Causes of the Cold War

Berlin Blockade

Czechoslovakian Crisis 1968

• Western German zones benefited from Marshall Aid. Eastern zones had reparations taken from them.
• West Berlin an island of prosperous Capitalism in a sea of Communism
• Feb 1948 - Bolivia formed and new currency (Deutsche Mark) introduced
• June 1948 Stalin severed all rail, road and canal links with West Berlin. West responded by flying food and fuel supplies to Berlin
• May 1949 Stalin lifted blockade

• Czech only remaining democratic country in Eastern Europe
• Communists expected to do badly in May elections
• Staged coup d'etat - police force taken over, other political parties removed from government, President Benes forced to resign + replaced by Gottwald
• Czech communists taken over country with little bloodshed or help from Soviets

Berlin Blockade Consequences

• April 1949 USA, Canada + Western Europe talk of military alliance + set up NATO
• Stalin viewed NATO as provocative action
• Caused an end to any hope of an agreement between East + West
• Potsdam + Yalta temporary divisions became permanent
• FRG - Federal Republic of Germany (West)
• GDR - German Democratic Republic (East)

Potsdam Conference

Russian Attitudes

'Naughty Document'

• Europe 1945 left a power vacuum. Stalin could establish a buffer zone of Soviet influenced states in East against future invasion of USSR from West
• Soviet Foreign Policy based on protection not World Revolution
• Wanted to regain lost territory

• Stalin wanted to move Poland's frontiers westwards
• Agreed on German demilitarisation, denazification and punishment for war criminals
• Allied Control Council set up
• No agreement on how reparations to USSR should be made. Compromise that each take for their own zone
• Truman delayed conference until after atomic bomb had been tested. Impress USSR

• October 1944 Churchill + Stalin list their interests of Eastern European countries
• Attempting to limit influence of USSR
• E.g. Greece - Britain 90%, Russia 10%
• In reality Red Army already big Soviet influence

British Attitudes

Yalta Conference

• United Nations established
• Division of Germany, Berlin + Austria in zones of occupation
• Principle of free elections in Eastern Europe
• Setting of borders for post-war Poland so substantial areas given to USSR. Communist government but free elections

• Bankrupt & national debt - impossible to limit Soviet
• Churchill feared USA would return to policy of isolation
• Clement Atlee showed little sympathy to Communism
• Beven attempted to make greater commitment to Europe by showing Soviet threat to Iran and Eastern Europe

Truman Doctrine 1947

Vietnam

China

American Attitudes

• British situation of famine, cold weather, transport industry and coal to a halt
• Informed USA that their financial + military aid to Greece + Turkey would have to cease
• Civil wars in these countries - Truman needed to strengthen non-communist forces
• Needed to persuade congress to support this

• Had been part of French Indochina until seized by Japan during WW2
• After 1945 French attempted to regain control
• USA strongly opposed to imperialism
• After WW2 countries no longer had resources to run vast empires
• Dilemma for USA - who would gain control over Indochina if not France?

'Iron Curtain' 1946

• 1945 defeat of Japan left China with no control
• Communists quickly gained hold + by 1949 Mao declared a Communist People's Republic of China.. Why?
• Nationalists had been corrupt + not meeting Chinese needs
• WW2 weakened nationalists hold
• Communists gained reputation for addressing bulk of population
• Viewed as a result of failure of USA to send support to Nationalists

• Truman more confrontational than Roosevelt. Took the approach of the Iron Fist and Policy against Appeasement
• Didn't want Communism to spread across Europe as needed to trade with them, American Free Market would collapse
• Arms industry wanted to talk up tensions so there were more orders
• Most americans wanted to return to the policy of isolation
• George Kennan's Long Telegram had a big influence on Truman - he said Soviets wanted World Revolution, should be suspicious and Soviets were aggressive

Marshall Aid 1947

• Churchill declared in order to meet Soviet Expansion, an alliance is needed between USA and Britain
• American public opinion not favourable
• Churchill argued it fell in line with Truman's Iron Fist
• Stalin called it deliberately provocative + accused Churchill of being a warmonger

• A plan to provide American financial support to war-torn Europe
• All countries eligible but had to open economy to American Capital interests
• 'Dollar Imperialism' countries run by themselves but economy owned by USA
• Soviets responded by setting up Cominform 1947 and Comecon 1949
• Chances of future agreement now negligible

Korea

• Korea divided at end of WW2
• Unification attempts failed due to deep political differences
• North Communists invaded Capitalist South 1950
• Korean War starts as USA help South and China helps North
• Possibility of peaceful unification collapsed

The Missile Gap

• The USA tried to rely on superiority in military weaponry for security
• Only nuclear power between 1945-9, security shattered when Soviets announced own bomb
• 1952 USA Hydrogen bomb, Soviets produced one less than a year later
• USA concerned that USSR would match + overtake the West in nuclear capability

Causes of the Cold War