The Development of the Cold War 1946-55

Question 1

What were the main causes of tension between 1946-55?

Answer 1

Germany

Soviet actions

US policies

Rearmament

Political + Economic integration

Question 2

How did Germany cause tensions?

Answer 2

• Potsdam failure - 4 seperate zones but no individual econ/politcal systems
  
  • USSR forced merger of SPD + KPD
  • West breaches by creating Bizonia
    
    • Leads to Deutschmark + Ostmark
• Berlin Crisis 1948-9
  
  • USSR tries to starve West Berlin into submission
    
    • Fails, but border open
• GDR uprising 1953
  
  • Due to poor conditions, increased quotas
    
    • Put down brutally
    • BUT lots of migration to West through open frontier

Question 3

How did Soviet actions cause tensions?

Answer 3

• Takeovers in Eastern Europe - semi-democratic but often used violence + forced mergers
  
  • Czech coup 1948 + refusual of Marshall aid
  • COMECON + Cominform - divdes Europe
• Yugoslav split

Question 4

How did US policies cause tension?

Answer 4

• Long Telegram + Truman Doctrine showed fear of comm. spread. Aggressive policy of containment
• Marshall Plan stablised West but forced USSR to create own bloc
  
  • Caused tensions as tried to prize away Eastern states
• Red Scare - 1950s fear of Comm. worldwide takeover
  
  • Propaganda, support for rearmament + rebellions

Question 5

How did rearmament cause tensions?

Answer 5

• Nuclear arms race - UN fails to control due to veto dispute 1946
  
  • Soviet A-bomb 1949. US H-bomb 1952, USSR 1953
  • 1955 US has B-52 long range bombers. Soviets creating ICBMs
  • ‘Open Skies’ rejected at Geneva, 1955
• 2 military blocs - NATO 1949 + Warsaw Pact 1955
  
  • West rearmed with Marshall + Guns & Butter
  • FRG joins 1955
  • Eastern doubles tank production + national armies under Soviet control

Question 6

How did Western political + economic integration cause tension?

Answer 6

• International Ruhr Authroity -> ECSC. OEEC also led to major econ. improvement
• Internally divided over political - UK sovreignty + French FRG fears. US Korea nuclear fears
  
  • USSR attempt to destabilise with World Peace Movement + reunification note 1952

Question 7

How did Eastern political + economic integration cause tension?

Answer 7

• Cominform + COMECON
  
  • Economic improvement not as strong + creates resentment
    
    • GDR Uprising 1953
• US exploits divisions
  
  • Radio Free Europe
  • Links with Tito post-1949