History Cold War

• Yalta conference feb 1945: agreed Germany divided into four zones.

  USSR also gaining land from Poland

  USSR: wanted a weak Germany under complete control

  US, Britain + France: wanted to build a new Germany in their zones
• Cominform- 1947, propaganda, organisation of European Com countries to spread Stalin's ideas
• Potsdam conference July 1945: agreed Germany would be completely disarmed + demilitarised
• July 16th 1945: USA successfully tested atomic bomb
• August 29th 1949: USSR successfully tested atomic bomb
• Kennan's 'Long Telegram' 1946: George Kenna officer in embassy in Moscow sent dispatch to Washington to state department, criticise Roosevelt for his plan for international cooperation + a democratic post-war world, argued USA need to adopt proactive role with containment, particularly in Europe
• Churchill's 'Iron Curtain' speech 1946: stressed importance for US + Britain to act as guardians of peace + stability against Stalin's communism, convinced Stalin the US + Britain were intent on carrying out an anti-Soviet ideological assault
• Greek Civil war March 1947: Greece was liberated from Nazi occupation, 1944, civil war broke our between monarchists + communists, Britain had been providing aid to anti-com forces in Greece but Feb 1947 announced aid was no longer available, appeal to USA to assume financial burden
• Truman Doctrine March 1947: Truman pledged support to any nation threatened by communist aggression, provided $300 million worth of military assistance to Greece + Turkey, set precedent for future intervention in other countries under threat from communism
• Marshall Plan June 1947: proposed economic recovery programme for Western European nations, aimed at preventing spread of communism through poverty + hardship, provided $13.5 billion to 16 European countries, condition was that some of this money had to be spent on importing goods from USA, only accepted by non-communist states, Soviet Union refused to accept it because they wanted to maintain control over Eastern Europe
• Berlin Blockade 1948-1949: after intro of new western backed Deutsch Mark, USSR blocked all road + rail links to the Western Zones + West Berlin through Soviet zone.

  Western zones responded with Berlin airlift, supplied food + essential items via planes

  Stalin ended blockade May 1949
• NATO: organisation gave US regional defence in Western Europe, made sure there was peace + stability, complemented containment

  • built upon Western Europe Union which was to prevent German resurgence.
• SEATO 1954: Southeast Asia defensive alliance, prevent communist gaining ground in this region
• Warsaw Pact 1955: between USSR + it's satellite states, reinforce communist dominance in Eastern Europe, security strategy, non-threatening
• New look policy 1953: Eisenhower, liberation could only happen through peaceful means, Dulles Nuclear deterrence
• Brinkmanship 1956: USA use Nuclear weapon not only as a deterrence, but also a tool to force agreements from com opponents
• Geneva Conference 1954: agreed 2 zones in Vietnam created, French withdraw troops from Northern Vietnam, Nationalist withdraw troops from Southern Vietnam.

  US pledged support to South, Neo Dinh Diem
• Poland Uprising 1956: following secret speech, Poles demanded more political freedom + national sovereignty, June, workers protest wage cuts + working conditions, Oct Gomulka elected secretary of polish com party, Beijing pledged support to Gomulka, forced Khrushchev to compromise + allow Poland path to socialism
• Hungary uprisings 1956: Oct, students in Budapest protested + listed 16 demands included appointing Nagy as prime minister + the removal of Soviet troops, following day workers joined.

  Oct Nagy appointed prim minister, met with Khurshchev, assured him of Hungary's loyalty, K agreed withdraw Soviet troops, next 2 days Red army began withdraw from Budapest, 31st Moscow reversed posit, feared collapse of com, 1st Nov Nagy announced withdraw from Warsaw pact, within few days 4000 tanks surrounded Budapest, around 4000 civilians killed, 20,000 went into self-imposed exile
• Austrian State Treaty 1955: granted Austria independence + arranged withdrawal of occupational forces
• Geneva Summit 1955: Khrushchev rejected Eisenhower's proposal of 'open skies' meant each side would have to provide details of military installations + allow aerial reconnaissance

  E also wanted reunified Germany, free elections + Germany's freedom to ensure it's own security, K only contemplate if future Germany demilitarised and neutral
• Paris Summit 1960: collapsed after a news that a US U2 spy plane had bee shot down over Soviet air space.

  Khrushchev walked out, Eisenhower refused to apologise
• Khrushchev's ultimatum 1958: stated whole city of Berlin belonged to East, therefore Western powers have 6 months to remove their troops

  Eisenhower agreed to hold meetings to discuss

  ultimatum happened due to many East Germans fleeing to West
• Vienna conference 1961: Kennedy now president, Khrushchev + Kennedy met, Kh renewed his 6 month ultimatum thinking k would back down
• 1957: USSR first to launch space satellite, Sputnik
• Berlin Wall 1961: stopped East migrants flowing into West, prevented West having an influence on Com sector