry for freedom
*Emancipation =
o From the past – war unthinkable
o From the superpowers – West regains confidence, East remains subservient