Importance Questions

• Yalta/Potsdam


  • Relations worsened, cracks began to appear in the relationship because of disagreements over Poland and the nature of the government (Yalta)
  • Tensions increased because Stalin was angered by the testing of the atomic bomb without him being aware (Potsdam)
• Long/Novikov telegrams 1946


  • Contributed to the development of the containment policy, which advocated for the limitation of Soviet expansionism by any means
  • Increased tension as both superpowers have informed each other's leaders that there plan is to destroy communism or capitalism
• Stalin's take-over of Eastern states

  • Increased rivalry. USA, GB and France saw Stalin's motives as political-- attempt to expand Soviet empire and communism throughout Europe
  • Stalin and the USSR felt more secure as they had created a "buffer zone" of countries to protect Russia being invaded by any potential threat
• Truman Doctrine 1947


  • Increased rivalry and suspicion. Stalin saw Marshall Aid as an attempt to "buy" countries in the West
  • It committed America to being involved in Europe and caused the Cold War tensions to increase because the USSR and the US would regularly clash over Europe
• Cominform/Comecon 1949


  • Instrumental in advancing Soviet interests and consolidating control over Eastern Europe during the Cold War
  • Comecon served as an instrument of Soviet influence and control over the economies of Eastern European countries. Therefore, Moscow greatly benefitted as it dictated economic policies and trade relations. This leads to the USSR rebuilding their post war economy
• Arms race


  • Increase in tensions as both superpowers were creating mass destruction weapons that could easily be deployed
  • Deterrence- Both superpowers sough to deter each other from launching a nuclear attack by maintaining a credible threat of retaliation. This strategy is commonly referred to as MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction)
• Hungarian Uprising 1956


  • Showed how USSR were prepared and willing to send in troops to defeat the rebellion, making them look strong
  • Showed how USSR had control over their satellite states. Leading to an increase in tension between the superpowers as they both had their own side of Europe