The complete Cold War, from the end of WW2 (including a background of events prior to WW2 that added to the Cold War's emergence) to after the Cuban Missile Crisis, ending with historical perspectives.
➔ During WW2, the USA and the USSR fought as allies against Germany. Yet shortly after,
the pair were involved in a conflict that lasted until 1989. This was known as the Cold
War
➔ The Cold War can be best understood as a period of hostility between the two
superpowers without any direct confrontation. The development of nuclear weapons at
the end of WW2 meant the threat of mutual destruction was too risky for either side to
engage in direct fighting
How the Cold War Developed
● The Cold War developed as a result of fear and misunderstanding between the US and
the USSR
● As a result of Germany invading the Soviet Union (Russia) in both world wars, Stalin
wanted to protect the USSR from a third invasion by creating buffer states on the
USSR's western borders
● The West feared the Soviet Union would do everything in its power to spread
communism. The USA was determined to prevent this.
How did WW2 influence the Cold War
● Though they had an alliance during WW2, Stalin did not trust the West. The Western
Powers viewed the USSR as a bigger threat then Nazi Germany. Tension already
existed prior to 1939
● Tension could be found in the Russian Revolution in 1917:
○ The communist ideology of the new socialist state in Russia conflicted with the
US's capitalist ideology
○ During the Russian Civil War (1918 - 1921), the Western Powers (Britain, France
and the US) sent troops to help the White Army oppose the Bolsheviks
● The League of Nations (made up of mostly Western Powers) refused to let Russia join
the organization
● Mutual suspicion & distrust was created by events leading up to WW2:
○ In 1938 - the West did not invite the Soviet Union to attend the Munich
Conference where the fate of Czechoslovakia was to be decided
○ German expansionism was more of a concern to the Soviet Union who feared an
second invasion by Germany while the Western powers saw the Soviet Union
and the spread of communism as a bigger threat than Hitler's aggressive policies
○ Stalin's concern with German expansionism led to Stalin signing the Nazi-Soviet
Non-Aggression Pact with Hitler to limit the threat of Nazi invasion. Britain and
France saw this as a sign of untrustworthiness of Stalin
● Mistrust continued between the Soviet Union and the Western powers during WW2
, ● In 1944 - The Western powers opened up a second front against Germany from the
East. As a result, the Soviet Union (Russian soldiers) bore the brunt of the fighting
against Germany.
● Stalin believed that the West did this deliberately because they wanted the Nazis to
defeat the Soviet Union before the defeat in Germany.
● The cracks in the relationship began to appear at the end of WW2
The Big Three
● During WW2, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin met at various
wartime conferences to discuss plans for a post-war world
● They were known as the "Big Three"
● Their main aim was to ensure Germany would never threaten world peace again
● 12 April 1945 - Roosevelt dies; Harry S. Truman took over the US presidency
● While Roosevelt & Stalin had a good working relationship, Truman was strongly
anti-communist and disliked Stalin intensely.
The Wartime Conferences
Tehran Conference (28 November 1943 - 1 December 1943)
➢ Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin
➢ Britain & the US would not invade Germany through Greece. A second front would be
opened against the Nazis in Eastern Europe. The Red Army would defeat the Germans
in the East
➢ The lack of Western involvement in Eastern Europe meant the Soviet Union's
supremacy in this area was recognized
Secret Agreement between Churchill and Stalin (Moscow Conference - October 1944)
➢ When the Red Army liberated Romania & Bulgaria, the USSR would have 90% control
over Romania and 70% control over Bulgaria. Britain would have 90% control over
Greece
➢ Stalin believed this agreement would mean he would have a free hand in Eastern
Europe
, Yalta Conference (4 Feb 1945 - 11 Feb 1945)
➢ Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin
➢ Germany, and its capital Berlin, would be divided into 4 zones split among the US,
France, Britain and the USSR
➢ The countries in Eastern Europe that were liberated from Nazi Occupation would hold
free elctions to determine their own governments
➢ The UN would be created
➢ Eastern Europe would be seen as a Soviet sphere of influence
➢ The Soviet Union would defeat Japan once the war in Europe was over
➢ Stalin wanted to move the border of the Soviet Union westwards into Germany. Churchill
was opposed to this border shift
➢ Disagreements over Poland created tension
Potsdam Conference (17 July 1945 - 2 August 1945)
➢ Truman, Churchill, Stalin (Churchill was replaced by Attlee halfway through the
conference after Churchill lost the general elections)
➢ The Allies disagreed over the fate of Germany
○ Stalin wanted to cripple Germany and force Germany to pay reparations
○ Truman wanted to help Germany recover so they could have a trading partner
➢ Truman opposed the establishment of pro-soviet governments in Eastern Europe
➢ Truman adopted a "get tough" attitude towards the Soviet Union and made sure Stalin
knew that the US had developed the atom bomb
➢ Tension intensified over the agreements
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