History test Monday ( part a exam paper one)

• The Cold War is a period of political tension and military rivalry between the Western powers, led by the United States and its NATO allies, and the Eastern bloc, led by the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies
• Origins of the Cold War stem from the animosity between the West/capitalism and the Communist state during the Second World War period
• At the end of the Second World War, Allied War Conferences led to the division of Europe and impacted East/West relations
• Cold War development:

  • Tehran Conference:

  Aims: Coordination of military efforts against Germany

  Decisions: Agreement on opening a second front in Europe

  Impact: Strengthened the alliance between the US, UK, and USSR

  • Yalta Conference:

  Aims: Post-war reorganization and peace

  Decisions: Division of Germany into zones of occupation

  Impact: Set the stage for the creation of the United Nations

  • Potsdam Conference:

  Aims: Post-war settlement and reconstruction

  Decisions: Implementation of the Potsdam Agreement

  Impact: Solidified the division of Europe and heightened tensions between the superpowers
• The USSR and USA created 'spheres of influence' in Europe post-Second World War

  • USA's 'sphere of influence' by 1949:

  Policy of containment through Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan

  • USSR's 'sphere of influence' by 1949:

  Soviet reaction to US policies, creation of satellite states in Eastern Europe, and consolidation of control through COMECON
• The Cold War was a state of extreme tension between the superpowers, stopping short of all-out 'hot' war
• Characterized by mutual hostility and involvement in covert warfare and war by proxy
• Superpowers involved were the USSR, USA, and their allies
• Origins of the Cold War:

  • WW1: Communist Revolution in Russia led to Russia withdrawing from WW1, causing anger and distrust among the Allies
  • WW2: USSR occupied Eastern Europe at the end of the war, leading to mutual distrust
• The Cold War was fueled by the different political and economic systems of the superpowers:

  • Capitalism (USA)
  • Communism (USSR)
• Competition between capitalism and communism was initially in Europe but eventually became worldwide, involving countries like Korea, Vietnam, Cuba, Middle East, China, Afghanistan, Africa, South America, Space, and Oceans
• Leaders of the USSR included Lenin, Stalin, Khrushchev, Brezhnev, Andropov, Chernenko, and Gorbachev
• Leaders of the USA included Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, and Bush (Snr)
• The Cold War involved events like the Space Race, Arms Race, Olympics, Espionage, and the building of the Berlin Wall
• Capitalism:

  • Strengths:
  • Encourages economic growth and profit-making
  • Encourages innovation and competition
  • Emphasizes individual responsibility and diversity of products
  • Weaknesses:
  • Unequal wealth distribution
  • Poor treatment of workers
  • Limited opportunities for many due to circumstances
• Communism:

  • Strengths:
  • Redistributes wealth and protects the poor
  • Provides full employment and benefits the whole society
  • Directs money where needed most
  • Weaknesses:
  • Economy relies on existing money for redistribution
  • Lack of incentives for workers and limited development opportunities
  • Poor state planning and lack of alternate sources of information
• The Cold War was characterized by:

  • Indirect conflict fought by proxy
  • Use of propaganda to promote ideologies and espionage
  • Brinkmanship like the Cuban Missile Crisis
  • Nuclear arms race leading to the potential for Mutual Assured Destruction (M.A.D.)
  • Economic, diplomatic, and political shows of power
• Origins of the Conflict:

  • WW1, 1930s, and WW2 led to heightened tensions between the West and the USSR
  • Communist Revolution in Russia and distrust between the West and USSR escalated the conflict
  • Yalta and Potsdam conferences highlighted disagreements and suspicions between the Allies
• Agreements made at Potsdam:
• The four German zones were to be ruled by military governors under a joint ALLIED CONTROL COUNCIL (ACC)
• Capital Berlin in the Soviet zone was also to be divided into four zones
• Each zone had an army of occupation
• Economic issues were to be coordinated by the ACC
• Reparations:

  • Soviet sector (mostly rural) to provide Western zones with food + coal
  • Western zones to supply industrial goods which the USSR could take home
• Germany was to be disarmed and demilitarized
• Germany to remain united, although administered in four zones
• New borders were created for Poland
• Problems at Potsdam:
• Administration through the ACC failed, especially because all four governors on the ACC could veto decisions made
• Increasing disagreement with regard to reparations, with each side accusing the other of not abiding by the Potsdam agreement
• Conflicting political and economic systems were established in the zones
• Consequences:
• Experienced economic recovery, especially through USA assistance
• A Bizone was established (Britain + USA) as a stable economic unit
• Industry was nationalized and agriculture was collectivized, leading to slow economic recovery
• Germany became the first battleground in the Cold War
• 1953 East Berlin Uprising:
• After the death of Stalin in 1953, workers in East Berlin started demonstrations demanding greater political and economic freedom, union with West Berlin, and an end to communism and the withdrawal of Soviet troops
• The demonstrations spread to East Germany, where protestors demanded union with West Germany
• Soviet tanks and troops crushed the uprising, resulting in 600 executions and 300,000 people fleeing to West Germany