Reasons for Start of Cold War Flashcards
How was the containment policy helpful?
- To prevent weakened countries like Turkey and Greece from falling into communist influences, the USA loaned 400 million dollars to these countries.
- The Marshall Plan injected over $13 billion into European economies, funding the reconstruction of infrastructure, industry, and agriculture
- The Marshall Plan helped to rebuild wartorn countries, set up institutions to coordinate the economy on a continental level, stimulated the total political reconstruction of Western Europe.
How was containment policy not successful?
Escalated Cold War Tensions
* In response to the Truman Doctrine, the Cominform was set up.
* In response to the Marshall Plan, the Comecon was set up.(set up to coordinate Cominform’s economic policies. United the economies of Eastern Europe and the USSR)
* In response to the formation of NATO, the Warsaw Pact was created, allowing the USSR to place troops in every satellite state.
* The Containment Policy was perceived by the USSR as aggressive bids by the USA to build its own empire in Europe.
* Main factor of escalation because it’s a declaration of intent to squash communism
* The USSR perceived its survival as threatened. This worsens the feeling of mistrust between the two countries, leading to a further decline in relations and increase in hostility.
How did the American nuclear monopoly and dropping of the atomic
bombs on Japan start Cold War?
- The use of atomic bombs demonstrated the United States’ unmatched military power and established its dominance in the post-war world. This display of force, coupled with the U.S. being the only country possessing nuclear weapons at the time, created significant tension with the Soviet Union, which was already suspicious of American intentions. Saw their use of atomic bomb as a message to Soviet Union and threat to its security
- Instead, he sought to rapidly catch up with the USA’s military
prowess. The Soviet would later successfully detonate the first atomic bomb in August 1949, which in turn led to an arms race
between the two superpowers which set the stage for a world divided by the threat of mutually assured destruction.
How did the Cold War bring stability?
- Mutually Assured Destruction: The period of the Cold War was tense as both the USSR and the USA had the military capabilities and influence to destroy each other, whether in a possible attack or in the definite retaliation. The doctrine of Mutual Assured Destruction also assumes that neither side will dare to launch a first strike because the other side will launch on warning aggressively, resulting in huge losses for both sides. Because the leaders of both sides which in this case are the USA and the USSR leaders were well aware of the repercussions on their respective countries should they launch the offensive, the payoff of the MAD then was a tense but stable global peace, preventing direct full-scale conflicts between both nations. Because the threat of a devastating retaliatory strike against the aggressor is credible, direct military aggression was prevented.
How did Cold War not Bring Stability?
Led to Proxy Wars:
* As the Cold War was fought outside Europe using third parties as substitutes for direct confrontation, the superpowers became frequently entangled in local conflicts where they took sides and supported individual factions.
* The Cold War led to proxy wars manifesting in different parts of the
world. Examples: Vietnam War, Korean War, Cuban Missile Crisis.
* The scale of destruction from local conflicts globalized, magnified, as the superpowers provided larger amounts of more destructive weapons when supporting the respective local governments.
* Motivated by own ambitions, less restraint when providing support because indirect confrontation, violence more rampant, chaos more widespread. Lack of peace.
How did Ideological Conflict Between USSR and USA cause cold war
Tensions between the two countries became evident after the Russian Revolution in 1917.
- Communist Russia envisioned inciting world revolution, advocated communism.
* The Western European democratic countries were concerned that the communists would spread their ideas to their countries and incite similar revolutions. The USA also viewed Russia as a threat to its own political and economic security and influence
* Prompted by fear, provided aid to non-communist forces during Russian Civil War.
* USA: Perceived Russia’s policies as aggressive and threatening to own influence. Wanted to ensure national security, squash communism which would have caused political chaos in USA.
* Russia: Viewed intentions as attempts by the Western democratic country to undermine own survival, hostile to own interests.
* Conflicting ideologies increased determination for each country to curb influence of the other, heightened distrust and perceptions of threats.
* Unwilling to resort to peaceful negotiations because they desired absolution in curbing influences and boosting/securing own,
How was Berlin Blockade Unsuccessful?
- Stalin imposed a blockade on movement into West Berlin by cutting off all land and water pathways to rid of control of Allies.
- Berlin Airlift: The USA decided to transport supplies into West Berlin by air. By 11 months, > 2.3 million tonnes of supplies had been flown in.
- Humiliating the USSR and boosting the credibility of the Western powers
- They also showcased their technological edge. The USA came across as sincere and purposeful in solving crisis. Diplomatic relations and alliance with other countries: USA’s strengthened.
