The Cold War
History of Western involvement
Bipolar World/Post WW2
Civil War - US/FR/BR
Non aggression
ideological contradiction
Germany defeated
decolonization of France and Britain
Western Europe reliant on West for security
diplomatic issues (Soviet Union was not recognized by Br until 1920s and until 1934 by the US)
Munich conference - West allowing Hitler to go East
USSR (militarility, strongest on European continent 363) and US (economic) as global powers
increasing influence of communism as an alternate to capitalism
how the spheres viewed fascism and dealt with them
second front (took allies up to 3 yrs to join)
second front (took allies up to 3 yrs to join)
Capitalist encirclement
spheres of influence
S.U. originally did not support
1919/20 Germ, Hung, Italy Red years
red scare in US (West did not support communism)
calling shots for the rest of the world
soviet victory/industrialization
mutually assured destruction
Atlantic Charter - basis for the UN
US Open Door: markets and economies should be open to US industries/business vs. Soviets command econonomy
American stance
Non-aggression pact angered the West
siege mentality is leftover from civil war
self determination
US: make allies at their borders
US/Fr did not want to lose their empires
Soviets do not support, want buffer zone
Percentages agreements 1944
Yalta Conference 1945
do not challenge spheres
elections in Poland
friendly/secure borders, eastern front would follow Curzon line
Height of Grand Alliance
Stalin's postwar vision
reparations from Germany to rebuild Soviet Union
buffer zone
spheres of interest
peaceful coexistence
Truman 1945
w/ Truman - immediate hardline
ends Lend - Lease; SU allows broader Polish government
opposes Open Door
support elections in Eastern Europe
precedent for atomic diplomacy
Potsdam 1945 - Stalin/Attlee/Truman
denazification/war crime trials
allied occupation of Germany
accuse Stalin of interfering in Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania
U.S. dropped atomic bomb a few days after
Stalin disappointed that they did not decide on an amount for reparations (371)
bomb as reversal of US strategy on USSR
intended to soften soviets, but ultimately ushers in arms race and military - industrial complex
Stalin makes building a bomb priority, explodes one in 1949
originally supported coalition democratically elected governments, later transition to full stalinization/communism
communism becomes popular in Europe
bc resisted Nazis, discredits right/conservatives
France, Italy, Greece, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia Romania, Hungary
Tito/Yugoslavia splits from soviets
Marshall Plan 1947
$16 billion in economic relief
revive economy
undermine communist popularity
In what ways did the Soviets go too far?
European Economic Cooperation + European Coal and Steel Community
must purchase goods from the US
rejected by USSR, results in Cominform (Communist Information Bureau)
command economy, dismantles East German industry --> Eastern Europe becomes economically dependent on USSR
Andrei Zhdanov: Soviet sacrifices in WW2 are not being recognized
Zhdanovschina
two seperate camps
imperialistic US and democratic SU
anti-cosmopolitan campaign against Western influence
Although the SU supports dismemberment, Germany is divided into an Eastern and Western zone
Berlin occupied by all 4 powers
blocks access to corridor in West Berlin in June 1948. West responds with Berlin airlift.
West paints Soviets as aggressor
West has a reason to form a military aliance
Seperate Germany's created in 1940
cold war resulted from Soviet expansion; US needed to protect free world
cold war as American policy failure or US pushing for military and economic hegemony
capitalist economies were in shambles in Europe and Asia (363)
cold realism/pragmatism(not intense expansionism), subordination of ideology to state interests, enforced by brutal/cynical methods (365)
based on appreciation of weaknesses of USSR, fear that West would try to take advantage of that weakness, desire to ensure continuance of Grand Alliance and material aid from the West
probably lead SU to sign Molotov- Ribbentrop
Stalin was prepared to allow the West a free hand in Western Europe, Greece, and Japan if he were permitted the same in Eastern Europe. Stalin's dilemma was that the US would not agree to maintain the Grand Alliance and give aid to SU if Stalin insisted on his foothold in Eastern Europe (365)
feared the spread of Soviet and Communist influence, was anxious about the rising forces of the Left including the Social Democrats and wanted to reintegrate as much of Europe as possible into a revived capitalist world economy which included dislodging the Soviet Union from Eastern Europe
American actions created new suspicions in Stalin's mind, encouraged him to tighten his grip on the governments and societies in his zone of occupation and eventually encouraged him to instill obedient communist regimes
became much more hardline after 1947
lend-lease in WWII after Germany invaded the Soviet Union
allies of convenience
lacked mutual trust and long term interest
head of the Czech government made a treaty of alliance with the soviets 1943, agreed to check all important international questions with Kremlin before taking action = example of independent, friendly relations with Western neighbors
soviets propped up communist parties in Poland and in the Balkans
soviet hegemony in much of the Balkans with Britain dominating in Greece
Gb occupation of Greece in 1944, SU stayed out
SU made greater concessions to US/GB than were made to SU
When Truman does not allow Stalin to land on the island Hokkaido, Stalin listens to prevent conflicys and misunderstanding with respect to the allies (371)
Treaty of Friendship and Alliance China and USSR
altered the balance of power; soviet army rendered less powerful (371)
formerly isolationist
feared another depression, prosperity depended on world trade; peace and prosperity needed to go together; poverty and dissatisfaction would lead to war, revolution, and communism
"communist menace" = misreading of soviet intentions and overestimation of the USSR's military and economic capabilities (SU had steadily demobilized their vast wartime army from over 11 mil in 1945 to 2, 874, 000 in 1948 (373)
reality for soviets = tired after war, morale low, desertion high, military transportation was horsedrawn, ineffective of launching a battle against western Europe
"national front" against fascism following wwII
propaganda and rhetoric used was very strong
containment