Reasons for Cold War Flashcards
Tensions after ww2 due to USSRs actions
- Red army began influencing post-war elections in EE by intimidating voters and changing voting lists
-govt formed were largely dominated by the communists as the non-communists were often discredit and sent to jail - Stalin used Salami tactics tht led to communist govt being set up in Poland , Hungary , Romania, Bulgaria and Czechoslovakia by 1948
- During yalta and potsdam conference it was agreed that Poland will have free elections but stalin violated the agreement and non-commmunist leaders were arrested and a communist govt was set up
A: increased suspicion as neither side agreed with the others actions as Stalin regarded this as a defensive measures against the West encroaching to the East but USA took it as an act of aggression and expansionist
Tensions after ww2 due to disagreements over germany
- In the Potsdam conference the world powers decided to divide germany into 4 zones with Berlin , Germany’s capital to also be split amongst France , Britain , US and USSR
-Stalins aim was to destroy germany as he feared a strong germany will remilitarise to attack the USSR like in ww2 and USSR needed reparations to rebuild its economy - US aim was to help Germany’s economy prosper to curb the spread of communism as poorer states are more likely to resort to communism
A: each wanted to achieve own goals and hence increased tensions between them with the differing political opinions
Churchill Iron curtain speech
- he condemned USSR policies by taking away rights of people to choose own government
-saw that an Iron curtain had descended upon europe dividing it into the communist bloc and capitalist bloc - he was warning of everyone of the expansion of communist sphere of influence in europe
A :
- USA saw need to use force against expansion of USSR to protect democracy of europe
-Stalin denounced west of starting a war and justified his actions by saying they were defensive measures against future attacks
> Mistrust and increased tensions
Kennan’s long telegram
- George Kennan’s long telegram in 1946 perceived the Ussr as seeing the outside world as hostile and needed to create its own sphere of influence in EE
- Prompted the US to stop adopting the isolationist role it has been playng and start to be more active in world affairs to stop the expansion of communism beyond the USSR
- Means that the west saw Ussr as expansionist and was trying to spread communism throughout the world
- USSR saw the US as aggressors and wanted to increase its SOI in europe for its own safety
A : distrust led to tensions and this worsened relations between the powers
Truman Doctrine
- Truman doctrine saw the US help other democratic countries threatened by communism
- did this to prevent spread of communism beyond its borders and is known as the policy of containment
- Greek and Turkish govt was threatened to be overthrown by commie guerillas and needed financial and military aid
- Truman followed his speech by giving massive aid to Greece and Turkey and by 1949 they were able to defeat the communists
A : USSR saw it as a declaration of war against them and saw them as expanding their SOI. Containment necessary to protect democracy and freedom
hence led to mistrust and tensions
Marshall Plan
- Provide more than $15b to rebuild west european cities , industries and infrastructure damaged in ww2
- rebuild economy of europe allows US to trade with others and check the spread of communism
- Aid distributed to 16 countries like Br Fr Bel Neth WestGerm and Norw
- Stalin refused aid
A :
stalin labelled it as american dollar imperialism and creating a capitalist SOI in europe
west saw it as necessary to help europe recover so they dont go into famine and collapse
hence further divided europe into 2 blocs
Cominform
- set up to spread comm propaganda and co-ordinate activities of members against west
-members had to implement soviet comm and trade only with cominform members
-contact with west was discouraged
A:
- US saw it as USSR attempt to tighten control over their SOI
- USSR saw it as necessaries to come together to struggle against anglo american imperialism
- divided europe politically , more bipolar
Comecon
- to xchange econ exp , extend technical help and provide help with raw materials , food and equipment
- profitted mainly USSR who forced members to sell their resources at low rates for soviet oil
A :
- Stalin saw comecon as an org to encourage trade and coord econ policies
- USA saw USSR as tightening control over SOI
- divide eu econ as west has marshall plan but soviet have comecon
Why stalin blockade berlin ( Fear of west germany econ strong )
- Jan 1947 Bizonia formed
- mar 1948 marshall plan to europe helped stabilise capitalist econ = strong econ recovery
- june 1948 deutschemark in western occupied german zones to stabilise econ
-EE change money to new currency
A : Stalin fear Strong germany whack them
Why did stalin blockade berlin
- Ppl from east can travel into west berlin and see the economic benefits of capitalism
- it fell under west admin so they receive marshall plan
- contrast to east where there was no marshall plan and was poor
A : keep east berlin in and prevent defects
Why berlin blockade led to CW
- stalin block all rail road and canal access to western zones
- food supplies and electricity was cut off
-ppl and goods cannot travel freely and western powers cannot reach administration zones in berlin
-2.5M people had no access to food , medicine , electricity and basic goods
A :
-USA saw this as aggression and USSR painted as international bullies as they starve innocent civilians
-USSR claimed tht by introducing new currency west was out to destroy them
led to Cw because ⬆️ hatred ⬆️ tensions
Berlin airlift led to CW
- Truman respond to blockade by airlifting medical and basic supplies to west berlin
- 2.3 tons of cargo delivered to west berliners
- for more than half a year the west brought supplies needed to help west berliners survive
A :
-USA saw blockade as agression and wanted to resist it through the airlift
- USSR wanted total control over berlin but reopened the land and water routes
- Permanent division of GERMANY
Why Nato in 1949 ( Fear of comm expansion )
- US fear EE countries will nego security concerns with ussr and they will make treaties that let them further control eastern bloc
- US saw there was a need to permanently station american troops in germany with the threat of aggression from USSR
A : wanted to prevent expansion of communism and secure their own SOI in europe
Why Nato in 1949 ( fear of agression from stalin )
- 1948 Berlin and Soviet Union support a communist coup to overthrow the elected Czech govt
- perceived by west as aggressive as they denied the right to choose own govt
- there was also large num of soviet troops in EE which made US and Western allies concerned about EU security
A : Usa wanted to ensure and check that USSR is not going to get increasingly aggressive due to a lack of presence of a major force in their way
WHY NATO = CW
- Anti-comm military alliance with the west committed to help each other against USSR
- Greece and turkey joined in 1952 and West Germ in 1955
- An attack against one is an attack against all ( Article 5 of Nato )
A :
- USA saw it as a defensive pacy to counter soviet agression and not initiate attacks
- Stalin condemned it as war-mongering and saw it as a threat
divided EU into military blocs that were directly opposed which increased alliances and tensions between USSR AND USA
