History

• The Cold War was the superpower rivalry between the USA and USSR, 1945-1991
• The Cold War was also a fight for global influence between the rival ideologies of capitalism and communism
• The nuclear deterrent Mutually Assured Destruction prevented conflict despite crises e.g. Cuba
• The 'war' was fought through propaganda, espionage, and the arms and space races
• Both superpowers supported ideological allies in flashpoints around the world e.g. Berlin, Korea
• Causes of the Cold WarIdeological Rivalry

  • The USA's capitalist economy
  • The USSR's communist economy
  • American fear of communism
  • Soviet horror of capitalist inequality
  • Political freedoms in the USA vs dictatorship in the USSR
  • Fear of communist world revolution
  • Incompatibility of co-existence
• Superpower Rivalry

  • World War 2 aftermath
  • Competition for influence and dominance
  • Struggle for world supremacy
  • Difference in superpower rivalry post-1945
• Americans were terrified of Soviet dictatorship and considered Stalin as bad as Hitler
• Americans were horrified by the Red Terror, execution of the Tsar, Stalin's Purges, and the Red Scare in the 1920s
• The USA had been shocked by Stalin allying with Hitler in the Nazi-Soviet Pact
• Stalin felt that the USA would never accept the USSR as an equal and coexist with communism
• Stalin thought the USA was determined to eradicate communism around the world by any means
• Stalin felt the Allies delayed D Day to make the Soviets bear the brunt of fighting against Hitler
• Stalin's purges had been based on accusations of capitalist conspiracy and sabotage
• At Yalta, it was agreed that countries liberated from Nazi rule were to hold free elections
• Stalin argued that the USSR had a right to security after losing 25 million people in the war
• Eastern Europe was agreed to be a Soviet sphere of influence at Yalta
• Soviet troops were not withdrawn from Eastern Europe and 'satellite states' were set up
• The Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe led to US containment and the Cold War
• Truman's paranoia was increased by the replacement of Roosevelt with the hawkish Truman
• Truman's use of the atom bomb to intimidate Stalin increased tensions
• The Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe


  Led to US containment and the Cold War
• Truman's use of the atom bomb


  Intimidated Stalin despite their alliance
• Truman was determined to abandon the isolationist policies that had led to World War 2
• Truman Doctrine


  US policy to intervene to contain the spread of communism
• The Marshall Plan and NATO


  Led to the division of Europe between two ideological camps
• Stalin felt the USA had double standards


  Having also ignored the commitment to elections in Greece
• Stalin wanted to cripple Germany and impose harsh reparations


  So it could never threaten the USSR
• Russia desperately needed reparations


  To help its crippled economy recover
• Stalin felt that the Allies only wanted Germany to recover


  So that it could attack the USSR again
• When Germany was divided

  Churchill added a French zone as an extra ally against the USSR
• GB, France, and the USA united their zones in 1946


  Highlighting Cold War divisions
• The Berlin Blockade


  Demonstrated the Cold War had begun
• Once the war was over

  The tensions in the wartime alliance between the USA and USSR resurfaced
• By 1946


  Neither side believed peaceful coexistence was possible or trusted the other
• The Truman Doctrine


  Can be seen as the first open declaration of this conflict
• The Marshall Plan


  Led to the separation of Europe into rival camps: capitalist and communist
• The establishment of Cominform, Comecon, and NATO by 1949


  Made the division of Europe official
• Tehran Conference


  November 1943
• Yalta Conference


  February 1945