Key Cold War points

• The Cold War was the conflict between the USA and USSR that lasted for 45 years after World War II
• Cold War


  A war of words, propaganda and threat between the USA and USSR, but they did not engage in direct confrontation
• Proxy wars


  The USA and USSR helped their allies fight the other superpower or their allies, but did not become directly involved
• Differing ideologies


  • USA - democratic and capitalist, USSR - one party state, state-owned industry and agriculture, lack of freedom and strict censorship
• Stalin was suspicious of the West due to previous invasions of Russia and believed it was essential to have friendly countries on his borders
• The Grand Alliance


  The alliance between the USA, USSR and Britain to defeat the Axis powers in WWII
• Yalta Conference


  Stalin agreed to join the war against Japan, all 3 agreed to join the UN, Germany to be divided into 4 zones, Stalin to have a sphere of influence in Eastern Europe, free elections to be held in liberated countries
• Potsdam Conference


  Stalin demanded harsh reparations from Germany, USSR to gain eastern Poland, Nazi Party to be banned, Stalin denied a naval base in the Mediterranean, Stalin set up a communist government in Poland without free elections
• The USA testing the atomic bomb


  Made Stalin more suspicious of the West and encouraged an arms race
• The Long Telegram


  Kennan's report to Truman that Stalin had given a speech calling for the destruction of capitalism, America could have no peace with Russia while it opposed capitalism, and Russia was building military power
• The Novikov Telegram


  Novikov's report to Stalin that America desired to dominate the world, the American government was no longer interested in cooperation with the USSR, and the American public were being prepared for war with the USSR
• By 1947, all Eastern European states apart from Czechoslovakia had communist governments, with no free elections held as agreed at Yalta
• Satellite states


  Eastern European states under the control of the USSR, created through rigged elections, violence and intimidation
• Justifications for USSR creating satellite states


  • It had created a buffer zone against the West
  • It was afraid of the USA's atomic power
  • It was afraid of an attack by the West in the near future
  • It had created a 'sphere of influence' as agreed at Yalta
• USA's claims about USSR creating satellite states


  • The USSR had seized control of Eastern Europe and rejected free elections as agreed at Yalta
  • The USA feared the USSR was determined to extend its influence into Western Europe
• Ideology


  System of ideas and ideals, especially one that forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy
• 1945


  Yalta Conference
• Satellite States


  How the USSR justified creating them
• Truman Doctrine


  Policy designed to stop the spread of communism - it was called containment
• The USA believed the USSR was determined to expand and that the USA should use any means possible to stop that expansion
• Greece was the first country to benefit from the Truman Doctrine
• "I believe that it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.": 'President Truman'
• Domino Theory


  The USA should prevent one country from falling to communism to stop others from following suit
• Marshall Plan


  Aimed to rebuild the shattered European economy so that it could contain the spread of communism
• Europe owed the USA $11.5 billion after WW2
• The Marshall Plan aimed to raise living standards in Western Europe to reduce the appeal of communism, rebuild Germany, weaken Soviet control over Eastern Europe, and help the US economy by increasing US exports to Europe
• Stalin's reaction to the Marshall Plan


  He called it 'dollar imperialism' and claimed the USA was trying to control industry and trade in Europe. He refused to accept any economic aid and stopped any Eastern bloc country applying for it.
• Cominform


  An alliance of European communist parties to help them plan and to work together and spread Stalin's ideas
• Comecon


  Set up to coordinate the production and trade of the eastern European communist countries
• Britain, France and the USA had merged their zones of West Germany into one in March 1948
• Britain, France and the USA had introduced a new currency called the 'Deutsch mark' to western Germany, which was intended to help it become economically stronger
• Stalin felt threatened by Germany's growing strength and was angry that the west had not consulted him before making changes in their zones of Germany
• Stalin wanted the 'cancer' of west Berlin to be removed from East Germany
• Berlin Blockade


  1. Stalin cut off all road, rail and canal links to West Berlin

  2. The West responded with a massive airlift - food, fuel and supplies were flown into Berlin for 10 months

  3. Stalin called off the Blockade in May 1949
• The division of Germany into two separate states in May 1949 - the new Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) was set up. In October, the eastern zone became the German Democratic Republic (GDR)
• NATO


  A military alliance of western powers that committed all members to the defence of all the others
• Warsaw Pact


  A defensive military alliance of the USSR and its satellite states in Eastern Europe, intended as a counter-force to NATO
• Consumers act rationally by


  Maximising their utility
• Producers act rationally by


  Selling goods/services in a way that maximises their profits
• Workers act rationally by


  Balancing welfare at work with consideration of both pay and benefits