The cold war

• The Soviet Union's desire to spread communism and establish satellite states in Eastern Europe also heightened tensions with the United States.
• The Grand Alliance was formed during World War II, consisting of the USA, the USSR, and Britain, united in the goal of removing the Nazis
• The first conference was held in Tehran in December 1943, where the USA wanted Stalin's support to defeat the Japanese, the USSR wanted a second front in Western Europe, and Britain wanted support in defeating Nazism and defending its empire
• The USA and Britain agreed to invade Western Europe in May 1944 to ease pressure on the USSR, who were being invaded by the Nazis
• In February 1945, the Grand Alliance met in Yalta to discuss the post-war future, deciding to split Germany into four zones controlled by the USA, USSR, Britain, and France
• Berlin was also split into four zones, and the Nazis were to be prosecuted with the establishment of the United Nations to prevent future wars
• Stalin wanted Poland as a buffer zone to prevent future invasion, leading to disputes over free elections in Poland
• The Potsdam Conference in August 1945 confirmed agreements from Yalta, establishing the United Nations with five permanent members and denazification of Germany
• Germany was reduced in size, split into four zones, and the Soviet Union received 25% of the output of the other three zones as compensation
• Stalin pushed for harsh reparations from Germany, but Truman opposed this, allowing Germany to pay in equipment, materials, and money
• Stalin wanted to share the occupation of Japan after their surrender, but Truman refused, leading to tensions and the beginning of the Cold War
• The ideologies of the East and West were opposed, leading to the collapse of the Grand Alliance after the defeat of the Nazis
• • Marshall Plan aimed to give people a stake in their own society to prevent communism
  • Aid recipients had to commit to trading with the USA and a review of their country's finances
  • Marshall Plan successful in supporting Greece against Communists and confirming USA's commitment to containing communism
  • Deepened rivalry between USA and USSR, confirmed split between communist and non-communist Europe
• Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan:

  • In February 1947, Britain informed the USA that they could no longer afford to keep troops in Greece and Turkey
  • Truman believed that if Britain withdrew, these countries were likely to become communist
  • Truman Doctrine: USA's involvement in Europe to prevent Stalin from spreading communism
  • Truman's speech on 12th March 1947 outlined concerns for Europe after World War II
  • Truman worried about the conditions in Europe making communism more attractive
• • Truman believed in the domino effect, where one nation falling to communism would lead to others following
  • Truman stated that countries faced a choice between capitalism and communism, with communism being evil because people were not free
  • Containment policy: USA's aim to stop the spread of communism
  • Marshall Plan: announced in April 1948 by General George C. Marshall, providing 17 billion dollars in aid to help rebuild Europe
  • Aid given to 16 countries, with the largest beneficiaries being Britain and France
• • Common Form strengthened trade links between communist countries and aimed to prevent them from joining the Marshall Plan
  • Soviet-led countries did not have enough money to support each other financially
  • Increased tension between Western Europe (tied to the US by the Marshall Plan) and Eastern Europe (under Soviet control) set the stage for the Cold War
• Comic-Con and Common Form:

  • Stalin saw Marshall Plan as a direct attack on the USSR, accusing Truman of using it for selfish reasons
  • Stalin set up Comic-Con (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance) and Common Form (Communist Information Bureau) as a positive alternative to the Marshall Plan
  • Common Form aimed to remove opposition to Soviet control in communist-led countries
  • Tensions between Tito of Yugoslavia and Stalin led to Yugoslavia being expelled from Common Form in 1948
• Stalin wanted to prevent future invasion into Eastern Europe, mainly from Germany and other European nations
• Stalin aimed to create a buffer zone in Eastern Europe to prevent future invasions
• At Yalta, Stalin promised free and fair elections in Eastern European nations occupied by the USSR
• USSR used salami tactics to take over Eastern European countries, dealing with each country one slice at a time by fixing elections and removing opponents
• The USA, particularly Truman, saw USSR's actions as a betrayal of the agreements made at Yalta
• USSR's Red Army occupied nine countries and sought to influence two more to create a buffer zone
• Six countries influenced by the USSR using the acronym PREACH:

  • P is for Poland:
  • USSR occupied Poland after waiting for the Warsaw Uprising to be put down
  • London Poles, exiled Polish politicians, were initially part of the government but were later forced to flee or face imprisonment
  • Communist party formed the government after the second election in 1947
  • R is for Romania:
  • Red Army took control of Romania in 1944 and influenced elections in 1945
  • Communists gained full control after the 1947 election
  • E is for East Germany:
• • Became a communist state in 1949 and was considered essential to the USSR's buffer zone
  • A is for Albania:
  • Reliant on Soviet aid and had a communist government from 1944
  • C is for Czechoslovakia:
  • Democracy until the Nazis invaded in 1938
  • Communist government established in 1948 with Stalin's support
  • H is for Hungary:
  • 1945 elections returned a coalition government, but a communist government was established by 1949 after intimidation and another election
• Establishment of satellite states confirmed the division between East and West, acting as a buffer for the Soviet Union against attacks from the West
• Truman saw the expansion of communism into satellite states as evidence of the Soviet Union's plan to spread communism worldwide, increasing tensions between the superpowers
• Winston Churchill referred to an "iron curtain" descending across Europe, symbolizing a military and ideological barrier drawn by the Soviet Union
• Churchill emphasized the importance of cooperation between the UK, USA, and Western European countries for peace in the future
• At the Yalta Conference in 1945, it was decided to divide Germany into four zones occupied by the USA, the USSR, France, and Great Britain
• The division of Germany was intended to be temporary, but by the 1950s, it became clear that it would be long-lasting
• The Western allies wanted to rebuild Germany's economy for trading partnerships, while the USSR wanted to use raw materials to help rebuild Russia
• From 1945 to 1947, tensions increased between the Allies and the USSR over the future of Germany
• In March 1948, the USA and Britain combined their zones to create byzonia, which further angered Stalin
• The French joined byzonia to create trizonia, splitting Germany and Berlin into two sections
• Trizonia introduced a new currency called the Deutsche Mark, angering Stalin and creating two Germanies
• Stalin blocked land access to Berlin in June 1948, starting the Berlin blockade to prove that the division of Germany could not work
• The Berlin airlift, known as Operation Vittles, began on June 24, 1948, delivering supplies to Berlin by air to counter the blockade
• The airlift continued until May 9, 1949, when Stalin lifted the blockade as the West had responded peacefully and won the propaganda war
• The blockade led to the formation of East and West Germany, with the Federal Republic of Germany established in the West and the German Democratic Republic in the East