THE COLD WAR (1941 to 1991)
The Grand Alliance- Britain, USA, Russia
Tehran, Yalta and potsdam conferences
1. Tehran/Iran (1943)
● STALIN, ROOSEVELT AND CHURCHILL
● USA and Britain would open up a second front by invading Nazi occupied
Europe to ease preassure on the Eastern front where the Soviets were struggling
● Soviet Union would declare war on Japan once Germany was defeated
● Poland would gain territory from Germany but Stalin could keep the land he
seized which was important due to Stalin’s aim to secure western border after
war
● An international body would be set up to settle future disputes between
countries, this set the establishment for the League of Nations
● Agreed to meet again at Yalta
CONSEQUENCE: Churchill felt isolated and had a strained relationship with the US as Truman
viewed British colonialism as a bigger threat than communism
2. Yalta (Feb 1945)
● Germany would be reduced in size, demilitarised and pay reparations of 20
million dollars, half of which would go to the Soviet Union
● UN set up
● Germany divided into four discussed
● Free democratic elections for countries taken over by Hitler
CONSEQUENCES: Lack of agreement over how much Germany should pay for reparations
showed clash between East and West
3. Potsdam (July 1945)
● STALIN, TRUMAN AND ATLEE
● Truman and Atlee new to diplomatic discussions and found it hard to get their
way with Stalin
● Nazi party banned and war criminals to be persecuted
● Germany divided into four zones (as discussed at Yalta) that were controlled by
the British, French, USA and Soviet Union
● Berlin divided into zones of occupation
● Soviet Union to receive 25% of the output from the other three zones as it had
received the poorest zone
● Atomic bomb had been tested
CONSEQUENCES- Stalin furious that he wasn’t involved and felt isolated
Truman began a ‘get tough’ policy against Stalin and saw his red army as a threat to peace
CONSEQUENCES-
There were a number of issues that Britain, the USA and Russia couldn’t agree on. Atlee and
Truman struggled to negotiate with Stalin. Stalin wanted Germany to be weakened, punished
,and broken up, but Truman argued that this was the cause of the Nazi party to emerge in the
first place.
Stalin didn’t want democratic elections in the countries freed from the Nazi’s, he wanted
them under Soviet control. This angered Truman who was very distrustful of the Soviet Union.
These clashes highlight the clear differences between Capitalism and Communism.
The Atomic Bomb (1945)
- On the 6th of August, 1945, President Truman dropped two atomic bombs on
Hiroshima and Nagisaki in Japan, killing over 120,000 civillians.
- The USA believed that this made them look stronger, Russia felt threatened by the
USA and their bomb so responded by invading more Eastern European land called
‘buffer zones’ as protection.
- The Russians developed their own nuclear weapons, there was now a competition
between the two countries to create nuclear bombs, this was reffered to as the arms
race
Long and Novikov telegrams (1946)
- Both countries feared conflict and wanted to know what each other were thinking, they
used a form of communication called Telegrams which were utilized by diplomats
working in the other country
- GEORGE KENNAN was an AMERICAN diplomat and sent Truman the ‘LONG
TELEGRAM’ in this message he conveyed that Stalin wanted to see the destruction
of capitalism and that capitalists are a threat to communism
- Kennan believed that Russia would surrender if they faced a strong response from
the US
- NOVIKOV sent his ‘NOVIKOV TELEGRAM’ to Stalin, conveying that Americans didn’t
trust Russians and wanted to use their massive military to dominate the world.
This encouraged the Russians to keep creating buffer zones by invading more land,
to protect themselves
CHURCHILL’S IRON CURTAIN SPEECH (1946)
● An Iron curtain had descended upon Europe, and behind it were states controlled by
Russia
● Speech delivered in the USA, increased tension between East and West
● Stalin responded by making Poland and Czechoslovakia satellite states
Satellite states and free elections (1947-1949)
- At Yalta and Potsdam, it was decided that the Soviet union would hold free elections
in the countries under their influence
- These elections were rigged to ensure the communist party won and had control
- Once in control, communists shut down the opposition and each country became a
single party state
, CONSEQUENCES-
The USA saw these acts as betrayal of the Yalta agreement where Stalin promised to hold
democratic elections. It was also seen as evidence of Soviet expansion by others.The USA
attempted to contain communism through military and economic assistance such as the
Marshall Aid and Truman doctrine. However the Soviet Union argued that it needed to
protect itself from the West and used Eastern Europe as a buffer zone.
How Eastern European countries became satellite states:
➔ Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia (Baltic states)
◆ Conquered by USSR in 1940
➔ Czechoslovakia
◆ After War a government led by Benes tried to restore a pre war democracy
◆ Stalin was threatened by this so a communist coup was staged in February 1948
Non Communist leaders were removed from power and Pro Soviet government
set up under Klement Gottwald
➔ Poland
◆ THE WARSAW UPRISING (1944) Poles staged a rebellion against German
occupation and were promised Soviet Support
◆ Soviets waited until the uprising had failed and invaded Poland, establishing a
Pro Communist government in place
◆ After the ‘free elections’ of 1947 (they were rigged) all London Poles (democrats)
were imprisoned or forced to flee
➔ Hungary
◆ During 1947 elections voters intimidated by campaign supported by Moscow and
communist party government elected
◆ By 1949 Hungary was a one party state
➔ Bulgaria, Romania and Eastern Germany
◆ Voters intimidated during rigged elections; due to this communist governments
were enforced
The Truman Doctrine and Marshall plan
1. Truman Doctrine (1947)
● Countries had to choose between Capitalism and Communism
● Communism was bad because countries would not be free
● The USA must try to contain Communism
● The USA would provide money, troops and military aid to combat communist
takeovers and free countries
● Provided 400 million to Greece and Turkey
2. Marshall plan (1948)
● USA gave around 13 billion dollars to help rebuild Europe
● Money is only given to countries that trade with the USA
● Communism appealed most to those with nothing to lose, this gave people a
stake in the capitalist system
● Soviet Union criticised this as an attack on them
The Grand Alliance- Britain, USA, Russia
Tehran, Yalta and potsdam conferences
1. Tehran/Iran (1943)
● STALIN, ROOSEVELT AND CHURCHILL
● USA and Britain would open up a second front by invading Nazi occupied
Europe to ease preassure on the Eastern front where the Soviets were struggling
● Soviet Union would declare war on Japan once Germany was defeated
● Poland would gain territory from Germany but Stalin could keep the land he
seized which was important due to Stalin’s aim to secure western border after
war
● An international body would be set up to settle future disputes between
countries, this set the establishment for the League of Nations
● Agreed to meet again at Yalta
CONSEQUENCE: Churchill felt isolated and had a strained relationship with the US as Truman
viewed British colonialism as a bigger threat than communism
2. Yalta (Feb 1945)
● Germany would be reduced in size, demilitarised and pay reparations of 20
million dollars, half of which would go to the Soviet Union
● UN set up
● Germany divided into four discussed
● Free democratic elections for countries taken over by Hitler
CONSEQUENCES: Lack of agreement over how much Germany should pay for reparations
showed clash between East and West
3. Potsdam (July 1945)
● STALIN, TRUMAN AND ATLEE
● Truman and Atlee new to diplomatic discussions and found it hard to get their
way with Stalin
● Nazi party banned and war criminals to be persecuted
● Germany divided into four zones (as discussed at Yalta) that were controlled by
the British, French, USA and Soviet Union
● Berlin divided into zones of occupation
● Soviet Union to receive 25% of the output from the other three zones as it had
received the poorest zone
● Atomic bomb had been tested
CONSEQUENCES- Stalin furious that he wasn’t involved and felt isolated
Truman began a ‘get tough’ policy against Stalin and saw his red army as a threat to peace
CONSEQUENCES-
There were a number of issues that Britain, the USA and Russia couldn’t agree on. Atlee and
Truman struggled to negotiate with Stalin. Stalin wanted Germany to be weakened, punished
,and broken up, but Truman argued that this was the cause of the Nazi party to emerge in the
first place.
Stalin didn’t want democratic elections in the countries freed from the Nazi’s, he wanted
them under Soviet control. This angered Truman who was very distrustful of the Soviet Union.
These clashes highlight the clear differences between Capitalism and Communism.
The Atomic Bomb (1945)
- On the 6th of August, 1945, President Truman dropped two atomic bombs on
Hiroshima and Nagisaki in Japan, killing over 120,000 civillians.
- The USA believed that this made them look stronger, Russia felt threatened by the
USA and their bomb so responded by invading more Eastern European land called
‘buffer zones’ as protection.
- The Russians developed their own nuclear weapons, there was now a competition
between the two countries to create nuclear bombs, this was reffered to as the arms
race
Long and Novikov telegrams (1946)
- Both countries feared conflict and wanted to know what each other were thinking, they
used a form of communication called Telegrams which were utilized by diplomats
working in the other country
- GEORGE KENNAN was an AMERICAN diplomat and sent Truman the ‘LONG
TELEGRAM’ in this message he conveyed that Stalin wanted to see the destruction
of capitalism and that capitalists are a threat to communism
- Kennan believed that Russia would surrender if they faced a strong response from
the US
- NOVIKOV sent his ‘NOVIKOV TELEGRAM’ to Stalin, conveying that Americans didn’t
trust Russians and wanted to use their massive military to dominate the world.
This encouraged the Russians to keep creating buffer zones by invading more land,
to protect themselves
CHURCHILL’S IRON CURTAIN SPEECH (1946)
● An Iron curtain had descended upon Europe, and behind it were states controlled by
Russia
● Speech delivered in the USA, increased tension between East and West
● Stalin responded by making Poland and Czechoslovakia satellite states
Satellite states and free elections (1947-1949)
- At Yalta and Potsdam, it was decided that the Soviet union would hold free elections
in the countries under their influence
- These elections were rigged to ensure the communist party won and had control
- Once in control, communists shut down the opposition and each country became a
single party state
, CONSEQUENCES-
The USA saw these acts as betrayal of the Yalta agreement where Stalin promised to hold
democratic elections. It was also seen as evidence of Soviet expansion by others.The USA
attempted to contain communism through military and economic assistance such as the
Marshall Aid and Truman doctrine. However the Soviet Union argued that it needed to
protect itself from the West and used Eastern Europe as a buffer zone.
How Eastern European countries became satellite states:
➔ Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia (Baltic states)
◆ Conquered by USSR in 1940
➔ Czechoslovakia
◆ After War a government led by Benes tried to restore a pre war democracy
◆ Stalin was threatened by this so a communist coup was staged in February 1948
Non Communist leaders were removed from power and Pro Soviet government
set up under Klement Gottwald
➔ Poland
◆ THE WARSAW UPRISING (1944) Poles staged a rebellion against German
occupation and were promised Soviet Support
◆ Soviets waited until the uprising had failed and invaded Poland, establishing a
Pro Communist government in place
◆ After the ‘free elections’ of 1947 (they were rigged) all London Poles (democrats)
were imprisoned or forced to flee
➔ Hungary
◆ During 1947 elections voters intimidated by campaign supported by Moscow and
communist party government elected
◆ By 1949 Hungary was a one party state
➔ Bulgaria, Romania and Eastern Germany
◆ Voters intimidated during rigged elections; due to this communist governments
were enforced
The Truman Doctrine and Marshall plan
1. Truman Doctrine (1947)
● Countries had to choose between Capitalism and Communism
● Communism was bad because countries would not be free
● The USA must try to contain Communism
● The USA would provide money, troops and military aid to combat communist
takeovers and free countries
● Provided 400 million to Greece and Turkey
2. Marshall plan (1948)
● USA gave around 13 billion dollars to help rebuild Europe
● Money is only given to countries that trade with the USA
● Communism appealed most to those with nothing to lose, this gave people a
stake in the capitalist system
● Soviet Union criticised this as an attack on them
