The Origins Of The Cold War 1941-58

Question 1

Super power relations

Answer 1

• the Soviet Union or USSR included RUSSIA AND OTHER COMMUNIST COUNTRIES.
• conflict between 2 superpowers (USSR and USA) as well as 2 ideologies (COMMUNISTS V CAPITALISTS) as well as religion/social.
• Cold War means a state of political tension and military rivalry between nations that does not involve war.
- capitalism : encourages private ownership and wealth. Everyone should with to achieve personal wealth.
- communism : all property should be owned by the state. Everyone should be treated equally.

Question 2

3 reasons for Cold War:

Answer 2

1. WORLD WAR ONE
2. SPHERE OF INFLUENCE
3. DEVELOPMENT OF THR ATOMIC BOMB

Question 3

TEHRAN COMFERENCE 28NOV-1DEC

Answer 3

Agreements
• USSR should have a ‘sphere of influence’ in EASTERN EUROPE which respected communism and the UK and USA should have a ‘sphere of influence’ in WESTERN EUROPE which capitalism would be dominant.
disagreement
• STALIN (USSR) argued that Germany should pay reparations but ROOSEVELT and CHURCHILL (USA and BRITAIN) argued that Germany should be rebuilt.

Question 4

YALTA CONFERENCE 4–11 FEB 1945

Answer 4

Agreement
• rebuilding /how to rebuild Europe after WW2
• work towards establishing democracy in Europe
Disagreements
• Stalin believed only communists government could be democratic but Roosevelt believed democracy could be achieved through several political parties of free elections
• whether Poland would be capitalist or communist.

Question 5

POTSDAM CONFERENCE 16JULY-2AUG 1945

Answer 5

Agreements
• ban nazi party, imprison Nazis and divide GERMANY(INCLUDING BERLIN) into 4 zones for Britain, ussr, USA and France.
Disagreements
• Poland ( Stalin broke his promise to Poland she took over it)
• Truman (america) and Stalin developed mistrust and tension as Truman hated communism

Question 6

Most important conference

Answer 6

The Potsdam conference has the biggest Impact on relations as Roosevelt died and was replaced with Truman also ATTLEE replaced Churchill mid conference so now the 3 leaders are not familiar with each other especially since Truman was so against communism - which was Stalin’s ideology- and could not compromise. Therefore Potsdam resulted in a huge consequence for relations.

Question 7

The superpowers

Answer 7

After WW2 the USSR extended its sphere of influence making several countries like Poland Hungary Romania and Bulgarian into satellite states. HOWEVER YUGOSLAVIA was different from the other satellites in Eastern Europe in the 1940s because it was an exception to soviet domination as it freed itself from German without the red army.

Question 8

MUTUAL SUSPICION: long telegram feb 1946

Answer 8

• issued to Truman talking about the USSR and Stalin’s alleged speech in favour of the destruction of capitalism.
• it warned that the ussr was trying to weaken and divide western powers whilst strengthening its military

Question 9

MUTUAL SUSPICION: NOVIKOV

Answer 9

• issued to salon about the USA claiming they was pursuing world supremacy.
• it warned that the USA was trying to limit the influence of the USSR IN Europe.

Question 10

MUTUAL SUSPICION: Churchill’s “iron curtain”

Answer 10

Demonstrates the break down of the grand alliance - BRITAIN AND USA now views the ussr as a threat not an ally.

Question 11

TRUMAN DOCTRINE and MARSHALL PLAN march 1947

Answer 11

• Truman made the speech in March 1947.
• when Marshall travelled to Europe he saw social deprivation, poverty and economical ruins.
• Marshall’s policy was directed against hunger, poverty and desperation. Europe had a positive reaction towards the Marshall speech but the ussr refused to support it.
• CZECHOSLOVAKIA had a COMMUNIST which galvanised congress into supporting the Marshall plan.
• Marshall plan helped Europe recover from WW2 by providing also controlling inflation, reviving trade and restoring products.
• the effects of the Marshall plan were positive as it allowed a speedier recovery to those who accepted it.

Question 12

TRUMAN SPEECH

Answer 12

in Truman’s speech, he refers to the two Ideologies : Communism
and capitalism. He believes that they must primarily aid economic and financial issues since it’s essential to economic stability and orderly political processes. The USSR would feel
threatened that the USA Is bribing countries with capitalism

Question 13

Impact of the Truman doctrine and Marshall plan

Answer 13

• COMINFORM (1947 - communist info bureau) was set up to bring together all European communist parties and placed them under the control of the USSR.
• COMECON (1949 the council for mutual economic assistance) countered the Marshall plan by nationalising industries, collectivising agriculture and offering economic aid

Question 14

1948 BERLIN CRISIS : berlin blockade and airlift

Answer 14

• Soviets introduced the berlin blockade in response to the introduction of the Deutschmark.
• Berlin was located 100 miles inside the soviet Sector so the
non soviet region was Isolated.
• In June 1948 the blockade started, stalin ordered road, rail and canal links between west Berlin and the outside world to be cut off
• the allies decided to try in supplies - berlin airlift- as a response. By 1949 8000tons of supplies were flown in everyday.
• Soviets did not shoot down the planes because it would start
war.
• In May 1949, Stalin had to get rid of the blockade and the allies
announce the formation of west Germany (German federal
RepubliC)
• In October 1949 Stalin response by creating German democratic
republic (east Germany)
• there was now two power blocs in Europe - NATO & WARSAW

Question 15

Arms race

Answer 15

1) During the Cold War, the USA and the USSR worked to develop
the most powerful weapons they could - there was an arms race.
2) Neither side really wanted to use these weapons, but both felt the other couldn’t be allowed to gain an advantage. The fear was that if either gained a significant military
advantage, that country might be tempted to trigger a war to take advantage of it.
3) Instead, a stand-off developed where both countries didn’t dare act
against the other, but didn’t dare get ‘left behind’, either.
4) This competition sometimes spilled over into other areas. For example, when the USSR launched the
hitt Satelite into space, the USA quickly developed one of its own. This space race’ led to the USsR
sending the first man into space in 1961, and to the USA sending astronauts to the Moon in 1969.
• the arms race was also fuelled by the fear and suspicion E.g the creation of NATO made the USSR feel militarily vulnerable
• February 1950 communist chins and the ussr signed a treaty of alliance which strengthened western fears that the ussr was planning communist domination.

Question 16

Arms race: Khrushchev hopes of peace co-existence

Answer 16

• Stalin died in 1953 and Khrushchev took over
• he wanted a “peaceful co-existence” with the west. His words brought hope that there would be a “thaw” in the Cold War. But Khrushchev was still very competitive with the USA
• he wanted communism to spread but thought this was most effective but demonstrating it’s superiority not defeat the west in a war.
• Khrushchev continued to develop weapons dk the west still threatened and the arms race didn’t slow down.

Question 17

Divisions in Eastern Europe

Answer 17

• when Khrushchev came into power he made a speech criticising Stalin’s policies and wanted to ‘ DE-STALINISE’ the ussr beginning with the abolition of death penalty and inprisonment of Stalin’s political opponents
• Khrushchev abolished cominform so the states in Eastern Europe would have more political and economic freedom from the ussr
• in 1956 there was an uprising in Poland. The ussr threatened to intervene but allowed the new government to follow their own version of communism however this encouraged other states to consider revolt.

Question 18

Hungarian uprising

Answer 18

The USSR used the Hungarian Uprising to send a Message.
1) After the Second World War, the USSR helped put Mátyás Rákosi, a brutal Stalinist, in charge of Hungary. His authoritarian regime became increasingly unpopular. In
2) October 1956, the people of Budapest protested against the government of Rákosi.
Khrushchev allowed the liberal Imre Nagy to take over from Rákosi as Hungarian Prime Minister. Nagy hoped that Hungary could be a neutral state.
3) In November 1956, Nagy announced that Hungary would withdraw from the
Warsaw Pact and hold free elections - ending communism there.
4) If Hungary was allowed to turn away from communism, other satellite states might do the
same. The USSR felt it had to respond with force and make an example of Nagy.
5) Khrushchev, who had only held power for two years, also wanted to use the crisis to assert his authorin,
6) Soviet tanks invaded Hungary in November 1956. Thousands of Hungarians were killed or wounded.
Nagy was arrested and hanged. János Kádár became Prime Minister and ensured loyalty towards the USSR
The crisis Strengthened the USSR and Discredited the West

Question 19

Khrushchev turning point

Answer 19

• his brutal response to Hungary demonstrated to satellite states that disloyalty wouldn’t be tolerated whilst also effectively showing the western powers that the USSR was still in control.
• turning point for Khrushchev as his actions reasserted his authority over the satellite states and destroyed any illusions in the west that his leadership signed a “thaw” in the Cold War.