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How did the Cold War Shape
International Relations After
WW2?
Definitions
The Cold War was a period of geo-political tension between the USA and the
USSR and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc, after
WW1
The Cold War [was a period of] rivalry between the United States and the
Soviet Union which lasted for decades and resulted in anti-communist
suspicions and international incidents that lead the two superpowers to the
brink of nuclear disaster
Issues with definitions
Don’t include hot wars
Fought with spies and propaganda USSR was much better at spying - USA
wasn’t a security state)
Proxy wars
Arms race and space race
Don’t explain
Why?
How?
Where?
How did the Cold War Shape International Relations After WW2? 1
, Just how ‘cold’ was the Cold War? - 20 million people die in the “long peace”
19451990
Origins
Begins in 1917 Russian Revolution) - USA and the USSR helped the White
Army
MAD
Mutually Assured Destruction
Makes the world slightly safer
Deepening Suspicions
Russian Revolution and Civil War
Churchill was anti-Bolshevik
Lenin blamed the USA, Britain and France for capitalism - they all supported
the White Army
Russia was suspicious of these nations
Policy of Appeasement
Chamberlain Britain) wanted to avoid war
Between Italy, Germany, Britain and France
Czechoslovakia (not at the meeting themselves) was carved up and given to
Germany Russia was not at the meeting)
Made Russia even more suspicious
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
Russia and Germany don’t go to war
Germany wouldn’t have to fight a war on two fronts East and West)
How did the Cold War Shape International Relations After WW2? 2
, Russia have more time to prepare their military
Poland was divided in half
Shocked America and Britain and made them suspicious
Stalin’s Call for the Opening of a Second Front
Germany invaded Russia Operation Barbarossa, 1941
Russia and Britain became allies
Russia wanted the USA to to land in the West to assist in the fighting but USA
didn’t till 1944 (made Russia suspicious)
USA only enters the war later that year
Secrecy over the Nuclear Bomb
Manhattan Project USA’s Nuclear Bomb)
USA didn’t tell Stalin and they didn’t test for radiation
Stalin knew about the bomb and was angry (had spies within the project)
Russia was suspicious
Size of the Soviet Army and Operation Unthinkable
Soviet army was 4x bigger than the British and American armies combined
USA and Britain were suspicious)
July 1945 Churchill created Operation Unthinkable (prepare for war with
USSR
Decided the operation couldn’t work - size of the Soviet army and they weren’t
sure about US support for it
Stalin found out about the operation and was angry (they were allies during
the war) - USSR was suspicious
How did the Cold War Shape International Relations After WW2? 3
How did the Cold War Shape
International Relations After
WW2?
Definitions
The Cold War was a period of geo-political tension between the USA and the
USSR and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc, after
WW1
The Cold War [was a period of] rivalry between the United States and the
Soviet Union which lasted for decades and resulted in anti-communist
suspicions and international incidents that lead the two superpowers to the
brink of nuclear disaster
Issues with definitions
Don’t include hot wars
Fought with spies and propaganda USSR was much better at spying - USA
wasn’t a security state)
Proxy wars
Arms race and space race
Don’t explain
Why?
How?
Where?
How did the Cold War Shape International Relations After WW2? 1
, Just how ‘cold’ was the Cold War? - 20 million people die in the “long peace”
19451990
Origins
Begins in 1917 Russian Revolution) - USA and the USSR helped the White
Army
MAD
Mutually Assured Destruction
Makes the world slightly safer
Deepening Suspicions
Russian Revolution and Civil War
Churchill was anti-Bolshevik
Lenin blamed the USA, Britain and France for capitalism - they all supported
the White Army
Russia was suspicious of these nations
Policy of Appeasement
Chamberlain Britain) wanted to avoid war
Between Italy, Germany, Britain and France
Czechoslovakia (not at the meeting themselves) was carved up and given to
Germany Russia was not at the meeting)
Made Russia even more suspicious
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
Russia and Germany don’t go to war
Germany wouldn’t have to fight a war on two fronts East and West)
How did the Cold War Shape International Relations After WW2? 2
, Russia have more time to prepare their military
Poland was divided in half
Shocked America and Britain and made them suspicious
Stalin’s Call for the Opening of a Second Front
Germany invaded Russia Operation Barbarossa, 1941
Russia and Britain became allies
Russia wanted the USA to to land in the West to assist in the fighting but USA
didn’t till 1944 (made Russia suspicious)
USA only enters the war later that year
Secrecy over the Nuclear Bomb
Manhattan Project USA’s Nuclear Bomb)
USA didn’t tell Stalin and they didn’t test for radiation
Stalin knew about the bomb and was angry (had spies within the project)
Russia was suspicious
Size of the Soviet Army and Operation Unthinkable
Soviet army was 4x bigger than the British and American armies combined
USA and Britain were suspicious)
July 1945 Churchill created Operation Unthinkable (prepare for war with
USSR
Decided the operation couldn’t work - size of the Soviet army and they weren’t
sure about US support for it
Stalin found out about the operation and was angry (they were allies during
the war) - USSR was suspicious
How did the Cold War Shape International Relations After WW2? 3
