HISTORY-COLD WAR 1 ESSAY PLANS
EXAM QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
To what extent was the West more to blame than Stalin for the increase in Cold War
tensions in the years 1945 to 1947? - ANSWER-1. West more to blame
- openly hostile attitude of Truman and iron-fist approach
-commitment to free elections and democratic Europe led to clashes
-failed to tell Stalin true nature of 'weapon of unusual destructive force' at Potsdam
1945, used superiority to intimidate other powers Iran 1946
-false assumption that Soviets aiding Greek Communist rebels led to Truman
Doctrine March 1947 (containment), $400m aid to be sent to Greece and Turkey
-Marshall plan June 1947, offered aid but knew the Soviets wouldn't accept it as had
to share economic info, made East seem weak, didn't want another economic
recession and remain global superpower, encouraged countries to adopt pro-
capitalist gov
-Long Telegram Feb 1946 viewed as delayed declaration of war
2. Stalin was key
-imposition of satellite states run by pro-Soviet govs to safeguard Soviet security
-unfairly manipulated elections and eliminated possible opposition eg Hungary and
Bulgaria broke declaration of liberated Europe
-Turkey straits crisis and Iran 1946
-Czechoslovakia Feb 1948 seized power through coup d'etat
-Poland arrested 16 Polish leaders and in Jan 1947 communists took control through
fixed elections
3. Germany
-Yalta Feb 1945 no agreement on political or economic reconstruction
-Potsdam Jul-Aug 1945 agreed to divide into four zones, Allied Control Council as
temp gov but couldn't exert any real power
-Brit and USA agreed to give 25% of reparations to USSR, broken in May 1946 when
Gen Clay announced no further reparations should be taken from Germ
-1946 Western states struggling with influx of refugees expelled by Poles and
Czechs, Stalin treating East Germ as sep state (stripping it and 2.3 mill rapes)
-April 1946 began trade with Germany 25m tons of coal (rebuild West Germ)
-Jan 1947 black market increasing and struggling to cover cost so Bizonia, Trizo
The Marshall Plan was merely developed to benefit the USA rather than Europe.
Assess the validity of this view. - ANSWER-1. Benefitted USA (economic gain)
-post-war boom-outlet for goods + market for exports (brought unemployment down)
-conditional-given in dollars to be spent inside USA on US goods, economic info
shared with USA
-greatest fear was another economic recession/great depression + prosperous
Europe would help protect economic and political interests
2. Benefitted Europe (being altruistic/charitable)
, -provided $13 bill to 16 countries over 4 years (1948-52)
-fed, fuelled and clothed Greek nation (import Missouri mule-used them to plough
land)
-Europe destroyed in ww2 with Brit on verge of bankruptcy, rationing was continuing
and people in Germ starving to death
-80% of money given in Marshall aid was paid in grants and 85% of assistance given
to Brit and France in grants
-U.S suffered least domestically, had money to support allies and European
countries and did
3. Stop/limit spread of communism
-take over in Czechoslovakia 1948
-aided West Europe to make Eastern Europe look weak, Eastern Europe most
damaged but only E.E to receive aid was Yugoslavia
-USSR referred to it as 'dollar imperialism', suspected it was an attempt to interfere
in domestic affairs
-in order to receive had to share economic info, knew Stalin would be unwilling so
removed USSR from aid
-meetings in London and Paris, excluded from gatherings
-1948-US threatened to hold back French aid if communists won any seats
-once accepting help-stuck in US sphere of influence
No doubt that it did benefit Europe and increased economic and political stability of
multiple Western countries, however the motivations behind the Marshall Plan were
not solely charitable, instead they sought to solidify capitalist control and contain
communism.
Stalin's expansion across Eastern Europe was mainly due to defensive concerns.
Assess the validity of this view. - ANSWER-1. Defensive
-had sacrificed massively to win the war, 27m dead, approx. $20b needed to rebuild,
wanted to ensure this never happened again
-Poland was route of German invasion in 1941, wanted to maintain strategic
influence to add buffer
-Germany-Morgenthau plan ensured Germany would never be strong enough to re-
emerge as a threat
-buffer zone of satellite states run by pro-Soviet govs through salami tactics meant
an extra resistance against any Western aggression
-failure of USA to recognise importance of Soviet security to Stalin
2. Trying to spread communism
-Iran 1946
-Poland-Katyn 1940 and Warsaw Uprising 1944 seemed to be using opportunities to
exert power and influence over Poland, breaking of Decleration of Liberated Europe
as Provisional Gov of National Unity took power but he arresting 16 non-communist
leaders and prevented elections and by Jan 1947, fixed elections had ensured a
communist government was in power. However, Poland was instrumental to the
safety of Soviet Union as had been route of invasion more than once.
-Bulgaria (Oct 1946) manipulated elections and forced removal of opponents
-Czechoslovakia coup d'etat Feb 1948, Soviet level of involvement can be disputed
as only 500 USSR troops present
EXAM QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
To what extent was the West more to blame than Stalin for the increase in Cold War
tensions in the years 1945 to 1947? - ANSWER-1. West more to blame
- openly hostile attitude of Truman and iron-fist approach
-commitment to free elections and democratic Europe led to clashes
-failed to tell Stalin true nature of 'weapon of unusual destructive force' at Potsdam
1945, used superiority to intimidate other powers Iran 1946
-false assumption that Soviets aiding Greek Communist rebels led to Truman
Doctrine March 1947 (containment), $400m aid to be sent to Greece and Turkey
-Marshall plan June 1947, offered aid but knew the Soviets wouldn't accept it as had
to share economic info, made East seem weak, didn't want another economic
recession and remain global superpower, encouraged countries to adopt pro-
capitalist gov
-Long Telegram Feb 1946 viewed as delayed declaration of war
2. Stalin was key
-imposition of satellite states run by pro-Soviet govs to safeguard Soviet security
-unfairly manipulated elections and eliminated possible opposition eg Hungary and
Bulgaria broke declaration of liberated Europe
-Turkey straits crisis and Iran 1946
-Czechoslovakia Feb 1948 seized power through coup d'etat
-Poland arrested 16 Polish leaders and in Jan 1947 communists took control through
fixed elections
3. Germany
-Yalta Feb 1945 no agreement on political or economic reconstruction
-Potsdam Jul-Aug 1945 agreed to divide into four zones, Allied Control Council as
temp gov but couldn't exert any real power
-Brit and USA agreed to give 25% of reparations to USSR, broken in May 1946 when
Gen Clay announced no further reparations should be taken from Germ
-1946 Western states struggling with influx of refugees expelled by Poles and
Czechs, Stalin treating East Germ as sep state (stripping it and 2.3 mill rapes)
-April 1946 began trade with Germany 25m tons of coal (rebuild West Germ)
-Jan 1947 black market increasing and struggling to cover cost so Bizonia, Trizo
The Marshall Plan was merely developed to benefit the USA rather than Europe.
Assess the validity of this view. - ANSWER-1. Benefitted USA (economic gain)
-post-war boom-outlet for goods + market for exports (brought unemployment down)
-conditional-given in dollars to be spent inside USA on US goods, economic info
shared with USA
-greatest fear was another economic recession/great depression + prosperous
Europe would help protect economic and political interests
2. Benefitted Europe (being altruistic/charitable)
, -provided $13 bill to 16 countries over 4 years (1948-52)
-fed, fuelled and clothed Greek nation (import Missouri mule-used them to plough
land)
-Europe destroyed in ww2 with Brit on verge of bankruptcy, rationing was continuing
and people in Germ starving to death
-80% of money given in Marshall aid was paid in grants and 85% of assistance given
to Brit and France in grants
-U.S suffered least domestically, had money to support allies and European
countries and did
3. Stop/limit spread of communism
-take over in Czechoslovakia 1948
-aided West Europe to make Eastern Europe look weak, Eastern Europe most
damaged but only E.E to receive aid was Yugoslavia
-USSR referred to it as 'dollar imperialism', suspected it was an attempt to interfere
in domestic affairs
-in order to receive had to share economic info, knew Stalin would be unwilling so
removed USSR from aid
-meetings in London and Paris, excluded from gatherings
-1948-US threatened to hold back French aid if communists won any seats
-once accepting help-stuck in US sphere of influence
No doubt that it did benefit Europe and increased economic and political stability of
multiple Western countries, however the motivations behind the Marshall Plan were
not solely charitable, instead they sought to solidify capitalist control and contain
communism.
Stalin's expansion across Eastern Europe was mainly due to defensive concerns.
Assess the validity of this view. - ANSWER-1. Defensive
-had sacrificed massively to win the war, 27m dead, approx. $20b needed to rebuild,
wanted to ensure this never happened again
-Poland was route of German invasion in 1941, wanted to maintain strategic
influence to add buffer
-Germany-Morgenthau plan ensured Germany would never be strong enough to re-
emerge as a threat
-buffer zone of satellite states run by pro-Soviet govs through salami tactics meant
an extra resistance against any Western aggression
-failure of USA to recognise importance of Soviet security to Stalin
2. Trying to spread communism
-Iran 1946
-Poland-Katyn 1940 and Warsaw Uprising 1944 seemed to be using opportunities to
exert power and influence over Poland, breaking of Decleration of Liberated Europe
as Provisional Gov of National Unity took power but he arresting 16 non-communist
leaders and prevented elections and by Jan 1947, fixed elections had ensured a
communist government was in power. However, Poland was instrumental to the
safety of Soviet Union as had been route of invasion more than once.
-Bulgaria (Oct 1946) manipulated elections and forced removal of opponents
-Czechoslovakia coup d'etat Feb 1948, Soviet level of involvement can be disputed
as only 500 USSR troops present
