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Development of the Cold War - Coggle Diagram
Development of the Cold War
The Truman Doctrine
A speech given by the US President
‘containment’
USA sought to contain communism through military and economic assistance to primarily Western European countries.
Domino effect
President Truman was scared that other countries in Eastern Europe and the Middle East would fall to Communism.
He committed to giving political, military and financial aid to countries to stop the spread of communism.
Churchill said ‘an iron curtain has descended across the continent of Europe’. This was to describe USSR's behaviour in Eastern Europe.
The Marshall Plan
Formalised the economic assistance that Truman described in the Truman Doctrine of 1947.
The USA gave European nations $12.7bn. The biggest recipients were Britain and France. Britain received $2.7bn in Marshall Aid.
The money was spent to encourage trade with the United States.
Josef Stalin stopped any communist nations supported by the Soviet Union from accepting Marshall Aid.
The Soviet Politburo viewed the Marshall Plan as an example of America's 'economic imperialism'.
On the US side, politicians argued that the Soviets were trying to isolate Eastern Europe from the West by installing communist governments and from banning them from accepting aid.
East-West boundaries
Different alliances helped to further solidify the divide between the USA
Cominform (1947)
Cominform was a Soviet organisation that tried to encourage communist uprising in nations across Europe.
Comecon (1949)
Comecon was Stalin's answer to the Marshall Plan.
Comecon gave countries financial aid and encouraged them to trade with the USSR.
Any nation that joined the Comecon was banned from accepting any money from the Americans under the Marshall Plan.
All satellite states joined.
NATO (1949)
NATO is a military alliance that is still in place today. It was founded in 1949 and united the USA, France and Great Britain under a new military alliance with the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, and Canada.
Based on the idea of 'collective security'.
If 1 nation is attacked, all the others will fight on its behalf.
Warsaw Pact was the Soviet Union's response to NATO.
Berlin Crisis
After World War 2, Germany and Berlin was split into 4 different zones. These zones would harden over time into West and East Germany
On the 1st of January 1947, the USA and Britain joined their German zones. This created a new quasi-country called 'Bizonia'.
In April 1949, the French part of Germany joined Bizonia to make 'Trizonia'.
Trizonia began to get funding under the Marshall Plan. Soviets thought that the creation of Trizonia broke the agreements made about the end of the war at Yalta and Potsdam.
On the 20th of June 1948, Trizonia introduced a new currency called the 'Deutschmark' in Operation 'Bird Dog'.
Berlin blockade (June 1948)
USSR shut down all transport links into West Berlin.
No food or supplies from Trizonia could reach West Berlin.
Attacking or breaking down the Soviet military blockades could cause a war between the Soviet Union & Trizonia allies.
Berlin Airlift (June 1948-May 1949)
Americans flew supplies into West Berlin.
A new airport, Tegel, was built in West Berlin to help the Airlift run more efficiently.
The airlift was a peaceful show of strength from America. Soviets looked mean and self-interested.