This document covers the following topics:
How did the Cold War period shape international relations after the Second World War?
• What was the Cold War?
Develop a conceptual understanding of the nature and characteristics of the/a Cold War.
• What were the origins of the Cold War?
A brief...
Cold War
Causes of the Cold War
Helpful mnemonic
Using Perfect Summaries Is The Most Bright Notion
Underlying tensions
1917 - Russia turned communist and pulled out of WW1, which angered Britain. Communism becomes a
direct threat to the existence of capitalism.
Peace conferences
Tehran (1943): UK, USA and USSR agree that it will be the Soviets who launch an attack into Germany from
the east. Implies UK//USA happy to accept Soviet supremacy in the East.
Yalta (Feb 1945): Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill
I. Will divided Germany and Berlin into 4.
II. Establish UN
III. Soviets will withdraw from occupied territories and hold free and fair elections, but the USA/UK will
allow Eastern Europe to become ‘sphere of Soviet influence
Potsdam (Post-war, July 1945): Truman, Stalin,Atlee
I. Formal division of German and Berlin
II. Reparations to be taken out of own zones
III. Truman aggressive - knows that USA has atom bomb
Stalin’s takeover of Eastren Europe
Stalin ignores the Yalta Agreement. Keeps troops in occupied territories and rigs elections.Between 1945
-1949, countries of Eastern Europe become communist, known as ‘satellite states’
Watched over carefully by USSR.Stalin claims this is a defensive move - he is establishing a ‘buffer zone’.
Churchill's iron Curtain speech
Churchill addressed the UK audience. He warns that Soviets are aggressive (similar to Hitler) and need to be
stopped. He refers to the divide between East and West as an ‘Iron Curtain’
, 2
The Truman Doctrine (March, 1947)
Civil war in Greece between communists and monarchists
● 1947 Britain struggles with after effects of WW2 -cannot afford to support Greece, and announces
the end of the aid.
● Truman (USA) steps in and says America will “support any free people who are resisting subjugation
by armed minorities or outside pressure.”
● i.e USA will provide any type of aid needed to stop spread of communism - Policy of Containment
The Marshall Plan (1948)
● Post-war Europe in economic mess. This will affect the economy of the USA as it will prevent trade.
● Poorer countries are always more likely to be willing to adopt communism. General Marshall (USA
Secretary of State) appeals to US Congress to supply financial aid to Europe.
● Congress was reluctant but persuaded when Czechoslovakia failed under communist control.
● The USA allocates 17 billion dollars for European recovery. Stalin furious, calls the “dollar
diplomacy”
The Berlin Blockade (1948)
Western countries use Marshall Aid to rebuild their zones of Berlin. 1948 Western Powers combined their
zones of Germany to speed up economic recovery. Western zones introduce new currency - Deutschmarks
NATO (1949)
The West sees USSR as an enemy and forms a military alliance called NATO.
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