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History Grade 12 Notes
Cold War (P1)
Def: State of extreme Tension between superpowers stopping short of all out hot war,
Mutural hostility and involvement in covert warfare by proxy.
Who?
USA and USSR
Many allies of each
Where?
Initally Europe
Then….
Worldwide through proxy
● Korea
● Vietnam
● Cuba
● Afganistan
● Middle east
● Africa
● China
● Space…
Why?
● Fear
Distrust of eachother due to different ideologies, capitalism vs communism
Begginigns
1917, WW1: Rev in Russia
2 revs began with overthrow of Romanov dynasty enended with Communist sov state,
USSR Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
● Feb rev, arose due to fuel and food shortages, repressive gov and loosing ww1
● Riots in Petrograd led to abdication the Tsar nicolas 2nd
● Bolshaviks gain popularity with promise of “Land, Bread Peace
● Oct Rev, Bolsheviks seized control of Gov building and Winter palace
● Workers controlled factories and nationalised banks
● Lenin= Leader (Trotsky n Stalin = commisars)
May 1918 Civilwar
● Between Red n White Amries (Supported by west)
● Led to distrust between west and communists
1
,Why?
● US n Brittian aided the White Army
● Communism seen as threat to capitilism
Pre end of Ww2 Distrust (Examinable from here)
1930s distrust increased
West distusted
Why?
● Russian Rev
● Communism is capitalism’s threat
● Stalin’s purges and totalitarian policies
● USSR’s Moltov-Ribbinsor pact with Nazis allows partition of poland
● Katyn Massacre 1940, USSR execution of 30 000 Polish POW’s (West ‘Genocide’)
East distrust
Why?
● West’s suppoort of the Whites
● West appeasing Hitler directing Nazi aggression east
● USSR was excluded from Munich conference regarding Czechoslovakia
● Believed West delayed the opening of the 2nd front to weaken the USSR
● Secrecy of Atomic bomb
Post WW2 tensions, the confrences.
Yalta
● Feb 1945 Crimea
● Who, Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt
Discussed
● Germany dived into 4 zones
● Polish bordered altered to pre 1921 position (Polish sov war)
● War crime trails in Nuremburg to be held
● Reperations, Sov wanted compensation west belived too much (learned from ww1)
● Liberated countries to hold free elections for their gov system
● UN to be set up for world peace
Potsdam
● July-Aug 1945 Germany
● Stalin, Truman and Atlee
Changes since Yalta
● Roosevelt dies replaced with anti-communist VP Truman
● Churchill lost election to Atlee
● Red Army occupoed eastern europe Germans were to be expelled form these areas
● Stalin established communist gov in Poland
Agreements
● 4 zones to be ruled by a military governor under the Allied Control Council
● Berlin was within the Sov zone and was further split into 4 zones.
2
, ● Reparations, The USSR zone agricultural area supplied the west with food, west
zone supplied industrial goods.
● Germany was to be demilitirezed
● Germany remained united although administered in 4 different zones.
Problems developed
● Governors on ACC could Veto eachother’s decisions therefore administration through
ACC failed
● Disagreeement with reparations USSR wanting too much and didnt comply with
Potsdam agreement
● Zones = conflicting polical and economicn areas
Also
● West wanted economic recovery of their zone created a Bizone to ensure stable
economic growth between USA and British zones.
East zone eco recovery slow
● AGriculutre collectivized
● Industry nationlised
● Huge reparation demands
Hence Germany became the 1st battle ground of the Cold War.
Factors increasing tension
Spheres of interest
Main issue of WW2 who would control more of Europe, through spher’s of intrest, where
USA/USSR can convince the countries to serve their needs using their influence.
USSR Influence
USSR, established influence their manipulation of ‘free’ elections that they occupied after
war frocing eastern europe to adpot communism, however Yugoslavia and Albania chose
communism independently. Creating the eastern block and Stallin’s sphere of influence.
Orthodox historians emphasizing Stalin's determined efforts to assert full control and
revisionist historians suggesting that Western hostility prompted such actions.
Stalin's apparent motives were multifaceted. Firstly, he aimed to secure the USSR from
future attacks by creating a buffer zone between the USSR and the West, preventing
another invasion like Operation Barbarossa. Secondly, Stalin sought to leverage Eastern
Europe for economic development. The region would serve as both a trading partner and a
source of raw materials to support the industrialization of the USSR.
3
, USA Influence
Through containment policy USA established influenacne over W. Europe. In March 1946,
Winston Churchill's speech further popularized the idea of an "iron curtain" dividing
Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe from the West. Churchill highlighted the Soviet desire for
the fruits of war without engaging in actual conflict and the indefinite expansion of their
power and doctrines.
Truman Doctrine (1947):
● In 1945, Britain attempted to assist the pro-West Greek government in suppressing a
communist rebellion during the Greek Civil War.
● Due to economic difficulties, Britain could no longer afford to aid Greece, leading the
USA to be approached for assistance.
● Truman decided to support Greece and provide aid to Turkey ($400 million) to
counter Soviet pressure.
● Truman justified his decision in a speech on March 12, 1947, outlining the Truman
Doctrine, a commitment to containing the spread of communism worldwide.
● The doctrine focused on economic and financial aid and included the establishment
of a nuclear base in Turkey.
Marshall Plan (1947):
● Harsh winter conditions in 1946-47 and poor harvests in 1947 left Western European
countries unable to pay for American imports.
● Post-war exhaustion and poverty in Western Europe increased the potential for the
spread of communism.
● The USA, through the Marshall Plan, aimed to provide economic aid to Western
European nations, totaling $17 billion over a four-year period.
● Critics argued that the aid package was a form of "dollar diplomacy," accusing the
USA of buying loyalty.
● Truman and Secretary of State George C. Marshall convinced Congress to accept
the plan, especially after a communist coup in Czechoslovakia.
● Marshall Aid was offered to East European countries, including Russia, but with
conditions such as political reforms and acceptance of controls.
● The Soviet Union viewed the Marshall Plan as the start of the Cold War, tightened
control over satellite states, and rejected the aid. Eastern European countries under
Soviet control were forbidden from receiving Marshall Aid.
Soviet Response:
● Stalin perceived the Marshall Plan as the beginning of the Cold War and feared
increased American influence in Soviet states.
● Tightened control over satellite states, removing non-communists from their
governments.
● Rejected Marshall Aid and persuaded Eastern European countries under its control
to do the same.
● Established the Molotov Plan to provide aid to Eastern European states through the
Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (Comecon).
● Formed the Communist Information Bureau (Cominform) to coordinate activities of
European communist parties and counter growing US influence.
4
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