who was to blame for the cold war ? Flashcards
what were the ideological differences between Usa and Ussr ?
Ussr was very communist and Usa was very capitalist
- very different opinions
- never an easy relationship
what were the two conferences of 1945 and when were they ?
Yalta (feb 1945)
Potsdam (july 1945)
why did the usa and ussr alliance begin to break down ?
- political ideologies very different
- history of hostility
- war time disagreements
- formed due to common enemy
- removal of common enemy
what were the issues to be addressed at yalta (feb 1945) and potsdam (july 1945)
(5)
- what to do with a defeated Germany and its leaders
- what to do with countries formerly occupied by Germany
- future of poland
- how war with japan could be ended as soon as possible
- to discuss how a lasting peace was to be maintained
agreements yalta (feb 1945)
- German unconditional surrender
- split Ger/ Berlin into 4
- Pay reparations
- Free/ fair elections - liberated states
- Stalin wanted to help against Japanese
- UN
- Poland ~ free elections ~ they agreed on a new government but Stalin wanted procommunist and Churchill wanted democracy for Poland Stalin was stubborn - gave poland some of Germany and Stalin got lots of eastern Poland > Curzon line boarder
agreements Potsdam (July 1945)
- Nazi party banned ~ denazifying Germany
- Split of Ger/Berlin agreed but disagreement over economy
~ reparations (take from own zone) - Stalin was refused to join war against japan
how had the USSR gained control of Eastern Europe by 1948 ?
Buffer States
Iron curtain
what was the iron curtain
Political Boundry divided Europe into two separate areas. The east consisted of the Soviet union and it’s buffer states, all ruled by Communist government who followed Stalin, that attempted to block themselves from the west
why was the iron curtain / buffer states created
iron curtain - created to get power and separate from the eastern capitalists because Stalin didn’t want their influence. Also for more power over Europe
Stalin didn’t want a power like Germany to be able to invade them so they used buffer states and an Iron Curtain to grow in strength
what were buffer states ?
communist countries formed by stalin. he rigged the elections - no free and fair elections
Poland Romania Bulgaria elections rigged in 1947 - soviet troops remained after liberation
Hungary, Czechoslovakia 1948
Hungary - rigged elections, soviet troops remained after liberation
Czechoslovakia - strong support for communists. Soviet troops left after war
buffer states controlled by 1948
Hungry Czechoslovakia Poland eastern Germany Romania Bulgaria Yugoslavia (independent)
response to how the ussr had gained control of eastern europe by 1948
The west viewed stalin’s actions as agressive as they thought he was trying to take over and was being overly naive. They thought communism was power hungry
East isolating West ?
Ussr just protecting themselves?
How did the usa react to soviet expansionism ?
Truman doctrine
the Marshall plan
+ early uncertainty
~ long telegram February 1940 George Kennan
~ Churchill’s iron curtain speech March 1946
The Marshall Plan
what was it
due to bad position in Europe following WW2, and because French and Italy were being threatened by strong communist parties, Truman sent George Marshall to see first hand
in june 1947 following a visit to Europe, The American Secretary of State announced an economic recovery plan which provided aid to build up europe’s economy
Marshall thought it was logical for USA to help economic recovery in Europe so there can be political stability and assured peace - reflecting there policy
Also if Europe became prosperous again it could become a trading partner for America
consisted of money, machinery, food, equipment. given to 16 countries. Provided $13.3 billion for European recovery and lasted 1948-52
was not to be affected by ‘political passion and prejudice’
The Marshall Plan
Soviet response
The Soviet union thought USA was trying to exploit Western Europe and turn them against Eastern Europe. They thought it was too one sided.
The Communist countries did not Accept help as they cleaned the Marshall plan was ‘dollar imperialism’. They thought it was to make countries depending on USA and rely on/ join them.
(ugoslavia took)
Truman Doctrine
the immediate View held by the United States of the Soviets was that they were attempting to spread communism around the world. They feared that Greece and Turkey might be the next countries to fall to Stalin
The Truman doctrine meant Truman was going to support Greece and Turkey through economic and financial aid. He wish to do this because he believe in supporting free people and he was strongly anti-Communist and realise that the only way of checking this aggressive behaviour was by using American resources
- Truman wanted to stop communism in Europe
12 March 1947
$400 million aid for Greece/Turkey
the usa became committed to a policy of wrapping the spread of communism - became containment
Truman Doctrine
soviet response
USSR thought Truman’s acts of helping we’re just justifications and that USA was really attempting to gain power by having influence on Europe
COMINFORM
an alliance of Communist countries set up in 1947 - to counter effects of marshall plan.
This aimed to develop economic cooperation between communist countries
This tightened Stalin’s hold on the satellite (buffer) states, further restricting their contact with the west.
long term causes of blockade
- within the Soviet zone, Soviet troops were able to control all access
- the USSR believed the western allies had no right to be in Berlin. The western allies were seen as a threat as they had a base inside the Soviet zone
- The western allies needed to be there to prevent the USSR fully controlling Berlin
- The west could spy on Soviet activity behind the Iron Curtain
short term causes of the blockade
- in January 1947 Britain and the United States combined their zones to form “Bizonia”. France joined a year later. Stalin felt threatened by this fearing he was being left out. In March 1947 they agreed to unite politically also.
- Western Germany began to recover with the help of Marshall aid. In East Germany there was poverty and hunger.
- 1948 the western allies introduced a new currency into western Germany. Stalin refused to introduce it in the Soviet zone.
Creation of Blockade
as a response to the Eastern allies, Stalin blockaded West Berlin blocking all traffic and increased pressure by turning off gas, electricity and railways.
his aim was to force the other three powers to pull out of Berlin, making Berlin fully dependent on the USSR. Berlin was a good place for the USSR to put pressure on the West as it was very much in his zone and they had the surrounding land.
Airlift
nearly 300,000 fights - one every 2 mins
brought 2 million tons of cargo - coal, food, medicines, petrol
stalin lifted blockade in May 1949 - having failed to achieve his goal
Operation Vittles
11 months
June 1948 - May 1949
Consequences of the blockade
april 1949 may 1949 aug 1949 aug 1949 oct 1949 may 1955
14th may 1955
april 1949 - NATO set up, USA pledge to join.
may 1949 - The formal political unifications of the western zones, with the creation of the Federal Republic of Germany
aug 1949 - first national elections of the Federal Republic of Germany
aug 1949 - successful testing of an atomic weapon by the USSR
oct 1949 - creation of the German Democratic Republic (eastern)
may 1955 - West Germany joined NATO
14th may 1955 - The Warsaw Pact was formed with eight Communist countries unifying their armed forces under a central command. This was a direct response to the rearmament of West Germany and its incorporation into NATO
what and when was cominform
1947
date blockade
June 1948
what and when was comecon
1947
reasons USSR was more to blame for starting the cold war (p1)
- cominform
- blockade
- ideology
- communism forced - went against Yalta
- stalin was agressive
- tested an atomic bomb and tried to keep quiet
- comecon
- Warsaw Pact
- didn’t abide by agreements made at Yalta
(p2) why ussr actions could be justified and usa more to blame
- Berlin blockade only because …
- (communism) usa + others also created something in west
- usa tested a bomb 4 years prior
- comecon was response to Marshall plan
p3 usa to blame
- delayed opening of second front
- truman / marshall
- kept Manhattan project secret
- creation of bizonia and new currency
- trumans aggressive negotiations
- nato
