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The Origins of the Cold War (Breakdown of USA and USSR alliance in 1945-46…
The Origins of the Cold War
The 1945 summit conferences
Potsdam (JANE)
Key Facts
Took place from 17 July - 2August 1945 in Berlin
The conference was held between Truman, Churchill and Attlee (mid conference the Conservatives were heavily defeated), Stalin.
Germany
Germany was to be democratised and free election were to be held.
Germany was to be seen as one economic unit
Germany was to be demilitarised
Poland
The eastern border of Poland was agreed to shift left to the Oder/Neisse Line
Japan
Russia would join the war in the Far East
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe would be seen as in 'a Soviet sphere of influence'.
Reparation
Any thing of value could be taken for reparations from their zonee
It was also agreed to exchange raw materials from specific zones with each other
Yalta (JUDE)
Key Facts
Took place from 4 -11 February 1945 in Ukraine .
It took place because it was clear that Germany was losing the European War so the allied Leaders met in Yalta to plan what would happen to Europe after Germany's defeat.
The conference was held between Stalin (wanted to make sure that the Polish government were friendly to the USSR as he was concerned with the security of the USSR), Roosevelt (wanted to keep democracy in the West), Churchill (wanted to stop communism from spreading).
Germany
Germany was be divided into four zones (American, British, French and Soviet) and Berlin would also be divided into four zones.
United Nations
They agreed to all join the UN organisation which would ain=m to keep a lasting peace after the war.
Japan
Stalin agreed to enter war against Japan after Germany had surrendered.
Eastern Europe and Poland
The USSR agreed not to interfere in Greece where the British were attempting to prevent a communist take over.
New governments were to be set up with Communists and Democrats
The polish border would be moved West into Germany
The Declaration on Liberates Europe
They agreed as countries were liberated from German occupation they would be allowed to hold free elections.
France
Stalin agreed to recognise France as one of the four powers
Disarmament
All countries were encouraged to Disarm to avoid another war.
Soviet expansion into Eastern Europe to 1948
General Formula
Communist parties resist German occupation
The Red Army occupies eastern Europe.
Communist parties supported by the Red Army, pro-German groups eliminated.
Coalition governments set up
Communist leaders emerge. Many spent the war in Moscow.
Communist states under Soviet control.
Communists force non-communists out of power. By 1949 all countries behind the Iron Curtain are one party
Yugoslavia 1945
Albania 1945
Poland 1947
New government formed in June 1945 dominated by 'Lublin' poles
Opposition leaders arrested and murdered
Soviet troops remained after liberation
Romania 1947
Soviet troops remained after liberation
Soviets accepted a coalition government in 1945, accepting key positions for communists
Rigged elections in 1946 gave the communists and their allies 90% of the vote
"Show trial" of main opposition leader in October 1947
King Michael forced to abdicate in December
New constitutions in 1947 effectively destroyed parliamentary democracy and opposition parties and disbanded
Bulgaria 1947
Soviet troops remained after liberation
Initially joined a coalition with other parties the fatherland Front
Monarchy abolished in 1946
Hungary 1948
Soviet troops remained after liberation
Communists won 17% of the vote in November 1945 elections but were given control of the ministry of the Interior
Used secret police to discredit and persecute rival politicians and parties
Rigged elections in 1947 gave communists control of a coalition government
Social Democratic Party and Communist Party merged in 1948
Czechoslovakia 1948
Soviets troops left after the war
Post-war elections gave communists leadership of a balances coalition government
Gradually assumed control of key government ministries allowing them to arrest political opponents
Foreign Minister Jans Masaryk, a popular and non-communist politician, murdered in May 1947
All non-communist members of the government resigned in February 1948 (communists filling vacant positions)
East Germany 1949
The Berlin Blockade
Short Term Causes
West German state and the Western Deutschmark introduced, Ostmark introduced as a result
Soviets walked out of the Allied Control Commission
Allied zone is included in the Marshall Plan.
Bizone is created
The Soviets cut off all road, rail and canal traffic into West Berlin
During
Took pace from 28th June 1948 to May 5th 1949
Rail, Road and canal routes were blocked off so the allies resulted to air. Every 30 seconds planes would bring supplies, 5000 tones were dropped everyday. This must of cost the allies significantly but helped to make a strong political move to avoid a communist take over.
65 German, British and American lives were lost during the operation to keep the city alive
Afterwards Stalin tested their atomic bomb ending the USA superiority in the field and evening out the playing field and reducing the USA's power. (mutually assured destruction)
Consequences
Increased rivalry
Confirmed division of Germany and Berlin - Federal Republic of Germany and Democratic German Republic created
NATO
Changed perception of Germans in the West
Loose ends
Warsaw Pact 1949
Soviet atomic bomb 1949
China becomes communist 1949
Communists vs nationalists
Korean War 1950-55
McCarthyism in the USA
Long Term Causes
The Soviet union ensured that the minority communist group took control of their eastern zone.
The west wanted to speed up the economic recovery of Germany
Berlin was in the heart of Soviet controlled East Germany
Breakdown of USA and USSR alliance in 1945-46
Russian exit from WW1
exclusion of USSR from the post WW1 peace conferences, not rewarded by Paris peace conference
Russian Civil war and opposing ideologies
Anti-communist view in America
Russia lost 28 million people, 60x more than the US
Delay in D-Day in 1944
Poland and the Warsaw Uprising of August 1944
Did not help with British efforts but let civilians die
USSR tried to inject own ideologies into Eastern Europe
Rush to Berlin and Russian history of Expansionism
Atomic Bomb
Poor relations between Truman and Stalin
NATO and Warsaw Pact
NATO
Protective military alliance between western countries
11 states, Denmark, ITALY, NORWAY, Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg
Meant that if any of these countries were attacked they would have to deal with nuclear bombs of USA and other countries
Aim to deter attacks
Created as part of a arms race, ussr nuclear bomb
Warsaw Pact
Consisted of Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Soviet Union
Dominated by soviet union
Allowed the ussr to strengthen forces and created a further mechanism to keep the eater bloc countries in line