This document contains all notes required to learn for the grade 12 history topic on the Cold War. The notes are written as concise and as clearly as possible, in the most simplest terms possible.
The origins of the cold war
USA – capitalist , supported by the west
USSR – communist, supported by the east and other communist countries
Clash between two political ideology’s
Why did the cold war develop
Before WW2 was distrust of USSR after communist government came into power
Set aside – Grand Alliance was formed
o Roosevelt (USA), Stalin (USSR), Churchill (Brittan)
Yalta conference – February 1945
o Grand Alliance met and talked about what they were going to do with
Germany
o Germany would be divided up into occupation zones
o Agreed that Eastern European countries should have independent elections
Potsdam Conference – 1945 July
o Break in relationships reasons
USSR had taken control of much of Eastern Europe
Stalin set up communist government in Poland – ignored wishes of
the polish
Roosevelt died – Truman replaced – he was very suspicious about
Stalin
Atomic bomb had successfully been developed – Stalin was not
informed about it
Churchill lost his election in England
o Stalin wanted renumerations from Germany
o Truman was against this
o Decided that Germany divvied into 4 – USSR, France, England, USA
o Capital Berlin also separated
The USSR and the USA: the creation of speres of influence
The installation of Soviet Friendly governments in the satellite states
USSR annexed Baltic countries – Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the eastern part of
Poland
They ensured that Soviet friendly governments were introduced into
Hungary,Bulgaria,Romania and Eastern Germany – Soviet Satellites
o This went against agreement for free elections that was established at the
yalta conference
In 1948 Communist coup in Czechoslovakia
USA and Brittan established only reason USSR joined alliance was to recapture land
They became concerned over Greece, Italy and France – posed big communist
parties
,The USA’s policy of containment: the Truman Doctrine and the Marshal plan
Introduced containment and solution rather that isolation
Trumans Doctrine
Events in Greece and Turkey – led to formation
o Civil war in Greece broke out between communist-led guerrillas against
Greek government,
o Similar in Turkey
o USSR was supporting the communists in these countries
March 1947
Acted as basis that would send aid to any country threatened by Communist
takeover
Official basis of American policy during Cold War
Marshall Plan
Named after Secerery of state – George Marshall
He went to Europe observed destruction from the war
Then gave aid to help re-build the economies of eastern European countries
Soviets response to Marshall Plan
Stalin was not happy about the plan
It increased division between eastern Europe and western
In result the Communist Information Bureau – was formed
o Was used to organise communist parties in eastern Europe
o In 1949 Comecon (council for Mutual economic aid) was formed
Later Cuba and Vietnam would join
Berlin Crisis
Allies had made agreements at Postdam that Germany would remain same
But soviets went against this by
o Establish a communist dictatorship – and communist economic systems .
They nationalised industry – made economic recovery slow as
government rejected aid from USA
o Western Zones democratic elections were held – and rapid economic growth
occurred (Marshall aid)
In 1948 Western Zones united and formed single economic unit
, 1948-1949: The Berlin Blockade and Airlift
Western Currency became the dominant currency in Berlin – caused Soviet Zone
currency to loose its value
o Stalin saw this as economic warfare
June 1948 – USSR closed all road, rail and canals linking berlin to the West
This cut off ability to deliver supplies and contact with West Berlin from the West
USSR sent rations to west Berlin to persuade people to allow soviet control
3 Options were available to the west
o Could risk war by forcing USSR lift the Blockade
o Did nothing could risk looking weak in the eyes of Stalin
o Instead airlifted supplies (food, fuel, building materials) to 3 air lanes open in
Berlin
May 1949 Stalin called of Blockade
After Germany divided into two separate states
o May 1949 (western zones came together) German Federal Republic formed
Leader: Konrad Adenauer Capital: Bonn
o October 1949 (USSR formed) German democratic republic
Capital: East Berlin Leader: Walter Ulbricht
1953: Uprising in East Berlin
Protest by workers throughout East Berlin then in East Germany
o Wanted greater economic + political freedom + end of Communism and
withdrawl of Soviet forces
Many east Germans were executed
Reforms were introduced after which allowed East German greater independence
1961: The building of the Berlin Wall
Highly educated young people were leaving east Germany to escape and work in
West.
1961 – Soviets decided to divide the city – set up machine gun posts and searchlights
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