Superpower relations and the Cold War, 1941-91
Chapter 1 The origins of the Cold War, 1941-58 .................................................................2
1.1 Early Tensions between East and West .............................................................................................2
1.2 THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COLD WAR........................................................................................................5
1.3 The Cold War Intensifies...........................................................................................................................7
Chapter 2 : Cold War Crises, 1958-70.................................................................................... 10
2.1 Berlin 1958-63 : Increased tension and the impact of the Berlin Wall ............................. 10
2.2 The Cuban Missile Crisis, 1959-1963................................................................................................ 12
2.3 Czechoslovakia, 1968-69 ....................................................................................................................... 14
Chapter 3 : The End of the Cold War, 1970-91 ................................................................... 15
3.1 Attempts to Reduce Tension Between East and West,1969-79(Détente) ........................ 15
3.2 Flashpoints in Superpower Relations, 1979-84 (Afghanistan) ............................................ 17
3.3 The Collapse of the Soviet Union, 1985-91 .................................................................................... 19
1
,Chapter 1 The origins of the Cold War, 1941-58
1.1 Early Tensions between East and West
Capitalism vs. Communism
The East was capitalist (they believed everyone should be free to own property and
business and make money)
The West was communist (they believed that all property should belong to the state to
ensure that every member of its society has a fair share)
Capitalism: Communism:
Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam Conferences:
Tehran Conference, 1943: (Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin)
Beginning of the Grand Alliance- with countries agreeing to wage war on the Axis together.
Agreements Disagreements
1. The USA and Britain would open a Churchill wanted to open the ‘second front’
‘second front’ by launching an attack in the Balkans, not in the West. Roosevelt
on Germany in Western Europe to sided with Stalin on this.
ease pressure on the Eastern Front.
2. Stalin would declare war against Roosevelt seemed at times to view British
Japan and supply Soviet troops to colonialism as more of a threat to world
help the USA with the war in the peace than the Soviet Union.
Pacific.
3. The United Nations would be set up.
4. Poland should received land from
Germany, but the Soviet Union
could keep land it had seized from
Poland in 1939
2
, Yalta Conference, February 1945: (Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin)
Agreements Disagreements
1. UN would be set up, with its first Issue of Poland : Stalin expected those
meeting on 25 April 1945 elections in Poland to bring about a pro-
2. Stalin agreed to join in the war communist government, whereas the British
against Japan, three months later supported the non-communist London
the defeat of Germany Poles.
3. Stalin agreed that future
governments of countries in the
Eastern Europe would be decided in
free elections.
4. Border of Poland would be returned
to its position in 1921.
5. There would be free elections in
Poland.
6. Germany would be split into four
zones and each controlled by the
USA, Britain, France and the Soviet
Union.
Potsdam Conference, July-August 1945: (Truman, Attlee, Stalin)
Start of Cold-war : Relationship between the nations start to break.
Changes from the past two conferences:
1. Roosevelt died in April 1945 and was replaced by Harry Truman. Truman was anti-
communist.
2. Winston Churchill(and his party) lost the 1945 general election and was replaced by
Clement Attlee(Labour party). Attlee’s main concern was to return to Britain to take
charge so he didn’t want to stay at the Conference long.
3. Scientists in the US had developed the atomic bomb which they tested successfully
the day after the conference began.
4. Truman deliberately delayed the date of the conference until the atomic bomb was
ready. He thought this would give him an edge on discussions.
Agreements Disagreements
1. Germany would be divided into four 1. Stalin wanted Germany to be made
zones as in the Yalta Conference, much weaker, while Truman
but the German economy would be disagreed.
run as a whole. 2. Truman began to see the Red Army
2. Berlin would also be divided into four as an army of occupation. USSR
zones. began to expand into Eastern
Europe
3. Truman wanted to see a new
government with less communist
influence
3
Chapter 1 The origins of the Cold War, 1941-58 .................................................................2
1.1 Early Tensions between East and West .............................................................................................2
1.2 THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COLD WAR........................................................................................................5
1.3 The Cold War Intensifies...........................................................................................................................7
Chapter 2 : Cold War Crises, 1958-70.................................................................................... 10
2.1 Berlin 1958-63 : Increased tension and the impact of the Berlin Wall ............................. 10
2.2 The Cuban Missile Crisis, 1959-1963................................................................................................ 12
2.3 Czechoslovakia, 1968-69 ....................................................................................................................... 14
Chapter 3 : The End of the Cold War, 1970-91 ................................................................... 15
3.1 Attempts to Reduce Tension Between East and West,1969-79(Détente) ........................ 15
3.2 Flashpoints in Superpower Relations, 1979-84 (Afghanistan) ............................................ 17
3.3 The Collapse of the Soviet Union, 1985-91 .................................................................................... 19
1
,Chapter 1 The origins of the Cold War, 1941-58
1.1 Early Tensions between East and West
Capitalism vs. Communism
The East was capitalist (they believed everyone should be free to own property and
business and make money)
The West was communist (they believed that all property should belong to the state to
ensure that every member of its society has a fair share)
Capitalism: Communism:
Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam Conferences:
Tehran Conference, 1943: (Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin)
Beginning of the Grand Alliance- with countries agreeing to wage war on the Axis together.
Agreements Disagreements
1. The USA and Britain would open a Churchill wanted to open the ‘second front’
‘second front’ by launching an attack in the Balkans, not in the West. Roosevelt
on Germany in Western Europe to sided with Stalin on this.
ease pressure on the Eastern Front.
2. Stalin would declare war against Roosevelt seemed at times to view British
Japan and supply Soviet troops to colonialism as more of a threat to world
help the USA with the war in the peace than the Soviet Union.
Pacific.
3. The United Nations would be set up.
4. Poland should received land from
Germany, but the Soviet Union
could keep land it had seized from
Poland in 1939
2
, Yalta Conference, February 1945: (Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin)
Agreements Disagreements
1. UN would be set up, with its first Issue of Poland : Stalin expected those
meeting on 25 April 1945 elections in Poland to bring about a pro-
2. Stalin agreed to join in the war communist government, whereas the British
against Japan, three months later supported the non-communist London
the defeat of Germany Poles.
3. Stalin agreed that future
governments of countries in the
Eastern Europe would be decided in
free elections.
4. Border of Poland would be returned
to its position in 1921.
5. There would be free elections in
Poland.
6. Germany would be split into four
zones and each controlled by the
USA, Britain, France and the Soviet
Union.
Potsdam Conference, July-August 1945: (Truman, Attlee, Stalin)
Start of Cold-war : Relationship between the nations start to break.
Changes from the past two conferences:
1. Roosevelt died in April 1945 and was replaced by Harry Truman. Truman was anti-
communist.
2. Winston Churchill(and his party) lost the 1945 general election and was replaced by
Clement Attlee(Labour party). Attlee’s main concern was to return to Britain to take
charge so he didn’t want to stay at the Conference long.
3. Scientists in the US had developed the atomic bomb which they tested successfully
the day after the conference began.
4. Truman deliberately delayed the date of the conference until the atomic bomb was
ready. He thought this would give him an edge on discussions.
Agreements Disagreements
1. Germany would be divided into four 1. Stalin wanted Germany to be made
zones as in the Yalta Conference, much weaker, while Truman
but the German economy would be disagreed.
run as a whole. 2. Truman began to see the Red Army
2. Berlin would also be divided into four as an army of occupation. USSR
zones. began to expand into Eastern
Europe
3. Truman wanted to see a new
government with less communist
influence
3
