To what extent was the West more to blame than Stalin for the increase in Cold War
tensions in the years 1945 to 1947?
Following the concluding months of World War II, the US, USSR and UK had maintained
their status of ‘the grand alliance’, however, when the war ended in 1945, the alliance
deteriorated when it became apparent that the three countries had conflicting interests for
the rebuilding of Europe, and no ‘common ground.’ Although, between 1945 and 1947, Stalin
contributed to increasing tensions, it was the West who were to blame for the beginning of
the Cold War because their actions appeared threatening.
In February 1946, the West increased the tensions of the Cold War following the publication
of George Kennan’s ‘Long Telegram’ which fundamentally argued that the Soviet Union was
an ideological threat to the free world, and that the US’s foreign policy should be modified to
promote the ‘containment of communism’ as well as the threat of force. Since Potsdam in
1945, Truman had been suspicious of Stalin’s “barbaric interests in the invasion of Eastern
Europe” (which he stated to the US’s ambassador to Moscow.) In comparison to Roosevelt,
Truman was more confrontational towards Stalin by attempting to use the US’s superiority as
a threat - something which is evident when considering how in 1945, Truman informed Stalin
of the successful testing of the atomic bomb, describing it as “a terrible weapon.” Truman
wanted to appear more threatening towards the USSR, however, did not have the
justification to do so until Kennan’s long telegram, which in 1947, resulted in the Truman
Doctrine (the containment of communism through US economic support towards ‘vulnerable
countries.’ The long telegraph increased Cold War tensions as Stalin reportedly felt that the
US were acting hostile, therefore justifying the idea that he needed to act in defence.
On the other hand, Stalin’s introduction of cominform in 1947 equally increased Cold War
tensions. Cominform was the ‘unification’ of all communist countries under the direction of
Moscow which encouraged Soviet countries to not accept the financial support of the
Truman Doctrine. Cominform increased tensions because it was introduced as a retaliation
to Truman’s Doctrine which encouraged Eastern Countries to not accept the US’s financial
support - therefore depowering the economic support plan. Although it can be argued that
cominform was introduced by Stalin as a form of defence to maintain his spheres of
influence, it still nevertheless purposely conflicted with US intentions, therefore further
representing the rivalry between the US and USSR.
However, Winston Churchill’s 1946 ‘Iron Curtain’ speech arguably radically increased Cold
War tensions as he was the first individual of power to recognize the ‘iron curtain which had
descended across Eastern Europe’, as well as carried out an ideological attack against the
superpower. Although by 1946 Churchill was no longer the Prime Minister, he was a
representation of power and had maintained his ‘celebrity statues.’ Although it can be argued
whether Chuchill’s speech was a reflection of Truman himself (as the speech occurred in
Truman’s hometown in the school he attended), Churchill’s speech was still nevertheless
influential. Churchill’s speech increased tensions as 10 days later, Stalin released an
interview suggesting that the Iron Curtain was in place to “ensure security” not as a threat.
However, arguably although Churchill’s speech did increase tension, if Stalin had not broken
the promise of liberalising Europe which had been agreed at Yalta, then there would have
been no need for Churchill’s speech to begin with.
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