Reasons for Cold War in Europe

Question 1

What were the reasons for the Cold War in Europe?

Answer 1

1. Ideological Conflict between USA and USSR
2. Distrust within necessary alliance during WW2/Ending if wartime alliance
3. Post WW2 worsening relations between USA and USSR

Question 2

What were the ideological conflicts between USA and USSR

Answer 2

USA wanted a democratic and capitalist society,

• Freedom of speech, property and profits
• People could elect its own government consisting of 2 parties
• Free market economy, individuals and companies free to develop, control resources and capital

USSR wanted world revolution and destroy capitalism

• Utopian world where all people, property and work are shared equally
• Single political party, the Communist Party
• Command economy, government controls, plans and allocates all aspects of economy

Question 3

What was the necessary alliance in WW2 and distrust

Answer 3

1. Perceived delay in opening a second front
   - Stalin felt that despite facing immense pressure from continuous German attacks and requesting for a second front since August 1942, it never happened until June 1944 with D-day landings
   - Stalin suspected that they did this to minimise their losses and allow Germany to weaken the USSR, and that they hope Germany and USSR would weaken and destroy each other in the process
2. Disagreements at Yalta (Feb 1945) and Potsdam (July-Aug) Conferences
   - Western Powers wanted Poland to hold free elections,
   USSR wanted it under Soviet control and influence
   - Western Powers wanted to revive German’s economy, important for Europe’s recovery
   USSR wanted Germany punished, weakened and no longer pose a threat
   - Western Powers wanted to revitalise EU economy, vital trading partner to USA, prevent spread of communism
   USSR wanted to build and secure its own sphere of influence in EU
3. Atomic bomb
   - Truman used atomic bombs on Japan in August 1945 to give USA a political leverage over the USSR in negotiations, However Stalin already knew about the Manhattan Project
   - USSR successfully detonated their own atomic bomb in August 1949, leading to an arms race

Question 4

What was the post-WW2 worsening relations?

Answer 4

1. Devastation of Europe and rise of superpowers
   - Collapse of governments and empires
   - Power vacuum in Europe, Britain and France weakened, collapse of Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany
   - USA and USSR rose to power as global superpowers
2. End of wartime alliance and competition for influence between superpowers
   - USA feared communist movements and establishments of communist governments in Europe, losing its sphere of influence and trading markets
   - USSR refused to allow a capitalist Europe to encircle it and threaten its security and survival
3. Establishment of Soviet satellite states
   - Stalin established a ring of satellite states around the Soviet Union as a defensive measure to strengthen USSR’s security and sphere of influence
   - USA saw this is an aggressive plan to expand global communist influence
4. Containment policy
   - USA no longer followed its isolationist policy, saw USSR as aggressive as it wanted to spread its influence over the world (Kennan’s telegram)
   - USSR saw outside world as hostile and justified its actions expanding into East Europe
5. Truman Doctrine
   - Provided economic & military aid to Greece and Turkey
   - Truman believed weak states were easily to be influenced by communism, hence deciding to help them to protect American interests in Europe
6. Marshall Plan
   - Economic aid to reconstruct Europe
   - Make communism less appealing, minimise danger of European countries embracing communism
   - Offered assistance to USSR & satellite states, designed both ways to undermine USSR whether they accepted or not, either they accepted USA influence or strain satellite states & USSR relations