Origins and Development of
the Cold War (1941-50)
Topics covered and assessed in the 9489/32 Documents paper are:
Tensions in the wartime alliance against the
Axis powers
Peace-making at the end of the Second World
War
Increasing tensions in a divided Europe
The Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan
The Berlin Blockade and Airlift
NB: This paper is more than a comprehension. It tests how far you can interpret the
historian’s view through analysis, link to contextual knowledge (lots) and evaluate his
approach to the Cold War. You are unravelling his thought process on paper.
Everything counts. Let your discussion be long, with support from the text and further
support (which is expected at A2) from contextual or background knowledge. Go in
with a ‘blank slate’ in terms of what his approach is – just write what he is saying even
if you don’t agree.
,Point – Evidence (text) – Explanation (contextual knowledge) – Evaluation/Link (link
to his approach/who he’s blaming more)
The Cold War was characterised by ideological conflict, political & economic
competition & threat of nuclear warfare.
The countries emerged from the power vacuum left by World War II (1
September 1939 – 2 September 1945), where the US & USSR emerged as
the dominant superpowers.
The ideological differences between the capitalist, democratic West and the
communist, authoritarian East fueled mutual distrust and competition.
Notes and Timeline
23 August 1939 Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact
The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was a non-aggression pact between Germany and
the Soviet Union that was concluded only a few days before the beginning of
World War II and which divided eastern Europe into German and Soviet spheres
of influence.
Stalin had witnessed events during the era of appeasement with growing
suspicion. It is often said that Munich conference (1938) forced Stalin to conclude
that the Western powers were pushing Nazi Germany to the east and thus
reluctantly to consider rapprochement with Hitler. Stalin demanded the right to
occupy the Baltic states and portions of Romania, which the Western powers
found difficult to justify.
The democratic statesmen of Britain and France (Neville Chamberlain-Winston
Churchill, PM Daladier-PM Reynaud) found the ideological meshing of foreign
and domestic policy rendered the Fascist leaders wholly enigmatic.
The two countries agreed not to attack each other
The pact was to last for 10 years, but last for two years.
Secret protocol: Germany gained control of Western Poland and allowed the
USSR to take control of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania (Baltic States) and
Bessarabia.
Named after Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov and German Foreign Minister
Ribbentrop.
The pact shocked the world, as fascist Germany and communist USSR were
ideological enemies. Historiographically significant as an early indicator of Soviet
realpolitik and opportunism.
, 22 June 1941 Operation Barbarossa
Germany's massive invasion of the USSR.
3.5 million German troops stormed the Eastern Front. There were 2,500
Luftwaffe aircraft and 60 German divisions in Stalingrad alone.
6 million were wounded or captured and 800 000 deaths.
Prompted USSR's entry into the Grand Alliance in June 1941.
In his Message to Stalin on the Second Anniversary of Operation Barbarossa in
1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt condemned the invasion as ‘an act of
treachery’, showing solidarity. This shows that cooperation could have been possible.
Stalin was shocked, he wasn’t prepared for it. Stalin did not speak publicly for 11
days and went into hiding. He was blindsided, and did not expect the Nazi invasion
so soon. It was 2 weeks ahead of his target prediction. The USSR lacked sound
defensive plans
- fortifications not finished, like the Stalin Line along western border of the
USSR which had been abandoned (in 1939).
- more than half of soviet aircraft nearly outdated
- Only 8 out of 106 fighter regiments were equipped with new,
modern machines.
His decision to decapitate the Red Army through the purges had left him with meek
and inexperienced combat leadership. The decimation of its high command during
the Great Terror, by removing the most competent and talented officers, significantly
the Cold War (1941-50)
Topics covered and assessed in the 9489/32 Documents paper are:
Tensions in the wartime alliance against the
Axis powers
Peace-making at the end of the Second World
War
Increasing tensions in a divided Europe
The Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan
The Berlin Blockade and Airlift
NB: This paper is more than a comprehension. It tests how far you can interpret the
historian’s view through analysis, link to contextual knowledge (lots) and evaluate his
approach to the Cold War. You are unravelling his thought process on paper.
Everything counts. Let your discussion be long, with support from the text and further
support (which is expected at A2) from contextual or background knowledge. Go in
with a ‘blank slate’ in terms of what his approach is – just write what he is saying even
if you don’t agree.
,Point – Evidence (text) – Explanation (contextual knowledge) – Evaluation/Link (link
to his approach/who he’s blaming more)
The Cold War was characterised by ideological conflict, political & economic
competition & threat of nuclear warfare.
The countries emerged from the power vacuum left by World War II (1
September 1939 – 2 September 1945), where the US & USSR emerged as
the dominant superpowers.
The ideological differences between the capitalist, democratic West and the
communist, authoritarian East fueled mutual distrust and competition.
Notes and Timeline
23 August 1939 Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact
The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was a non-aggression pact between Germany and
the Soviet Union that was concluded only a few days before the beginning of
World War II and which divided eastern Europe into German and Soviet spheres
of influence.
Stalin had witnessed events during the era of appeasement with growing
suspicion. It is often said that Munich conference (1938) forced Stalin to conclude
that the Western powers were pushing Nazi Germany to the east and thus
reluctantly to consider rapprochement with Hitler. Stalin demanded the right to
occupy the Baltic states and portions of Romania, which the Western powers
found difficult to justify.
The democratic statesmen of Britain and France (Neville Chamberlain-Winston
Churchill, PM Daladier-PM Reynaud) found the ideological meshing of foreign
and domestic policy rendered the Fascist leaders wholly enigmatic.
The two countries agreed not to attack each other
The pact was to last for 10 years, but last for two years.
Secret protocol: Germany gained control of Western Poland and allowed the
USSR to take control of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania (Baltic States) and
Bessarabia.
Named after Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov and German Foreign Minister
Ribbentrop.
The pact shocked the world, as fascist Germany and communist USSR were
ideological enemies. Historiographically significant as an early indicator of Soviet
realpolitik and opportunism.
, 22 June 1941 Operation Barbarossa
Germany's massive invasion of the USSR.
3.5 million German troops stormed the Eastern Front. There were 2,500
Luftwaffe aircraft and 60 German divisions in Stalingrad alone.
6 million were wounded or captured and 800 000 deaths.
Prompted USSR's entry into the Grand Alliance in June 1941.
In his Message to Stalin on the Second Anniversary of Operation Barbarossa in
1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt condemned the invasion as ‘an act of
treachery’, showing solidarity. This shows that cooperation could have been possible.
Stalin was shocked, he wasn’t prepared for it. Stalin did not speak publicly for 11
days and went into hiding. He was blindsided, and did not expect the Nazi invasion
so soon. It was 2 weeks ahead of his target prediction. The USSR lacked sound
defensive plans
- fortifications not finished, like the Stalin Line along western border of the
USSR which had been abandoned (in 1939).
- more than half of soviet aircraft nearly outdated
- Only 8 out of 106 fighter regiments were equipped with new,
modern machines.
His decision to decapitate the Red Army through the purges had left him with meek
and inexperienced combat leadership. The decimation of its high command during
the Great Terror, by removing the most competent and talented officers, significantly
