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The Origins of the the Cold War I - Coggle Diagram
The Origins of the the Cold War I
Aim of key leads
Grand Alliance, between Britain, USA and USSR
Grand Alliance was a marriage of convenience, where three countries shared the aim of defeating their common enemy - Nazi Germany
Britain
A democracy led by Churchill
Had been at war with Germany since 1939
Churchill
Conservative with aristocratic values
Strong supporter of British overseas empires
Suspicious of communism and Stalin
Determined to stop soviet expansion
Wanted Germany to be rebuilt to stablize europe
Wanted Polish people to be able to chose their govt and not be under communist influence
USA
Democracy lef by Rossevelt
At war with Germany since 1941
Roosevelt
Key figure in holding Grand Alliance together
Prepared to work with Stalin despite differences
Allied with Stalin to encourage his supports against Japan
Recongised the need to accept USSR'S status as a superpower
Focused on trade rather than vengance
Wanted Europe to be a capitalist democracy
UUSR
Communist one-party state led by Stalin
At war with Germany since 1941
Stalin
Strengthened one-party rule in the USSR and restricted freedoms
Convinced West wanted to destroy communism
Determined to stand firm against the USA and Britain and secure his eastern border
Refused to be bullied
Keen to expand communism
Wanted Germany to pay reparations, ensuring it will never be as strong enough to start war
Europe should be a communist democracy
Attitudes and ideologies
Capitalism
making money
Individuals are better at deciding what to make/ sell than the state
Trade between countries makes everyone richer
Everyone should be free to make money for themselves
Capitalist democracy
Individual freedoms
Multi party elections
People are free to decide their own fate
Freedom of speech
Communism
sharing money
Individuals aren't as strong as everyone working towards the same aim
The state should take control of the economy and run it to benefit everyone
Capitalism only makes people rich by exploiting others
Communist dictatorship
Everyone works for the common good
Single party state
Workers to overthrow capitalists
Censorship and police state
Russian revolution
Russian revolution 1917
Capitalists powers supported the govt (USA and UK), but were defeated
Communists took over the govt of Russia in a civil war
Red scare
Capitalist countries feared that communism would spread
USA was driven by the fear of the communist (red) threat
Suspicion and fear of communist spies led to arrests, violence and panic across the USA
Yalta conference
February 1945
Germany would be reduced in size, and demilitarised
Germany would pay $20 billion is reparations
Europe would be built along the lines of the 1941 Atlantic Charter, countries would have democratic elections
United nations would be set up
USSR would declare war on Japan once Germany was defeated
Potsdam conference
July-August 1945
Truman
Truman replaced Roosevelt as president
He had little knowledge of foreign affaires and was not involved at Yalta
He tried to bully Stalin with US power
Concerned about growing soviet influence and thought Stalin was more interested in using force
Atlee
Labour leader that replaced Churchill
Planned to mkae Germany safe from Soviet agression
Council of Foreign ministers was set up to organise the rebuilding of Europe
Nazi party was banned and war criminals presecuted
Germany was reduced in size and divided into four zones splits between USA, UK, USSR and France
Berlin was also divided
USSR would receive 15% of the output from other three zones
Outcomes
Tension increased between wartime allies
Difference emerged over the future of Germany and Eastern Europe
Truman was much more distrustful of the USSR
Dropping the bomb
6th August 1945, US bomber dropped the first atom bomb on Japan, and a second bomb was dropped 3 days later. This weapon affected post-war superpower relations
Truman
Truman deliberatey delated Potsdam conference until the atomic bomb was ready
He thought he would get his way because of the huge military advantage
Bomb gave Truman confidence and determination at Potsdam
Western Europe confident about relying on US for protection
Stalin
The threat made Stalin more determined to secure the USSR trhough a buffer of communist states in Eastern Europe
Was the opposite of what the USA hoped for
Consequence
Increased tension and rivalry between the superpowers
Stalin was determined to close the technology gap with the USA
Other countries were quick to get atomic weapons, Soviets tested their first atomic bomb in 1949
The Iron Curtain
USSR saw capitalism as a threat to be destroyed, USSR was building its military power, peach with the USA wasn't possible
Churchill gave a speech in March 1946, where he descrived the iron curtain which seperated East and West, Stalin saw this speech as an unfair attack, tension increased
In September 1946, a telegram from the Soviet Amvassador told Stalin that the USA wanted world domination, and the USA was preparing for war the the USSR
USA saw the USSR as a threat to its economic interests in Europe, USSR feared and resented the USA's nuclear monopoly