History iGCSE Edexcel - Cold War

HISTORY REVISION NOTES - THE COLD WAR 1945-
1989
CAUSES:
THE ALLIANCE:
 Between the USA, USSR & BR
 Based on a Common Enemy – Germany

IDEOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES between Communism and Capitalism

Communism Capitalism
 1 party state  Democracy
 State-owned industry  Privately-owned industry
 Complete equality  Independent freedom

LED TO:
Suspicion
Lack of trust
Hatred
Competition

COLD WAR – a war with no fighting

FOUGHT VIA:
Spying
Propaganda
Arms Races
The Space Race
Loans & Aid

CONFERENCES:

YALTA – February 1945
Who: Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill
Why: to decide how to rebuild Europe
Agreements:
 To divide Germany and Berlin into 4 sections: BR, FR, USA & USSR
 To punish war criminals
Disagreements:
 Poland – Stalin wanted more of it
 Reparations – Stalin wanted to cripple
- BR & FR didn’t want a repeat of the T of V

End of the war  no common enemies

POTSDAM – July 1945
Who: Stalin, Truman, and Atlee
Agreed:
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,  To demilitarize Germany
 Ban the Nazi party – hold free elections in Germany
 Reparations
o Equipment/materials to allies
o ¼ of western goods to Soviet Union in exchange for food and coal
from the Soviet Union
Disagreed:
 Free elections for Eastern Europe
 USA tested atomic bomb – USSR unimpressed

IRON CURTAIN SPEECH
- Churchill description of the huge divide of the east and west of Europe
post WWI


CHURCHILL’s FEARS:
 Soviet may have control over STARLIN’s REACTION
the whole of eastern Europe  Wants Eastern Europe to be
 E. Europe may become loyal to him
communist  Using Eastern Europe as a
 No permanent peace buffer zone
SATELLITE STATES
- A country which is officially independent but in reality controlled by
another country
- In this case Russia was controlling eastern Europe

POLAND
 1945 – Free election = HUNGARY
coalition  1945 – Free Elections =
 1947 – “Free Election” = communists lost
communist  1947 – “Free Elections” =
 Opposition were executed etc. communists won
 Imprisoned opposition
BULGARIA
 1944 – a coalition CZECHOSLAVKIA
 1945 – “Free Elections” =  1945 – Free Elections =
communist coalition
 Opposition executed etc.  1946 – mainly communist
 1948 – communism
ROMANIA threatened  used the army
 1945 – coalition to take over by force
 1945 – communist PM  Opposition was arrested,
 1947 – complete communist imprisoned and executed




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