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Cold War Section 1: 1945-49 - Coggle Diagram
Cold War Section 1: 1945-49
Leaders
1933-45 =
Roosevelt
- Shared Stalin's understanding and values of Post-War + Churchil too sensitive to Stalin
1945-53 =
Truman
- Wanted post-war world based on national self-determination + cooperation. In support of free trade + limiting soviet expansion
Stalin
- Admired Churchill but distrusted him - preferred Roosevelt + treated him with respect
Wanted to remain a red army presence in EE + install communist regimes in Europe
Churchill
Reservations of Stalin's ambitions + considered USSR threat to GB - Roosevelt was too Pro-Russian
Atlee
Wanted US in Europe as protector of WE + rebuild Germany
Wanted to remain close with US due to fear of Soviet expansionism
US, British and USSR relations in 1945
Yalta February 1945
To create plans for finishing the war in Europe and East Asia + lay foundations for peace
4 power control of Germany agreed
Poland borders altered transferring territory from Germany to Poland
Established UN - free elections in E _ Europe
Agreements USSR joining war against Japan
Wording was vague and down to the interpretation of each leader
Potsdam 17th July - 1st August 1945
Breakdown of grand alliance
Day before the US dropped atomic bombs
Yalta divided up
Germany demilitarised + disarmed with democracy
USSR receive goods as reparations
Full participation in the UN
Polish frontier moved upwards
Atomic bomb - UN rules + Atomic Energy Commission but broke down distrust between US + USSR
Disagreements - Germany - economy; democracy; failed to reinforce international cooperation - due to suspicion between US + USSR
Moscow conference October 1943
Agreed European advisory commission to finalise plans for Post-War allied occupation of Germany
Issued declaration on general security proposing maintenance if global peace
Tehran Conference Nov-Dec 1943
Stalin claim to Baltic territories had no opposition
Decided British + US would land in Balkans - USSR would liberate E + SE Europe and turn the region into a Soviet sphere
West had no choice but to recognise these claims to E Poland and Baltic
Percentages Agreement October 1944
Division of SE Europe into spheres
USSR 75% predominance in Romania + Bulgaria
Britain = 90% in Greece
Eventually dismissed by Churchill as Roosevelt would reject + cause huge tensions
ACC's
Italy = 1st Axis sate to sign armistice
All soviet requests - rejected bu GB + USA
This gave Stalin the excuse to exclude them from EE
New Italin gov closely supervised by USA + GB ACC in 1943
Many contunied to be held in Bulgaria, Finland, Italy, Hungary and Romania
Developing tensions up to 1948
The USSR and Southern Europe 1945-1948
Huge support for Socialism within Europe due to Unemployment, Shortages and chaos which helped the USSR extend its sphere of influence
USSR employed
'Salami tactics
' where anti-communist parties were sliced into disunites pieces
Czechoslovakia
-
Feb-March 194
8 communists purged the non-communists within gov
US minister Jan was found dead - increasing suspicion - US congress showed greater acceptance of Marshall plan and hostilities between US + USSR became more intense
Tito established a communist regime without USSR help - broke away in
June 1948
Churchill's Iron Curtain speech 5th March 1946
Attracted worldwide attention + helped push US policy towards containment
Interpreted by Stalin as an attack on the USSR
In response Stalin gave interview to Pravda newspaper - painted US + GB as meddling powers preventing USSR from seeking peaceful allies
Kennan's Long telegram February 1946
Had a decisive influence over US policy
USSR views the west as hostile and menacing
Peaceful relations between the USA and USSR are unlikely
Prosperity in the West will undermine communism in the East
USSR foreign policy is agressive and ideologically driven
The USA should be prepared to threaten the use of force to contain Soviet expansion, but war is unnecessary
The USA should adopt a more proactive role in Europe
This telegram helped confirm Truman's view that the USSR was a threat to the USA's interests and a policy of containment was required
The Greek Civil War and The Truman Doctrine March 1947
1943-44
as Greece was liberated from Nazi occupation there was violent conflict between the monarchists and the Greek communists fought to liberate Greece. In
March 1946
this broke into full-scale civil war
Britain had been providing assistance to the anti-communist forces in Greece and Turkey but in
Feb 47
they could no loner afford to do so because they were facing a major financial crisis
March 4
7 the USA pledged anti-communist assistance to Greece and Turkey which reflected the influence of the long telegram and iron curtain speech. This attitude became known as the Truman doctrine by which the USA was prepared to provide advice to any peoples threatened by communist take-over
Cominform, September 1947
Late
47
Stalin was sure the US was engineering anti-Soviet global alliance
In response he created Cominform to finalise Soviet influence over other communist regimes in Eastern Europe
The purpose was to coordinate the actions and roles of communist groups across Europe so they would all be united and act in accordance with Moscow's wishes
Yugoslavia's expulsion
Although Tito was a confirmed Stalinist he challenged soviet control and resisted subservience to Moscow
June 1948
Yugoslavia was expelled from Cominform; Moscow gave the abandonment of Marxist-Leninist principles and an unwillingness to conform to an acceptable political position as the reasons
Both Yugoslavia and the USA capitalised on this expulsion + entered an agreement that provided economic assistance to Yugoslavia through the Marshal plan
US involvement in Europe
US Policy towards Britain and Europe
The events of 1945-47 led to a shift in US policy towards containment and long term involvement in European affairs
US foreign policy was formulated out of a feat that democracy and capitalism were threatened in countries such as Greece, Italy and France
Strategic planning focused on economic recovery for W Europe
By 1947 US was concerned with promoting unity within Europe to help create a stable bloc of pro-american states
The US intended to use its 'special relationship' with Britain as the launch point for its actions
End of 47 US decided E Europe couldn't be moulded in such a way and accepted the notion of a divided Europe
The Marshall Plan June 1947
Aid promised under the Marshall plan was available to all of Europe but it was clear the motive was stability of the West
The US hoped the strengthening of European economy would weaken the attraction of communism
Between 1947-52 the Marshall Plan provided $13.5 billion to 16 countries in Europe
Soviet reactions
July 1947
the USSR rejected any participation and denounced US actions in the UN
Countries that expressed interest e.g Czechoslovakia and Poland were ordered to reverse their decisions
September 1947
cominform was established
1949
the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance was set up to establish a socialist economic bloc
US Attitudes to Germany and Berlin
In 1947-48 American intentions for Germnay became clearer through actions and reactions;
USA wasn't willing to relinquish western zones of Berlin despite their location within Soviet occupation
Moved away from the idea of unified Germany - Stalin's neutral demilitarised Germany = rejected
1st January 1947 US and British zones merged creating Bizonia
New currency in June 1948 was seen by the USSR as a hostile act
Under the Marshall plan W Germany was included in the European Recovery programme
Conflict over Germany
Developments in the Zones
Soviet Zone
- United German socialist unity party in Feb 1946. Tyranny land reform, nationalisation + Russian culture forced. Communists took control of other left wing groups
British Zone
- 22.5 million, expensive to feed = increased dependence on the US, Ruhr = industrial centre + fought after
American Zone
- free elections, early
1947
merged with Britain's despite soviet objections
French Zone
- creation of 2 German states - Western heavily influenced by Western Power
Bizonia and the currency reform
May 1946
- US stopped reparations to USSR until economic plan = agreed - soviets saw as attempt to create western capitalism. Commitment to keep Germany as 1 economic unit was failing - faced economic chaos. All 4 powers agreed on the need for currency reform but not how
Jan 1947
- American and British zones merged - key development justified by Potsdam
March - December 1947
- Soviets opposed Bizonia but west refused creation of unified Germany = breakdown of relations and the perusal of West German state
Moscow conference March - April 1947
= USSR suggesting new central administration - failed + no firm decisions = made
London conference Nov-Dec 1947
- USSR accused west of denying reparations + west feared centralised admin = soviet controlled Germany; the West realised 4 powers wouldn't work - urgency to strengthen Western zones
June 1948
- Deutsche mark introduced + breakdown of wartime alliances = complete as Stalin accused west of wrecking East German economy
The creation of East and West Germany
Separate west German state
(FRG)
decided
June 1948
and approved in May 1948 - Adenauer = 1st chancellor
Britain, France + US had final decision-making authority but had to be autonomous in internal affairs
Soviets responded with East German state
(GDR)
in
October 1949
- one party state led by Ulbricht
The Berlin Blockade 24th June 1948 - May 1949
3 days after new currency - all road + rail links blocked
Bevin (GB foreign secretary) argued USSR aim = spread communism across Germany + allies must not use military force - Clay (US military governor) supported this
Withdrawal of western allies would threaten the future of democracy in Germany
May 1949 Stalin ended the blockade
- failed to prevent separation of Germany
Containment proved to be a success + by 1949 Europe was divided in two blocs
The Berlin airlift 26th June 1948
West Berlin had 36 days of food and 62 days of fuel
US used old C47's = dangerous
1,300 flights every 24 hours
If the Soviets shot planes it would be an act of war
Brussels pact 17th March 1948
Belgium, France, Luxembourg + Netherlands
Ernest Bevin - stop communism + secure alliance
End of 1948 secret meetings held between GB, Canada + US
Organisation (NATO) April 1949
Concept of collective security encouraged by US
WEU
- Western European Union
est 1948
- aimed prevent German resurgence but lacked funding + military strength
Led to NATO between 10 states
For the USA
-
strengths
against communism; regional
defence
to help containment;
not undermining
US goals in Europe
Soviets
argues aggressive organisation promoting western capitalism - had no intention of military force in Europe - NATO demonstrated US force being used to secure dominance in Europe