The Transformation of the USSR's International position Flashcards
Did the USSR previously envision being a ‘superpower’ ?
Before 1941 the USSR had not desired to be a ‘superpower’ as stalin’s main ambition was for the soviet union to be left alone allowing for the transformation of the soviet economy.
However during the war - the vast new military-industrial war machine was built up + by may 1945 the USSR’s armed forces consisted of 7.5 million now well-equipped troops + had increased territory taking over areas in the baltic states. They had the red amy in control of the nation states i.e. hungary + occupied eastern germany Ie berlin.
The European powers had all been seriously weakened following the war. The main European superpower, America, alongside the USSR was poised to dominate the post-war world.
What were the characteristics of an international ‘superpower’?
A superpower was typically defined as a country with high military, strong economy + influence
How did the USSR become one of the ‘superpowers’?
The rise of the soviet union a superpower was reflected in diplomacy via the ‘Grand Alliance’ between the USSR, Britain and the USA.
- It was clear by 1943 that the german would be defeated and series of summits took place to decide on terms for what would happen with Germany following the Soviet victory. To do so, they had meetings throughout 1943-1945.
What were the names and dates of the 4 main ‘Grand Alliance’ conferences from 1943-45?
- Taran november 1943
- Moscow 1944 (Churchill and stalin met in Mosco October)
- The Big three met at Yalta in february 1945
- The three allies met at Potsdam in july 1945
What was the Yalta conference of 1945 concerning?
At the Yalta conference things previously delayed became more urgent. By this point it was clear the USSR was asserting more political control over countries it had liberated + stalin became the ‘senior partner’ of the big three allies as Rooselelt died + replaced by Truman, Churchill lost the elections + replaced by Atlee taking over half way through the conference.
What was the Potsdam conference of 1945 concerning?
The Potsdam conference was following germany’s defeat + it was becoming clear at this point that britain was bankrupt due to war and so would be overshadowed by demands of the Soviet union + USA. (the superpowers) In the potsdam conference there was no final peace agreement.
What did the Grand Allies do with Germany following there defeat in WW2?
- Germany was divided into 4 sections given to Britain, USA, France + USSR.
- Berlin (That was in stalin eatern sector) was also divided into 4 sections - to which stalin wasn’t happy about as it was weakest in terms of industrial output + stalin request high reprevations from germany but this wasn’t accepted/agreed upon.
- Stalin’s discontent around this causes him to feel isolated. Stalin was annoyed that britain and the usa didn’t send troops to help the soviet union in the European war.
What major change prompted Stalins further paranoia + worry in 1945?
In 1945 the USA revealed theyd developed the atomic bomb + used this to end the war against Japan which placed the USSR at an ovbious disadvantage.
- Stalin placed Beria in charge of accelerating the USSRS development of an atomic bomb + committed huge resources which was eventually successful in august 1949 which finally confirmed the USSRs superpower status which was reflected in the United Nations and the USSR was one of the 5 first permanent members of the UN Security Council.
What is the background and key info of the Soviet Bloc?
Outcome of the war led to soviet military domination of central europe which led to the formation o the soviet bloc/empire. where territory of the USSR was extended dramatically and the USSR utilised its military presence to assert political influence over local comunist parties.
This ensured the USSR had influence, domination and a military all features of a classic ‘superpower’. It also protected the USSR from invasion from the west. These friendly comunist regimes were rapidly established.
What was the USSRs Soviet Bloc?
The soviet bloc was when territory of the USSR was extended dramatically and the USSR utilised its military presence to assert political influence over local comunist parties to encourage formation of governments who were friendly + similar to the soviet union - allowing the spread political ideology through using his buffer zone of protection within Russia.
What were the major reasons Western-Soviet relations broke down after 1945?
Between 1946-1949 conflict between the soviet block + the capitalist west hardened into cold war confrontation. This led to hostile disagreements over;
- Soviet expansion + the USSRs demands for recognition of its rights to have a safe buffer zone against future aggression
- The long telegram sent to washington from moscow by american diplomat urging containment of soviets spreading of communism in Europe
- Winston churchill’s speech in Missouri in march 1946 warning of the existence of the ‘Iron Curtain’
- Truman’s announcement of ‘Truman doctrine’ domitting to containment of communism in march 1947
- The Marshall plan for US aid for European recovery followed by a hostile Soviet response.
- Formation of NATO in 1949 - seen by the Soviet Union as a hostile act - by which time the cold war was fully formed.
What was the Long Telegram + Churchills Iron curtain speech?
US fears of soviet expansionism were exacerbated by a telegram sent to Washington from moscow in february 1946 by Goerge Kennan a long-serving American diplomat + expert on soviet affairs which became known as the long-telegram.
The horror the capitalist west viewed as what was happening in eatern europe was made clear in speech delivered by the british ex prime minister winston churchill in march 1946 whereby he claimed an ‘iron curtain’ had descended across europe + advised strength when dealing with the USSR.
What was the policy of containment?
Containment was a method utilised by the USA and Britain to try + contain communism + soviet influence.
In early 1947 western europe was in crisis with fear of complete economic collapse + political instability especially in italy and france and in greece where there was a civil war. In march the Truman doctrine asserted the US policy of ‘containment’ + rolling back of communism.
In june 1947 the US states put forward the Marshall Plan. It was a massive injection fo aid to rebuild europe, eastern as well as western states, however it was a political weapon deliberately designed to extend american influence + support countries opposed to communist ideology by helping countries rebuild there economies + re-stabilise ensuring they did not turn to communism as a support mechanism.
- Marshall plan was both an economic + political weapon, economically enabled the guarantee that European countries would trade with them and accept their economic support and allegiance/reliance upon America and so they wouldn’t look elsewhere to comunist nations’ ideology which reinforced the political element.
What were the consequences of Marshall Aid?
- Marshall Aid was successful in winning over many European countries who avoided turning to communism in hope of economical survival so was a win for capitalism
- The economies of countries who received the aid grew dramatically by at least 25% putting industries back on their feet.
- Stalin was convinced the plan was fundamentally hostile to soviet interest + part of a drive toward US economic + political dominance via buying european dominance nicknaming the US strategy as ‘dollar imperialism’
- All soviet countries were pressured to reject marshall aid + blocked countries like czechslovakia from receiving it. In february 1948 Kilmer Gottwald leader of communists in Czechoslovakia took full control of the government which the west viewed as a comunist coup backed by the USSR. For Stalin the Czechs was a victorious February + a legitimate success of ‘anti-facist’ policies and the timing of the ‘coup’ intensified the divide between east + west over marshall plan.
What was the Berlin Blockade?
Berlin was an island within the soviet zone and Stalin always viewed it as a single city where soviet interests ought to be paramount + so was frustrated by the way the soviet control of berlin had slipped science 1945 + was especially alarmed by introduction of separate currency in the west in june 1948.
The next day Stalin launched the Berlin Blockade cutting off all road + railway links between Berlin + the west.
- He believed the blockade was a trump card and he calculated that western powers aren’t willing to risk war. The economical squeeze of berlin however would force the US into settling the berlin question on soviet terms however stalin’s plan ended up defeated.
- The Berlin Airlift coordinated by US military governor a massive operation whereby allied aircraft flew essential supplies - up to 1000 tonnes - into berlin throughout the winter of 1948-9. Clay calculated, rightly, that stalin wouldn’t dare risk shooting down US aircraft and consequently the population of west
